Canaan Valley State Park was established in 1963 on 6,014 acres of land, part of which had been willed to the state by resident S. Maude Kaemmerling for recreational use. In 1971, the park opened its ski slopes on the 4,420 foot Weiss Knob. It was the state’s first ski resort and sparked a new industry in West Virginia. The park’s lodge has been managed by a private operator since the mid-1970s, but the state park system still provides certain services.