USDA Forest Service photo by Kelly Bridges
USDA Forest Service photo by Kelly Bridges
The origins of the Monongahela National Forest began in 1911 with the passage of the Weeks Act. On November 26, 1915, the federal government used the Weeks Act to purchase the first tract of what would become the Monongahela National Forest, a 7,200 acre tract in Tucker County. Between 1915 and 1920 additional tracts, including lands in western Virginia, were purchased.
Presently, Monongahela National Forest manages over 920,000 acres of public land in 10 West Virginia counties. Ninety-eight percent of these lands were purchased using provisions of the Weeks Act, with the goal of creating a living legacy for future generations.
The Monongahela National Forest turned 100 years old on April 28th, 2020