What better way to spend a couple of wintry Saturday nights than listening to the heartwarming music of some great West Virginia artists? The Pocahontas County Opera House in Marlinton has a February lineup that fits the bill.
Pickin’ on the Porch
In what has become an annual tradition, some of Pocahontas County’s great old-time musicians will gather for the third edition of Pickin’ on the Porch on Saturday, February 2, at 7:30 p.m. The old-fashioned charm and wonderful acoustics of the Opera House make it a perfect venue for this musical “family reunion.”
Don’t miss this chance to experience old-time tunes that truly embody the cultural history of Appalachia and the musical traditions of the immigrants who settled the rugged mountains of West Virginia.
Performing will be the Front Porch Band, made up of Alan Dutchess, Pam Lund, Jay Lockman, Norris Long and Terry Richardson, plus an ever-changing lineup of musicians and special guests.
These musicians draw their inspiration as old-time string band performers from the days when there were virtually no radios and travel between hollows was limited.
Although they come from extremely diverse musical backgrounds, each has a deep respect for the music of those who came before them and each feels they are here to pick up where the generations before left off.
Doug and Shelley Harper
Doug and Shelley Harper, February 23
Photos by Doug and Shelley Harper
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The first time they sang together, their voices came together like two old friends, and their musical partnership has since taken them throughout central Appalachia in a variety of venues. Their travels will bring Doug and Shelley Harper to the Opera House on Saturday, February 23. “Hybrid Folk” is a term coined to describe Doug's writing style and play list. Audiences come away from their performances warmed, amused and inspired.
Doug and Shelley have performed at venues throughout the state, including West Virginia Public Radio’s Mountain Stage, Tamarack, Theatre West Virginia’s Music in the Mountains and The Clay Center in Charleston. Their recording projects include Scrapbook, (2000), Travelogue (2002), Seasons (2004) and Keepsakes (2007).
The Harpers were invited to perform two cuts on The Road Home and one cut on The Road Home II, compilations of songs by West Virginia songwriters produced by Ron Sowell, music director for Mountain Stage.
"There is something so familiar and comfortable about a Doug and Shelley Harper performance - like sitting in your living room with a couple of old friends. Their relaxed style, smooth harmonies, down home charm and beautiful original songs both delight you and put you at ease. You want them to stay all night and no matter how long they play, you want to hear one more song before they leave," Sowell says
Doug and Shelley will be joined by Dave Fondale on bass and one of West Virginia's most accomplished dobro players, Chris Stockwell. Dave, a native of Crab Orchard, has been playing electric and acoustic guitar since 1967. He has played with various local musicians around the Beckley area in Rock, Contemporary Christian, Country and Folk styles. Chris is from Birch River. He has been playing for just five years and is already one of the most sought after dobro players in the region. He performs with Doug and Shelley when he can fit them in between his gigs with the Johnny Staats Project.
Tickets are $5 for adults for each show. Children 12 and under are admitted free. The Pocahontas County Opera House is located at 818 Third Avenue in Marlinton. For further information, call the Opera House at (304) 799-6645. In the event of bad weather, please call to confirm that the performance is still scheduled.
These concerts are part of the 2007-08 Performance Series sponsored by the Pocahontas County Opera House Foundation. Financial support is provided through a grant from the West Virginia Division of Culture and History and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the West Virginia Commission on the Arts. Additional support is provided by Pocahontas County Drama, Fairs and Festivals. Information on upcoming performances can be found at pocahontasoperahouse.org.
The interior of the new Adaptive Skiers building just after completion.
Photos courtesy Challenged Athletes of WV
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Wounded Warriors conquer the slopes
Drew Tanner
Staff Writer
For many of the nations service men and women, sometimes the biggest battle is waged right here at home.
Imagine for a moment you're in the best physical condition you've known. You're able to carry a full backpack for hours at a time under grueling conditions. Your vision and reflexes are sharp and you're able to respond quickly to the world around you.
Imagine, a moment later, that your left arm is gone. Or you can no longer see. Perhaps you're unable to feel or move your legs.
The Adaptive Sports Program at Snowshoe helps people of all ages and with all kinds of physical and mental challenges learn to ski.
