Editor’s Note: The article below about the Braxton County community of Corley was published on the online website, MountainStateExplorer. It is being reprinted here for your enjoyment.
Nestled in the once-thriving agricultural heart of West Virginia, the ghost town of Corley now stands as a haunting symbol of American rural decay. Its descent from a bustling community began with the closure of its post office in 1957, signaling the start of a slow fade into the shadows. Today, amidst the quiet and decay, Corley retains an eerie allure, with its few remaining structures and the Corley/Fairview Township Cemetery narrating the stories of its former vibrancy to visitors and history aficionados alike.
Corley’s foundation was laid with Thomas McDonald’s vision in the 19th century, flourishing alongside the railroad and peaking with a population of 150. The town, once dotted with general stores, a hotel, and brimming with grain and livestock trade, succumbed to the Great Depression and the post-WWII shifts in agriculture and transportation. Now, its dilapidated grain elevators and leaning corn crib stand as silent monuments to a bygone era, drawing in those captivated by the town’s mysterious past.
Despite its decline, the ghost town’s legacy endures through the tales etched into its quiet existence. Corley’s spectral charm is an open invitation for explorers to traverse its deserted streets and imagine life as it once was. The town’s cemetery cradles the narratives of its past inhabitants, offering a poignant reflection on the cycles of prosperity and decline that have shaped human settlements.
In the stillness of Braxton County, the ghost town of Corley emerges as a poignant piece of history, its silent streets and abandoned structures whispering of days long gone. For those who venture into its tranquil desolation, Corley offers a rare glimpse into West Virginia’s storied past, standing as an enigmatic portal to an era when the town pulsed with life, now immortalized in the timeless allure of its ghostly embrace.
