West
Virginia-Theme Movies Spark Traveling Fun
From the Mothman to Lassie, silver screen opportunities abound
The stuff of unforgettable films
– and great vacations – awaits visitors to the Mountain State.
Four seasons of outdoor recreation fun, romantic small towns for getaways
and state parks for family reunions are matched with historic sites marking
Civil War and African-American heritage and industries such as railroad, glass
and coal.
The stage is set, the scenery in place, all you need to do is select a season, a location and write your own script for travel that will delight you and give your readers more reasons than a movie to make West Virginia their next vacation stop.
The Mothman of Point Pleasant
In the 2002 film “The Mothman Prophecies,” Washington Post journalist John Klein (Richard Gere) traveled to Point Pleasant, W.Va., to investigate the locals’ reports of a large, alien-like creature he believed might be related to his wife’s death two years earlier. This “mothman” mysteriously appeared before dreadful happenings in the tiny Ohio River town and residents feared what would happen after each sighting of the red-eyed creature.
Sounds mysterious? Perhaps, but in West Virginia, it’s more like a true story. The film is loosely based on John Keel’s novel of the same name that tells of Keel’s own experiences in the town and recaps interviews he conducted there. Today it stirs the emotions of people in Point Pleasant, who witnessed bizarre Mothman encounters, visits by peculiar government officials and horrific tragedy in the late 1960s. In fact, it is in Point Pleasant where you will find the true origins of government “men in black.”
Today, while they still mourn the tragic death of 46 in the 1967 Silver Bridge collapse (many blame the demise of this Ohio River span on the Mothman) Point Pleasant residents also embrace the legend of the Mothman, even dedicating a bronze statue marking its existence in the minds of people well beyond West Virginia. Sightings continue in Point Pleasant and around the world. More important to the folks in Mason County, W.Va., however, are sightings of tourists who flock here to see for themselves what the Mothman is about. It’s just one mystery tour to pursue among many in the Mountain State. Here are some other suggestions.
No Pardons at this Prison
Foreboding. Creaky. Dark. Dank. Dingy. Musty. Rusty. Violent. Deadly. Haunted. All words commonly used to describe the West Virginia Penitentiary at Moundsville. The imposing gothic structure, with 24-feet-high and 6-feet-wide walls, was built in 1876 and remained the state’s repository for its most dangerous criminals until 1995.
The penitentiary has an exceptionally violent history. At least two nasty riots, including a 1986 riot that resulted in the brutal death of three inmates, and 93 executions during its lifetime add to its demeanor. The last riot was over the prison’s miserable conditions – a higher court even ruled its tiny cells and cramped quarters were bad enough to be called “cruel and unusual punishment.”
The prison ironically has become one of northern West Virginia’s favorite tourist attractions. Today it’s regarded for its vile history and still-daunting aura. It is considered one of the most haunted places in America – just ask the producers and guests of MTV’s “Fear” program, whose premiere episode was filmed here.
The prison is open for public tours from April through November and by appointment December through March. Paranormal investigative groups conduct ghost hunts periodically and invite the public to join the overnight adventures for reasonable fees. A simple web search will find that just about everyone who visits Moundsville reports that their experiences are indeed haunting.
A Really, Really Big Ear
Nestled in the peaceful Pocahontas County valley of Green Bank is one of the most striking structures in the country. Surrounded by wildlife and a lush, thick forest is the world’s largest moving structure on land: the $75 million Green Bank Telescope (GBT) at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.
Sometimes described as an oversized satellite dish, the GBT is a radio telescope that’s as big as two football fields. Scientists use the telescope to study signals from deep outer space in their search for the origin of our universe and even to listen for sounds of intelligent life beyond our galaxy. The observatory was referenced in the 1997 Jodi Foster film “Contact.”
In 2003, NRAO opened a multimillion-dollar science and interpretive center at Green Bank. The center provides a starting point for free tours of the NRAO campus and an up-close look at radio astronomy and the types of research conducted here. It also features a cafeteria and gift shop.
Classic Roadside Mystery
The historic Midland Trail winds its way from West Virginia’s Kentucky border all the way to Virginia. Weary drivers can relish a classic roadside attraction on one of the road’s most scenic and winding passages near Hawks Nest State Park in Fayette County.
After more than 30 years, the Mystery Hole in Ansted still intrigues and entertains thousands of guests who can’t help but pull off the road to satisfy their curiosity about the tiny hangar sitting on the edge of the New River Gorge. An old Volkswagen Beetle appears to have crashed into the side while multicolored flags and a gigantic clown adorn the roof. It’s clear this is a place that blossomed in the days before interstate highways.
