New Homes | Green Homes | Organ Cave | Ronceverte WV

Airport Information............................... www.gvairport.com
Dining and Lodging.................... www.generallewisinn.com
Greenbrier Co. Convention & Visitors Bureau .......... www.greenbrierwv.com
Greenbrier Co. Library .................. www.greenbrier.lib.wv.us
Greenbrier Co. Schools ............... www.boe.gree.k12.wv.us
Greenbrier Clinic ......................... www.greenbrierclinic.com
Greenbrier Valley Medical Center www.gvmc.com
Greenbrier River Trail .............. www.greenbrierrivertrail.com
Greenbrier State Forest ................ www.greenbriersf.com
Greenbrier Valley Theatre ............ www.gvtheatre.org
National Park Service ................... nps.gov/state/wv
Rail Excursions ................. www.mountainrail.com
The Greenbrier Resort & Hotel ........... www.greenbrier.com
West Virginia Tourism ................... www.wvtourism.com

History

Lewisburg was formally established in 1782 and named after Andrew Lewis. In 1774, Colonial Andrew Lewis received orders from Governor Dunmore of Virginia to stand against the American Indian forces attacking the Greenbrier Valley. This led to the Battle of Point Pleasant which the Sixtieth Congress of the United States in 1908 declared as the official first battle of the American Revolution.

During the Civil War, a number of battles were fought in and around Lewisburg. Several of the present buildings in town were used as a hospitals and barracks by both sides. Bullet marks can still be seen in some today. The Virginia Supreme Court library, located in Lewisburg and now the Greenbrier County Library, was used as a hospital and has preserved a section of wall with soldiers' graffiti.

You can visit the battlefields or spend the day at a museum. Make sure to stop by The Greenbrier for the Bunker Tour. Planned during the Eisenhower administration, the government built a secret government relocation facility under the resort during the Cold War specifically designed to accommodate the U.S. Senate and House of representatives, in the event of nuclear war. The secrecy of the location, its construction, and its maintenance was kept a secret even to the townspeople living amongst it, until the Washington Post exposed the facility, publishing a story about its whereabouts in May 1992.

In Lewisburg, there are a wide variety of restaurants and places to eat. You can indulge in delicacies like coffees and pastries at Del Sol's Cafe and Market or Wild Bean and General Store. If you are in the mood for antiques and ambiance, visit the two hundred-year-old Tavern 1785 or The General Lewis Inn. For a fun and fantastic dining experience, have dinner at The Stardust Café on Washington Street or at Food & Friends.

Julian’s Restaurant, offering American, French, Italian, Mediterranean cuisines, is one of the most popular spots. Make a reservation. You will also need a reservation at The Greenbrier if you are seeking a sophisticated, fine dining experience.

For good ‘ol homestyle country cooking, you can stop by Granny’s House anytime. It’s open 24 hours.

Stoney Glen is surrounded by the natural bounties of West Virginia. Minutes away, the Greenbrier River Trail offers hiking, biking, ski-touring, and wheelchair-accessibility. The trail winds alongside the Greenbrier River, over 35 bridges and through 2 tunnels, ending at Cass Scenic Railroad State Park.

There are over 45 state parks and forests in West Virginia. Here are just a few located near Stoney Glen and Greenbrier County:

Greenbrier State Forest offers camping sites, cabins, picnic shelters, hiking trails, scenic overlooks on Kates' Mountain and a swimming pool, on 5,130 acres.

Beartown State Park has 107 acres with unusual rock formations amid beautiful forest. A boardwalk that traverses the area provides breathtaking views.

Lake Sherwood Recreation Area - Camp sites, hiking trails, swimming areas, boating and fishing are available at this 165-acre lake near Neola on Route 92.

Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park is the site of West Virginia's last significant Civil War Battle in 1863, and is an official Civil War Discovery Trail site.

Greenbrier County boasts more than 1,000 caves and offers two exciting commercial caves – Lost World Caverns and Organ Cave – which amaze casual visitors and serious spelunkers alike every year.

Organ Cave is the second largest commercial cave in the eastern United States, a Natural National Landmark and a National Historic Landmark with over 45 miles of mapped passageways and 200 known passageways that have yet to be explored. Who knows what you will discover! Come by the Stoney Glen sales office for complimentary vouchers to Organ Cave.

Lost World Caverns was discovered in 1942. They have a Dinosaur and Fossil Museum and a 3,000 square foot gift shop. Bring a light jacket, good shoes and prepare to enjoy natural beauty 120 feet beneath the earth’s surface.

New River Gorge National River is a rugged white water river which flows northward through deep canyons and is among the oldest rivers on the continent. The park, which encompasses over 70,000 acres of land along the New River, is rich in cultural and natural history and offers an abundance of scenic and recreational opportunities, including white water rafting.

Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine was restored from a mine operated in the late 1800’s. View low steam coal mining from its earliest manual stages to modern mechanized operation.

Lewisburg is home to a number of thriving galleries showcasing fine arts, prints, maps, needlework, gourmet food and wines, and more by regional and international artists. Galleries include:

Cooper Gallery — fine arts, including sculpture, photography, painting, ceramics, and more

Tamarack — Tamarack, in nearby Beckley, features some of the best handmade crafts in the state. Artists master their crafts in one of Tamarack's five demonstration studios daily as well as answers questions from the public. Be entertained by musicians and actors.

