IRISH ROAD BOWLING NATURE’S SCULPTURES THE … - 10 October.pdfWonderful West Virginia Wins Top Honors at ACI Wonderful West Virginia received a ﬁ rst-place award in the Association

WONDERFULWEST VIRGINIA

IRISH ROAD BOWLING NATURE’S SCULPTURES THE SOLDIER’S NURSE

October 2010 $3.00

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Elk Springs ResortMonterville, West Virginia

1-877-ELK-SPRINGSwww.ElkSpringsResort.net

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Wonderful West Virginia (USPS–415-660; ISSN 0030-7157) is published monthly by the State of West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, 324 Fourth Ave., South Charleston, WV 25303-1228. Periodical postage paid at Charleston, WV. Postmaster: Send changes to Wonderful West Virginia, State Capitol, Charleston, WV 25305-0669.

Subscription Rates: Domestic: 1-year $18.00, 2-year $36.00; Newsstand Single Copy: $3.00, Call 304.558.9152, or 1.800.CALL.WVA. Address

all editorial correspondence to the editor. Viewpoints of our authors do not necessarily refl ect those of the Division. Copyright 2010 by State of West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Although reasonable care is taken, the editor and the Division of Natural Resources assume no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. It is the policy of the Division of Natural Resources to provide its facilities, accommoda-tions, services, and programs to all persons without regard to sex, race, color, age, religion, national origin, or handicap. Proper licenses/registra-tion and compliance with offi cial rules and regulations are the only source of restrictions for facility use or program participation. Th e Division of Natural Resources is an equal opportunity employer. Discrimination complaints should be directed to: Director, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, 324 Fourth Ave., South Charleston, WV 25303-1228. Wonderful West Virginia is a copyrighted publication and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the editor.

To subscribe call 1.800.CALL.WVA or visit www.wonderfulwv.com

Joe Manchin IIIGovernor, State of West Virginia

Kelley M. GoesSecretary, Dept. of Commerce

Frank JezioroDirector, Division of Natural Resources

Emily J. FlemingAssistant to the Director / Legislative Liaison

Wonderful West Virginia Editorial Staff

Sheila McEntee, Editor

Lucia Hyde Robinson, Managing Editor / Art Director

Nora Shalaway Carpenter, Editorial Assistant

Erin Murphy, Associate Designer

Wonderful West Virginia Administrative Staff

Harry F. Price, Publisher

Michael Bryant, Business Manager

Robert L. Wines, Creative Services

Donna Flowers, Circulation

Commissioners

Jeffrey S. Bowers, Sugar Grove

Byron K. Chambers, Romney

Peter L. Cuffaro, Wheeling

David M. Milne, Bruceton Mills

David F. Truban, Morgantown

Kenneth R. Wilson, Chapmanville

Thomas O. Dotson, White Sulphur Springs

Section Chiefs

Harry F. Price, Administration

Curtis I. Taylor, Wildlife Resources

David E. Murphy, Law Enforcement

Kenneth Caplinger, Parks and Recreation

Joe T. Scarberry, Supervisor, Offi ce of Land and Streams

Layout & Design

Cannon Graphics, Inc.

Charleston, West Virginia

Printed by

Chapman Printing Company

Charleston, Huntington, and

Parkersburg, West Virginia

www.wvdnr.gov

About our cover: Photographer Roger Spencer has captured both moody and brilliant fall moments, including this one along the North Loop Trail in Dolly Sods. To see more, turn to page 14.

About our contents page photo: Weathering has created stone master-pieces at Dolly Sods. Take a tour of this outdoor “gallery” starting on page 8. Ed RehbeinCo

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Features

4 Irish Road Bowling You won’t fi nd gleaming, wood alleys or toppling pins in

this game, but rather speeding “bowls,” cheering crowds, and scenic roads. Find out why

more people are having fun playing this ancient, bucolic sport. By Tricia Sizemore

8 Nature as Sculptor Hike the picturesque plains of the Dolly Sods Scenic

Area and you may fi nd yourself in the company of a camel or a dragon, or maybe even

a strongman. Here’s how the artful hand of nature has crafted exquisite sculptures in

the rock outcroppings that rim this beautiful wilderness. By Ed Rehbein

22The Soldier’s Nurse The untimely death of a beloved brother spurred

Florence Aby Blanchfi eld on to a career in nursing. This Shepherdstown native daugh-

ter later ministered to hundreds of wounded soldiers in WWI, and in WWII advocated

for nurses’ rights as the highly respected chief of the Army Nurse Corps.

By Louis A. Peake

26Announcing e-WV Now all of the articles, illustrations, and photographs

contained in the West Virginia Humanities Council’s popular West Virginia Encyclopedia

can be accessed easily online. The free Web version of the 927-page volume also features

interactive maps, videos, quizzes, and more. By James E. Casto

2 Welcome

2 Hidden Gem

3 Letters to the Editor

3 WVDNR News

3 Reader Photo

14 Gallery

20 Nature Note

30 Events Statewide

32 Bookshelf

DEPARTMENTS

Page 22Jefferson County

Page 8Randolph, Tucker, and Grant counties

October 2010 Volume 74 . Number 10

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It may not be news to many read-

ers that the Golden Delicious apple

originated in Clay County, West Virginia,

nearly a century ago. But did you know

that Eagle Rock, a natural landmark in

the Smoke Hole Canyon in Pendleton

County, was named for Revolutionary

War veteran William Eagle? According

to folklore, Eagle waged a losing battle

at the rock with an actual eagle that

had been raiding his chickens.

Even if you are not a Golden Horseshoe winner, you likely

know that Trout Pond in Hardy County is the Mountain State’s

only natural lake. But were you aware that in 1971, Bob Addis

set the Guinness World Record for stalagmite sitting at Lost World

Caverns near Lewisburg, occupying the “War Club” stalagmite for

15 days, 2 hours, and 22 minutes?

And just to enlighten you further, the Appalachian Revolution,

known now as the Appalachian Orogeny, involved not bloody

warfare but the geological events that produced the Appalachian

Mountains millions of years ago.

I made these fascinating discoveries while perusing e-WV, the

new, online version of The West Virginia Encyclopedia, recently

debuted by the West Virginia Humanities Council (see page 26).

Now, seemingly boundless information about the Mountain State

is just a mouse click away. Your learning is limited only by the time

you’ve got to investigate maps and timelines, browse exhibits and

hundreds of alphabetized articles, or challenge yourself with a quiz

or two. Most wondrous of all, e-WV is easy and fun to explore and

free. Be sure to check out this treasure of a resource soon.

Until you do, we hope this issue holds a thing or two you didn’t

know: the call of the Irish road bowler, perhaps, or the reason why

yellow jackets get cranky in fall. Many, I think, will meet the dis-

tinguished Florence Aby Blanchfi eld for the fi rst time. And regular

contributor Ed Rehbein introduces us to the fascinating fi gures he

met while hiking the windy ridges of Dolly Sods.

However you explore this fall—via armchair or Internet, or

otherwise—enjoy your adventures and all your learnings.

2 October 2010 . www.wonderfulwv.com

Editor Sheila McEntee

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Welcome

Did You Know?

[email protected]

Hidden Gem

Grave of “The Greenbrier Ghost” In a quaint cemetery behind the Soule Chapel Methodist Church in Greenbrier County is the grave (pictured above, photo by Travis Vandal) of one of West Virginia’s most legendary women: Zona Heaster Shue, more famously known as “The Greenbrier Ghost.” In fact, her nickname is engraved upon her tombstone. As the story goes, Zona’s ghost appeared at her mother’s bedside and described the details of how her husband had murdered her. After a trial by jury, he was convicted and sent to prison. Zona Shue’s grave

is located approximately four miles off of I-64 at exit 156 (Sam Black Church Rd.). For specifi c di-rections, contact the Greenbrier County Chamber of Commerce at 304.645.2818. To order a book featuring the chilling tale of The Greenbrier Ghost, see the Bookshelf on page 32.

