HINTON

city, seat (1871) of Summers county, southeastern West Virginia, U.S., on the New River, near the mouth of the Greenbrier River. Laid out in 1831, it became a railway maintenance facility and rail-shipping point in 1871 with the arrival of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. The early 20th century was the boom time for Hinton; the railroad had at one time about 1,000 employees. However, this volume of activity had declined by the 1950s as goods were transported by other means and the Chesapeake and Ohio switched from steam to diesel engines. Hinton is now a centre for a variety of recreational and historical attractions, and its economy is based largely on tourist-related activities. These include Bluestone Dam (completed 1949), Bluestone State Park, New River Gorge National River, Bluestone Wildlife Management Area, Big Bend Tunnel, John Henry Monument, and more than 200 historic buildings in such architectural styles as Greek Revival, American Gothic, and Second Empire. Hinton also holds several annual festivals: Railroad Days, John Henry Days, and the West Virginia State Water Festival. Inc. 1880. Pop. (1990) 3,433; (1998 est.) 3,239.