St. Paul Virginia is one of the smallest of the six towns in Wise County, being home to less than 1,000 people.  St. Paul is located on the crossroads of Southwest Virginia directly upon the intersection of two (2) major highways and railroads and divides the coal country to the west and the agriculture-based communities to the east. St. Paul is commonly referred to as “The Gateway to the West”.

Situated on the edge of the Appalachian coalfields, St. Paul’s economy has depended historically upon the coal mining and railway industries, subject to their continual cycles of boom or bust.  Changing policies in today’s modern coal industry have brought high coal-specific unemployment and ever-decreasing job opportunities in all areas of the economy.  These factors have resulted in a subsequent decline in population as families have moved away to seek jobs elsewhere, as well as a dearth of privately owned businesses.  The fundamental shift in this region of Virginia has forced many communities into a transitional period, in search of new economic solutions.

New economic solutions of today involve leveraging communities’ assets to promote economic growth.  In rural areas, community assets can take the form of natural resources and scenic locations.  Eco-tourism is a growing phenomenon, particularly in Southwest Virginia and tourists are often drawn to these regional cultural resources and their unique outdoor settings. 

The Master Plan calls for St. Paul to mold itself into a tourist destination, by leveraging its own considerable natural resources.  The Town of St. Paul sits directly above the Scenic Clinch River, one of the cleanest and most biologically diverse ecosystems in Eastern North America.  In addition, the Town boasts the only exclusive public access in the Commonwealth to the Scenic Clinch River with several popular hiking and biking trails directly on the river.  The Town of St. Paul intends to develop its unique location, cultural, and historical resources by showcasing these natural assets to increase tourism and travel to the area.  Thus turning their hometown once again into a community to be proud of and serving as an example to other communities throughout the region.  For more information and the official Master Plan for Downtown St. Paul, click here. It is

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