HISTORIC TRAVELLER 1840

THE BRICK HOUSE

(HAMILTON/JOHNSTON/JARRETT/FLESHMAN FARM)
By Margaret Hambrick, Local Historian

Major William Hamilton likely came to the Greenbrier Valley in 1769 and moved to the Blue Sulphur area in 1773.  He married Isabelle Clements.  He built a log cabin on this farm and lived to be 81 years old (Dayton 1942: p 262). As the family’s wealth increased, the Brick House was built by either son Andrew Hamilton who married Delilah Jarrett or son Jacob Hamilton.

A brick inscribed “1840” located near the main entrance

Dated by a brick near the front door which says “1840”, this house shows its roots in the Adam style including “having curved or polygonal projections to the side or rear” (McAlester 1994:  p 153).  The use of a hipped roof was not uncommon to this style.  The once detached kitchen was incorporated into the house using a breezeway with living space added behind and above the kitchen.  The bricks may have been fired and laid by locally famous brickmaker John Dunn.  He is known to have made the bricks for the Blue Sulphur Springs Resort and what is more likely than, while there, he was also engaged to make the bricks for this house.

Faux grain painted on doors and mantels on second floor of The Brick House

While the outside retains its Adamesque characteristics, the inside shows evidence of style change and renovation.  The faux grain painting on the woodwork in the four main upstairs rooms is a remarkable example of this style of decoration.

THREE OWNERS IN 170 YEARS

The historic Brick House has changed ownership just three times in the past 170 years. The Hamilton family built the home circa 1840. Hamilton’s then sold the Brick House to the Johnston – Jarrett family in 1855.  The Johnston-Jarrett family owned the home from 1855 until selling it to the Fleshman family in 1949. The Fleshman family has now owned the Brick House for 76 years.

Timeline of ownership — Andrew D. Johnston purchased the farm from Jacob Hamilton in 1855.  Johnston left the farm to his son, Thompson Hickman Jarrett. The farm was inherited by T. H. Jarrett’s daughter Pauline Jarrett Huff.  Mrs. Huff and her children sold the farm to Lewis A. Fleshman in 1949 (Deed Book 169: p 558).  It is currently owned by Doris Fleshman Griffith.

Of note: Thompson Hickman Jarrett who served three terms in the WV Legislature and was Sheriff of Greenbrier County from 1906 to 1912.

TRAVELLER – GEN. ROBERT E. LEE’S WAR HORSE

Traveller, General Lee’s war horse, was born on this farm, known as the Hamilton Farm, in 1857 in the Blue Sulphur Springs Valley. Traveller was an American Saddlebred and as a colt, he took top honors at the Lewisburg, Virginia, fairs in 1858, 1859 and 1860. As an adult, Traveller was a sturdy horse, 16 hands tall, Iron gray in color with black points, a long mane and flowing tail. From all accounts, Traveller was difficult, high-strung, a bit unruly, and pranced or jigged wherever he went.

General Lee first saw the horse when he took command of Confederate troops near Big Sewell Mountain, along the Midland Trail (Route 60) under a tree that came to be known as “Lee’s Tree” (Pendleton 2004: p 14). At that time, Traveller had been sold to Captain Joseph M. Broun by Captain James W. Johnston, to whom the horse had been gifted by his father, Andrew Johnston.  Lee later bought Traveller from Major Broun for the sum of $200 Confederate money (Pendleton 2004: p 16).  Lee rode Traveller throughout the Civil War and his subsequent retirement. It is stated that Traveller went into battle more than any other Civil War horse. Traveller walked behind the hearse at Lee’s funeral and continued to be well cared for until his death in June 1871, just eight months after the death of General Lee.

Traveller was trained by an enslaved person, Frank Wilson, who after emancipation changed his name to Frank Winfield Page (Pendleton 2004: p 13). Some of the early horse training equipment is on display at the North House Museum in Lewisburg.

Mary Lucinda Page (Kelly), the first of Frank’s two daughters, wrote to her daughter Harriet M. Williams in 1976 that “My father was taught to go out on the Johnson farm early in the mornings and drive up the young horses from the field.  He started riding at the age of ten.  The horses were penned up; a bridle put on them.  Then he would ride those horses every day until they were gentle.  That’s why it is said he was the first man to break ‘Traveler’ Gen Robert. E. Lee’s famous ‘war horse’” (Pendleton 2004: p 14).

Horses must be trained to tolerate commotion, people, and other strange horses.  One can imagine Page riding him past the Blue Sulphur Springs Resort for that purpose.  Little did he know he was training him for war.