Inside, mysterious forces play tricks on unsuspecting visitors. Golf balls roll uphill and water defies gravity. What happens to your senses once you enter? Who knows, but there’s a kitschy gift shop full of souvenirs waiting at the end of the tour for those who survive The Mystery Hole!
Haunts and Hideaways
West Virginia’s tumultuous past lends itself to lots of scary tales. Some of the most popular stories involve violent battles during the Civil War; John Brown’s famous uprising in Harpers Ferry and his subsequent hanging at Charles Town; long and dark railroad tunnels where workers perished; and the death of a young woman whose spirit told her mother how she’d been killed.
In West Virginia, ghost and goblin seekers enjoy a number of ghost tours from
the Potomac to the Ohio River plus an annual paranormal convention. Don’t
miss the Greenbrier County town of Sam Black Church, home to the “Greenbrier
Ghost,” (and a state historical marker proclaiming her plight as the only
known case in which testimony from a ghost helped to convict a murder.) Spirits
have long been known to haunt Lewisburg, Harpers Ferry, Wheeling, Parkersburg,
Fayetteville, Moundsville and even a state insane asylum in Weston. See if
you can rouse your spirits by stirring up a few of our best-known spirits
on a ghost tour in West Virginia!
Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!
Rosalee Futch (Kate Bosworth) is a Fraziers Bottom, W.Va., grocery clerk with a dream – to someday meet her big-screen idol Tad Hamilton (Josh Duhamel). The dream comes true when she wins the grand prize in a contest and gets a date with Hamilton. Her success comes much to the chagrin of her best friend and co-worker Pete (Topher Grace), who is secretly in love with Rosalee.
Partially filmed in Fayette, Raleigh and Kanawha counties in the summer of 2003, the DreamWorks movie brings to the big screen the sense of romance that visitors find in many of the state’s small towns and its scenic resorts.
Fayetteville, where some of the film was shot, is a small town with big doings, including a traditional Fourth of July celebration (which still lasts all day), quaint restaurants such as Cathedral Café (yes, it was a church) and lovely B&Bs and cabins to spend dreamy hours. Not far away, romantics find breathtaking spots high above the New River Gorge for a proposal and Lovers’ Leap Church for a wedding.
And Fayetteville is only one of the waiting-to-be-discovered places for romance and memorable travel in the Mountain State.
George Washington Bathed Here
The coolest thing about West Virginia’s most artsy little community, Berkeley Springs, is not that it’s the site of a natural spring where George Washington “took to the waters,” but that today the town boasts more massage therapists than lawyers.
This quiet community takes its name from the healing waters that bubble about and was originally called “Bath”. It’s known as the country’s first spa. Berkeley Springs hosts the Winter Festival of the Waters, which includes the International Water Tasting, where renowned judges taste spring, bottled and municipal water from around the world. The town is loaded with unique shops featuring items from antiques to homeopathic products, and is regularly listed among America’s top art destinations for its community theater, festivals and exhibits, And, it’s less than a two-hour’s drive from Washington or Baltimore.
Surrounded by rolling countryside, it’s a great starting point to enjoy the George Washington Trail into Martinsburg, Shepherdstown, Charles Town and plenty of historic sites in the state’s Eastern Panhandle. Romantic B&Bs dot the countryside, each offering distinct features for guests.
Country Fair, City Festival
The historic town of Lewisburg offers getaway fun that can be down-home or
sophisticated. Each year in August, the West Virginia State Fair at nearby
Fairlea is traditional family fun. Carnival rides and evening shows share
the fairgrounds with agricultural and educational programs – including taste
tests for the best food products.
Or select a weekend when the town
celebrates its cultural side. The autumn Taste of Our Town (TOOT) brings local
restaurants onto the streets for food samplings you can enjoy as you watch
musical and arts performances – all to help raise funds for the town’s very
own Carnegie Hall.
Share romantic evenings at one of the town’s charming restaurants and enjoy
days lazing on the Greenbrier River or riding the gentle Greenbrier River
Trail.
Take your choice of lodging options from the historic General Lewis Inn to the delightfully eclectic Old Stone Manse, or any of the other B&Bs in the area.
Resort to This
The ultimate luxury for romantics can be found in White Sulphur Springs at the renowned Greenbrier Resort. Fashionably decorated by Dorothy Draper and comfortably nestled in the mountains, guests find themselves quickly settling in to the relaxed pace of a resort that specializes in pampering spas, exquisite cuisine and afternoon teas.