Photos courtesy Challenged Athletes of WV
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For thousands of men and women in uniform, this scenario is not make-believe, but one of the harsh realities of the present global war on terrorism.
Ed Salau, who lost one of his legs as a soldier in Iraq in 2004, describes it as the 100-100 scenario.
In 100-degree heat, I was carrying a 100-pound pack, said Salau. I was in that kind of physical condition, as most of these warriors are, and then I got struck down with a disability.
A student in a bi-ski basically a "bucket" mounted on two skis for students that have very little or no upper and lower body function and a higher level of injury than those of mono-skiers.
Photos courtesy Challenged Athletes of WV
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Despite seemingly debilitating injuries, a handful of recently wounded veterans like Salau will be taking to the slopes at Snowshoe Mountain February 22-24, with the help of Challenged Athletes of West Virginia.
Sports and competitive athletics are a great way to get us plugged back into life again to get us in front of our families and communities and not be viewed as so incredibly disabled, said Salau.
Today, Salau works with the Wounded Warrior Project, a group dedicated to helping service men and women who have been injured on the battlefields of Iraq, Afghanistan and other theaters of the global war on terrorism.
The Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project is a partnership between the Wounded Warrior Project and Disabled Sports USA-of which Challenged Athletes of WV is a member-to provide year-round sports programs for severely wounded service members.
The experience of medical professionals and groups like WWP has shown that early intervention with active sports results in successful rehabilitation. The wounded warriors and their family members are provided these opportunities free of charge, including transportation, lodging, adaptive equipment and individualized instruction in more than a dozen different winter and summer sports.
Programs take place at sites throughout the United States, offering wounded warriors the opportunity to become both participants and mentors in their home communities.
These soldiers, airmen and Marines are going through a very difficult time. They are warriors and athletes, the majority of whom are in their twenties. This sudden, traumatic change in physical ability severely impacts them and their families.
Getting them involved in sporting activities opens up opportunities that show wounded veterans the promise of a bright and active future, said Salau
The best part is when they find out about it as just an idea, he said.
Salau said wounded veterans often respond in disbelief when asked if they want to go skiing. The rewarding part, he said, is watching that disbelief give way to a remarkable sense of accomplishment.
Four-trackers have limited strength and/or coordination in their legs, but enough strength that they can support themselves better with the hand held outriggers.
Photos courtesy Challenged Athletes of WV
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When youre watching them use the equipment, you're watching them gain a trust in the abilities of the instructor and the equipment, said Salau. Then you see them making that first turn, or linking those turns, and you see that smile and sense of accomplishment. Its priceless.
It changes their minds away from I can't do that anymore, to all right, I'm not sure I can do that, but lets figure out a way to do it, he added.
With the proper adaptive equipment and trained instructors, they can successfully learn a sport almost any sport in a day or two. This immediate success provides a foundation for the development of a positive self-image and outlook, according to Salau. That transformation is an important factor in leading an independent, full and productive life.
A lot of these folks can become as independent as anyone else here on the mountain, said David Begg, the director of Challenged Athletes of West Virginia who also heads up the adaptive sports program at Snowshoe.
Since its humble beginnings in the early 1980s at Silver Creek, Begg has seen the resorts adaptive program grow to a full-service operation with five staff members and nearly 40 volunteers operating out of a 2,800 square-foot facility that offers equipment for people with a wide range of abilities.
Begg said he is looking forward to welcoming the 10 or so veterans who will come for the Wounded Warriors weekend. In addition to skiing, Begg said he hopes to get them involved with other activities on the mountain, such as snowmobile tours.
At $2,500 to $3,000 for the average piece of sit-down skiing equipment, Begg notes that his program allows many disabled athletes to try out a sport that they might not otherwise be able to access.
That puts it out of reach for a lot of folks, said Begg. Its not like picking up a pair of skis or pair of boots.
But the instruction is probably more important than the equipment, he added.
The wounded warriors and others who come to the adaptive program receive person-to-person training and coaching from the centers experienced staff and volunteers, tailored to their unique abilities.
Three trackers are skiers with leg amputations.