Travis VandalCharleston, WV

Note: Is there a gem off the beaten path in your

community? Please send no more than 120 words.

Include contact information for your gem and your

name and town. Write to Wonderful West Virginia

Magazine Reader Picks, WVDNR, 324 Fourth Ave.,

South Charleston, WV 25303-1228 or e-mail

[email protected].

Travis Vandal

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Naturalist Smith Opened New WorldsAfter reading your profi le on J. Lawrence Smith [“Preacher, Writer, Naturalist,” June 2010], I remember so well one Saturday in May in the late 1960s when he piled eight 4-H youngsters into a large Pontiac that he favored—in the days before seatbelts—and took us to Spruce Knob. Although we were all local to Pendleton and not unfamiliar with na-tive woods, he opened new worlds with his knowledge of wildfl owers, geology,

birds, and trees. Pink lady’s slippers, tril-lium, and jack-in-the-pulpits all appeared in his presence, and he taught steward-ship before it was cool. Thank you, John, for taking time that beautiful May day to impart your good character and knowl-edge to a bunch of rowdy but fascinated children.

Marla Zelene HarmanFranklin, WV

Wannabe West VirginianThe June 2010 issue of Wonderful West

Virginia was one of the best EVER. I en-joyed reading about the National Radio Astronomy Observatory and the Jerico B&B in Pocahontas County, but the story about the Bewick’s wren and your biographical profi le of J. Lawrence Smith made me want to grab my tent and binoculars and head for West Virginia. Thanks for providing a well-written and beautiful magazine for all of us wannabe West Virginians.

Margaret NavaRio Rancho, New Mexico

WVU Stadium an Eye Catcher

Your centerfold of the WVU stadium [Gallery, February 2010] caught my eye. It was a much smaller one when we lived there. My late husband graduated in 1951. He was one of many G.I.s who went to school after World War II. We

lived in a small trailer on a hillside. I still have many relatives who live in the area. We always took our annual trip to West Virginia for family reunions—30 years plus. I can claim Bill Stewart as family. He is my nephew. We’re all proud of him for many reasons. Go Mountaineers!

Ruth Machamer, 86 years youngBerkley, MA

Letters to the Editor

Reader Photo

WVDNR Newswww.wvdnr.gov

Wonderful West Virginia Wins Top Honors at ACIWonderful West Virginia received a fi rst-place award in the Association for Conservation Information’s annual publications competition for articles published in 2009. “Then and Now: The Town of Helvetia,” written by Wonderful West Virginia Editor Sheila McEntee and published in the August issue, received fi rst place in the Parks, Historical, and Cultural category. The article details the settlement of historic Helvetia in Randolph County by German Swiss immigrants and chron-icles events and life ways in the town from the late 1860s to the present. In addition, Wonderful West Virginia came in a close fourth out of 20 en-tries in the four-color magazine com-petition, just behind Texas, Arizona, and Montana. The Association for Conservation Information, or ACI, is a nonprofi t as-sociation of information and education professionals representing state, fed-eral, and private wildlife conservation, parks, and natural resource agencies in the United States and Canada. The staff of Wonderful West Virginia is delighted to receive this international recognition and share the news with our readers!

By Ralph McNeelyPeach Creek, WV

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Faugh a Ballach!Rolling Down Country Roads

By Tricia SizemorePhotographs by the West Virginia Department of Commerce, Steve Shaluta

Visitors to some West Virginia state parks may stop in their tracks and step aside, as a resounding “Faugh a ballach!” rings through the air and down winding park roads. No need for alarm. It’s just the call of enthusiastic Irish road bowlers, as they get ready to throw a ball as far as they can. This sport for all ages has taken hold across the Mountain State in recent years, especially in state parks.

Older than baseball and football, Irish road bowling dates back to the 1600s. By the early 1700s it was well known in Ireland. Primarily played in the countryside of County Armagh in Northern Ireland and County Cork in the Republic of Ireland, this game,

also known as long bullets or bullets, has a long history in the United States too. Research suggests it is very likely that dur-ing the American Civil War, soldiers of Irish origin on both sides played road bowling. “In the international world of Irish road bowling, people know about West Virginia,” says David Powell, one of the founders of the West Virginia Irish Road Bowling Association (WVIRBA). “The state is recognized in Ireland and in other parts of Europe as an up-and-coming road bowling destina-tion.”

Roll the Bowl While the sport is easy to learn, it takes a certain amount of skill to read the curves and ridges of a road. The game is played individually or in teams of two, three, or four people. The goal is to roll a small, 28-ounce cannonball made of iron and steel, commonly referred to as a bowl or bullet, down a curvy road, usually one to two miles long, to the fi nish line. Individuals or teams with the least number of throws to the fi nish line win. Irish road bowling offers participants a way

to get outdoors, get some moderate exercise, and enjoy a bit of friendly competition. Some events even include cannon blasts and bagpipe music. Powell, originally from the Clarksburg-Bridgeport area and now a Washington, D.C., resident, fi rst became inter-ested in Irish Road Bowling after seeing it on television. After a trip across the sea to Ireland, he brought back bowls. He and other organizers then tested local interest in this ancient sport with a practice match on February 19, 1995, in the little town of Ireland in Lewis County, West Virginia. (Powell has an aunt living in the town.)A month later, the fi rst offi cial match took place at the Irish Spring Festival there. “It’s a really great way to get out on the beautiful country roads of West Virginia,” Powell says. “It’s healthy outdoor ex-ercise. It’s good for children, all the way up to senior citizens, and it’s very exciting. All you have to do is roll a ball in the middle of the road. Between shots you’re just walking. So it’s not strenuous at all. People walk for miles and don’t even re-alize it because they’re having so much fun playing the game.”

A Firsthand Look Intrigued by Powell’s remarks, I wanted to see Irish road bowling for myself. So on a beautiful day last November, I ob-served it fi rsthand with my family at Stonewall Resort State Park. We were among many other spectators who had come to enjoy the event. A glance at the teams showed participants starting from about 10 years old. Among those playing was West Virginia native Ken Mc-

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Clintic and his team, the Holly River Gang, which includes Marsha Jordan, Larry Smith, and Marvin Smith. The super-intendent at Holly River State Park for 16 years, McClintic has been playing Irish Road Bowling for approximately seven of those years. An avid road bowler, he was named the 2008 WVIRBA state champion and represented West Virginia in the 2009 North American Region Finals, which took place in Ireland, West Virginia. I watched as players on each team took turns rolling the bowl down the road. Every once in awhile, players cried “Faugh a ballach!,” (pronounced fál-a-búllock) which is Gaelic for “Clear the way!” and a traditional Irish battle cry, to warn others of an approaching bowl. Some bowls traveled as far as 200 to 300 yards. With a running start, McClintic gained momentum and hurled the bowl underhand down the curvy road. The crowd, some dressed in festive colors, cheered him on. The speeding bowl landed many yards away, rolling off the lane and onto a soft patch of grass. A teammate then made a mark in chalk at the nearest point on the road, where another teammate got ready to throw a bowl. Sometimes a member of McClintic’s team, a “road

shower,” stood ahead of the thrower with feet apart to show the best path for the bowl. McClintic’s team made it to the fi nish line in 26 shots, taking fi fth place. With great enthusiasm for the game, McClintic helped start Irish road bowling in the West Virginia State Park sys-tem. The Stonewall Resort event is one of 14 tournaments in the Irish Road Bowling Tour, which is scheduled throughout the state from March through late October or early Novem-ber every year. Several other state parks, including Pipestem, Blackwater Falls, Cass Scenic Railroad, and Holly River take part in the tour. “It’s something that you can participate in, no matter your age or athletic abilities,” McClintic says. “We’ve had bowlers as young as 6 years old and one who was 83 years old, and everybody in between. We really wanted to incorporate state parks, partly because of their scenic beauty but mainly because the roads offer a good course. “Holly River’s Fall Challenge in early October is one of the biggest and best road bowling events in West Virginia,” McClintic adds. “In the fi rst year, Holly River had only seven teams of three to four people. In 2009, we had 52 teams. The event gets bigger every year.” A great venue for Irish road

A road bowler uses a running start to generate the momentum he needs for a successful bowl at Stonewall Resort State Park.

