Mt. Zion Nursery is a family owned and operated nursery and Christmas tree farm located in Fairmont, WV. Now in its fourth generation, Mt. Zion Nursery has been growing Christmas trees since the 1940′s and has recently celebrated its 45th year in the nursery business.

Our Story

During the 1930s, Gilbert A. Martin (G.A.) took a trip to Hyde Park, NY, where he was able to view the Christmas trees growing on Franklin Delano Roosevelt's estate. It was common at that time for Christmas trees to be cut in the fall in Canada and shipped to the US. These trees were stored in refrigerators until the Christmas season. This practice often resulted in dropped needles and dried out trees. This gave G.A. the idea to grow locally to ensure a fresher Christmas tree. Hence, G.A. Martin & Son was born.

With the help of his second born son, Robert Martin, G.A. planted Christmas trees on four farms around the area. In the years to follow, he would ship thousands of trees to cities such as Philadelphia for the Christmas season. To improve his operations, he would go on to invent many items that are commonly used today: a Christmas tree stand that screwed into the base of the tree, a tree driller to prep the trees for that stand, a tree planter that pulled behind a tractor, and a tree bailer. Most of these items are still in use at Mt. Zion Nursery.

G.A. went on to become the first president of the WV Christmas Tree Growers Association as well as the first treasurer of the National Christmas Tree Association. He would later go on to be inducted into the WV Agriculture & Forestry Hall of Fame in 2017.

In 1972, Robert and his wife Lucille began selling landscape sized container plants and changed the name to Mt. Zion Nursery. Since then, Mt. Zion Nursery has expanded its plant nursery and its operations to landscaping services. Now in its fourth generation, Mt. Zion Nursery continues to service the tri-county area. 

Directions

Traveling South on I-79. Exit 139 – Prickett’s Creek / East Fairmont Exit. Take a right at the end of the ramp. Pass the Exxon station, take a right at the “T” onto Rt. 73. About a mile and a half, take a right onto Mt. Zion Road. Nursery is two miles on the left.

Traveling North on I-79. Exit 139 – Prickett’s Creek / East Fairmont Exit. Take a left at the end of the ramp. Pass the Exxon station, take a right at the “T” onto Rt. 73. About a mile and a half, take a right onto Mt. Zion Road. Nursery is two miles on the left.