Thornton, West Virginia

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Thornton
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Thornton
Location within the state of West Virginia
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Thornton
Thornton (the United States)
Coordinates: 39°20′44″N79°56′31″W / 39.34556°N 79.94194°W / 39.34556; -79.94194 Coordinates: 39°20′44″N79°56′31″W / 39.34556°N 79.94194°W / 39.34556; -79.94194
Country United States
State West Virginia
County Taylor
Elevation
[1]
1,043 ft (318 m)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
  Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
GNIS feature ID1548055 [1]

Thornton is an unincorporated community in Taylor County, West Virginia, United States. Thornton is located on Three Fork Creek along the Northwestern Turnpike (US 50) at its junction with County Route 7. Thornton also hosts an annual Pumpkin Festival. Thornton contains a Volunteer Fire Department, Post Office, and Taylor County's Judge Alan Moats' residence.

After his 1976 escape from prison in Pennsylvania, the sex cult leader George Feigley hid on a farm near Thornton. He and his followers referred to the farm as the "Aaron Farm", and used it as a compound until Feigley was recaptured in 1978. [2] [3]

Historic site

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References

  1. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Thornton, West Virginia
  2. Flaherty, Mary Pat (1983-08-07). "Farm In W. Va. Once Used As Hideaway". The Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved 2018-12-07.
  3. Feigley, George (2008). "Views of the Prisons". www.prisoners.com. Archived from the original on 2010-05-18. Retrieved 2018-12-07.