ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, September 29, 1996 TAG: 9609280002
SECTION: TRAVEL PAGE: 8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CAROLYN RICE SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
WEST Virginia had its beginnings in a rebellion from a rebellion.
In 1861, citizens in Virginia's western 34 counties opposed its attempt to leave the Union. Legislation was introduced in Congress to make the area a separate state, loyal to the Union. While Congress never recognized the succession of 11 Southern states as legal, it accepted the succession of the 34 counties from Virginia. West Virginia officially became a state in June 1863 - the only state born of the Civil War.
West Virginia's Civil War involvement is too often overlooked by history books. Amidst marvelous mountain scenery, you can experience a section of the Civil War Discovery Trail (an initiative of the Civil War Trust, National Park Service, and National Trust for Historic Preservation). Along the 250-mile route, you'll find attractive accommodations, fine food and friendly folks - as well as towns and battlefields that figured in our nation's most devastating conflict.
Start your West Virginia rambling in the state's eastern corner at Harpers Ferry. The town sits at the junction of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers. Thomas Jefferson said of the site, "The passage of the Potomac through the Blue Ridge is perhaps one of the most stupendous scenes in nature." George Washington believed that the town's natural attributes made it the best location for a federal armory.
It was that armory, which John Brown decided to attack in 1859 to get weapons for his abolitionist gang and start a war to end slavery. You can go inside the armory's firehouse, where Brown and his men fought with federal troops led by then Lt. Col. Robert E. Lee. Brown was captured and hanged; his raid served as a harbinger of the war to come. Just two years later, Union troops burned the armory to the ground because they feared they could not protect it from the Confederates.
Today the town, rescued from a century of post-Civil War decline, is a National Historic Park and a must-stop for American history enthusiasts. No private vehicles are allowed in the downtown area (you park at the visitors center and take a bus shuttle). You can stroll the car-free cobblestone streets past handsome red brick buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries. Most house exhibits concerning the town's history before and after John Brown's raid. Walk across the footbridge over the Potomac to the Maryland side up the Maryland Heights Trail; from there you get a terrific view of the historic district and the confluence of the rivers.
The next stop on the route has nothing to do with the Civil War, but it is historic. Berkeley Springs is the nation's first spa. George and Martha Washington took to the warm mineral waters here, which the local Indians claimed were magic. For her dip, Martha wore a bathing gown with lead weights in the hem to keep it from floating. You can take a soak in the Roman Baths today for only $10.
With several bed and breakfasts and country inns, Berkeley Springs is a good place to spend the night. Don't miss dinner at Tari's Premier Cafe for healthy food that tastes too good to be good for you. Between courses check out the paintings on the walls by local artist Jonathan Heath. Each is a comical rendition of daily life, such as dogs and masters who look alike and senior citizens playing with hula hoops.
The next day you head south covering 150 miles to Elkins. Before lunch in Moorefield, you'll travel on some wonderful roller-coaster like stretches of road (West Virginia 9 and 29). Have lunch at the McMechen House; built in 1853, this stately Greek Revival-style home served as headquarters to both Union and Confederate officers at different points during the war. You can shop here for antiques, hand-forged ironware, and paintings by local artists.
Heading for Elkins on West Virginia 55, you'll pass by Seneca Rocks, a 1,000-foot sentinel of sandstone. It's one of the most photographed spots in the state. If you have binoculars handy, you'll probably spot rock climbers clinging to the cliffside.
You're now into the Monongahelia National Forest where several of the 10,000 battles of the Civil War took place in 1861 at isolated spots that are just as undeveloped today as they were when the young soldiers dug their trenches and set up their rudimentary camps. While Confederate troops successfully defended the high (4,400-feet) Camp Allegheny, Union troops were victorious at Cheat Summit Fort and Rich Mountain.
In Elkins, even if you don't stay at Graceland, it's worth a visit. Not to be confused with the house in Memphis, this Graceland was a gift from Henry Gassaway Davis, U.S. senator 1871-1883, to his daughter, Grace. A magnificent Victorian-style mansion, Graceland opened this summer as a country inn, restaurant, and training center for hospitality students at Davis & Elkins College. The inn and other historic buildings are on the college grounds.
After a night in Elkins, drive farther south through the national forest on West Virginia 55 to Droop Mountain State Park. In November 1863, Union troops defeated the Confederates here, pushing them out of West Virginia. This site became first state park in West Virginia in 1928 at the urging of veterans from both sides of the conflict who wanted to make sure it was not forgotten.
Continue south from Droop Mountain to Lewisburg, a handsome town designated a National Historic District, which was the site of a Civil War battle in May 1862. In this town of Southern sympathizers, Ohio troops (led by George Crook who gained fame in later years as the captor of Geronimo) defeated the Virginia regiment. Today, Washington Street is fun for shopping in quaint boutiques and antique shops. Don't miss a visit to the Old Stone Church. Built in 1796, it's the oldest church in continuous use west of the Alleghenies. Also worth a stop (and lunch) is the General Lewis Inn. This white-pillared building was built in 1834 and is furnished entirely with local antiques.
For a truly grand finale to your West Virginia ramble, head west seven more miles to the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs. There has been a "resort" at this location since 1778 when Mrs. Anderson claimed that bathing in the strong-smelling spring cured her rheumatism. The Greenbrier Hotel, in its current five-star splendor, opened in 1913. It replaced the Old White Hotel, which had served as a Confederate hospital during the Civil War and the centerpiece for Southern social life before and after the war.
There is a feeling of royalty to the main lobby of the pillared hotel. You can still take to the waters here in the European-style spa or spend your hours on the golf courses, as did Dwight Eisenhower and the Prince of Wales. Dining on superb cuisine is, as one would expect, another fine diversion at the Greenbrier.
So drink a toast to those who fought and died for what they believed in so long ago. In the hills and hollows of West Virginia, the past won't seem so very far away.
LENGTH: Long : 119 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: 1. STEPHEN SHALUTA JR. With a history rich in Civil Warby CNBinvolvement, West Virginia is the site of numerous re-enactments
(above). 2. DAVID FATTALEH. Harpers Ferry (right), in the state's
eastern corner, sits at the junction of the Shenandoah and Potomac
rivers. "The passage of the Potomac through the Blue Ridge is
perhaps one of the most stupendous scenes in Nature," Thomas
Jefferson said of the site. color.