During the day, the Greenbrier offers golf, tennis, swimming, culinary courses, a Land Rover driving school, trout fishing, shooting sports and whitewater rafting activities. Pick up a map of the Springs Trail and drive through the countryside to see the remnants of the once-fabulous springs where wealthy patrons traveled by carriage, train and auto to rejuvenate in the mineral waters.
In the evening, when “It’s sleepy time down South”, guests can enjoy exceptional food and wines in the main dining room then retreat to their rooms, a cozy resort nook or the Old White Club for quiet time and conversation.
Gods and Generals – At Home in Harpers Ferry
The 43 days that Gods and Generals was filmed at the Harpers Ferry National Park in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle were filled with opportunities for the actors to walk in the steps of many of their characters.
West Virginia is the only state born of the Civil War. Travelers to the state will discover that it was in historic Harpers Ferry that John Brown, the fiery abolitionist, seized the federal arsenal in 1859. The same arsenal, by the way, that forged the firearms for Lewis and Clark before they left on their discovery adventure.
There are 26 historic Civil War sites and cemeteries in eight counties and 15 historical sites in the state are part of the Civil War Discovery Trail. Relive the days of conflict at one of the many re-enactments, such as the Droop Mountain Battle celebrated every other year or the Battles of Scary Creek and Hurricane each year in early spring. Near Fairmont, watch Confederate troops attempt to gain control of the B&O Railroad.
When Appalachia was the Frontier
In the Northern Panhandle and along the Ohio River, historic sites with hands-on programs highlight the changing face of our country in the early 1800s.
Just outside of Parkersburg, Blennerhassett Island offers a faithful reproduction of the romantic frontier life that Harman and Margaret Blennerhassett came from Ireland to find. The tranquility of their country life was forever changed when Harman became entangled in a mysterious military enterprise with Aaron Burr. Today, visitors cross from Parkersburg to the island on a sternwheeler and tour the island on foot or by carriage to see what life on a gentleman’s country estate would have been like.
Fort New Salem in Mountaineer Country is a collection of log buildings that represent a 19th Century frontier settlement. Workshops, fairs and festivals throughout the year allow visitors to experience the typical 1790s celebrations, holidays and routine.
Pricketts Fort State Park, just a little farther up the road, offers another interactive site for travelers to learn more about frontier history. Again, festivals, fairs and celebrations managed by knowledgeable staffers bring this historic site to life.
Frontiers can be forged at any time, and Arthurdale in Preston County is a case in point. Arthurdale was the first of about 100 homestead resettlement communities that Eleanor Roosevelt supported. Today, the thriving community with its homestead homes, community hall and business buildings is a wonderful place to learn about the Depression era and the hope many placed in President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal of the 1930s.
From Natural Resources to Art Glass
West Virginia is rich in industrial heritage, and its visitors can tour family-owned glass factories that continue the tradition of producing fine blown glass that is prized around the world. Oglebay Museum and the Huntington Museum of Art offer wonderful displays of state work. In southern West Virginia, visitors to the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine and Southern Youth Museum will want to take sweaters. The ride on a real underground mine drops 600 feet below the ground and the temperature won’t get above the 50s.
All Aboard!
Historic train aficionados can find their fill of fabulous mountain rides through West Virginia. The Cass Scenic Railroad takes you behind a Shay steam engine to one of the state’s highest mountain peaks and allows you to learn about the state’s early timber and lumber industry. The Potomac Eagle along the South Branch of the Potomac River promises every passenger will see a bald eagle and the fall heritage train rides from Huntington to Hinton take travelers past mining ghost towns and under the New River Gorge Bridge before dropping them off for the Hinton Railroad Days Festival.
Discover Why Lassie Wanted to Roam
Even heroic dogs find West Virginia’s
whitewater rivers a challenging adventure. Just ask Lassie, who was on location
near the New River’s Sandstone Falls for her 1994 big screen production.
Sandstone Falls is the largest falls on the New River, stretching the entire
width of the river in an impressive display that both soothes and excites
the senses. It is a popular fishing spot for smallmouth bass and catfish and
trails lead to fishing beaches. A massive National Park Service boardwalk
provides easy access to the falls, so you don’t have to know how to dog paddle
for a great view. A nearby NPS visitor center highlighting the park and region
opened in 2003.
Hinton also was one of the film’s
site locations. Visitors can take a self-guided walking tour of a town that
was owned entirely by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. Don’t miss the Hinton
Railroad Museum with its unique John Henry Woodcarvings. Created by folk artist
Charlie Permelia, the intricate miniature carvings detail railroading in the
1870s. Nearby, the Veterans Memorial Museum of Southern West Virginia offers
the state’s first and only museum dedicated to West Virginia veterans.