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bowling, McClintic notes that Holly River offers the perfect combination of brilliant fall color, winding roads, a bridge, and a stone pavilion for a feast after the game. Can’t make it to the Holly River Fall Challenge? Irish Road Bowling will also take place at Stonewall Resort State Park on October 31. For more information, call 304.269.7400. In addition to state parks, annual events across the state, including the Buckwheat Festival in Kingwood, the Forest Festival in Elkins, and the Strawberry Festival in Buckhan-non, have added this exciting sport to their schedules. “It’s an inexpensive way to enjoy an afternoon with friends and family amid beautiful scenery,” says Mark Wilt, president of the WVIRBA. Wilt has been competing with his son, Aaron, for six years at various events around the state. The WVIRBA is one of three organized Irish road bowl-ing clubs in North America; the others are the Boston Road Bowling Club and New York Road Bowling. Though usually played as a team sport in West Virginia, bowlers compete individually for the North American Region Finals. Qualify-ing state tournaments are scheduled in the spring at Pipestem Resort State Park and at the Strawberry Festival. The top four fi nishers from each event qualify for the West Virginia State Finals, held in July in the town of Ireland. These eight players then compete for the state championship. The top two, the champion and the runner up, then take part in the North American Region Finals, usually held in Boston, New York, or here in West Virginia. Participants compete in three classes: Novice 1, Novice 2, and Junior C. The winner of each class qualifi es to go to the All Ireland competition overseas. The state has produced several notable players. The top-rated player in West Virginia today is Travis Craig from the town of Ireland. He has won the National Tournament the past two years in his grade, the fi rst year as Novice 2 and the second as Novice 1. During the 2009 North American Re-gion Finals, held in his hometown, Craig beat Boston player Con O’Callaghan in the last shot. O’Callaghan has won two All Ireland championships. Craig advanced and represented West Virginia in the All Ireland competition. His excellent performance preserved West Virginia’s place in the sport. In 2010, in addition to the All Ireland competition, West Virginia was represented in the Dutch Moors bowling compe-tition. Similar to Irish road bowling, this sport is played in the Netherlands. Other noteworthy West Virginia players include Travis McClintic, son of Ken McClintic and runner up in the 2009 North American Region Finals in the Junior C category; Shannon Gear Putnam, the 2006 and 2008 WVIRBA Women’s State Champion; and Mark Whitt, who represented the WVIRBA in the 2009 North American Region Finals in the Novice 2 category.

In May 2010, Travis Craig and Travis McClintic joined two New York bowlers to represent the United States in the World Championships of Bowling in Dinkelland, Nether-lands. Powell says that Craig and McClintic helped forge a new connection between West Virginia and the Netherlands. From the looks of it, whether you’re a beginner or an expert, everyone who participates in Irish road bowling has a good time. It’s also a lot of fun to watch. “Bring yourself or a group of friends to any of the events held throughout West Virginia,” Wilt says. “Come out and try it, but be warned—very few people road bowl just once.” For information and a list of statewide Irish road bowling events, visit www.wvirishroadbowling.com. For information about West Virginia State Parks events, call 304.558.2764.

Tricia Sizemore lives with her family in Kanawha County. She enjoys traveling West Virginia’s mountains and valleys and discov-ering unique places.

Roll the Bowl at Holly RiverOctober 9, 2010

Bring your friends and join in the fun at the eighth an-

nual Holly River Fall Challenge Irish road bowling event,

to be held Saturday, October 9, at Holly River State

Park. Registration for teams begins at 12 noon and the

bowling gets under way at 1:00 PM. After all the teams

complete the 1.5-mile course, teams and spectators

are invited to join in a pig roast, which includes hot rolls,

baked potatoes, and often bagpipe music. Bring a cov-

ered dish, dessert, or drinks. Road bowling trophies are

awarded at the dinner. The Fall Challenge happens rain

or shine. For more information, call 1.800.CALL.WVA or

304.493.6353, or e-mail [email protected].

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Nature as SculptorRock Art at Dolly Sods

Text and photographs by Ed Rehbein


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Travel

One clear fall day, my wife, Phyllis, and I were hiking the open heath of Dolly Sods, miles from civilization. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I caught the fi gure of a man with bulging biceps. He looked rock solid and squarely built. He stood frozen, his massive

legs rooted in the ground. For just a split second I wondered, “Have I caught a glimpse of Bigfoot, or Sasquatch?” But a second glance told me no. Instead, the imposing fi gure, which I dubbed “The Lost Backpacker of the Potomac Highlands,” was one of the fantastic forms carved in the stone outcrops along the high ridges of Dolly Sods. Perhaps my mistake was forgivable. The rocks that rim Dolly Sods have been sculpted into exquisite forms that truly resemble everything from humans and animals to abstract art. Carved by the slow but sure hand of nature for more than 100,000 years, these rock sculptures are ancient works of art. Sitting atop the Potomac Highlands of Tucker, Randolph, and Grant counties, Dolly Sods is a high-elevation, upland plateau covering about 20,000 acres. It’s famous for its rocky plains, bogs, fl ag-form spruce, and sweeping vistas. The 17,000-acre Dolly Sods Wilderness Area has been set aside for backpackers and overnight hikers. Since Phyllis and I are strictly day hikers, we enjoy exploring the 2,000-acre Dolly Sods Scenic Area, which runs along the eastern edge of the Dolly Sods plateau and parallels Forest Road 75 (FR75). Fortunately, the Scenic Area is prime territory for locating the rocky sculptures that line the eastern rim of Dolly Sods.

Bear RocksLocated at the northern end of FR75, Bear Rocks is a great place to whet your appetite for the rock art of the Sods. Bear Rocks is a rugged exposure of a rock formation geologists call the Pottsville Conglomerate. Deposited more than 300 million years ago, when the Appalachian Mountains were much taller than they are today, the Pottsville Conglomerate is composed of sandstone containing layers of rounded, white quartz pebbles. These hard sandstones and conglomerates run the length of the eastern and western ridges of Dolly Sods.

