Local officials and guests gathered Friday for the dedication of a new Almost Heaven swing at Pleasants County Park in St. Marys. (Photo provided by Jay Powell)

ST. MARYS — An Almost Heaven swing was dedicated Friday in Pleasants County, one of four recently added around the Mid-Ohio Valley.

Since 2022, the West Virginia Department of Tourism has installed oversized wooden swings in nearly 50 locations around the state in an effort to provide scenic photo opportunities for folks to share on social media with the hashtag #AlmostHeaven.

Pleasants County Commissioner Jay Powell said officials there have been trying, unsuccessfully, to land one for some time.

This summer, they enlisted the aid of local photographer Jennings Illar to provide some local pictures for a presentation put together by county Parks and Recreation Director Danny Najar and county Administrator Robin Wright. Powell presented the proposal at the Capitol in August.

“It was stated by the … Tourism Department they had never had a community put so much attention to detail,” Powell said. “Two weeks later, thank the Good Lord, we were blessed with notification that Pleasants County would be awarded the privilege of getting an official swing.”

Photo provided by Jay Powell Pleasants County officials dedicated a new Almost Heaven swing Friday at Pleasants County Park in St. Marys. (Photo provided by Jay Powell)

Najar and county Director of Maintenance John Schultz oversaw preparation of the site at the Pleasants County Park in St. Marys, just above the aquatic center, Powell said.

It was dedicated on Friday, with representatives from the county, the cities of St. Marys and Belmont and the Pleasants County Chamber of Commerce in attendance.

Powell said the swing gives people from around the state and beyond another reason to come to Pleasants County. He got confirmation of that the next day with two visitors from Follansbee.

“These are people that go from swing to swing,” he said. “They saw that we dedicated on Friday, and they came on Saturday.

“While here they ate at one of our local restaurants, shopped at our local shops and wanted our community to know they discovered many other things such as hiking the island they hope to do in the future,” he said.

An Almost Heaven swing has been placed at the Calhoun County Community Center in Grantsville. (Photo provided by the West Virginia Department of Tourism)

Powell said getting the swing was an achievement accomplished by “prayer, hard work and coming together as a community.”

The Department of Tourism last week also announced new Almost Heaven swings in Ritchie, Wetzel and Calhoun counties.

A swing at North Bend State Park can be reached by motorists via the Main Park Road and hikers through the Southern Railroad and Castle Rock trails. The swing sits at the north bend of the Hughes River, the park’s namesake, and has ramps to make it accessible from both sides.

Another Almost Heaven swing can be found at the top of Monarch Trail, the highest point of the Wetzel County 4-H Campground trail systems. The site offers a 360-degree view of the mountains, as part of a two-mile loop the release from Tourism says is perfect for walkers, runners and bikers.

In Grantsville, an Almost Heaven swing was placed at the former Calhoun County High School, which is now a National Historic Landmark and site of the Calhoun County Community Center.

One of the newest Almost Heaven swings can be found at the north bend of the Hughes River in North Bend State Park. (Photo provided by the West Virginia Department of Tourism)

“As you plan your autumn getaway to the Mountain State, make sure to visit as many of our Almost Heaven swings as you can,” West Virginia Department of Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby said in the release. “Each location boasts unique scenery, with breathtaking overlooks and vibrant fall foliage all around.”

A list of Almost Heaven swing locations can be found online at https://wvtourism.com/west-virginias-most-instagrammable-views/

The Almost Heaven swing in Wetzel County sits atop the highest point of the county’s 4-H campground trail system. (Photo provided by the West Virginia Department of Tourism)