Development along the New River in West Virginia was booming in the 1870's with the completion of the Chesapeake and Ohio mainline. In 1873, W. D. Thurmond acquired 73 acres along the north bank of the river, through which the railroad ran, and began developing a town. In 1889, the first loads of coal were shipped out of the New River Gorge via the C&O at Thurmond. Hotels, a bank and a post office were established, and by 1910 Thurmond was first in revenue receipts on the C&O line, with 75,000 passengers per year. That basically marked the high point of commerce in this gorge community. In 1931, the National Bank of Thurmond failed. The last steam locomotive was retired in 1958, and in 1984 the Thurmond Depot closed. In 1993 the Engine House burned, and in 1995 the Post Office closed. But new commerce arrived in 1968, when the first commercial rafting began in the gorge. In 1978, the New River Gorge National River was designated as a unit of the National Park System. Through all of the area's history, scenic Dunloup Creek has tumbled down rocky slopes to its confluence with the New River near the restored town. This waterfall and many other pleasing scenes are easily accessible from WV state highway 25 between Glen Jean and Thurmond.