The Sunken Town of Gad, West Virginia

The story of Gad, West Virginia. A town that was sunken beneath the Summersville lake in 1966 with the creation of the Summersville dam. I hope you enjoy! I had a lot of fun putting this together.
0:00 Prologue
0:41 Chapter 1: Origins and History
6:16 Chapter 2: The Summersville Dam
9:15 Chapter 3: The Atlantis of Appalachia
12:50 Chapter 4: New Gad: Fallout 76
15:05 Chapter 5: Final Thoughts and Epilogue
✪ The music in this video was sourced from the Fallout 76 'Wastelanders' game soundtrack.
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✪ Summersville Dam & Gauley River Whitewater History
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[@dallasdavis3246]

there was a few towns covered over by the tygart lake as well a couple hours away from summersville

[@portercoogan4862]

I told my mother in law about Gad,she would crack up and say let's go to the gad dam lake!

[@judesummers795]

Yes, same with my family. They said that all the time! Phyllis McClure is my first cousin. It's my grandparents she's talking about.

[@GroovyNewLife]

Oh this is so interesting! I didn't know about this place.I really love your vids!!

[@RetiredMemeLord]

if you think a small town underwater is something, try having a bus with the all the bodies underwater and have built a bridge over it

[@benjaminthorvaldsen]

Don't think I've heard of that story. Sounds... grim.

[@RetiredMemeLord]

@@benjaminthorvaldsen it happend before my time ( i think), so yeah

[@jockoharpo2622]

Nearby Centraia, WV was moved when the Elk River near Sutton, WV was flooded as it was named Sutton Lake.

[@williamblake1217]

There was a few cinder blocks left that got exposed at winter pool back in the 80's.
Those probably became ad hoac boat anchors years ago.

[@Closechannel231]

The music in the background as people being interviewed is loud so hearing what they are saying is difficult.

[@alvashoemaker8536]

THANK YOU for sharing this history…! 👍🏼👍🏼🙂👠👣

[@rshuler6967]

Over at Sutton Dam, Earnie Carpenter wrote a song about his family’s farm being flooded for the dam. Elk River Blues…hauntingly beautiful fiddle tune.

[@jockoharpo2622]

My ancestry is Carpenter's of the Elk River from Centralia near Webster Springs. The McCourts and Carpenters.

[@chrischapman7452]

Some families must have grown close, especially Adkins and Robert's lol which have spawned one of my closest friends haha Fred Roberts the 3rd

[@chrischapman7452]

You should have contacted sarges dive shop at the marina, I'm sure they know all the info

[@shotgunz1248]

Another dam built in Wv is RD Bailey lake It was built in a town also

[@MrXbloodline]

Look up Smith lake Bremen Alabama it has houses still standing under water but mostly it's the petrified Forrest still standing. It's makes finding and recovering drowning hard

[@MSGTBoomer]

When the Corps of Engineers made all of their lakes during the Flood Act there is a clause to leave no standing structures such as homes and bridges intact. All homes are bulldozed or moved out of the area that will be flooded. Bridges are blown up and left to fall into old river beds they once stood over. Also, standing timber that may possibly affect recreation boaters are clear cut and sold for Timber sales.
I worked for the USACE in PA and one structure they left intact but gutted under the lake was an old dam and powerplant. There are zero houses and zero intact structures like some may say.

[@robfdavis]

Are these actual pictures of Gad ? I noticed some of the background video in the beginning is actually Thurmond WV . Please turn down the banjo music . Yes I realize we are Appalachian but believe me there is no banjo or fiddle music playing everywhere in reality. Otherwise this video is very informative. Thank you.

[@charliemcelwain8874]

I got open water diver certification at gaddam West Virginia Charles Reese McElwain from lazy run West Virginia. I also found a sant Brendon the navigater rock writing under the lake

[@zeusdarkgod7727]

I'm actually here right now doing the same. Any idea where abouts that rock is?

[@feliciamoul7818]

If you want to see the pictures of the buildings in Gad still being intact in the water go visit the culture center in Charleston WV. They have the pictures there.

[@benjaminthorvaldsen]

Interesting! Thank you for the clarification. Shame I was unable to find any while putting this together. Whenever I get back to visit WV, I'll have to try and get over there to see them. Thanks for the info!

[@sydneemiller6091]

God bless Gad.

[@roberthughes6639]

I've lived in Summersville and I have never seen a complete house only parts of where they was I'm almost 36 and lived here lived here around 34 I move but always miss my home town and come back lol

[@timgilbear]

Lake. Berryessa outside Winters Ca supposedly has a town under that as well.

[@benjaminthorvaldsen]

Interesting. Thanks for that info, I'll give it a look!

[@coreym162]

The irony of if the dam was never placed there the towns removal was inevitable by the flood. The people dodged that bullet too.

[@shotgunz1248]

Also sad these people got robbed out of there homes and land 12 thousand for home and 80 acres of land is bad

[@eagleeye7329]

I saw a brige there somewhere nere the start

[@Ewok9059]

My people were Forced out along many others ( Legg ) Gaddamit And pictures and much More *

[@dancemomsandy7416]

My family as well (MORRIS)

[@realo3503]

M

[@Airwatt]

I bought an 88 acre farm w/ 2story house in 1970 for $2,500 only 2 miles from Gad, so $12.000 wasn't a bad price in the 1960's

[@johnnyjames5038]

pronounced kuh-naw :)

[@benjaminthorvaldsen]

Thanks!