With closures of buildings and services managed National Park Service during this time of Covid-19 (Visitor Center, museum, train station, rest rooms, etc.), we wondered if there would be much to see in Harpers Ferry. But what we wanted to experience was there — open, well-marked and well-documented by the park service — making our stroll through the town a walk through the past.

For a while, we looked longingly at the architecture, building materials, and old paint of the buildings, easily seen on a short walk from the parking lot at the back of the town, near the train station — buildings like White Hall Tavern, the General Store, and Meriwether Lewis at Harpers Ferry. Some were open for touring, and we enjoyed the information posted inside.

But then we turned our attention to the historical significance and remnants related to John Brown. On the night of October 16, 1859, Brown, a staunch abolitionist, and his supporters descended upon the town, capturing citizens and seizing the federal armory and arsenal. But contrary to their plans, Brown and friends were captured and held by the local militia in the arsenal’s engine house (that still remains). On the afternoon of October 17, Colonel Robert E. Lee and U. S. Marines stormed the engine house, killing many of the raiders (one was John Brown’s son) and capturing Brown. A speedy trial found Brown guilty of treason, murder and slave rebellion, and he was hanged for his crimes on December 2, 1859. But his death began a series of events that ultimately led to the abolition of slavery in the United States.

The intent and not the deed is in our power; and, therefore, who dares greatly Does greatly.

John Brown

Aside from the historic homes and the tributes to John Brown, we also took in the vista provided by the flowing waters of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers as they came together at Harpers Ferry. So did many others. Visitors walked the bridge, sometimes posing for pictures. Others floated under the bridge on colorful neon tubes, enjoying fallish weather, high bluffs, and the convergence of two mighty rivers.

It’s easy to like the Appalachian Trail Bridge (recently re-opened) not just for its lead-in to the tunnel, but also for the interesting photo possibilities and locks on the fences expressing love, friendship, and proof that “we were there.”

Harpers Ferry, you see, can be enjoyed on many levels. History buffs can tour the museum (when open), read markers and think through John Brown’s rebellion that eventually led to freedom for the enslaved. And those who love architecture and the details of the construction of old houses and churches will feel that they’ve truly found their place.

Others (well, maybe all of us) enjoy dining on patios covered with colorful umbrellas while gazing up at history on the hillside.

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park is now in West Virginia, but it stands where three states converge: Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia, easily accessible from the scenic route we described above or, more directly, on I-81.

Harper’s Ferry — a stop on the Appalachian Trail, a place to remember John Brown, a haven for lovers of historic architecture. Or just a great place for strolling and watching the train go by.

Whatever the reason, you really must go see it for yourself.

Travel well,

Rusha & Bert

Reminder: Please check for closures due to Covid-19 at the website of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.

References:

“John Brown’s Body — Stephen Vincent Benet and Civil War Memory” by Gordon Berg

History.com, “John Brown.” November 27, 2019

Harpers Ferry Railroad Bridge by TrailLink

The stately entrance to The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

Any fall trip through West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee can be considered spectacular if you hit the color change just right.  And catch the color we did during our Fall 2015 Leaf Peeper Tour.  Beginning with natural beauty at Pipestem State Park in West Virginia and continuing to Humpback Covered Bridge in Covington, Virginia, we saw nature at its golden best.

Humpback Covered Bridge near Covington, Virginia

But sometimes color bursts forth indoors, too.  Like it did in two of West Virginia’s attractions:  Tamarack in Beckley and The Greenbrier in White Sulfur Springs.

Tamarack

From Pipestem in the south of West Virginia, we followed I-77 north to Exit 45 where the iconic red peaked roofline greeted us to one of the finest collections of arts and crafts known as Tamarack: The Best of West Virginia.  

Peaked roofline of Tamarack greets you as you take exit 45 off I-77 at Beckley.

And best it is.  With juried artisans from all 55 counties in the state contributing  fine crafts, photography, glass, and foods, Tamarack is known globally for regional art and local cuisine.  

A colorful quilt forms the backdrop for a folk art boat at Tamarack.

The circular building guides you through areas of similar crafts — textiles, treenware, glass, furniture, apparel, jewelry, etc.  All colorful.  All quality. All handmade.

The central courtyard offers seasonal decor to enjoy while dining on regional dishes selected from the food court — like Chicken Pot Pie, West Virginia Rainbow Trout, or Fried Green Tomato Sandwiches.  Fall pumpkins — carved and painted — as well as what appeared to be an autumn goddess greeted us in a colorful show of the season’s best.

Made entirely of natural materials, this autumn goddess took center stage in Tamarack’s outdoor courtyard.

If you love fine arts and crafts, join the over half a million visitors per year at Tamarack: The Best of West Virginia for sights, sounds and tasty food.  It’s worth getting off the interstate to see!

The Greenbrier

Since 1778, guests have been coming to White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, to what is now known as The Greenbrier, America’s Resort to “take the waters” for good health. This National Historic Landmark boasts a storied history of hospitality and genteel accommodations for U. S. presidents, international royalty, and business leaders. With 710 elegant rooms, 10 lobbies, and more than 40 meeting rooms, The Greenbrier offers the finest in American accommodations on a sumptuous 10,000-acre estate nestled in the Allegheny Mountains.

The Greenbrier, America’s Resort

We, had The Greenbrier on our list of places to see in West Virginia, but specifically we came to see “The Bunker.”  During the Cold War of the 1950s, the U. S. Government approached The Greenbrier, asking for assistance in constructing and housing an Emergency Relocation Center to be used by Congress in case of war.  This amazing underground facility — exhibit hall, dorm rooms, and meeting spaces for both Senate and House — is now open for tours.  Since photography is not allowed during the tour (be prepared to surrender your phones and cameras), we can’t show you what we saw. But know this: The Greenbrier’s addition is an amazing facility that was hidden in plain sight (not even the residents of White Sulphur Springs knew the purpose) but kept ready in case of a national emergency. Well worth seeing!