HIGHLIGHTS

• “Traveller 1840”, known as the Hamilton Farm where Robert E. Lee’s war horse, Traveller, was foaled in 1857
• The Brick House is a two story Adamesque style home was built circa 1840 in Virginia’s Blue Sulphur Valley, nearly a quarter century before West Virginia became a state in 1863
• Traveller 1840 has been part of a working farm since the 1770’s. The property currently consists of the home grounds and pasture and/or cropland. The property is thought to have first been settled in 1773 by Major William Hamilton
• 17 +/- acres of hay and grazing land surround the home creating a country estate property
• Build date: Circa 1840
• An underground spring, the original water source for the home, is still producing and is currently used to water livestock. The spring exit from underground is protected by a spring house made of sandstone
• Constructed of hand-made – kiln-fired clay bricks, which may have been fired and laid by locally famous brickmaker John Dunn, who made and laid the bricks for the nearby Blue Sulphur Springs Resort
• Unbelievably, the original staircases, moldings, fireplace mantels are still in place
• Hand cut sandstone was quarried nearby for use as lintels, foundation stones, walkways, and a basement stairway
• 4,028 +/- Sq. ft. living area with a partial basement
• Rich and diverse resident wildlife population in perfect harmony with farming operations
• Minutes to historic Lewisburg, jet airport, interstates, hospital and city amenities
• Located near the historic Blue Sulphur Springs
• Perfect for agricultural uses
• Surrounded by large farms and timber tracts in a nice rural neighborhood
• Superior access by state maintained paved roads
• Cell phone coverage is good, depending on the carrier
• Darkest of skies with little light pollution for star-planet gazing & astrophotography
• Sedges, rushes, ferns, songbirds, frogs, turtles, & crawdads populate nearby wetlands & bogs
• Located in Greenbrier County, just 20 minutes from Lewisburg, the county seat
• Area fur bearing wildlife – deer, black bear, squirrel, bobcat, raccoon, fox, chipmunk, opossum, skunk, coyote, and rabbits
• Area winged wildlife – eagles, hawks, owls, ravens, wild turkeys and Neotropical songbirds
• Pasture grasses, wildflowers and indigenous plants, coupled with the nearby forests produce life-giving Oxygen and are a sequester of carbon dioxide
• Perfect for recreational activities including shooting sports, ATV riding, horseback riding, hiking, camping, hunting and nature viewing
• Low taxes, low population density
• Scenic, cultural, and historic values of the farm provide not only economic benefits, but also quality of life values

LOCATION

Google Coordinates: 37.823380°(N), -80.619971°(W)
Address: 3789 Spring Valley Road, Alderson, WV 24910
Elevation Range: 1647 ft. to 1677 ft. +/-

BLUE SULPHUR SPRINGS VALLEY

By the early 1800’s, the Blue Sulphur Valley was already well settled. Farms and small homesteads were served by 3 main turnpikes, including the Lewisburg-Blue Sulphur, Meadow Bluff-Blue Sulphur and the Red Sulphur-Blue Sulphur Turnpikes. These turnpikes were connected to the two major overland routes of the Midland Trail and Seneca Trail. There was also a road leading to Alderson on the Greenbrier River where it connected to the C&O Railroad.

The valley became an important agricultural and timber region. Blaker’s Mill was a gristmill grinding wheat, corn, oats and barley while the Piercy’s Mill processed wool as well as grains.

In 1832, construction of the Blue Sulphur Springs Resort was begun and finished in 1839. The resort would accommodate some 350 guests who came to take the healing waters of the mineral spring with the blueish hue. The Resort was mostly burned in 1864 by Union Troops.

“THE BLUE” THE BLUE SULPHUR SPRINGS RESORT

Mineral-spring resorts were all the rage for the rich and famous in the eastern U.S. in the 1800s, and the iridescent waters at Blue Sulphur Springs, in Greenbrier County, were no less famous than those of their extant counterparts, such as those at The Greenbrier in nearby White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, and The Homestead, in Hot Springs, Virginia. Thousands once visited the Blue, though it was fated to enjoy less fame. Its pavilion is all that remains to tell the tale.

The Greek Revival pavilion at Blue Sulphur Springs is in many respects a fraternal twin of the pavilion at White Sulphur Springs, though the latter is rounded, the former, squared. A 32-foot-high square structure, its monumental hip-roof is supported by 12 Doric columns and protects a marble basin which fills with spring water.

The pavilion was the focal point of a 200-room resort built by George Washington Buster in 1834 and attracted many notable guests, including Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, Robert E. Lee, Henry Clay, and Jerome Bonaparte.

Resort physician Dr. Alexis Martin opened the nation’s first curative mud baths here, but competition from The Greenbrier and an antebellum economic downturn caused the resort to close in 1858. Briefly it was used by the Baptists of Virginia as a ministerial college.

When the Civil War broke out, the resort facilities were used by both Confederate and Union forces, and it was intentionally burned to the ground by the Union Army in the last years of the conflict. Only the pavilion survived.

On March 27, 2013, Mrs. Rebecca Lineberry generously donated the Pavilion and two acres to the Greenbrier Historical Society, leading to the formation of the Greenbrier Historical Society’s “Friends of the Blue” Committee.  In 2013, the Blue Sulphur Springs Pavilion was placed on the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia’s Endangered Properties List, however, in 2014, an alliance of the “Friends of the Blue” Committee and many other concerned investors embarked on a rescue and rehabilitation effort, and the meticulous reconstruction of the Pavilion has been completed.  In June 2023, the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia recognized the Friends of the Blue Committee for the Blue Sulphur Springs Pavilion Restoration Project by awarding the “Most Significant Save of an Endangered Property Award.”

MINERAL RESOURCES

All rights the owner has will convey with the property.

BOUNDARIES AND SURVEY

Two sides of the property run with state roads. Other sections of boundary run with fences. A survey will be performed to separate the area from a larger tract. The property is being sold by the boundary and not by the acre.

