Nestled deep in the Appalachian Mountains, the tiny town of Thurmond, West Virginia, once thrived as a bustling coal and railroad hub. Today, with just a handful of residents and many of its historic buildings fading into the past, Thurmond stands on the edge of becoming an almost forgotten “ghost town.” A new documentary, Almost Ghost Town, seeks to capture the soul of this unique community and preserve its legacy for future generations.
Directed by West Virginia filmmaker Jillian Howell, Almost Ghost Town is a deeply personal and grassroots project created by an all-West Virginia crew. The film chronicles the rise, decline, and present-day reality of Thurmond—a town that once bustled with railroad workers, coal miners, and families, but now faces the challenges of population loss and preservation amid changes brought by the National Park Service’s ownership of much of the land.
Howell’s documentary takes audiences on an evocative journey through Thurmond’s richly textured history, from its heyday in the early 1900s as a critical railroad junction to its current status as a designated historic district with only four residents remaining. Through interviews with locals, historical footage, and striking visuals of the town’s aging architecture, the film reveals the resilience of a community grappling with its own fading footprint on the map.
The documentary also highlights the emotional connection residents and former residents maintain with Thurmond, illustrating the human side of what it means to live in a place on the brink of vanishing. Howell’s storytelling invites viewers to reflect on broader themes of economic change, community identity, and the importance of preserving cultural heritage in rural America.
Currently in production, Almost Ghost Town is being funded through a grassroots crowdfunding campaign on Seed&Spark, where supporters can contribute to help bring this vital story to the screen. A work-in-progress screening is planned for August 15 at Charleston’s Old Capitol Theater, giving West Virginians a chance to engage with the project firsthand.
Almost Ghost Town is more than a documentary—it is a tribute to Thurmond’s past and a call to remember the communities that built Appalachia’s history. By telling Thurmond’s story, the film preserves a piece of American heritage that might otherwise be lost to time.
For more information on the film and how to support it, visit the Almost Ghost Town Facebook page or the Seed&Spark campaign.