Weathering—that is, the disintegration and decomposition of rock surfaces—at Bear Rocks has carved the Pottsville Conglomerate into some fascinating forms. Perhaps the most notable is what some photographers call the “Dragon of Dolly Sods.” This creature has a round, protruding head, eyes, a mouth, and what appear to be wings. It seems posed to oversee the Sods. To fi nd the dragon, take the footpaths from the parking area to the “Bear Rocks Preserve” sign constructed by The Nature Conversancy. Facing the sign, take a heading just

a little to the right. The dragon is among some taller rocks that sit about 30 yards off the edge of the ridge. The dragon and other striking stone shapes at Bear Rocks introduce you to the rock sculptures of the highlands, but even more interesting art awaits further south along the eastern rim of Dolly Sods. In the fall of 2007, as we drove on FR75 on the last day of our vacation, Phyllis spotted some prominent rock outcrops on the eastern rim just north of the Red Creek Campground. We vowed to return and explore them, and the next year, on the fi rst day of our fall vacation, we did just that. On FR75, at the end of a stand of pines about 0.3 miles north of the Red Creek Campground, we found a parking area and the beginnings of an unmarked trail leading toward the eastern ridge. For about 600 feet the trail was easy to follow. But when it led into some waist- to shoulder-high shrubs, the pathway broke down. Beyond this area a maze of deer trails took us to the eastern rim.

Camel RockUpon reaching the ridge, we hiked toward the prominent outcrops that Phyllis spotted the year before, which were about a quarter mile north of us. On reaching the outcrop, we discovered a cornucopia of shaped rocks. Here the sedimentary layers, called bedding planes, of the Pottsville Conglomerate tilt about 5 to 10 degrees to the west. The outcrop is also sliced by vertical fractures into large, rectangular prisms of stone with rounded edges, the highest being about 10 feet tall. Vertical surfaces are carved into troughs and ridges resembling corrugated cardboard. The horizontal surfaces of the rocks are pitted with rounded depressions of varying diameters and depths. These depressions are called weathering pits or gnammas (nam-uhs), the latter a term borrowed from the Aborigines of Australia, who depend on the water trapped in natural rock bowls for survival. These bowls, ridges, and vertical breaks combine to give the stone surprising shapes. At this particular outcrop, I saw the profi le of a camel, so I dubbed it “Camel Rock.” I also saw a replica of Mount Rushmore, as well as loaves of bread laid side by side. Here nature’s handiwork reminded me of an art appreciation course I took in college. The class visited an art museum in downtown Los Angeles and was assigned to study and write an essay on a sculpture by Henry Moore, a British abstract, organic sculptor. The piece, called “Reclining Figure,” consisted of three large, rounded, and disconnected forms. Back then, I thought that sculpture was limited to works resembling Michelangelo’s “David,” and I couldn’t comprehend Moore’s abstract shapes. But over the years, I’ve grown to appreciate abstract forms and their ability Co

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The Dragon of Dolly Sods keeps a watchful eye over the trails. Weathering pits, or gnammas, form from hundreds of millenia of rain and frost.

to stimulate the imagination and evoke diverse responses. Without revealing any more of my ignorance of art, suffi ce it to say that the rock sculptures of Dolly Sods resemble the works of Henry Moore more than those of Michelangelo.

Nature’s Hammer and ChiselAfter spending an afternoon crawling over and photographing this outcrop, I began to think more about how such shapes were formed. Since I have a degree in geology, I applied the principles I’d learned to discern some of the sculpting tools of nature. I believe that weathering is both hammer and chisel in the hands of nature. Physical weathering is the mechanical breaking of rock. A form of physical weathering prevalent at Dolly Sods is frost wedging, which happens when water enters a pore or crack in a rock and freezes. Water expands as it freezes, often loosening or dislodging rock fragments. Wherever water can seep into solid rock, whether it is a small opening, such as between two grains of sand, or a large opening, such as between a crack or fracture, it can, by expanding into ice, apply enough force to break it. Chemical weathering is the breakdown of a rock surface through chemical processes such as oxidation, solution, and hydrolysis. Chemical changes to a rock can soften it and

make it more susceptible to being washed away. Rock can even be dissolved and carried away by water. Weathering, then, is the process that wears down the hard rock outcrops of Dolly Sods. If physical and chemical weathering are the hammer and chisel of nature, then differential weathering is the artist. Differential weathering accentuates subtle variations in a rock’s composition and structure. Gnammas, for instance, are examples of differential weathering. Should just a slight rock weakness cause a small depression to form on a horizontal rock surface, water, seeking the lowest spot, will preferentially fl ow into it. Should the temperature drop below freezing, the water will turn to ice, expand, and break up the rock particles next to it, making the small depression just a little larger. The enlarged depression will attract more water, which, when turned to ice, will further expand the hole. In this way the process feeds on itself, and after repeated cycles of freezing and thawing, what was once a small depression will have grown into a full-fl edged gnamma. As gnammas deepen and expand outward, their growth is limited. If the outer circle of a gnamma reaches the edge of a boulder or rock outcrop, the bowl will be partially breached. Further expansion carves a larger breach in the side of the bowl. Eventually the bowl is destroyed, leaving U-shaped


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Camel Rock sits patiently atop its stone. With a little imagination, faces similar to those at Mount Rushmore can be detected in this formation.

openings and rounded columns, exactly the shapes forming the camel’s “head” and “Mount Rushmore.”

The Hands of TimeGeologic studies show that gnammas can take thousands to tens of thousands of years to form. A study of gnammas in Portugal by David Dominguez-Villar and others showed that, in general, the relative age of gnammas was best indicated not by width or even volume but by depth ratios. Without getting more technical, we can say that generally, the deeper the gnamma, the older it is. Indeed, time is another key factor in nature’s sculpting of rocks. Dr. Greg Hancock, professor of geology at the College of William & Mary, has studied the age of the outcrops on the east and west rims of Dolly Sods. He found that these rocks have been exposed at the surface for 60,000 to 240,000 years. That means that differential weathering has been gradually picking away at them for tens and even hundreds of millennia. Above all, time is a fi ne hand. Over millennia, subtle weaknesses in the rock, small variations in rock composition, and even the slightest differences in natural openings are delicately but persistently magnifi ed and accentuated. In the hands of time, weathering is a powerful tool, having carved the rocks of Dolly Sods into the intricate forms we see today.

Crystal Ship and Keepers of the HeathNorth of Camel Rock there are other stone sculptures on the eastern rim, including ones I fondly call the “Crystal Ship” and “Keepers of the Heath.” To get to the Crystal Ship, Phyllis and I parked at the Beaver Dam Trailhead on FR75, about one mile south of Bear Rocks. On the east side of FR75, opposite the Beaver Dam Trail, there’s a faintly worn but distinguishable footpath heading east. We followed this path through the brush, down a rocky ledge, through more brush, and then to an open bog. Rock cairns marked our path across the bog to another rocky ledge. Once past the second rock ledge, we made our way to the eastern rim. The distance from the road to the rim is only a third of a mile, but because of the uneven terrain, it felt longer to us. Once at the rim, to our left (north, that is) we caught sight of a tall and mysterious looking rock topped by what appeared to be a large, stone wing. After photographing this winged rock from many angles, I felt it resembled a sailing ship. Since it is composed of hard, crystalline sandstone, I christened it the Crystal Ship. Good art stirs emotions, and I confess that the sight of the Crystal Ship uplifts and inspires me as much as any work created by man. The gnammas on top of this outcrop are deep–a sure sign of age. The wing is a hard, weather-resistant layer of

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The Crystal Ship fl oats through a fi eld of heath.(Next page) Keepers of the Heath collect water in their gnammas.