UTILITIES

Water: drilled water well for domestic use.   An underground spring, the original water source for the home, is still producing and currently used to water livestock. The spring’s exit from underground is protected by a spring house made of sandstone. The spring is just below the home.
Sewer:  Private septic (unknown condition)
Electricity:  On site
Telephone: One site but not hooked up
Internet: Available through Starlink
Cellphone Coverage: Excellent, Good, Fair, depending on the cellular coverage provider

ACCESS/FRONTAGE

The property has a little over 1/10 mile of frontage on Spring Valley Road Rt. 31. The driveway for the home and farm joins directly to Spring Valley Road. Additionally, the property has about 2/10 mile of frontage on Jarrett Cutoff Road Rt. 31/2.

ZONING

Greenbrier County is subject to some zoning and subdivision regulations. All prospective buyers should consult the County Commission and Health Department for details regarding zoning, building codes and installation of wells and septic systems.

Information can be found at the county website: http://greenbriercounty.net/ordinances.

PROPERTY TYPE/USE SUMMARY

The property has been used as home grounds and a farmstead for about 185 years with associated buildings and fields.

DEED and TAX INFORMATION

Deed Information: DB 628 Pg. 796 (a 17 acre portion of  the total 48.5 parent acre tract is being sold)
Greenbrier County, West Virginia

Acreage: 17 acres +/- to be determined by survey

Real Estate Tax ID/Acreage/Taxes:
Greenbrier County (13), West Virginia
Blue Sulphur District (3)
Tax Map 22, Parcel 7; Class 2

2025 Real Estate Taxes: $737.52 for the whole tax parcel of which the sale area is a portion

AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES

Traveller 1840 has been part of a working farm since the 1770’s. The 17 acre +/-  property currently consists of the 5+/- home/barn grounds and 12+/- acres of quality pasture and hay land.

RECREATION

The property offers unparalleled recreational opportunities. Numerous soft recreational activities are anchored by the nearby Greenbrier River, New River, New River Gorge National River Park, and the 2000-acre Bluestone Lake.

Water-sports enthusiasts will find the nearby Greenbrier River, New River and Bluestone Lake ideal for swimming, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, tubing, snorkeling, paddle boarding and windsurfing. Great fishing is found for small and large mouth bass, crappie, catfish, muskie, walleye, pike and bluegill.

Nature viewing is next in line of recreational activities. Wildlife viewing is not just for larger animals. Equal consideration is given to a diversity of species including neo-tropical songbirds, butterflies, turtles, frogs, rabbits, chipmunks, dragonflies, owls, eagles and hawks. White tail deer, black bear, red/gray fox, bobcat, wild turkey, grouse, geese, squirrel, raccoon, fox and rabbit make up the resident wildlife population.

Stargazing-Planet Observation
Near total darkness can still be found on the property, thereby affording the opportunity to view the night sky in all its brilliant wonder.

Shooting-sports devotees find all the land and privacy needed to enjoy:

• Paintball-Airsoft-Laser Tag-Archery tag
• Shotgun sport shooting including Skeet, Trap, Double Trap and Sporting Clays
• Rifle & Handgun shooting: bullseye, silhouette, western, bench rest, long-range, fast draw
• Archery and Crossbow competition shooting
• 22 single shot rifle and a few tin cans make a fun day

All Terrain Motorsports

The property is perfect for experiencing the property from an ATV or UTV. Riders are welcome to ride all public roads that do not have a painted dividing line and there are miles and miles of open roads in the area. These exciting machines handle the wide variety of the forest’s terrain.

Mountain Biking, Horseback Riding and Hiking

The land may be used for mountain biking, hiking or horseback riding and the area offers several state and national parks geared for these activities.

SURROUNDING AREA

Lewisburg, which is the Greenbrier County seat, was voted the Coolest Small Town in America, combining the warmth of a close community with the sophistication of more urban locations. The thriving downtown historic district offers year-round live productions presented at the State Professional Theatre of WV, Carnegie Hall, distinctive dining venues, antique shops, award-winning galleries/boutiques, a year-round farmer’s markets.

Greenbrier Valley Medical Center is a modern hospital and all attendant medical facilities, along with the many big box stores.

The county and city host several fairs & festivals throughout the year including The WV State Fair, a professional 4-weekend Renaissance Festival, Chocolate Festival, Taste of our Town Festival (TOOT), antique car shows, Jeep Rally, Airstream Rally, WV Barn Hunt Competition, and numerous fun parades.

Lewisburg is the home to the Greenbrier Country Public Library, a fantastic, ultra-modern public library that is open 7 days a week. The library’s services include Reading Areas, References, Notary Public, Local History Room, Tax Forms, Fax Service, Photocopies, Digital Printing, Inter Library Loans, Internet/Computer Access, Audio Books, eBooks, Story Hour, Video & DVD’s, Paperback Book Exchange, Literacy Tutoring, Databases, Computer Classes, Book Discussions, Children’s Programming and Online Catalogue.

Lewisburg is also home to modern Robert. C Byrd Medical Clinic (300 employees), the WV Osteopathic Medical School (770 students) and the New River Community and Technical College. The area is a strong economic generator with a solid workforce employed in county/state government, tourism, hospitality, medical, education, retail, construction, wood products, mining and agriculture.