Gallery 1897 — old prints, maps, contemporary art, photography, custom framing, and needlework

New Horizon Gallery — handmade American Craft Art

Ravenwood Gallery — antique prints, paintings, custom framing, limited edition prints, commissioned artists and restorations

Stonehouse General Store — gourmet food, wines, artisan works, and more

Tuckwiller Gallery — originals and prints by Robert E. Tuckwiller, nationally acclaimed native of Greenbrier County

From concerts of music to evenings of story telling, Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg is one of only four remaining Carnegie Halls in continuous use. The Carnegie features jazz, bluegrass and big band concerts and drama, dance and musical theater.

A unique big screen in downtown Lewisburg, Lewis Theatre also features balcony dining, catering and private parties.

Greenbrier Valley Theater hosts live theater, musical performances, and children's educational events, in addition to other unique events.

Greenbrier County Public Library, located in Lewisburg, offers wireless internet, programs, latest bestsellers and classic books.

Find a great book at these area bookstores:

THE BOOKSHOP offers a large selection of scholarly, uncommon, and out-of-print books.

The Open Door has a variety of reading material in new and used, local and West Virginia history, and general hard covers and paperbacks.

Stroll down Washington Street in downtown Lewisburg, and nose out antiques in Peddlar's Antique Alley or Robert's Antiques. Stop in at Cuban Crafters Cuban Style Cigars or find the perfect outfit at Hazel, Linda Blue's Unique Boutique, or the Wolf Creek Gallery. From a day spa to children's clothing to unique gift shops like Aggie's, Old Hardware Gallery, or Plants Etcetera (on Jefferson St.), Lewisburg offers many pleasurable shopping trips. Lewisburg even boasts one of the best health food stores around, Edith's.

Find your new decor at Rosa Mae Fabrique and Antiques or Tansy Antiques on Court Street. Continue your clothing shopping there at the Tansy Shop. Sit down and relax for a moment in The Bakery nearby, or enjoy a drink at Dry Creek Coffee Company on Jefferson Square or The Wild Bean on Washington Street.

You'll find plenty to enjoy in Lewisburg!

In Lewisburg, history buffs can explore the Confederate Cemetery, view the displays at the North House Museum, or visit nearby Civil War battlefields where exhibits and reenactments. Take a ghost tour of Lewisburg, or stop by the Old Stone Church (in continuous use since 1796), where the headstones of some of the area’s early settlers can be seen in the surrounding cemetery.

From art auctions to dance performances to singer-songwriters, enjoy a show at Carnegie Hall or the Lewis Theatre. Find other events at the Greenbrier Valley Theatre. Drive a short distance to White Sulphur Springs for the annual springtime Dandelion Festival.

The West Virginia State Fairgrounds in nearby Fairlea is home to the West Virginia State Fair every August. You'll find a wide variety of exhibits, horse and livestock shows, and competition goat milking, sheep shearing, draft horse pulls and harness racing. The Fairgrounds are also the site of many festivals, a weekly flea market, and countless other activities.

What do you want to do outside? Greenbrier County satisfies the desires to fish bass or native trout in the Greenbrier River — some streams are designated fly-fishing only. Thousands of acres are home to deer, turkey, bear, grouse and rabbit and available for public hunting in season. There are extended bow and muzzle-loading seasons.

Spend time spelunking in Lost World Caverns or Organ Cave, or bike the beautiful winding back roads of Greenbrier County. Kayak or canoe the Greenbrier River, or raft the nearby New River. While you're there, the New River Gorge offers excellent rock climbs.

Golfers, visit the full course at Lewisburg Elks Country Club. The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs and Raven Golf Club at Snowshoe Mountain Resort offer championship courses. The PGA Tour now stops at The Greenbrier every year.

Ski season runs from mid-November through mid-April, with Snowshoe Mountain Resort boasting first-rate slopes. When there is sufficient snowfall, the Greenbrier River Trail and Cranberry Back Country provide excellent areas for cross-country skiing.

You can enjoy golf, canoeing, hiking, biking, skiing, hunting, fishing, camping, white water rafting, repelling, horseback riding, swimming, motor sports, tennis, spelunking, bird watching, concerts, The West Virginia State Fair, and historical landmarks.

West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg is one of 19 colleges of osteopathic medicine in the United States. The U.S. News top-ranked school trains primary care physicians for rural West Virginia and Appalachian work.

To find out more about Greenbrier County's public elementary and secondary schools, click here.

Seneca Trail Christian Academy is right down the road.

Greenbrier Valley Medical Center , a modern, state-of-the-art facility in Ronceverte, provides 24-hour emergency service and medical care from cardiology, imaging, family medicine and obstetrics, to thoracic and vascular surgery.

Lewisburg and Greenbrier County has several group home facilities, assisted living, and physician practices.

State Songs: "The West Virginia Hills", words and music by Ellen King and H.E. Engle; "This is My West Virginia", by Iris Bell; and "West Virginia, My Home Sweet Home" by Julian G. Hearne, Jr.

Motto: Mountaineers are always free

Origin of State Name: The state was part of Virginia until the American Civil War (1861-1865).

Nickname for State: The Mountain State. West Virginia lies in the heart of the Appalachian Highlands.

Nickname for residents: West Virginians

State Bird: Cardinal

State Animal: The Black Bear

State Fish: Brook Trout

State Butterfly: Monarch Butterfly

State Flower: Rhododendron

State Tree: Sugar Maple

State Fruit: Golden Delicious Apple

State Soil: Monongahela Silt Loam

State Gem: Fossil Coral

State Colors: Old Gold and Blue