sandstone that has been left suspended by the removal of less sturdy rock below it. The rock rises some 15 feet above the heath and sits on a gentle knoll. Its height, relative to the surrounding heath, refl ects the processes of differential weathering too. In geologic terms, this tall outcrop is called a high or a tor, the latter a word derived from a Celtic word for hill or tower. Dr. Hancock explains that tors are also formed by differential erosion. Elemental in this process, in this case, are natural vertical fractures called joints, which control the location and development of tors. Being open cracks in rock, they collect water. Frost wedging breaks the rock along the joints, making the joints wider and deeper. Since joints in rock are not evenly spaced, zones of more tightly spaced joints will be broken up at a faster rate than zones of widely spaced joints. These zones of tightly spaced joints will break up and be washed away more quickly than adjacent areas, thus developing shallow troughs called lows. In like manner, tors will form where fractures are not as numerous as in surrounding areas. This aspect of differential weathering builds on itself too. As highs form, water runs off of them and into the lows, further increasing the activity of frost wedging. Over time, differential weathering causes the lows to become lower, thus making the tors stand out higher. So, in addition to its deep gnammas, the relative height of the Crystal Ship above the surrounding heath suggests that the hands of nature have worked this rock for many millennia. Exploring the Crystal Ship led Phyllis and me to discover yet another tor on the eastern rim. Just a quarter mile south

of the ship, two large stones stand shoulder to shoulder, keeping watch over the heath; thus I call them Keepers of the Heath. This is also where we discovered the stone statue that I called the Lost Backpacker of the Potomac Highlands. At Keepers of the Heath, the forces of differential weathering are again illustrated. For example, the Keepers tor sits between and above shallow lows. The “backs” of the Keepers are pockmarked with gnammas, but the gnammas are small. Since the rock face containing these gnammas tilts at about 45 degrees, the gnammas could not have held water in this position. The base of the Keepers must have been undercut, causing the rocks to eventually tip to one side. What’s more, vertical joints have sliced the outcrop into stone prisms. Even more tors lie between the Keepers and Camel Rock. Like the other formations, they’ve been exquisitely carved over many millennia by the very slow but exacting hand of nature. They’re just waiting to be explored, interpreted, and, above all, appreciated. Happy trails!

Award-winning writer and photographer Ed Rehbein of Beckley is a frequent contributor to Wonderful West Virginia. He and Randall Sanger are authoring a book of photography called West Virginia Waterfalls: The New River Gorge. This book will include maps and guides to the falls and is being published by Headline Books of Terra Alta, WV. To preview the book visit www.wvscenicphotography.com.

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g a l l e r yRoger Spencer, www.rogerspencer.com

September 2010 . www.wonderfulwv.com14Copy

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(Pages 14-15)Dramatic light strikes a farm near Sugar Grove in Pendleton County.

(Pages 16-17)Horses and fall color on Back Allegheny Mountain in Pendleton County

White-tailed deer graze

in Canaan Valley State Park in Tucker County. Co

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A warm fall day brings out the worst in

yellow jackets. Just ask anyone who’s been to an outdoor fall festival. A bel-ligerent yellow jacket in a cup of cider can lead to a sting on the lip and ruin an otherwise perfect day. But there’s a simple reason these familiar wasps turn nasty in the fall: they’re hungry. Yellow jackets are active all summer long, but unless you run over their nest-ing burrow with the lawn mower, they’re rarely aggressive. On warm fall days, however, they get mean. The simple explanation is that the social structure of the colony breaks down, and there’s not much to eat. Let’s back up a few months and tell the whole story. Yellow jackets build their nests underground in abandoned rodent burrows. In the spring, each colony begins with a single fertilized female, or queen. (She mated the previ-ous summer.) The queen starts by chewing woody material to make a paperlike substance, with which she will build the nest. She then builds a series of hexagonal cells and lays a single egg in each one. At this point the nest resembles the paper wasp nests that appear under the back porch roof. The queen also builds an outer shell that envelops the entire nest. A yellow jacket nest is much like the nest of its close kin, the bald-faced hornet, except that the yellow jacket nest is built underground, while a hornet nest hangs in a tree. After the queen lays her fi rst clutch of eggs, she collects food for the soon-to-hatch larvae. Any small insect is fair game, but small, fl eshy caterpillars are favorite larval foods. She chews the prey with her powerful jaws, then deposits some in the cells with each egg. Upon hatching, the larvae eat the awaiting food and grow rapidly. When the fi rst generation of yellow jackets

matures, they continue expanding the size of the nest and collecting food for subsequent generations of larvae. The queen then becomes an egg-laying ma-chine and probably never again leaves the nest. As the colony grows, the workers further expand the size of the subter-ranean burrow. Watch carefully and you’ll see workers leaving the bur-row with clumps of soil in their jaws. Throughout the summer, the queen continues to lay eggs, while work-ers continue to excavate the burrow, enlarge the nest, and feed the larvae. The workers also feed the queen and themselves with nectar and pollen. By late summer, as days grow shorter, the yellow jackets’ social sys-tem begins to break down. The queen begins laying eggs that develop into both fertile females and males, and those individuals mature and mate. Then the males die, and fertilized females seek refuge for the winter in hollow logs or under thick slabs of bark. When these impregnated queens-to-be emerge in the spring, they disperse, and each builds a new colony of her own. Meanwhile, the rest of the original colony disperses and dies. The queen dies too. Since the workers no longer have a colony to tend, they are on their own until they die. On warm fall days they search for nectar and pollen amid seas of dying wildfl owers. With natural foods in short supply, fall festi-vals provide an almost unlimited menu: soda, beer, cider, hot dogs, etc. That’s why yellow jackets bedevil us so much this time of year. At this same time, life in a bald-faced hornet nest is also winding down. These nests become conspicuous in the autumn, as leaves drop from the trees. Often basketball-sized hornet

nests can be seen hanging from tree branches. I fi nd a few every year. The largest I’ve ever found was twice the size of a basketball. Hornets are essentially large yellow jackets and their life cycle mirrors that of the yellow jacket, except where they build their nests. New nests are built every year, so hornet nests are safe to collect and dissect after a prolonged period of subfreezing temperatures. I’d wait until December or January to bring a hornet nest into the house to show

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the kids, and even then beware that a groggy individual may have not yet given up the ghost. In the event of a yellow jacket sting, remain calm. If the stinging yellow jacket is killed, it releases a chemical pheromone that signals more wasps to attack. Flailing and fl eeing in panic will only result in more stings. Wash the sting site with soap and water, then rinse with hydrogen perox-

ide. Ice eases swelling and pain, and a dab of ammonia relieves itching. Over-the-counter antihistamines and pain relievers such as ibuprofen will also ease the symptoms of wasp stings. Anyone who experiences a systemic allergic reaction (hives, shortness of breath, confusion, a swelling tongue) should call 911 or get to an emergency room immediately. The many appealing festivals held

across the Mountain State each fall are open to all, including yellow jackets. Enjoy the festivities this season, and let’s hope you don’t have to share your cider or funnel cake.

Certifi ed wildlife biologist Dr. Scott Shalaway of Cameron in Marshall County hosts a syndicated radio program about nature and is a regular contributor to Wonderful West Virginia.

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Yellow jackets usually don’t bother people until fall, when they get hungry.