The world-renowned Greenbrier Resort, with 800 rooms and 1600 employees, is in the sleepy little town of White Sulphur Springs. The 4-Star resort has a subterranean casino, tennis exhibitions. Several other area golf courses are available in the area – including Oakhurst Links, America’s first golf course, where guests play using old style hickory-handled clubs and ground-burrowing golf balls.

A picturesque train ride from White Sulphur Springs connects the area to DC, Philadelphia, Chicago, and many other locations. By car, DC is 4 hours away and Charlotte is only 4. Insert picture of amtrack

Within a two-hour drive are located some of the finest recreational facilities in West Virginia. Winterplace Ski Resort, whitewater rafting / fishing on the New River and Gauley River, 2000-acre Bluestone Lake, Pipestem State Park and Resort and the 80,000-acre New River National Par5k and Preserve, Five other area state parks and state forests offer unlimited hiking, horseback riding, ATV riding and rock-climbing opportunities. Insert picture of snowshoe or winterplace Snowshoe Ski Resort is 90-minute drive through some of the most scenic country on the East Coast. The new 12,000-acre Boy Scout High Adventure Camp and home to the US and World Jamboree is an hour’s drive.

BUTTERFLIES

The property is an exceptional habitat for all butterflies, especially the Monarch. The monarch is highly dependent on the milkweed plant and will always return to areas rich in milkweed to lay their eggs upon the plant. The milkweed they feed on as caterpillars is actually a poisonous toxin and is stored in their bodies. This is what makes the monarch butterfly taste so terrible to predators.

Of course, other butterflies visit the property, including the eastern tiger and spicebush swallowtails, silver-spotted skipper, and a variety of sulphurs and whites.

One other interesting insect to visit the property is the Black Saddlebag Dragonfly, a regular guest of the creeks and wetlands with all the frogs, salamanders, crawdads, and turtles.

WILDLIFE

Years of progressive wildlife management practices have created an exceptional wildlife preserve. Management goals promoted overall wildlife health, facilitated the harvest of game, developed wildlife viewing areas, increased carrying capacity, and increased species diversity.

There are many animals that live year-round and at other times in the area’s rivers, lakes, ponds and streams, including beavers, otters, minks, raccoons, opossums, blue herons, Canada geese, wood ducks, mallards, minnows, native fish, turtles, salamanders, newts, crayfish, muskrats, bull frogs, eagles, hawks and redwing blackbirds.

There is the insect and microscopic world including butterflies, dragonflies, pond skaters, water beetles, damselflies, tadpoles and various insect larvae.

The diverse tree species create the perfect wildlife habitat. The miles of “edge effect” created between farm fields, creeks, hollows, ridges, and rock outcrops benefit all the resident wildlife. Bald eagles, white tail deer, black bear, wild turkey, squirrel, rabbit, bobcat, raccoon, fox and many species of songbirds, owls and raptors make up the resident wildlife population.The hardwood forest provides the essential nutrient source and produces tons of hard mast including acorns, hickory nuts, beech nuts and black walnuts. Soft mast includes stag horn sumac, black cherry, tulip poplar seeds, maple seeds, autumn olive berries and blackberries.

At least seventy kinds of mammals inhabit West Virginia, including Virginia big-eared bats, West Virginia northern flying squirrels, raccoons, skunks, and black bears, the state animal. Wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, barred owls, bald eagles, cerulean warblers, and ruby-throated hummingbirds are among the three hundred species of birds that live in the state.

Fence lizards, stinkpots (a kind of turtle), rattlesnakes, and five-lined skinks are some of the reptiles that slither and skitter through West Virginia. Amphibians such as tiny cricket frogs, mountain chorus frogs (Spring peepers), Allegheny Mountain dusky salamanders, newts, and West Virginia spring salamanders also live throughout the state.

Some of West Virginia’s most common trees include oaks, poplar, hickory, maples, Black Walnut, and hemlock. The state also has many native wildflowers such as Black-Eyed Susan’s, Joe Pie Weed, bluebells, buttonweed, Virginia potato (which has edible roots), and wild strawberry.

SELF-SUSTAINING LIFE OFF THE GRID

Just like two hundred years ago, when the first mountaineers settled the area, the property would be self-sustaining in times of necessity – even without electricity.

• Fresh water for drinking and cooking would come from drilled water wells (hand drawing water from the wells using a cylinder well bucket). Mountain spring can be developed.
• The forest would provide fresh food (deer and turkey).
• The agricultural land’s flat to rolling topography would be used to raise livestock of all kinds (chickens, pigs, cows, sheep, goats, rabbits etc.) and could be farmed with horse drawn equipment. The land would support vegetable gardens, berry patches, fruit orchards, and row crops of corn, oats and barley.
• Beehives would provide honey and beeswax for candles.
• The forest would provide firewood for heating and cooking, lumber for building, basket splints, maple syrup and pounds of nuts (walnuts, beechnuts and hickory nuts).

RIPARIAN ZONES

In earlier times, before the environmental and societal values of riparian zones (RZ’s) were discovered, the RZ was commonly called a “swamp”. These enchanting areas are biologically rich and wildlife diverse, being akin to the world’s largest swamps found in the Florida Everglades and the Amazon River Basin. The mighty RZ works to provide “ecosystem services”—non-monetary benefits like clean water, clean air, carbon sequestration, and recreation for everyone.

