Most People Have No Idea There’s an Underwater Ghost Town Hiding in West Virginia

With over 60 named ghost towns in West Virginia, more than likely, even locals haven’t heard of a few of them. Towns like Kaymoor, Winona, and Thurmond might be on your radar, and you might have even visited. Yet, we can think of several that are hiding in plain sight, that you have no idea exist. One in particular is Gad, an old farming village with homes, businesses, and families. Located below the surface of the Summersville Lake, this underwater ghost town in West Virginia has a story to tell. While the lake is a great destination for a day of play, the thousands who visit may not know that a thriving town vanished overnight here. If we have piqued your interest to know more about the town under Summersville Lake, read on to learn Gad's unique history.

The History Of Gad Before Summersville Lake

From the 1800s to 1960, the village of Gad existed where Summersville Lake is, and the lake holds its hidden history under the surface. Gad, West Virginia, was a farming community where hard-working families called home for decades. A general store was central to the town of Gad. This was also the site of a post office and a small church. There was even a small school that served the children who lived in the village.

However, in the 1960s, the entire town was sold to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to create the Gad Dam, whose name was later changed to Summersville Dam to avoid the obvious wordplay. After the purchase, houses were demolished or removed, and all the residents were forced to leave behind the only life they knew. So, technically, it's not a ghost town in West Virginia in its true sense; it's a once-thriving community of people who had no choice but to walk away from their homes, leaving behind a piece of their soul. West Virginia Tourism dubbed Gad the “Appalachian Atlantis,” and we can’t disagree. After all, similar to the ancient lost civilization, the foundation of Gad now sits at over 300 feet beneath the surface of West Virginia’s largest and most beautiful lake. 

Why Gad Was Flooded?

Although those who lived there missed their old town, the dam has saved the area from an estimated $407+ million in flood damage over the years. So, technically, Summersville Lake, the man-made reservoir, was beneficial to the overall well-being of the region, controlling flooding in the area. The United States Army Corps of Engineers began construction on the Summersville Dam in 1960, and it was completed in 1966.

The dam is 390 feet high and 2,280 feet long, and it secures the billions of gallons of water in the sprawling 2,790-acre lake. Today, although Summersville Lake is a major recreation hub, the lake is drained yearly for repairs, and you can still see parts of the roadway, foundations, and carvings in the rock from Gad's former residents.

Can You See the Remains of Gad When Visiting Summersville Lake

The lake is a popular recreation area and has also been referred to as the "Bahamas of the East Coast." Activities on the lake include swimming, fishing, boating, snorkeling, and scuba diving. There are also hiking trails centered around the lake, as well as Summersville Lake State Park, a 177-acre playground known for its rock-climbing, and Summersville Lake Wildlife Management Area, where locals and visitors come to hunt, fish, and camp.

Every year, between October and November, the lake levels are lowered, and once every ten years, the lake is drained to perform maintenance on the dam. During this time, you can see remnants of the foundation of Gad. Several years ago, a boat was seen on the dry lakebed, although it was not confirmed to be from the abandoned town. Visit the Summersville Lake State Park website to learn more.

If you're a bit of a history buff and want to keep learning about forgotten ghost towns, take a look at Thurmond, a ghost town in West Virginia. And, if you've been to Summersville Lake State Park, we suggest that you add it to your list. Not only is it one of the newest state parks, but it's also one of the best state parks in West Virginia.