Spruce, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Spruce, West Virginia
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 Spruce, West Virginia
Location in West Virginia
Spruce, West Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Pocahontas |
| Elevation | 3,868 ft (1,179 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area code(s) | 304 & 681 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1555697 |
Spruce is a ghost town located in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, in the United States. It is about 9.5 miles (15.3 km) southwest of the town of Durbin. A ghost town is a place that used to be a busy community but is now mostly empty or completely abandoned.
Contents
The History of Spruce
Early Days and Logging
Spruce was first settled in 1902. It was built along Shavers Fork of the Cheat River. The main industry in this area was logging. This means people cut down trees to use the wood. Later, coal mining also became important.
The Pulp Mill and New Spruce
In 1904, a big company called the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company built a pulp mill nearby. A pulp mill processes wood into pulp, which is used to make paper. A new community grew up right next to this mill. This new town was also named Spruce. Because of this, the first settlement was then called "Old Spruce." The Greenbrier and Elk Railroad was a train line that helped serve the town.
Decline and Abandonment
The pulp mill in Spruce closed down in 1925. All of its equipment was moved to another paper mill in Luke, Maryland. After the mill closed, the town of Spruce started to shrink. Fewer and fewer people lived there. Eventually, the town was completely abandoned. That is why it is now known as a ghost town.