These areas are the best of both worlds. Here you can watch for deer, squirrels, raccoon, and turkey while exploring for butterflies, turtles, frogs, crawdads, songbirds, salamanders, newts, and a host of other aquatic invertebrates, migratory birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

RZ’s are a very productive part of the environment, more productive of vegetation, in fact, than some agricultural soils. This vegetation serves important purposes.  It shelters and feeds many wildlife species that cannot survive elsewhere. Almost 35 percent of all rare and endangered species depend, in some way, on RZ’s. More common riparian zone species provide enjoyment to many by serving educational, research and recreational needs. Waterfowl and many fur bearers such as beaver, mink and muskrat provide both consumptive and no consumptive recreation and are dependent on the zones. Many fringe RZ’s provide the food that young fish need to survive. By slowing the flow of water, RZ’s help keep banks from eroding and they trap and settle suspended silt before it smothers fish eggs and covers the insects and other animals that fish eat.

Riparian zones add visual diversity and offer an opportunity to see many different plant and wildlife species seen nowhere else on the property.

SCHOOLS

Greenbrier County School District

Public Elementary School:
Alderson Elementary School

Public Middle School:
Eastern Greenbrier Middle School

Public High School:
Greenbrier East High School

Colleges:
New River Community and Technical College (Lewisburg campus)
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine

Private Schools:
Greenbrier Community School (PK-8)
Greenbrier Valley Academy (2-8)
Lewisburg Baptist Academy (PK-12)
Renick Christian School (2-7)
Seneca Trail Christian Academy (PK-12)

SIX RIVERS AND FIVE LAKES

Traveller 1840 49 Acres is in the heart of a biological, historic, and recreational mecca.

The New River Gorge was a vast and largely unsettled wilderness until the C&O railroad was built on the eastern side of the river in the 1880’s. The railroad opened up the rich coalfields and virgin timber stands of the region. Early “mountaineers” settled the area and soon were carving out mountain farms and raising families.

All rivers and lakes are within a two hour’s drive from the property. The area encompasses the New River, Greenbrier River, Gauley River, Cherry River, Meadow River and Bluestone River. Within this vast watershed lies the 2000-acre Bluestone Lake and 3000-acre Summersville Lake. Lake Moomaw, and Lake Anna

The rivers and lakes are major contributors to the local ecosystem richness and diversity for both plants and animals. There are many animals that live year round and at other times in the water and around the edges of the rivers/lake, including beavers, otters, minks, raccoons, opossums, blue herons, Canada geese, wood ducks, mallards, king fishers, minnows, native fish, turtles, salamanders, newts, crayfish, muskrats, bull frogs, eagles, owls, hawks and redwing blackbirds.

Great fishing is found in the river and lakes with small and large mouth bass, crappie, catfish, muskie, walleye, pike and bluegill present in good numbers.

The New River is the second oldest river in the world, preceded only by the Nile; it is the oldest river in North America. The New River is unique because it begins in Blowing Rock, N.C. and flows north through Virginia into West Virginia. The Nile and Amazon are the only other major rivers that also flow north. Year after year, it produces more citation fish than any other warm water river in WV. Smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, sunfish, hybrid striped bass, and muskie are all common species of fish found in the New River and Bluestone Lake.

Bluestone Lake is over two thousand acres at summer pool and is the state’s third largest body of water. Great hunting and fishing opportunities abound at the 17,632-acre Bluestone Wildlife Area adjacent to the park and nearby Camp Creek State Forest. Summersville Lake is over three thousand acres at summer pool and is the state’s largest body of water.

ARCHEOLOGY AND GEOLOGY

The property is nestled between the folded Ridge and Valley Province to the east and the younger Allegheny Plateau to the west.  The Greenbrier River flows 162 miles southwest through the valley and empties into the world’s third oldest river, the New River.

The area’s rich farmland is made fertile by the Greenbrier Limestones, known locally as the “Big Lime”. These limestones were formed from shallow seas some 350 million years ago during the Mississippian geological period. The quarrying of limestone for dimension stone, fill-rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and agricultural lime is an important industry in the area.

Just a few miles west of the property, you can take a trip through time riding on I-64 from Dawson to the WV/VA boundary highlighting outcrops from the younger Mississippian formations to the older Devonian mountains.

The rich coal fields lying a few miles to the north were formed about three hundred million years ago during the Pennsylvanian and Permian periods when the West Virginia area was south of the equator and moving north. Coal, a combustible sedimentary rock, formed when the area was covered with huge, tropical, swampy forests where plants – giant ferns, reeds, and mosses – grew. When the plants died, they piled up in swamps. Over time, heat and pressure transformed the buried materials into peat and into various forms of coal. These prehistoric coalfields continue to provide energy and industry to residents of West Virginia, the nation, and the world.The area exhibits a karst topography due to the underlying Greenbrier Limestone. Karst is characterized by numerous caves, sinkholes, fissures, and underground streams. This interesting topography forms in regions of plentiful rainfall where bedrock consists of carbonate-rich rock, such as limestone, gypsum, or dolomite, which is easily dissolved. Mildly acidic rainwater slowly dissolves the soft limestone over millions of years creating geological fascinations like Lost World Caverns and Organ Cave, carved from the Greenbrier Limestone.