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THE SOLDIER’S NURSECol. Florence Aby Blanchfi eld

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It is not surprising that of the many West Virgin-ians who have achieved signifi cant military rank or renown, only a few, historically, have been women. Col. Ruby Bradley of Spencer served in both World War II and the Korean War. In WWII she was taken prisoner by the Japanese. She later became one of the most decorated women in U.S. military history. In 1986, PFC Maureen Daugherty became

the fi rst U.S. military woman to make a parachute jump. And in 2003, PFC Jessica Lynch of Palestine achieved fame for her bravery when she was taken prisoner in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Yet none of these women attained the status of Col. Flor-ence Aby Blanchfi eld of Shepherdstown. Blanchfi eld served as a nurse in World War I, tending to wounded soldiers. And in World War II, as a highly respected offi cer and administra-tor, she advocated mightily for military nurses, as well as the sick and wounded. Born in 1884, Blanchfi eld was the fourth of eight children of Mary and Joseph Blanchfi eld. As a girl she helped care for her favorite brother, Lloyd, who was stricken with typhoid fever. He eventually died of the disease. This experience inspired Blanchfi eld to seek a career in nursing. She attended the South Side Hospital Training School for Nurses in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, graduating in 1906. She then went on to complete a post-graduate program in operat-ing room supervision and surgical technique at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1913, Blanchfi eld accepted a civil service appointment to the Panama Canal Zone, where she performed general

nursing duties and served as an anesthetist. She later returned to the United States, where she worked as a nurse with the U.S. Steel Corporation in Bessemer, Pennsylvania. But Blanchfi eld’s duties were soon interrupted when, in April 1917, the United States entered the First World War. In August of that year, she accepted an appointment as a lieu-tenant in the Army Nurse Corps (ANC). It was a decision that would shape the rest of her life. At the outset of its involvement in WWI, America had a pronounced scarcity of nurses. At that time, there were only 403 nurses in the ANC. There were some 8,000 nurses on the roster of the American Red Cross, including Florence Blanchfi eld. During WWI, the Red Cross recruited medical staff and equipped hospitals, which were then transported overseas. Within 18 months of the American entry into the war, the ranks of nurses in the Army Nurse Corps had swelled to 21,480, about half of whom served overseas. Arriving in France, Blanchfi eld served at various military hospitals. She was one of only 28 nurses charged with the care of 1,300 sick and wounded soldiers. There Blanchfi eld confronted the horrors of war: shrapnel wounds, shell shock, hemorrhage, infection, and the effects of a terrible new weapon—gas. When the war ended in 1918, Blanchfi eld was deco-rated for her service and relieved from active duty. She thus returned to her pre-war nursing work. But she missed the

History

First Lieutenant Florence Blanchfi eld in 1923, Army Nurse Corps.

A poster by A.C. Foringer helped recruit nurses during World War I. Courtesy of West Point Museum Collections, United States Military Academy

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rewards and challenges of military life and, in 1920, returned to the ANC. She would wear the uniform with pride for the next 27 years. During those years she served at numerous posts, both in the United States and abroad. Among her duties was person-ally caring for Secretary of War John W. Weeks in his home until shortly before his death. With the advent of the Second World War, Blanchfi eld received signifi cant recognition for her work. Within three months of America’s entry into the war she was promoted to lieutenant colonel and became acting superintendent of the Army Nurse Corps. In 1943, Secretary of War Henry Stimson appointed Blanchfi eld superintendent of the ANC and simul-taneously promoted her to full colonel. The scope of her responsibilities might have overwhelmed another individual, but Blanchfi eld’s training and years of experience, combined with her drive and determination, made her an able administrator. Foremost on her list of duties as superintendent of the ANC was ensuring that adequate nursing care was provided for American fi ghting men who were sick or wounded. She demanded that effi cient and expert nursing care be delivered to battle casualties. She assigned nurses to fi eld and evacuation hospitals near the front lines. Blanchfi eld felt that it was important to have nurses close to combat zones, so that casualties would not have far to go to receive proper medical aid. Blanchfi eld was also greatly concerned with the recruit-ment and retention of nurses and the public image of the ANC. In those days, nurses chose not to enlist for many rea-sons, among them fear of being killed, wounded, or captured; lack of postwar job security; and old stereotypes about women in the military. It was rumored that men in the American armed forces did not want American women serving in the ANC. But the single greatest factor crippling the recruitment of nurses was the simple fact that many nurses did not realize the urgent need for their services. Defending the integrity of the ANC, Blanchfi eld stated, “It has been said that the American soldier does not respect the Army nurses. This is almost too ridiculous to comment upon. To G.I. Joe, the Army nurse is mother, wife, sweetheart, sister, the little girl next door, all in one. She is America to him. His attitude of gratitude and respect, almost of worship, is hard for him to put into words.” A similar sentiment was expressed by the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, who praised army nurses in the days immediately following the D-Day invasion, saying, “Any words by me would be inadequate to pay proper tribute to the army nurses and the work they are doing here….” In addition to the reasons mentioned earlier, marriage kept many women from serving in the ANC. Back then, married women could not serve in the nursing corps. In 1944, Blanchfi eld reported that during a four-month period,

an average of 14 Army nurses became wives every day. She was concerned that unless the army accepted married nurses, women would resign in large numbers. With her strong advocacy, and despite the military’s reluctance to accept it, nurses in uniform were permitted to marry in 1945. Ironically, though she worked to obtain the right to marry for other military nurses, Blanchfi eld herself never married. Among other measures Blanchfi eld took to increase the profi le of the ANC among Americans was the adoption of an offi cial song, “The Nurse’s Prayer.” The song was popular-ized by wartime singer Jo Stafford. The ANC also produced a songbook, as well as 21 issues of its offi cial publication, The Army Nurse. Yet there was no better public relations tool than the colonel herself. Often referred to as the “Little Colonel” due to her diminutive size—she was only slightly more than fi ve feet tall—she was also known, fi ttingly, as “The Soldier’s Nurse.” The title aptly signifi ed the dedication, sacrifi ce, and deep compassion she exhibited throughout her career. Among the numerous decorations she received was the Distinguished Service Medal for “demonstrating outstanding ability and devotion to duty.” Blanchfi eld received perhaps her greatest award in 1945, when former President Herbert Hoover presented her with the Red Cross button worn by Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross. The button had been given to former First Lady Lou Henry Hoover upon Barton’s death. It was presented to Blanchfi eld in recognition of her devotion to the American Red Cross. Under Blanchfi eld’s leadership the ranks of the ANC swelled to more than 57,000 nurses. Then, at the end of WWII, came demobilization. Nearly 50,000 nurses left the service and returned to their pre-war occupations. Yet Blanchfi eld was keenly aware of the continuing need to provide care for thousands of wounded still hospitalized, as well as for the armies of occupation in Germany and Japan. She worked tirelessly to retain nurses in the military by giving them rank and career opportunities. Her goal was realized on April 16, 1947, when Congress passed the Army-Navy Nurses Act (Public Law 36), autho-rizing the creation of a new Army Nurse Corps within the regular army. The law mandated that commissioned nurses have the same privileges of pay and promotion as offi cers of similar rank in other branches of the service. Blanchfi eld reached the pinnacle of her military career when, in July 1947, Gen. Eisenhower, in a Pentagon ceremo-ny, presented her with the fi rst full commission ever awarded to an American woman in the regular army. She received the permanent rank of lieutenant colonel and became the fi rst superintendent/chief of the new Army Nurse Corps. Following an illustrious military career that included ser-vice in two World Wars, Blanchfi eld retired from active ser-vice on September 30, 1947. On June 26, 1951, she received Co

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the Florence Nightingale Medal, the highest International Red Cross honor that can be bestowed on a nurse.After retiring, Blanchfi eld collaborated on a history of the ANC titled Organized Nursing and the Army in Three Wars, published in 1950. Her signifi cant earlier papers were pub-lished in the prestigious American Journal of Nursing. In 1963, during its centennial celebration, Blanchfi eld’s native state paid tribute to one of its most accomplished daughters. In a ceremony in Martinsburg, Brig. Gen. Gene Williams (West Virginia Adjutant General) presented the Distinguished Service Medal of West Virginia to Blanchfi eld for having “brought honor and distinction as a humanitarian to herself, and to her state.” Florence Aby Blanchfi eld died of heart disease on May 12, 1971, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She was 87 years old. Like Florence Nightingale, Florence Blanchfi eld had truly spent her life in service to others. In 1982, the army paid a fi nal tribute to her when it

named the U.S. Army Hospital at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, in her honor. On September 17 of that year, the Col. Flor-ence A. Blanchfi eld Army Community Hospital was dedi-cated. Respected internationally as a nurse practitioner, adminis-trator, and humanitarian, Florence Blanchfi eld brought honor and distinction to herself, her state, and her country. Her loyalty and dedication to service was an inspiration to many people, and especially to those in the military whose lives she touched. Thus, it is truly fi tting that she be remembered as “The Soldier’s Nurse.”