Lobby in The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs

What our random strolls through the lobbies showed us was colorful, to say the least. Interior spaces at The Greenbrier are clothed in colors of the Caribbean — rose, mint green, white — colors you might expect nearer the coast.  And just walking through the beautifully appointed rooms makes you take note of the elegance of this luxury resort.

Our Fall Tour 2015 was replete with autumn colors outside, but an open crayon box awaited us inside Tamarack and The Greenbrier, 

For more information:

Tamarack: The Best of West Virginia, 1 Tamarack Park, Beckley, WV 25801; 304- 256-6843; http://www.tamarackwv.com/

The Greenbrier, 300 West Main Street, White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986; 855-453-4858; http://www.greenbrier.com/

The Greenbrier — Bunker Tours: http://www.greenbrier.com/Activities/The-Bunker/Bunker-Tours.aspx

The second leg of our Fall 2015 search for gold meant leaving the beauty of West Virginia’s Pipestem Resort State Park for one of the state’s proudest prouds:  New River Gorge Bridge.  But getting there was a treat in itself.

Fall foliage at New River Gorge Bridge

As you know from some of our other posts, we brake for scenery — some planned, some random with a screeching, “pull-over-here” shout-out from one of us to the other.  Like the stop at Bluestone Dam where we chatted with fishermen dropping lines into rushing waters.  Catching anything? I asked.  Whatever’ll bite, one guy said, grinning.

Early morning at Bluestone Dam in West Virginia

Catching anything? I asked. Whatever’ll bite, one guy said, grinning.

We most always stop where lookouts are set up by the park service — like the overlook to Sandstone Falls.  We stop.  Get out.  Read markers.  Take pictures.  But here, we lingered.  It was the sound of rushing water and the frame of fall colors — a welcome delay.

Sandstone Falls, West Virginia

Next stop — our destination:  New River Gorge National River.  And after roaming through the National Park Service Visitor Center (highly recommend!) to take a look at the map and watch the video, we braved the wooden walkways and stairs (lots of stairs) with glimpses of the river on several levels.

Taking memorable pictures is easy at New River Gorge Bridge where there’s beauty at every turn.

And then the view opened up to what we came to see:  New River Gorge Bridge.  One of the longest (3030 feet) single-arch steel span bridges in the world, the New River Gorge Bridge rises 876 feet above New River — a structure that’s massive, elegant, and truly iconic.

New River Gorge Bridge, October 2015

We missed Bridge Day by a week.  But from what we’ve heard and read, thousands of visitors walk across the closed-to-traffic bridge to watch jumpers parachute and to enjoy the views from a vantage point not available any other time.  We stood a long while gazing at that bridge and then took our time climbing all those steps back up, stopping at almost every landing.  (Not tired, of course.  We just wanted to take in the autumn beauty!)

As we journeyed toward Beckley, another find presented itself:  Hawks Nest State Park from a beautiful stone overlook.

View of Hawks Nest State Park

As if one serendipitous find weren’t enough, a small sign on a random rural road in Greenbrier County directed us to the charming Herns Mill Bridge.

Herns Mill Bridge, Greenbrier County, W. Virginia

Adventures have a way of finding us when we 1) get off the beaten path and 2) keep our eyes open.  And, oh yes, it helps that we have good brakes!

Hope you’ll continue our Fall Tour 2015.    Next up:  Colors of The Greenbrier.

And if want to see fall color next year, remember this state:  West Virginia!

Travel spontaneously,

Bert and Rusha

Well, it was easy.  Our route began in our hometown of Knoxville moving along I-40 to I-81 toward I-77 into West Virginia.  And even though our preferred places to stay when traveling in the States — B&Bs — were fully booked, we were able to spend our first night on this journey at a state park with more amenities than we normally find.

Pipestem Resort State Park, 14 miles north of Princeton and 12 miles south of Hinton on state Route 20, filled the bill and then some.  We passed on what looked quite wonderful — golf, fishing, hiking, biking, horseback riding or camping — and focused on one thing:  scenery.

Fall leaves at Pipestem

Positioned on a plateau overlooking a river gorge, Pipestem offers vistas from every room of the 113-room McKeever Lodge.  Fall color was just a seasonal bonus.

View from McKeever Lodge at Pipestem Resort

Pipestem also has an asset we’ve never seen at a state park:  an aerial tramway.  In fact, a ride in the tram is required (hang on to your suitcase!) if you stay in a room at Mountain Creek Lodge at the base. Or dine on gourmet fare in Mountain Creek’s elegant restaurant.

And while waiting for dinner (quite posh, we might add), we walked along the creek at the base of Bluestone Canyon, rewarded with lush fall color and the sounds of a mountain stream.

Finding gold near Mountain Creek Lodge at Pipestem Resort.

The next morning, our final search for gold (and greens, yellow, reds) ended at Pipestem’s Arboretum.  Backlighting by the morning sun turned visions of fall splendor into reality.

The slightly less than 24 hours we spent at Pipestem reaffirmed what we’ve known all along — state parks make for an affordable yet beautiful place to stay.  And, cheesy though it may sound, this was one golden place to visit.

On to another adventure!

Let us know if you have a favorite state park.  And join us for a few more stops along our Fall Color Tour 2015, four days filled with colorful leaves and so much more.

Rusha and Bert

For more information, check out Pipestem Resort State Park or West Virginia State Parks.