The property has many interesting “riches from the earth” in the form of limestone, fossils, and curious rock outcrops.

The Droop Sandstone, an extremely hard, quartz-rich rock originally deposited as sand beaches along an ancient shoreline, is especially prominent in the area. The erosion-resistant Droop Sandstone creates numerous sheer rock cliff formations. Locally, the Muddy Creek Mountain quarry produces decorative sandstone from the Droop that is known worldwide for its beauty and durability.

The area is well known for the healing waters of the numerous “Sulphur Springs”. During the 1800’s and early 1900’s, several “Sulphur Springs Resorts” flourished in the area. Most notably and still in existence are White Sulphur Springs, Warm Springs, and Hot Springs. Others included, Sweet Springs, Blue Sulphur Springs, Red Sulphur Springs, Green Sulphur Springs, Salt Sulphur Springs, Pence Springs and Sweet Chalybeate Springs.

GREENBRIER RIVER

At 162 miles long, the Greenbrier is the longest untamed (unblocked) river left in the Eastern United States. It is primarily used for recreational pursuits and well known for its fishing, canoeing, kayaking and floating opportunities. Its upper reaches flow through the Monongahela National Forest, and it is parallelled for seventy-seven miles by the Greenbrier River Trail, a rail trail which runs between the communities of Cass and North Caldwell.

It has always been a valuable water route, with many of the important cities in the watershed established river ports. The river gives the receiving waters of the New River an estimated 30% of its water volume. Over three-fourths of the watershed is an extensive karstic (cavern system), which supports fine trout fishing, cave exploration and recreation. Many important festivals and public events are held along the river throughout the watershed.

The Greenbrier is formed at Durbin in northern Pocahontas County by the confluence of the East Fork Greenbrier River and the West Fork Greenbrier River, both of which are short streams rising at elevations exceeding 3,300 feet and flowing for their entire lengths in northern Pocahontas County.

From Durbin the Greenbrier flows generally south-southwest through Pocahontas, Greenbrier and Summers Counties, past several communities including Cass, Marlinton, Hillsboro, Ronceverte, Fort Spring, Alderson, and Hinton, where it flows into the New River.

Along most of its course, the Greenbrier accommodated the celebrated Indian warpath known as the Seneca Trail (Great Indian Warpath). From the vicinity of present-day White Sulphur Springs, the Trail followed Anthony’s Creek down to the Greenbrier near the present Pocahontas-Greenbrier County line. It then ascended the river to the vicinity of Hillsboro and Droop Mountain and made its way through present Pocahontas County by way of future Marlinton, Indian Draft Run, and Edray.

GREENBRIER RIVER TRAIL

The 77-mile-long Greenbrier River Trail State Park is operated by the West Virginia State Parks and is a former C&O railroad grade now used for hiking, bicycling, ski-touring, horseback-riding, and wheel-chair use. The trail passes through numerous small towns and traverses thirty-five bridges and two tunnels as it winds its way along the valley. Most of the trail is adjacent to the free-flowing Greenbrier River and is surrounded by peaks of the Allegheny Mountains.

THE MONONGAHELA NATIONAL FOREST

The Monongahela National Forest was established in 1920 and encompasses about one million acres. Located in the north central highlands of West Virginia, the Monongahela straddles the highest ridges in the State. Elevation ranges from just under 1000′ to 4863′ above sea level. Variations in terrain and precipitation have created one of the most ecologically diverse National Forests in the country.

Visitors to this beautiful forest enjoy breathtaking vistas, peaceful country roads, gently flowing streams, and glimpses of the many species of plants and animals that inhabit the Forest. You will also see a ‘working’ forest, which produces timber, water, grazing, minerals and recreational opportunities for the region and nation.

The landscape goals for management of the Monongahela are for a natural appearance and diverse forest, which provides outstanding dispersed recreation opportunities and supporting developed facilities. Dispersed recreation opportunities abound for hiking, backpacking, fishing, hunting, and mountain biking. Developed sites provide tourism destination facilities and base camps so important to the efforts of local Convention and Visitor Bureaus, local communities, and other non-government agencies. Forest Plan Management Prescriptions favor non-motorized recreation for ecological reasons.

The forest is noted for its rugged landscape with spectacular views, blueberry thickets, highland bogs and “sods,” and open areas with exposed rocks. In addition to the second-growth forest trees, the wide range of botanical species found includes rhododendron, laurel on the moist west side of the Allegheny Front, and cactus and endemic shale barren species on the drier eastern slopes.

Larger animals and game species found in the forest include black bear, wild turkey, white-tailed deer, gray and fox squirrels, rabbits, snowshoe hare, woodcock, and grouse. Limited waterfowl habitat exists in certain places. Furbearers include beaver, red and gray fox, bobcat, fisher, river otter, raccoon, and mink. Other hunted species include coyotes, skunks, opossums, woodchucks, crows, and weasels. There are twelve species of game (pan) fish and 60 species of non-game or forage fish. Some 90% of the trout waters of West Virginia are within the forest.