Photos courtesy Challenged Athletes of WV
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Beyond outings to outdoor resorts like Snowshoe, the Wounded Warrior Project offers a wide range of services to veterans of the present war on terrorism.
Salaus first experience with the program came just a few days after he was wounded on the battlefield.
When I got to Walter Reed, there was a backpack sitting in my room, he said.
The backpack contained comfort items that Salau said he deeply appreciated. While he was receiving state-of-the-art medical care on the battlefield and stateside, Salau said the items in the Wounded Warriors backpack offered some sorely missed creature comforts.
I had three days of growth on my face and three days of growth on my teeth, he joked. Still wearing a hospital gown, Salau opened a backpack that contained clothing, toiletries, calling cards, playing cards and other items that made his hospital stay more comfortable.
Such packs are provided by WWP to severely wounded service members as they arrive at military trauma centers around the country. A smaller version of the backpacks, Transitional Care Packs, are sent directly to Iraq and Afghanistan to provide immediate comfort during a warriors relocation to a state-side military trauma center.
The projects services dont end when wounded soldiers leave the hospital. Programs such as family financial assistance and benefits counseling are designed to meet the long-term needs of service men and women.
While he was in Walter Reed, Salau said he was able to meet with a WWP representative who shared information with him about these programs and other ways that the project advocates for veterans as they navigate the bureaucracy associated with military benefits and healthcare.
Many students that are physically or mentally handicapped will initially be trained with a ski bra that fits on the tips of the skis. The ski bra is linked together between the skis. A tether is attached to each ski tip and used as a guide by the instructor.
Photos courtesy Challenged Athletes of WV
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The project also offers a Warriors to Work program that helps individuals recovering from severe injuries received in the line of duty connect with the support and resources they need to build a career in the civilian workforce.
With a desire to do for other wounded soldiers what Wounded Warriors did for him, Salau began working with the project in February 2006. He is a member of other veterans organizations, but Salau said WWP serves an important role in that it focuses specifically on the current generation of wounded coming back from the global war on terrorism.
In his two years with the program, Salau said he has seen other wounded warriors accomplish amazing things in the world of sports. Many of the veterans are filling voids left by the retiring generation of wounded Vietnam vets who were active in the Paralympic Games.
Attention to the safety of our equipment is demonstrated at left as the instructors safely secure this athlete into his mono-ski. Mono-skiers are generally athletes who have been paralyzed but have strength and coordination in their torso. Adapting the equipment to the individual is what makes the skier safe and comfortable.
Photos courtesy Challenged Athletes of WV
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They're doing things like cycling, rock climbing, kayaking, ice hockey, he said. If you can think it, its possible.
A Mono-skier makes a turn on a slope at Snowshoe. Special equipment is available through the Adaptive Ski program for people of all ages with various physical and mental challenges so that they can master the slopes
Photos courtesy Challenged Athletes of WV
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In the past couple years, Salau said, the project has also sent groups of athletes to compete in the Extremity Gamesan event for challenged athletes analogous to the X-Games, featuring such events as BMX and mountain biking, kayaking motor-cross, rock-climbing, surfing and wakeboarding.
With such varied interests among those served by the Wounded Warrior Project, Begg said he hopes this months event will turn wounded veterans on to other recreation possibilities in the county beyond Snowshoes slopes.
Id like to do a summertime event with these folks in Pocahontas County, such as our Greenbrier Challenge, and get them back into the county to see what we have to offer year-round, said Begg.
To learn more about the Wounded Warrior Project or Challenged Athletes of West Virginia, you can visit their websites at woundedwarriorproject.org and cawvsports.org.
The warm glow from this Watoga cabin is reminiscent of a Thomas Kinkaid painting.
Photos courtesy PCCVB
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Cozy Cabins of Southern Pocahontas County
Gail Hyer
Contributing Writer
(Third of a three part series on cabin accommodations in Pocahontas County)
Log cabins evoke a romantic nostalgia for what is best about our past - a simpler life and a tie to nature. At least six U. S. Presidents proudly noted being born in log cabins Millard Fillmore, James A. Garfield, Andrew Jackson, James Buchanan, William Henry Harrison, and of course, Abraham Lincoln. It connected them with the electorate; it made them seem like real folks.
