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75 years ago, volunteers built Kanawha County's Coonskin Park in two-day blitz

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The original entrance to Coonskin Park was located on Coonskin Drive, off Greenbrier Street, in this photo taken on June 4, 2025.

Rome may not have been built in a day, according to the old adage attesting to the need for time and patience to complete great works. But 75 years ago this week, it took only two days for an impatient army of volunteers to build Kanawha County's Coonskin Park.

The two-day construction blitz, named "Operation Coonskin," was organized and promoted by The Charleston Gazette, in cooperation with area construction contractors, heavy equipment dealers, labor unions, National Guard engineering units, Boy Scouts and scores of unaffiliated volunteers.

Sprayful Sunday

Heather Felix and daughter Isabella, 8, of St. Albans, paddle around the lake on July 15, 2012, at Coonskin Park.

Coonskin park commission

Coonskin Park plans were advanced rapidly at the first official business meeting of the new park commission appointed by the Kanawha County Court. Commission President Paul Anderson points out a spot on the map of the park for future development. Seated, on May 17, 1951, in the conference room at Kanawha Airport are (from left) Commission Vice President Lynn Goshorn, Commission member M.M. Alexander Jr., Anderson, Elsa Richardson, stenographer to the commission; Park Superintendent and Commission Secretary Frank Gillespie and Commission member James G. Carper. Standing are members of the county court, John M. Slack Jr., Court President Mont Cavender and Carl C. Calvert.

Coonskin Hike

Hikers head toward Coonskin Park’s Alice Knight Memorial Trail on Oct. 16, 2022. At the time, Yeager Airport officials were exploring a plan to extend the runway into Coonskin Park, which would pile dirt and fill higher than the runway landing lights, which can be seen in the background.

Coonskin Park’s name has roots in history

Paul Anderson, chairman in charge of “Operation Coonskin,” receives a coonskin cap for his efforts in this Gazette clip from the late 1940s or early 1950s.

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Wallace Van Meter, 9, and his mother, Eryn, both of Charleston, fish at Coonskin Park Lake on June 4, 2025.

PHOTO: A colorful morning walk

Donna Carney, of Charleston, takes a walk in the brisk morning air of Oct. 29, 2019, in Coonskin Park under the changing leaves.

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Coonskin construction 1950

A B&O steam engine with a train of passenger cars sits on the tracks near the new Coonskin Park in the summer of 1950. At right are workers who were part of "Operation Coonskin" to build the park from scratch on June 27-28, 1950. Donated labor, materials and heavy equipment helped bring about the rapid transformation of an old farm into a valuable recreational asset. When the construction blitz ended, the new park had lakes, picnic shelters, grills, an access road and a dance pavilion. Earl Benton/Daily Mail

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Eddie Moore (foreground) and his son, Deacon, 15, of Sissonville, golf at Coonskin Park on June 4, 2025.

Vintage West Virginia: Fun on the merry-go-round

Spring fun at Coonskin Park was on the schedule for this group of Ruffner Elementary fourth-graders on April 20, 1973. The students in Mrs. Reed Hall's class took a spin on the park's merry-go-round. Photo by Ferrell Friend.

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People cool off at the Coonskin Park swimming pool on June 4, 2025.

Irish Invitational Cross country meet

High school boys' cross-country runners set out on the course from the starting line in the Charleston Catholic Irish Invitational meet at Coonskin Park on Sept. 11, 2024. Catholic's Will Barton (2514) was the eventual winner.

Coonskin skiing

This is an undated photo of people snow skiing at Coonskin Park.

Coonskin Park -- disk golf

Travis Wong, of Charleston, tosses a disc into the seventh hole at the disc golf course at Coonskin Park on June 1, 2025.

Rick Steelhammer is a features reporter. He can be reached at 304-348-5169 or rsteelhammer@hdmediallc.com. Follow @rsteelhammer on X.