There are 230 known species of birds inhabiting the MNF: 159 are known to breed there, eighty-nine are Neotropical migrants; seventy-one transit the forest during migration, but do not breed there, and 17 non-breeding species are Neotropical. The Brooks Bird Club (BBC) conducts an annual bird banding and survey project in the vicinity of Dolly Sods Scenic Area during migration (August – September). The forest provides habitat for 9 federally listed endangered or threatened species: two bird species, two bat species, one subspecies of flying squirrel, one salamander species, and three plant species. Fifty other species of rare/sensitive plants and animals also occur in the forest.

THE NEW RIVER GORGE NATIONAL PARK and PRESERVE

The 80,000-acre New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is a unit of the United States National Park Service (NPS) designed to protect and maintain the New River Gorge in southern West Virginia in the Appalachian Mountains. Established in 1978 as a national river, the NPS-protected area stretches for fifty-three miles (85 km) from just downstream of Hinton to Hawks Nest State Park near Ansted. The Park was officially named America’s 63rd national park, the U.S. government’s highest form of protection, in December of 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic as part of a relief bill.

West Virginia is home to parts of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, a footpath that stretches more than 2,100 miles between Maine and Georgia; the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, which cuts through 16 states for 4,900 miles; the Bluestone National Scenic River; and Harpers Ferry National Historic Park. Now, over 70,000 acres of land, bordering fifty-three miles of the gorge, has earned the government’s protection.

The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is rich in cultural and natural history and offers an abundance of scenic and recreational opportunities. New River Gorge is home to some of the country’s best whitewater rafting, from the Cunard put into the Fayette Station take-out and is also one of the most popular climbing areas on the East Coast.

Home to the New River, which drops 750 feet over sixty-six miles, with its Class V rapids, has long drawn adventuresome rafters and kayakers to this whitewater area. The New River, which flows northward through low-cut canyons in the Appalachian Mountains, is one of the oldest rivers on the planet.

Rock climbing on the canyon walls, mountain biking and hiking on trails that flank the river, and wildlife viewing—bald eagles, osprey, kingfishers, great blue herons, beavers, river otters, wild turkeys, brown bats, snakes, and black bears—are all popular activities within the park.

Visitors should begin their experience with a stop at Canyon Rim Visitor Center, which is situated on the edge of the gorge, for maps, current information, and chats with a park ranger. You can learn any pertinent safety protocols and visit the bookstore.

The New River Gorge Bridge is a work of structural art. Construction of the bridge began in 1974 and was completed in 1977. The Bridge spans 3,030 feet in length and is the third highest bridge in the U.S., at 876 ft. During Bridge Day, an annual one-day festival celebrating the construction of the Bridge, BASE jumpers launch off the 876-foot bridge and parachute down to the New River. New River Gorge is the only national park in the U.S. that permits this extreme activity.

NEW RIVER REGION OVERVIEW

The New River is shared by boaters, fishermen, campers, park visitors, and local neighbors. The waters of the New River system contain a mosaic of hydrologic features and aquatic habitats that support a highly productive aquatic ecosystem that includes distinct populations of native fish, mussels, crayfish, and a broad array of other aquatic life, including rare amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

The 320-mile New River rises in the Blue Ridge region of North Carolina and flows northeastward through the Appalachian uplands to Radford, Va., where it turns northwestward and passes through a series of narrow valleys and gorges into southern West Virginia. It ends where it joins the Gauley River to form the Kanawha River. In WV, the New River is entrenched in a steep and narrow valley, the narrowest part of which is known as the “New River Gorge.”

In 1998, because of historical, economical, and cultural importance, President Clinton signed into law the New River as one of the very first American Heritage Rivers. Much of the river’s course through West Virginia was designated as the New River Gorge National River. In 2021, the area was designated as the United States’ newest National Park.

The New River is recognized as the “second oldest river in the world” and is estimated to be between ten and 360 million years old. Its headwaters begin near Blowing Rock, NC, and is one of the few rivers in North America that flows northerly.

Class I, II, III, IV, and V rapids dot the entire 320 miles of New River making it a great paddling, tubing, and white rafting adventure. Beautiful cliffs, bluffs, and mountain views make it one of the most scenic rivers on the east coast.

The New River Gorge National Park includes fifty-three miles of free-flowing New River, beginning at Bluestone Dam, and ending at Hawks Nest Lake. The New River typifies big West Virginia-style whitewater. Within the park, it has two quite different characters. The upper (southern) part of the river consists primarily of long pools and easy rapids up to Class III. It is a big powerful river, but incredibly beautiful, always runnable, and providing excellent fishing and camping. There are several different river access points, and trips can run from several hours to several days.

The lower (northern) section of the river is often referred to as “the Lower Gorge.” In a state that is justifiably renowned for colossal rapids, the Lower Gorge has some of the biggest of the big with rapids ranging in difficulty from Class III to Class V. The rapids are imposing and forceful, many of them obstructed by large boulders which necessitate maneuvering in powerful currents, crosscurrents, and hydraulics. Some rapids contain hazardous undercut rocks.

Prior to the rise of the Appalachian Mountains, the New River cut its bed at a time when the land sloped to the northwest. Amazingly so, as the Appalachians gradually rose around the river, the New River wore away the bedrock at the same rate the mountains formed, leaving behind towering cliffs and prominences that hover hundreds of feet about the water level.

Accounts claim that Indians referred to the New River as the “river of death,” however this origin story is legend. Native Americans and early European settlers regarded the New and Kanawha rivers as being one single waterway. The name “New” may have been derived when the river upstream was discovered by European explorers as the first “new” river found flowing westward.