Although log cabins are now considered as American as apple pie, the first log cabins in the United States are attributed to early Swedish and Finnish immigrants who, in the early 1600s, settled in what is now Delaware. The ease of construction and plenitude of ready materials made log cabins a popular form of shelter for early settlers.
If your idea of a good time on a cold winters day is cozying up in a log cabin far away from the madding crowd, then Pocahontas County is the place to be! Is it a winter-white vacation in the mountains you crave - a family getaway or a romantic weekend? In any case the southern region of Pocahontas County offers a variety of comfortable cabins to meet the needs of the most discerning traveler.
Watoga State Park
Cabins in Watoga State Park offer the modern as well as the old-fashioned basics. Ten of the 34 cabins are contemporary and include amenities such as forced air heat. While Watoga cabins feature modern kitchens complete with cooking utensils and bed linens, they also offer the ambience of another time when life was simpler. Gas lanterns light the night as striking stone fireplaces heat the cabins. Use your imagination to envision what life was like here when the cabins were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) back in the late 1930s. The work is handsome, with fine details.
Two cabins offer handicap accessible features - all offer peace and tranquility deep in the Watoga State Park, the crown jewel of West Virginias State Parks. Staying at Watoga not only satisfies the lodging need but also affords a historic experience.
Contact: Watoga State Park HC 82, Box 252 Marlinton, WV 24954. 1-800-CALL-WVA (225-5982) or 304-799-4087 watoga.com.
Barnett Cabins
This Barnett cabin boasts a large fireplace made of native stone.
Photos courtesy PCCVB
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Winter is a special time at Barnett Cabins at Mill Point and the famous Snowshoe Mountain Resort is only a short drive north on US Highway 219. After a full day on the glistening slopes, warm your soul to the crackle and glow of a gas fireplace embellished with massive, native river stone. These cabins nudge the edge of Stamping Creek where it flows down from Kennison Mountain. Can you remember the last time you dozed off with the sounds of a babbling brook right outside your window?
Modern kitchens and bathrooms, accented by rich, antique furnishings make these cabins a vacation dream for any season. The kitchen cabinetry comes from black cherry and black walnut trees cut from the surrounding property each detail speaks of exceptional craftsmanship. Each cabin has a huge porch for storing equipment or just relaxing with a cup of coffee as you witness the array of local wildlife.
Contact: Barnett Cabins, HC 64 Box 430 Hillsboro, WV 24946. 800-262-4615 or 653-4590. barnettcabins.com.
Greenbrier River Cabins
Take an ideal pause from reality when you spend the night at Greenbrier River Cabins at Seebert. These spacious cabins sleep up to eight people so bring the kids yours and the neighbors! You will be spoiled by all the modern kitchen conveniences against a backdrop of handsome knotty pine. Set adjacent to both the famous Greenbrier River Trail and the free-flowing Greenbrier River, you can behold the woodlands, river, and wildlife in this country setting.
After a full day of snow-play, cozy up to the warmth of a wood burning stove as you listen to the echo of the Greenbrier River nearby. From Seebert you will be within a short ride to historic places in the county such as Watoga State Park and Droop Battlefield.
Contact: Greenbrier River Cabins, Seebert, WV 24936. 800-225-5982 or 304-653-4646. greenbrierrivercabins.com.
Pocahontas Cabins
Jackson Run, is Greenbrier River Cabins most requested rental. The large deck is just feet away from the river.
Photos courtesy PCCVB
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Jakes Retreat, one of Pocahontas Cabins rentals, located in Buckeye, sleeps eight comfortably.
Photos courtesy PCCVB
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If you search for a retreat in the woods then the Pocahontas Cabins are for you. These cabins provide modern comfort with genuine mountain elegance making it the perfect vacation cabin for a special getaway with friends or just that someone special. The Greenbrier River Trail is within 100 feet so bring your cross country skis and take an early morning trek to spy hawks or eagles.
Quilt-covered beds on the main floor and the roomy loft can accommodate up to eight people comfortably. The lodge-like setting, complete with large leather sofas and fully equipped kitchens, offer the perfect atmosphere for a fun, winter frolic.