Lunch, as anyone in town will tell you, is best enjoyed on the riverside deck
of the local Dairy Queen, which offers the best hotdogs in West Virginia as
well as one of the best views of the town. After lunch, head to Three Rivers
Avian Center, where on Saturdays from 1 to 5 p.m. public tours are available.
The 102-acre wildlife sanctuary cares for injured birds of prey, herons and
other threatened birds.
Wet, Wild and Wonderful Water Sports
Besides the falls, the New River Gorge National River is the most popular whitewater river on the East Coast, not just for the incredible scenery but also for the variety of boating trips available along its 53 miles in West Virginia. The Upper New River is perfect for easy-does-it float trips and splashing in duckies with the kids. For the more adventuresome, the Lower New River rages with big time Class III-V rapids, with most whitewater trips finishing beneath the massive New River Gorge Bridge. Guests may choose from more than 20 outfitters on a variety of trip lengths and vacations.
River adventures abound just about anywhere you travel in the Mountain State. In the north, Near Kingwood, the Cheat River’s “Narrows” section is great fun for family outings and the Shenandoah River near Harpers Ferry in the Eastern Panhandle is famous for its tubing. In addition, the state is regarded for its countless swimming holes that might remind you of lazy summer days at grandma’s or camp.
These Railroad Trails are Anything But Abandoned
West Virginia was mostly wild territory until the railroad opened the Appalachians and their vast natural resources to the timber and coal industries in the late 1800s. As the mines played out and the trees were felled, many of those railroads were abandoned. Today, the trees are as lush as ever and those old railroad lines have become fantastic venues for biking, hiking, horseback riding and wildlife watching. Hundreds of miles of award-winning, mostly level, groomed trails await families eager to try out their bikes, but not yet ready to tackle the heavy-duty single-track mountain trails for which the state is famous.
Visitors can grab a rail trail map and take advantage of this massive, free outdoor recreation resource on their own or rent a bike or guide from a number of quality outfitters. They provide shuttle services that drop bicyclists off on a different portion of the trail, allowing them to ride back to their starting point without seeing the same scenery twice. Some sections of the trails offer camping spots, while others pass through quaint towns and past stately bed and breakfast inns, so excursions can easily become multi-day vacations.
Best Places, Better Prices
Sometimes it’s hard to find a room at a West Virginia state park. That’s because they provide consistent quality at a great price for families who want to experience the state’s natural wonders. State park lodging ranges from primitive camping to luxury resorts, so families can match their tastes with their budgets.
Outdoor recreation activities at the parks abound. Six state parks offer top-notch golf. Many of them provide free nature and recreation programs for day and overnight guests. Almost all of them have abundant, well-marked hiking trails. One state park features a sled run and another is a ski resort. Other parks mark our history, including one with an operating 1800s grist mill and another with a one-room schoolhouse. Regardless of the park you visit, you’ll find it a safe, enjoyable vacation for families among the most beautiful settings in the country.
One-State, Four Seasons
West Virginia’s peak tourist season may be between Memorial Day and Labor Day, but the fun doesn’t end in September. The Mountain State is nearly 80 percent forested, making it one of the top states for stunning fall foliage. The color rivals that of New England and it’s one of the best times to experience festivals that highlight Appalachian heritage and the bounty of the harvest.
In winter, the green mountaintops become white and West Virginia plays host to more than 800,000 skiers. Lofty elevations, four alpine resorts and miles of secluded trails provide the most snowfall and the best skiing in the Mid-Atlantic. The resorts pride themselves in the variety of winter activities, including snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and even wildlife watching.
Each spring, West Virginia comes alive with color. Naturalists flock here for the diversity of wildflowers and an impressive migration of warblers and other seasonal avian residents. This time of year, the state calendar of events is dotted with organized wildflower walks and birding events. In late spring and early summer, massive thickets of blooming azalea and the state flower, rhododendron, fill the hillsides with color.
West Virginia is a summertime retreat from urban sprawl. Pools and streams and whitewater rivers help the more active cool off, but in the mountains, air conditioning is rarely necessary, even in August. Cool nights and breezy summits help millions of city slickers leave the stifling urban heat, while great golf and extra friendly people make them want to stay for another season or two.
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West Virginia Division of Tourism • 90 MacCorkle Ave., SW • South Charleston, WV 25303
304-558-2200 or 1-800-CALL-WVA • FAX: 304-558-2459 • www.callwvanews.com