Famous, Obscure Lives Woven Through Lewisburg History
by HELEN FITZPATRICK

As a child, I was “shipped off” for two weeks every summer to visit Lewisburg, W. Va. I stayed with my Aunt Bettie Campbell, Papa’s sister who had five children.

At the beginning of my visit each year, my cousins greeted me by calling me “a city slicker,” and I, in turn, labeled them “country bumpkins.” As soon as we settled down from that bad start, we had a grand time together.

The Campbells lived in a sprawling old frame house with a wraparound porch. It was fun to find it again recently and to see the old June apple tree in the side yard. One of my happiest memories is being sent with a cousin to pick red raspberries in the garden behind the house. We ate as many as we picked, but still had enough to be sprinkled lavishly over homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert that night.

Lewisburg was a small town then, and the trip there showed me it still is. It is named for General Andrew Lewis, who was born in Ireland but came to America and traveled to Greenbrier County, W. Va. He made quite a name for himself.

The route to Lewisburg has changed through the years. We used to go over Catawba, Potts and Peters Mountains, but now the speediest route is through Clifton Forge and onto Interstate 64. My son Eric and I cut off at White Sulphur Springs and took old Route 60, crossing the wide Greenbrier River at Caldwell.

On the crest of a hill entering town, I spied the Hogg mansion. I remembered the great story about the Hoggs, which told of them naming their children Ima, Ura and Gory. I always heard this was really true. Another Hogg relative lives in Houston, Texas, and I toured her gorgeous home and gardens there once.
As we drove down into Lewisburg (3,600 population), we stopped at the General Lewis Hotel for lunch. This inn dates in part to l834, and is furnished with antiques, collections of old tools, glassware, china, firearms, household utensils, and ancient musical instruments. The front desk dates to l760, and came from the Sweet Chalybeate Springs Hotel. Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson stood at this desk to register at the mineral springs resort.

A cozy fire was burning in the living room lobby, and from here we entered the dining area. The large hand-hewn beams in the ceiling were part of the old slave quarters on the property. The decor is charming, with flowered cloths and napkins, good silver, and crystal. The menu was extensive, reasonably priced, and we enjoyed a delicious meal.

Next, we headed for the Old Stone Presbyterian Church. Scotch-Irish people were the largest single group to settle in Greenbrier County. They were of Presbyterian tendencies and built one of the area’s oldest churches. The Old Stone Church, completed in l796, was made of native limestone with walls 22 inches thick. Many of the congregation helped to build the edifice, including women who hauled sand from the Greenbrier River three miles away.

This building is the oldest church in continuous use west of the Allegheny Mountains. All my cousins were married here, and I was a bridesmaid there once.

Adjacent to the church, is the Lewisburg Cemetery, still a place of peace and quiet. It contains l,845 graves that span two centuries. The oldest tombstones are covered with moss and lichen, the carving undecipherable after so many years. The oldest settlers of the town are buried here, including Captain Matthew Arbuckle, who fought the Shawnee Indians at Point Pleasant, W. Va., in l774.

Under the command of General Andrew Lewis, the l,000-strong militia defeated the Indians who were led by the great Chief Cornstalk. Another important grave in the Lewisburg Cemetery is that of Dick Pointer, a black slave whose courage distinguished him at the Battle of Fort Donnelly in l778. He saved many lives and is considered one of the town’s heroes.

Many graves hold bodies of Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War Battle of Lewisburg in l862. The Southern forces of Henry Heth and the Northern forces of George Crook fought here. Crook was later famous as the captor of Geronimo. Although Crook won the engagement, Lewisburg remained a Southern outpost during most of the war.

Across the street from the cemetery is a Greek-Revival performance hall, given by Andrew Carnegie, and named for him. It is a not-for-profit arts and education center and has many fine concerts. The hall stands on the campus of Greenbrier Community College. We also drove by the old Greenbrier Military Academy (known fondly as GMS), which is now home to the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. It is an imposing structure and STILL looks like a military establishment.

