West Virginia Executive Spring/Summer 2020 | Page 27

Photo by Putnam County CVB.
An employee at the Toyota Motor
Manufacturing plant in Buffalo.
Photo by PCDA.
Photo by Putnam County CVB.
An Opportune Place to Live
Employment opportunities naturally generate other positive
attributes in Putnam County’s communities, including affordable
housing, top-tier schools, diverse recreational opportunities
and access to health care.
The county’s 23 schools include three National Blue Ribbon
Schools, 16 West Virginia Schools of Excellence, one National
Title I Distinguished School and one Premier Career & Technical
Center. Among Putnam County students, the average
ACT scores are above the national composite, and the county’s
graduation rate is one of the best in the state. Also, the Putnam
Career & Technical Center boasts a 91 percent job placement
rate for graduates.
Putnam County residents also enjoy convenient access to
six hospitals, including several university teaching facilities,
and an abundance of health care specialists. It was ranked the
third healthiest county in the Mountain State in 2020 by the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).
One of the markers on the RWJF’s County Health Rankings
& Roadmaps is access to exercise opportunities, and Putnam
County is home to a variety of recreational activities, including
amenities added during the recent upgrade to Valley Park in
Hurricane.
“The 60-acre park now includes the Waves of Fun water
park; an 18-hole mini golf course; baseball, softball and soccer
fields; tennis and beach volleyball courts; numerous multipurpose
fields; fishing ponds; miles of walking trails; an outdoor
amphitheater; a seasonal synthetic ice rink; numerous picnic
shelters; and a fenced-in dog park,” says Dunlap.
Along with the Valley Park renovation and other notable
changes, other amenities that promote a healthier lifestyle have
been part of the county culture for years.
“Eleanor Park has these amazing hiking and biking trails
that have been a bit of a best-kept secret,” says Kelli Steele,
executive director of the Putnam County Convention & Visitors
Bureau (CVB). “The Meeks Mountain Trails
system at Hurricane City Park that recently
opened and is still being developed offers even
more trails for enthusiasts. Winfield also just put
in a beautiful boat launch ramp right under the
Winfield Bridge, which provides a safe place for
motorboats to launch. It’s also an ideal spot for paddle sports
because the water is relatively still there since it’s just upriver
from the Winfield Locks and Dam. I think Putnam County
will become more of a destination for trail runners, mountain
bikers and watersports in the next five to 10 years.”
An Opportune Place to Play
Along with easy access the river and hiking and biking trails,
Putnam County is also home to a growing foodie scene and
boutique shopping.
“Many people don’t realize how many great local restaurants
are here in Putnam County,” says Steele. “We have everything
from ethnic cuisine to country cooking, and I’m still surprised by
the quality and variety of food for the size of the community.”
The county’s impressive collection of beautiful indoor and
outdoor locations makes the perfect backdrop for a wealth of
community events and celebrations.
“The chamber loves partnering with other organizations
in the county like the Putnam County CVB, Putnam County
Schools, Putnam County Library and Putnam Parks and Recreation
to provide a wide range of events and services to help
support people of all ages. We are all in this together, and that
sense of community is what makes our county so attractive,”
says Glance.
Some of the county’s most successful events include Main
Street Food Truck Fridays in Hurricane, the Putnam County
Farmers Market and Tastes and Talents Month.
“Tastes and Talents is our annual month-long focus on food
and the arts that occurs each March,” says Steele. “We work
with local restaurants to promote specials, local food, local
music and local artists. By March, people are usually itching
to get out again following the winter, so it’s a great time to
remind people about the amazing food and artists right here in
the area. I think there is a perception that there is nothing to
WWW.WVEXECUTIVE.COM SPRING/SUMMER 2020 25