Whether you come for the swish of Snowshoe Mountain or the hush of the dense forests, relax and refresh in these stylish cabins in the southern portion of Pocahontas County.
Contact: Pocahontas Cabins , 235 Front Street Groveport, OH 43125. 866-813-4316 or 614-836-3652. pocahontascabins.com.
C. J. Richardson Hardware Store
Photo courtesy Terry Richardson
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A county cornerstone for 105 years, this hardware store is living history
C. J. Richardsons
Jaynell Graham-Awad
Staff Writer
Amid the changes of downtown Marlinton, a few things have remained constant, one of them being C. J. Richardson Hardware. Visitors to this area are often surprised by what local residents have come to expect. Upon entering Richardsons, they are greeted with a smile and a quick May I help you?
C. J. Richardson Hardware was there when the railroad came and when the railroad was dismantled, it was there through the Depression years, it was there when our men and women went off to wars and when they returned, and it remains today, the cornerstone of stability in an ever changing world.
The hardware store's interior is a curious mix of the very old and the very latest - crockery and slow cookers sit just feet away from old-time nail bins. Large appliances, saddles and fishing tackle mingle comfortably at the front of the store
Photo by Jaynell Graham-Awad
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The floor-to-ceiling shelves, oak counters and nail bins of the hardware store are as they have always been. The open freight elevator is still in service. This elevator was originally operated by mule power, then advanced to a system of belts and pulleys and, finally, to an electric powered wrench. The original track ladder, which gives access to those tall shelves, succumbed to constant use and was replaced several years ago, but it, too, is still rolling.
Much of the merchandise of years ago is still offered today, although the demand for hand tools such as hammers, saws and hand sanders dwindled as power tools became the rage.
Throughout its history Richardsons has repaired what it sells. Those items change with each generation and today it is appliances, chainsaws, weed eaters, lawn mowers, micro-waves and vacuum cleaners.
The friendly service today is orchestrated by Charles McElwee Googie Richardson and his son, Terry, who left Marlinton to work in New Hampshire and came home in 1984.
Their commitment to the community, now as then, extends beyond regular business hours. Many folks in the county have been helped out of a bind by an after hours phone call to Googie or Terry, or to Ira Buck Turner, who for 27 years has assisted those in need, both as an employee of Richardsons and as a friend and neighbor. A few years ago, Bucks wife, Cookie, joined him at Richardsons and they make a very accommodating team.
The tradition of a Christmas drawing continues today with prizes such as guns, TVs and vacuum cleaners, but there was a time when the coveted prize was a new automobile.
Jewel Scott, who celebrated his 100th birthday this past July, was the winner of the last Ford car given away by the store. Scott and his wife, Nellie, had built a new house and all the materials came from Richardsons. Selling their lamb and calf crop just prior to Christmas, they were able to pay off their account. When the winning number was posted in the store window, Scott went home to check his numbers. When he came across the winner he said, Nellie, go get your car.
Charles Johnston (C.J.) Richardson
Portraits courtesy Googie Richardson
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Charles Johnston C.J. Richardson graduated from VPI as a civil engineer and headed to South America for his first job, opening a gold mine. He later worked for a friend in Decatur, Georgia, managing a hardware store. When he became quite ill with malaria, his brother, Dr. T. S. Richardson, recommended that he head for the mountains as a cure for what ailed him.
Finding that he loved what this area offered with its hunting and fishing, he decided to stay and set about building a hardware store and undertakers shop at the present intersection of Rts. 219 and 39. This was later the location of the Peoples Store and Supply Company. In response to the news that the C. & O. Railroad would soon pass through Marlinton, Richardson made plans and began construction of the present day store and opened there around 1905.
Annie Laurie Thomas Richardson
Portraits courtesy Googie Richardson
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Along the way, he married Annie Laurie Thomas, of Bath County, Virginia. As his business grew, his brother-in-law, Andy Thomas, moved to Marlinton to help with the undertaking portion. Richardsons grandson, Googie, said that Uncle Andy worked for 50 years, opening the store every morning and never took a vacation or a sick day.