Louis A. Peake is a historian and an adjunct faculty member in the history department at Marshall University. He has published two reference books on the Vietnam War and numerous articles on military history and military personages from West Virginia. He currently resides in Huntington.

History

Col. Florence A. Blanchfi eld in the 1940s,Army Nurse Corps.

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By James E. Casto, Images courtesy of the West Virginia Humanities Council

On June 20, 2006, West Virginia’s 143rd birthday, the West Virginia Humanities Council gave the state a remarkable present—The West Virginia Encyclopedia. Nine years in the making, the volume is an A-to-Z treasure trove of informa-tion about the Mountain State,

with 2,200 articles by nearly 600 expert writers, compiled and indexed for easy reference. The big book (it’s 927 pages) was an immediate hit with West Virginians statewide. Now in its second printing, it has sold more than 17,000 copies. As birthday presents go, it would seem tough to top. But the Humanities Council surely equaled and maybe even surpassed it on West Virginia Day this year. On June 20, the council launched e-WV, an online version of the print refer-ence work. Initially accessible only to a handpicked group of users, the free site is now available to the public at www.wvencyclopedia.org. “The idea of putting the encyclopedia online occurred to us long before the print version came off the press,” says Ken Sullivan, executive director of the Humanities Council. “I can’t say there was a day when the idea just popped into our heads; it was more of a gradual realization. We were ac-cumulating such a huge body of information about the state that we knew whatever we eventually put between the covers of the book would be little more than the tip of the iceberg. There had to be some way of making this massive database available to the public. The Internet was the obvious choice.” For more than a year after publication of the print ency-clopedia, the Humanities Council staff was kept busy market-ing the book, handling orders, and mailing out copies—often by the truckload. But in 2008, the work of putting the book on the Internet

started in earnest. “Consultant Mary Ratliff was an enormous help at this stage of the project,” says Sullivan. “She had just the kind of expertise we needed and was able to produce a set of detailed specifi cations that we could use in soliciting bids from software development companies.” From nine potential vendors the Humanities Council selected Information Research Corp. of Fairmont, West Vir-ginia, to design and develop the online version of the com-prehensive, one-volume reference work. “We had bids from companies all across the nation but were really pleased to fi nd a West Virginia company that was perfectly suited to do the job,” says Sullivan. “Other things equal, that was important.” The online version took another big step forward with the hiring of its fi rst full-time staff member, Mike Keller. Hired as e-WV media editor, Keller was formerly a photog-rapher and webmaster for the West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Before joining the Humanities Council, Sullivan was editor of Goldenseal, the folklife quarterly pub-lished by Culture and History. In that role he worked closely with Keller. “We are delighted to have Mike Keller’s creative talents on our team,” says Sullivan. “His contribution to e-WV has been invaluable.” The Humanities Council’s Deborah J. Sonis was manag-ing editor of the print encyclopedia and again has played a “huge role” in making e-WV a reality, says Sullivan. The council will also employ an e-WV content editor. As work began on posting the massive database accumu-lated by the project, every word had to be double-checked for accuracy. In many instances that meant articles had to be revised or updated. The result is an up-to-date, instantly available archive of thousands of articles on West Virginia’s people and places, history, arts, science, and culture.And there’s more. Much more.

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“The Internet makes possible features that we could only dream of before,” says Sullivan. “We have a timeline of 14,000 signifi cant dates in West Virginia history. We have in-teractive maps. We have an Exhibit Hall, which will provide online exhibits on subjects important to West Virginians. We have many more illustrations than we could put in the print book, as well as audio and video selections. We have a quiz feature that will enable people to test how much they know about West Virginia. We have a This Day in History feature. We have an opinion poll, where people can record their views on important questions. And we’ll be adding more features as we go along.”

From the fi rst, the council made sure the site was acces-sible to those with handicaps. People who have vision prob-lems will be able to adjust the type to a larger, easier-to-read size. And every audio selection on the site will be available in transcribed form for the use of the hearing impaired. On June 20, the council posted on the Internet a preview of e-WV, in an effort to gather opinions and suggestions. “I guess you might call it a king-sized focus group,” says Sullivan. “We made the site accessible by password and sent out that information to a long list of people—our board members, the writers whose articles appeared in the print version, and pretty much anyone who had voiced an interest in the project.” Co

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At that point, e-WV was still very much a work in progress. But in August, the site was previewed at a statewide teachers’ meeting, and in September, the password protection was removed and the site was opened for public use. “We wanted the state’s teachers to be among the fi rst to see the site because we think it’s going to be a tremendous teaching aid,” says Sullivan. “But we think anyone with an interest in West Virginia’s history and heritage will fi nd the site to their liking. For some, it will be a great research tool. Others will simply enjoy browsing it.” While reluctant to provide an exact cost estimate for pro-ducing e-WV, Sullivan acknowledges it to be in “the high six

fi gures.” He notes that fundraising for the project is continu-ing. Verizon and a number of other companies have donated, he says. Despite the debut of e-WV, Sullivan says the council intends to keep the hardcover version of The West Virginia Encyclopedia in print, updating and correcting it as necessary over the years. “We think the two naturally complement each other. Each has a role to play,” he says.

James E. Casto is a retired Huntington newspaperman and the author of a number of books on local and state history.

You will fi nd a wealth of West Virginia photographs, both historical and modern, on e-WV.

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Events Statewide: October 1.800.CALL.WVA . www.wvtourism.com

October 1

Ravenswood Octoberfest

Ravenswood304.532.4985

October 1 - 2

Pine Bluff Fall Festival

Pine Bluff304.592.1189

October 1 - 2

Southern WV Italian Festival

Bluefi eld304.589.3317

October 1 - 3

6th Annual Sotto Voce Poetry Festival

Shepherdstown301.667.1391

October 1 - 3

Battle Days

Tu-Endie-Wei State ParkPoint Pleasant304.675.0869

October 1 - 3

Wellsburg Applefest

Wellsburg304.737.1212

October 1 - 3

Battle Days

Point Pleasant304.675.9726

October 1, 8, 15

Star Lab

National Radio Astronomy ObservatoryGreen Bank304.456.2150

October 1 - 31

The Asylum Haunted House

Weston304.269.5070

October 2

Wild Walks –

Walk Between the Parks

Blackwater Falls State ParkDavis304.866.4121

October 2

Huntersville Traditions Day

Huntersville800.336.7009

October 2

Mr. Lincoln Returns to Harpers Ferry

Harpers Ferry304.535.6029

October 2 - 3

WV State Farm Museum –

Country Fall Festival

Point Pleasant304.675.5737

October 2 - 10

Mountain State Forest Festival

Elkins304.636.1824

October 3

Art in the Park

Berkeley Springs State ParkBerkeley Springs304.258.6419

October 6 - 10

Shawnee Trail

Chief Logan State ParkLogan304.752.7044

October 6 - 10

Kanawha Boulevard Rod Run

and Doo Wop

Charleston800.733.5469

October 7 - 10

26th Annual Salem

Apple Butter Festival

Salem304.782.3565

October 8 - 9

Blennerhassett Mansion by Candlelight

Blennerhassett Island Historical State ParkParkersburg304.420.4800

October 8 - 10

28th Annual Lumberjackin’

Bluegrassin’Jamboree

Twin Falls Resort State ParkMullens304.294.4000

October 9

Heron Fest

Beech Fork State ParkBarboursville304.528.5794

October 9

10-Mile Hike

North Bend State ParkCairo304.643.2931

October 9

Irish Road Bowling

Holly River State ParkHacker Valley304.493.6353

October 9

Jackson County Horse Club –

Horse Show

Cottageville304.372.4971

October 9

Election Day 1860!