Back downtown again, we parked on the narrow main street and were intrigued with signs forbidding motorists to park there if two inches of snow had fallen. This area is full of attractive shops: places to eat, art galleries and dress stores, all convenient for guests at the nearby Greenbrier Hotel.
I reluctantly left this historic territory, appreciating the architecture of many lovely old homes. The National Trust for Historic Preservation named Lewisburg to its 2004 list of America’s Dozen Distinguished Destinations, and the National Geographic Society lists it as” A Best Small Town Escape.” Small wonder!

On the way home, we took Exit 10 near Covington to find the old humpback bridge. This covered bridge is the focal point of a wayside skirting Dunlap Creek. It was built in l853 and has been well preserved by community groups. Young people have “desecrated” the interior with graffiti, but we still loved walking across the sturdy boards and seeing the water rushing beneath. We hope to return with a picnic in warmer weather.

The Lewisburg jaunt made for a beautiful day trip from Roanoke. It takes about two hours to get here, is a gorgeous drive, and a charming place to visit. Put it on your spring schedule!

Helen Fitzpatrick is a Roanoke-based writer and traveler.

Lewisburg Area Events

April 10-13: Senior Fling at Pipestem Resort State Park; 304-466-1800, www.pipestemresort.com

April 15-17: Healing Waters at Cacapon Resort State Park, 304-258-1022.

April 16: Feast of the Ramson (Ramp Festival); Richwood High School from 11-3; 304-846-6790, www.richwoodwv.com.

April 17-23: Augusta Heritage Center Spring Dulcimer Week on the Davis & Elkins College campus; workshops for all levels; for information, www.augustaheritage.com or (304) 637-1209.

April 22-24: Women in the Outdoors Upland Game Bird/Fishing Weekend; Point Mountain Wilderness area near Elkins, WV; 304-399-4067.

April 23-25: 2005 House and Garden Tour; includes homes in both Berkeley and Jefferson counties; need to register by May 8; (304)263-7993, www.houseandgardentours.com.

April 30: Ramp Festival at Helvetia; menu of ramps, fried potatoes, ham, white beans and cornbread; 3 p.m. until food runs out; $10 adults; Helvetia Community Hall, 304-924-6435.

May 1: Blennerhassett Island Park Opens; (304) 420-4800, blennisland@wirefire.com, www.blennerhassettislandstatepark.com

May 4-7: Rendezvous on the River; muzzleloaders and Mountain Men gather on Blennerhassett Island to recreate early 19th century frontier life; (304) 420-4800.

May 5-8: 44th Annual Wildflower Pilgrimage at Blackwater Falls State Park; (304) 259-5216 www.blackwaterfalls.com.

May 6-8: 4th Anual Scottish Heritage Festival and Celtic Gathering; sanctioned Solo bagpiping, highland dancing, heavy athletic competitions, music and dancing performances, spinning/weaving demos, children’s games and activities, sheepherding demos, historical presentations, a Scottish Breed dog exhibit, massed band and individual bagpipe band performances, music and puppet workshops, in Bridgeport City Park; 304-842-3457, www.scots-westvirginia.org.

May 7: Star Party in May begins at 3:30 and last about an hour; $3; tour through parts of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory normally off limits to visitors; 304-456-2150, www.nrao.edu.

May 7: Mothers Day Founder Festival at at the Anna Jarvis Birthplace Museum, on Rt 119/250, south of Grafton. 304-265-5549, www.annajarvishouse.com.

May 7: General Adam Stephen Day celebrates colonial and frontier life in the late 1700’s in western Virginia; held on the grounds of the 1780’s limestone home at 309 East John Street in Martinsburg; 304-267-4434 www.libraries.wvu.edu/adamstephen.

May 19-21: Elkhorn Railfan Weekend at the Elkhorn Inn on Pocahontas Line; www.elkhorninnwv.com for information; 800-708-2040.

May 20-22: Ride the Rails - The 4th Edition-Tygart Lake State Park; 304-265-6148, www.tygartlake.com.

May 21: Battle of Lewisburg Civil War Weekend; call the Greenbrier County CVB for a complete event listing at 800-833-2068. Downtown Lewisburg.

May 24-30: Moundsville’s 7th Annual Elizabethtown Festival; held within the walls of the former WV Penitentiary in Moundsville; 304-843-1170, www.wvpentours.com.

May 27-29: Vandalia Gathering on State Capitol grounds featuring master fiddlers, banjo pickers and storytellers; 304-558-0220.

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