Geoffrey Skaggs is a visionary with a keen eye to tourism
who has made his little corner of WV a better place to live and visit. A Peace
Corps volunteer in the 1960’s, Geoffrey has taken that spirit of community
service with him throughout life, taking on leadership roles with Fayette
County Head Start, the Historic Fayette Theater, the Country Roads Festival,
and most importantly to us is the 15 years of dedicated service he has given to
Midland Trail Scenic Highway Association (MTSHA), first as a board member, then
President.
After retiring from Verizon, Geoffrey brought his unique
perspective to the Town of Ansted Mayor’s chair, serving from 1997 -2003. His
devoted work set Ansted on the path to transitioning from a coal-based economy
to a tourism-based economy and his guidance has been an inspiration to other
towns along Midland Trail National Scenic Highway.
Geoffrey teamed up with Midland Trail and garnered funds,
land, and volunteers to build the Ansted Hawks Nest Rail Trail from the top of
the mountain in Ansted to the bottom of the Gorge with a very distinctive
feature – bikes could be attached to the Hawks Nest gondolas. He worked to
promote the Paige-Vawter House (c. 1981) as a tourist attraction and to
revitalize Ansted’s Main Street. He secured funding and volunteers to build a
gathering place - a park and gazebo in the middle of Town. A dilapidated store
front became a florist shop with meeting space. Next door, Blue Smoke Salsa
expanded so tour buses would stop to watch the world-renowned salsa being
made.
As president of MTSHA, Geoffrey showed us how to build partnerships
with towns and strengthen our ties with the community. Under Geoffrey’s
leadership, the Association established a welcome center and offices in a
historic log cabin that befits the organization, established a staff, and we
now publish an annual travel guide with 41 partner towns and attractions,
promote tourism for the historical sites and businesses along Route 60, and we
have built new attractions, like the South Charleston Mound Interpretive Center
and Exhibit (2010) and Virginia’s Chapel Interpretive Wayside in Cedar Grove
(Sept. 2012). Geoffrey’s work has united the towns and communities of the
Midland Trail into a 180-mile linear community.
On Oct. 4, 2012 Geoffrey tendered his resignation as
President of the Board of Directors having served from (2001-2012) and has
relocated to Clarksburg so he and his wife Suzanne can be near their grandkids.
Midland Trail presented him with a Certificate of Commendation from Secretary
of State Natalie Tennant, well-deserved recognition for his many years of
service to his community. He will be missed on every curve of Route 60.
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