October 9

Bramwell Oktoberfest

Bramwell304.248.8004

October 9 - 10

The Battle of Droop Mountain

Droop Mountain Battlefi eld State ParkHillsboro304.653.4254

October 9 - 10

Fall Festival & Antique Fair

Prickett’s Fort State ParkFairmont304.363.3030

October 9 - 10

Apple Butter Festival

Berkeley Springs State ParkBerkeley Springs304.258.3738

October 10

West Virginia Chestnut Festival

Rowlesburg703.461.0563


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October 14 - 17

West Virginia Black Walnut Festival

Spencer304.927.5616

October 16

Annual Fall Frolic

Sponsored by WV Heritage Crafts

Mount Clare304.622.3304

October 16

At All Times Ready: The U.S. Marines


October 16

Taste of Bridge Day

Smokey’s on the GorgeLansing800.927.0263

October 16

Autumn Splendor Dinner Train

Petersburg304.257.9264

October 16

New River Gorge Bridge Day Festival

Fayetteville800.927.0263

October 16 - 17

3rd Annual Fall Festival

Tygart Lake State ParkGrafton304.265.6144

October 22 - 24

Halloween

Tomlinson Run State ParkNew Manchester304.564.3651

October 22 - 24

GET UP, GET OUT, GET AT IT


October 22 - 24

Wine Weekend Getaway

in the Mountains

Canaan Valley Resort State ParkDavis304.866.4121

October 22 - 24

Fall Fest

Trans-Allegheny Lunatic AsylumWeston304.269.5070

October 23

Halloween Party

Blackwater Falls State ParkDavis304.259.5216

October 23

2nd Annual Terror on the Tygart

Haunted Hayride


October 28

Saw-Whet Owl Banding

Valley Falls State ParkFairmont304.203.5251

October 28 - 31

Quilters’ Retreat


October 29 - 30

Women’s Expo

Brushfork ArmoryBluefi eld304.487.1502

October 29 - 30

Harvest Fest and All Hallows Eve

Fort Randolph at Krodel ParkPoint Pleasant304.675.7933

October 29 - 31

Halloween Dance Package


October 29 - 31

Halloween Masquerade

Cacapon Resort State ParkBerkeley Springs304.258.1022

October 30

Halloween Party


October 30

Halloween Dance


October 30

Halloween Special Evening Train

Cass Scenic Railroad State ParkCass304.456.4300

October 30 - 31

Under Fire: The Battle of

Harpers Ferry 1862

Harpers Ferry 304.535.6029

October 31

Irish Road Bowling

Stonewall Resort State ParkRoanoke304.269.7400

Moving? Take us along!

To have your Wonderful West Virginia subscription forwarded to your new address, go to www.wonderfulwv.com and follow the instructions for address changes OR call toll-free 1.800.CALL.WVA and ask an operator to change your address to your new location.

Subscribe to Wonderful West Virginia!

Call 1.800.CALL.WVA

Or visit www.wonderfulwv.com

Times and events are subject to change. Please call ahead before attending an event.

Corrections: Anna Egan Smucker is the au-thor of A History of West Virginia, not Kevin Adams, as listed in the August Bookshelf.

The farm pictured in the September Gal-lery centerfold is not Sunnybrook Farm but Brookside Farm in Aurora, West Virginia, adjacent to both Cathedral State Park and to the site of the Aurora Project.

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Quantity Title Price Amount

______ The Greenbrier Ghost $9.95 ______

______ Chessie System Railroads in WV $22.95 ______

______ The Preacher Joke Book $8.95 ______

______ The Pioneer Village Cookbook $12.95 ______

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West Virginia residents add 6% sales tax ________

Shipping: $4.50 covers 1st AND 2nd book, $.50 for each additional book

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West Virginia Book Company1125 Central Ave. Charleston, WV 25302

Or Call: 1.888.982.7472 or 304.342.1848e-mail: [email protected]

The Pioneer Village Cookbook

By Ann Chandonnet

$12.95, 5.5 x 8.5, 168 pages, Paperback

Pioneer cooks were tough and could create a hearty meal with little more than an iron pot and a sharp knife. Along with recipes such as Virginia Cider Baked Ham, Sweet Potato Pudding, Chow-Chow, and Pickled Peaches, this book con-tains vintage art, photos, and old-time remedies.

West Virginia Bookshelf

The Greenbrier Ghost and Other Strange Stories

By Dennis Deitz

$9.95, 6 x 9, 220 pages, Paperback

In Greenbrier Ghost, learn about the only U.S. trial in which the testimony of a ghost convicted a man. Edward Shue was sentenced to life in prison for killing his wife after his mother-in-law testifi ed that her dead daughter told her what happened. An autopsy confi rmed the cause of death. Many other wonderful tales are included.Greenbrier Ghost Volumes 2 and 3 are also available.

Chessie System Railroads in West Virginia

By Tom Dixon

$22.95, 8.5 x 11, 80 pages, Paperback

From 1972 to 1986, the Chesapeake & Ohio, Baltimore & Ohio, and Western Maryland railroads were part of the Chessie System. This book contains 135 full-color photo-graphs from that era, featuring the three lines’ colorful loco-motive cars set against beautiful West Virginia backdrops.

The Preacher Joke Book: Religious Anecdotes from the Oral Tradition

Edited by Loyal Jones

$8.95, 5.5 x 8.5, 109 pages, Paperback

This diverse collection of religious humor pokes gentle fun at preachers. Give one to your favorite preacher and he or she will probably use it to get laughs from the pulpit. Author Loyal Jones has studied both religion and humor, and his compilation of jokes, stories, and sermons is hilarious.

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Located three miles off Interstate 79 from exit 91 at 940 Resort Drive, Roanoke, WV 26447

7th Consecutive Year

h i k e • b i k e • f i s h • s w i m • k a y a k • s p a • g o l f • b o a t • m e e t

Fall family funFall foliage cruises Mtn. Laurel Spa

FaFaFaFaFalllllll f fff ffamamamFaFaFaFaFaFalllllllllll ffffffaaamamaaStillwaters Restaurant

Play the course ranked #1 in West Virginia by Golfweek Magazine

Fall Golf packages from $121 per person, weekdays

Fall is beautiful in Mtn. Laurel Spa Refreshing Spa packages from $189

Taxes and resort fees in addition.

The sights, sounds and flavors of fall

Bright colors and sparkling lake waters provide the backdrop for a beautiful harvest season at Stonewall Resort. Enjoy romantic jazz, entertaining dinner theater, delicious culinary events, scenic hayrides and more.

Visit stonewallresort.com for reservations and calendar of events

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Upper Falls of Fall Run in Holly River State Park, Webster CountyRoger SpencerCo

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Documents

IRISH ROAD BOWLING NATURE’S SCULPTURES THE … - 10 October.pdfWonderful West Virginia Wins Top Honors at ACI Wonderful West Virginia received a ﬁ rst-place award in the Association