Montwell Commons is situated at the large sinkhole which is downtown Lewisburg's major geographic feature. Over the centuries, the sinkhole area has served Lewisburg in a number of ways. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Andrew Lewis spring on the west side and the Beirne Spring on the east side provided the water needed by a tannery, a cannery, and a creamery. The sinkhole drains into an underground cavern where the wastes from those businesses were disposed and as we now know, ended up in the Greenbrier River.

     During the 20th century, the sinkhole served to drain stormwater from major portions of Washington, Court, Jefferson, Chestnut, and Lee Streets Public Service District #1 provides sewage service for Lewisburg and surrounding neighborhoods. Since the sinkhole is the lowest place in Lewisburg, the PSD built sewer mains down to that low point and a pumping station to pump the sewage up the hill towards Holt Lane and then runnig downhill to the treatment plant in Ronceverte.

     In the 21st century, Montwell Commons continues to serve the community in new ways. A large emergency generator has been installed to allow the Clingman Center and the Log building to be fully functional during an emergency. The Log building was used as an emergency coordination center during the 2016 flood, and the Clingman Center now has a commercial kitchen and restrooms with a shower available for use in case there is another emergency. Montwell Commons also provides the community with opportunities for recreation, socializing, obtaining local and regional foods, and meeting spaces ranging from small groups to large receptions.