New River – Virginia – Willing Sellers Are Not Always Willing

Cindy and Tommy Mullens spent 12 years building their dream home on the New River in Hinton, West Virginia, only to be forced off when the National Park Service began seizing property along what was going to be a scenic byway.

After dozens of landowners relinquished their homes, many of the properties fell into disrepair.  We noted some that were fenced in, falling down and blighted. According to the residents, some of the land that was seized was sold to a lumber company by the Park Service and private homes with new owners were rebuilt on the areas that had originally  been confiscated.

The Mullens home on the New River, Circa 2005
The Mullens home on the New River, Circa 2005

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Properties managed by the National Park Service. After years of neglect, the homes are rotting along the Scenic Byway, New River, West Virginia.
Properties managed by the National Park Service. After years of neglect, the homes are rotting along the Scenic Byway, New River, West Virginia.
One of the properties on the New River after several years of National Park Service management.
One of the properties on the New River after several years of National Park Service management.
After the Park Service sold some of the confiscated land to a lumber company, new homes were constructed
After the Park Service sold some of the confiscated land to a lumber company, new homes were constructed

This is a short excerpt (1:30) from a longer interview with Cindy Mullens. To see the longer version of her unedited interview (questions were taken out to avoid distraction, but the interview is presented as it occurred in 2005).

And here’s the full interview with Cindy:

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