KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. –The first park to be built in Kanawha County is preparing to celebrate its 75th anniversary.

Coonskin Park, located just 10 minutes from Charleston, will hold a big celebration on Saturday.

Kanawha County Parks and Recreation Director Jeff Hutchinson says the event will feature a full day of activities.

The celebration includes a free pool day, discounted family golf, giveaways of T-shirts and hats, a performance by the Charleston Metro Band, a display of British sports cars by the local Classics Car Club, a photo scavenger hunt, and food.

Hutchinson said that the park was built by volunteers in just two days, between June 27 and June 28, 1950.

“Coonskin Park opened to the public, they had a grand opening, after a group of local citizens spear-headed by the newspapers came in here after the end of construction of the airport and build roadways and flat grounds and stuff and created the park,” he said.

Originally, the park was a greenspace that held a ballfield, a temporary pavilion, and offered square dancing.

Today, the park spans over 1,000 acres of woodland and offers trails for hiking and biking, a handicapped-accessible 18-hole par-three golf course, a pool, picnic shelters (large and small), meeting and reception room rentals, an amphitheater, a 2,000-seat soccer stadium, a Wedding Garden, and more.

Hutchinson notes that because Coonskin Park is so large, it offers something for everyone

“We have so many different activities here at Coonskin, we pretty much touch on everything,” he said.

The park is close to Interstate 64; however, it’s surrounded by trees and foliage.

Hutchinson said that the foliage makes it a peaceful escape from the city.

“People that don’t get a chance to get away, to go to the Monongahela Forest things like that and have quiet time, we have a lot of people who come out of here from work and eat their lunch because it’s quiet and it’s kind of serene,” he said.”

While visitors won’t hear traffic, they may occasionally hear an airplane overhead. However, Hutchinson says that most people feel like they’re in a completely different place, no matter the time of year.

“Coonskin offers everything within 10 minutes of downtown Charleston and even when you come out here, even though you can see the interstate when the foliage is not good, and you hear an airplane, it’s like you’re somewhere else.”

Photo: Kanawha County Parks and Recreation