Native American Indians used the New River as they traveled west years before the pioneers arrived. In the 1600s explorers navigating the New River thought they were close to the Pacific Ocean because of its westerly flow.

In 1671 the Batts-Fallam expedition, by way of the New River, came through to the Lurich area and ended there because the Indian guides refused to take them any farther. They carved their initials in a tree and claimed the territory for King Charles II of England. This was the first proclamation of English territory west of the Alleghenies making the New River the first gateway into the west.

Fast water, big rocks, and lazy/slow stretches are features of the New River. Water sports enthusiasts will find the New River ideal for swimming, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, tubing, snorkeling, paddle boarding, and windsurfing. Great fishing is found in the New River with bass (largemouth, smallmouth, and rock), flathead catfish, channel catfish, muskie, walleye, and bluegill present in good numbers. Year after year, it produces more citation fish than any other warm water river in WV.

The New River Gorge was a vast and unsettled wilderness until the C&O railroad was built on the eastern side of the river in the 1880s. The railroad opened the rich coalfields and virgin timber stands of the region. Early “mountaineers” settled the area and soon were carving out mountain farms and raising families.

The gorge was impassable before the completion of the New River Gorge Bridge, near Fayetteville, WV, in 1978. The river within its gorge is one of the most popular whitewater rafting destinations in the eastern U.S. Much of the New between Hinton and Gauley Bridge is managed by the National Park Service as the New River Gorge National River.

Principal tributaries of the New in West Virginia include, from south to north, the East River, the Bluestone River, and the Greenbrier River.
Many former mining communities located on the New River in its gorge have since become ghost towns. These include Sewell, Nuttalburg, Kaymoor, Fayette, South Fayette, Hawks Nest, Cotton Hill, and Gauley, Beury, and Claremont.

SNOWSHOE SKI & RESORT DESTINATION

From the property, Snowshoe Mountain Resort is an hour and 45 minutes’ drive and is among the most popular ski resorts in the east-central U.S. The resort, at 4848’ elevation, includes two ski areas, two terrain parks, and fifty-seven downhill slopes that uniquely descend from the ski villages at the top of the mountain. The resort is also among the chief destinations for mountain biking in the Virginias. The International Mountain Bicycling Association has designated the Snowshoe Highland Ride Center as a silver-level destination. The resort boasts twenty-three restaurants and pubs, thirty-four lodges and cabin villages, and supports many off-mountain lodging venues year-round.

DESTINATION DRIVE TIMES

Highway and Local Towns
I-64 Alta-Alderson Exit 161: 15 minutes
Alderson: 15 minutes
Beckley: 50 minutes
Charleston: 1 hour 50 minutes
Lewisburg: 20 minutes
Roanoke, VA: 2 hours
Union: 45 minutes
White Sulphur Springs: 30 minutes

Airports
Beckley – Raleigh County Memorial Airport: 50 minutes
Charleston – West Virginia International Yeager Airport: 1 hour 50 minutes
Lewisburg – Greenbrier Valley Airport: 30 minutes
Roanoke – Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport: 2 hours

Medical
CAMC Greenbrier Valley Medical Center, Fairlea: 35 minutes
Roanoke Valley Medical Center: 2 hours
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA: 2 hours 20 minutes
WVU Medical Center, Morgantown: 3 hours 20 minutes

Recreation
State Fair of West Virginia
Local Festivals Renaissance, Chocolate, Taste of our Town
Area Resorts The Greenbrier Resort, Glade Springs Resort, Warm Springs
Area Lakes Bluestone, Moomaw, Summersville, Anna
Snowshoe Ski Resort Winterplace Ski Resort
80,000-acre New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
1,000,000-acre Monongahela National Forest
1,800,000-acre George Washington & Jefferson National Forest
Aquatic Center – Greenbrier Valley Aquatic Center, Fairlea: 35 minutes
Fair – State Fair of West Virginia, Fairlea: 35 minutes
Golf – Lewisburg Elks Country Club: 25 minutes
Golf – Several other golf courses are in the surrounding area
Lake – Bluestone Lake, Hinton: 45 minutes
Lake – Boley Lake, Babcock State Park: 50 minutes
Lake – Lake Moomaw, Virginia: 1 hour 35 minutes
Lake – Moncove Lake, Moncove Lake State Park: 1 hour
Lake – Summersville Lake, Summersville: 1 hour 15 minutes
National Park – New River Gorge Bridge, Fayetteville: 1 hour 10 minutes
National Park – New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, Sandstone: 35 minutes
Resort – Glade Springs Resort: 1 hour
Resort – Pipestem Resort State Park: 1 hour
Resort – The Greenbrier: 30 minutes
Ski Resort – Snowshoe Ski Resort: 1 hour 55 minutes
Ski Resort – Winterplace Ski Resort: 1 hour
State Park – Babcock State Park: 50 minutes
State Park – Beartown State Park: 55 minutes
State Park – Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park: 55 minutes
State Park – Greenbrier State Forest, Harts Run, WV: 30 minutes
State Park – Moncove Lake State Park: 1 hour
State Park – Pipestem Resort State Park: 1 hour
State Park – Watoga State Park: 1 hour 20 minutes