Mont Chateau State Park
Defunct state park in West Virginia, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mont Chateau State Park was formerly a state park located beside Cheat Lake in Monongalia County, West Virginia, USA.
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| Mont Chateau State Park | |
|---|---|
Postcard image of the former lodge | |
  Location of Mont Chateau State Park in West Virginia | |
| Location | Monongalia, West Virginia, United States |
| Coordinates | 39°39′33″N 79°50′52″W |
| Area | 42.16 acres (17.06 ha)[1] |
| Elevation | 1,056 ft (322 m)[2] |
| Established | June 1955[1] |
| Website | WVGES Museum at Mont Chateau |
History
Commissioning and operations
Some 42.16 acres (17 ha) of land for park were originally purchased in June 1955. A new lodge was subsequently constructed and opened, along with the beach, on June 7, 1958.[1] After unsuccessfully attempting different ways of managing and operating the park, it was closed in 1977.[1][3]
Current status
While the park itself was closed, the state has retained a 13-acre (5.3 ha) portion of the site. The former lodge has housed the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, including a small geology museum, since the 1970s. The land also provides access from the Coopers Rock State Forest trail system to Cheat Lake. The other 29.16 acres (11.80 ha) were first leased and then sold to Fred St. Clair in 1985 for recreational use.[1]