C. J.s brother, Ed, worked in the family business and added some spice to the atmosphere. Ed, who lived in a house in what is now Smith Addition, rode his horse to work, was quite the fiddle player. Musicians gathered at the store every Saturday night to play and sing. Joining Ed were Whitey Daughterty, Charlie Lovelace, Greenbrier Dotson and others. Googie said that Greenbrier reminded him of Mahatma Ghandi, in that he was bald and had nothing to say, but smiled all the time.
Charlie Lovelace worked at Richardsons as the repairer of gasoline-powered Maytag washers. Ralph Dilley was the full-time radio repairman. And speaking of radio, Googie remembers that all the stores stayed open late and every night mostly the same people would come into the store to listen to Lum and Abner and Amos and Andy. Jim Shinaut, who had lost his eyesight and whose grandson, Jerry Davis works at Richardsons today, was always posted at the radio for every baseball game. Each night Shinaut walked, unattended, to his home on Jericho Road. When asked how he knew he had reached Jericho, he said he could feel a difference in the atmosphere at that point and turned toward home.
Men gather and visit at C. J. Richardson's. The store then sported a brick siding front. Now, as then, the windows sport seasonal displays.
Photo by Jaynell Graham-Awad
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Off to war. Richardsons was there when crowds gathered at the depot to see the county's men and women off to WW II on the troop train in April, 1942.
Photo courtesy Keith Moore.
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As the third generation, Googie began his career at the store right after WW II. He remembers that the business was still horse oriented at that time due to agriculture and logging in the area; work that demanded collars, harnesses and all the horse trappings. There was a pipe that ran the full length of the store..front to back..with nothing but horse collars and hardly a day would go by without selling a set or two of horse harnesses. Richardsons still carries those horse trappings but today they are for pleasure horses, nothing like back then. Back then, as well, Googie said, it was just what the name says, hard, hardware nuts and bolts, lots of goods, bits and teeth for saw blades and a lot of items needed by sawmills.
Osa Smith McLaughlin went to work at Richardsons in 1965 as the first woman on the floor. As with all new employees, her first two weeks were spent dusting the shelves to acquaint her with all the merchandise. In her 21 years there, she was in charge of advertising and was the furniture buyer, taking an annual trip to the High Point, North Carolina Furniture Show each October. Under the management of C. J.s sons Charles and Craig Richardson, her co-workers were her brother, Jack Smith, John Quick, Tom Sharp and Jim McGraw. McGraw, according to Googie, was the most enduring employee, having worked at Richardsons for over 50 years. Osa remembers the 1906 Day Book, which recorded everything from caskets shipped by train to Cass, to newlyweds setting up housekeeping. At that time, $250 would get you everything you needed furniture to stovepipes.
Although Osa was the first woman on the floor, the bookkeeping department has always been manned by women. Craig Richardsons wife, Gertrude, led the way, followed through the years by Elizabeth Kessler, Noble Moore, and Edith McCloud Today, you will find Lana Clark at the desk, where she has been for the last 16 years. The original office was on a platform, 6 to 7 feet above the first floor, but in 1948 the office was tucked in-beside and behind- the wide staircase. Walking up that staircase, you leave the nuts and bolts of labor behind and find on the second floor, a bright, light and airy room full of furniture, floor coverings and accessories. A service stairway will take you to the third floor where extra stock is stored and tucked in nooks and crannies is a bit of merchandise from the past.
This photo show the new store under construction next to the railroad. It was completed around 1905.
Photo courtesy Keith Moore.
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As in the days of Ed Richardson, the store still carries a selection of musical instruments which can readily be seen hanging from a pipe suspended over the oak counter. The musical talent of this family has passed though the generations, as well, with fourth generation Terry, and fifth generation Annie Laurie Richardson, Ann Grace and Michael David Ferrell carrying on the tradition of old-time music.
When employees stay for 21, 27, even 50 years, its more than a business, its family.
In his 100 years, Jewel Scott has dealt with them all, C. J., his sons, Charles and Craig, his grandson, Googie, and great-grandson, Terry. Scott summed this family up quite well, Those Richardsons, theyre wonderful people.
Through the households of this county, for 105 years, generation after generation has said, I've gotta go to Richardsons.
And generation after generation has received the same friendly service from this unchanged corner of the world.
shgiven@pocahontastimes.com