About

Statts Mills Campground in Ripley, WV, is located on the shores of the 217-acre Lake O'Brien, developed after a 1983 flood-control project. It is steeped in the history of the nearby 1877 Staats Mill Covered Bridge, which was moved to Cedar Lakes to avoid flooding, and the early 19th-century Pfost family settlers.

Early History

The area was established in the 1800s around the Tug Fork of Mill Creek, with the community founded by Enoch Staats's mill, known for agriculture and early mills.

Origin

The community and surrounding area take their name from the water-powered mill established by Isaac Staats on the Tug Fork of Big Mill Creek in the 19th century.

The Area's Heritage

Early settlers, including Revolutionary War veteran Abraham Staats, established farms in the area, with the community becoming known for the mill and a store owned by Enoch Staats.

The Covered Bridge

The historic 97-foot "long truss" Staats Mill Covered Bridge was built in 1877 for $1,724 and moved in 1983, when the Army Corps of Engineers created Lake O'Brien. Built near the community to span Tug Fork, the bridge was moved to the Cedar Lakes Conference Center, to save it from flood control project construction, specifically the creation of Lake O'Brien.

Modern Development

Following the dam construction to prevent flooding in Ripley, the surrounding area was developed for recreation.

Founding and Ownership of Statts Mills Campground

There are some blanks to be filled in, in the overall history of who built and added each structure to the Statts Mills Campground, but here is what we know. The Starcher family owned the property that the campground is on for many years, passing it down and keeping it in the family. The Starcher family sold the campground property to John and Jennifer Reed in 2016. The Reeds developed and built structures on the property from 2016 to 2019 starting the recreational camping and cabin stays. Sara D Rana purchased the campground in November 2019 from John and Jennifer Reed and she passed away in 2023, when her family listed the Campground estate at auction. The Campground sold at auction in 2024 to Raymond and Joanne Emswiler, who did many significant upgrades to the site until selling it to Noah and Bryeanna Robinson (current owners and operators) in December of 2025. Today the campground is being upgraded and worked on daily to make it the best site it can be. Noah and Bryeanna are excited at what all the future plans for the site will hold, and all the wonderful family times and memories that will be made.