Husband and wife team Gail Boyette and Sam Gibson have a artful presentation. Photos by Gail Hyer

Coal Hollow Boys, 2004 winners: back row: Marlin Harris, John Pennington, Ed Blackford, and Wayne Nowak. Front row: Michael Robbins, Mark Salmon, and Ted Harris. Photos by Gail Hyer

Rollin' along the Greenbrier River Trail Photo by Drew Tanner

Wagons, ho!

Rollin', rollin', rollin' along the Greenbrier River Trail

Fishing can add to the evening meal. Photo by Drew Tanner

There is never a dull moment along the river. Photo by Drew Tanner

Rememeber to chock the wheels. Photo by Drew Tanner

Rememeber to chock the wheels. Photo by Drew Tanner

With a Jacuzzi, the farmhouse is perfect for family getaways and medium sized groups. Photo by Drew Tanner

With a large kitchen, the farmhouse is perfect for family getaways and medium sized groups. Photo by Drew Tanner

With a large living room, the farmhouse is perfect for family getaways and medium sized groups. Photo by Drew Tanner

      Among those who rode in this year's wagon train were Carl and Karen Douglas, of New Matamoras, Ohio; Susan and Greg Smiley, of Bentlyville, Pennsylvania; Darcie Briggs, of Washington, Pennsylvania; Jay, Larry and Sandra Brown, of Jerusalem, Ohio; Gail and Lanny Daniels, of Stafford, Ohio; Frank and Gilda Bills, of Reno, Ohio; Glenn and Judy Weddle, of Woodsfield, Ohio; Donald Hopkins, of Claysville, Pennsylvania; Kathy Gilmore, of Claysville, Pennsylvania; Enoch Marcum, of Kenova; Mark, Marsha and Marka Cain, of Durbin; David, Angela and Haley Caldwell, of Kenova; and Chris, Kim and Clayton Abner, of Charleston.  

The Inn at Mountain Quest is situated on a 450-acre farm in Frost, well away from the hustle and bustle of the city and the ringing of cellphones. Photos by Drew Tanner

In search of relaxation Mountain Quest

Renew, rejuvenate, restore yourself
at this Pocahontas County retreat

      Tucked away in Frost is an inn and retreat center that aims to nourish the spirit and feed the mind.

The 14,000-volume library is a sanctuary for the mind in a place where intellectual pursuits take on a sacred air. Photos by Drew Tanner

      The 450-acre Inn at Mountain Quest features, among other things, a century-old farmhouse, a voluminous library, well-appointed rooms, a labyrinth and llamas.
      David and Alex Bennet founded Mountain Quest as a retreat and research institute open to groups and individuals in 2003. The operation of the inn and institute have become a family affair. The Bennets run the institute itself and facilitate conferences, while daughter Ginny Ramos manages the inn and son Andrew Bennet, as the inn's chef, offers a varied menu of delights for guests, conferences and the occasional wedding.
      One of the centerpieces of the inn is the two-story 14,000-volume library. The personal collection of the Bennets, the books, all nonfiction, cover a range of topics from history to business, physics, language, travel, religion, mathematics and gardening. Leather sofas and perfect lighting make it an inviting place to grab a book and lose yourself for a while.
      But then, you might look up and be tempted to sneak over to the black baby-grand piano and see if you can still remember the tunes you once learned under the stern instruction of Mrs. Cratchet.

Twelve whimsically decorated rooms, like the Japanese room, right, give overnight guests an experience to remember. Over breakfast, Ramos says guests often compare details of their unique furnishings. Photos by Drew Tanner

      Even if you find you can't remember any songs, you can flip a switch and the Baldwin becomes a player piano. Perhaps you're in the mood to hear something from The Phantom of the Opera.
      If you're looking for physical stimulation, just head over to the fitness room and take advantage of the stationary cycle or weight machine. A sauna and a jacuzzi with room for six are available for soothing tired muscles.
      Walking from the original farmhouse to the connected additions of the conference area, guest rooms and wrap-around porches, it is hard to distinguish where the old ends and new begins.

One of the Inn's llamas gets a little camera shy. Llamas, horses and long-horn steer are among the livestock found at the farm. Photos by Drew Tanner

      "There was a lot attention paid to flow and preventing distracting or jarring transitions," explained Ramos.
      Local craftsmen were employed to replicate the walnut-stained woodwork of the farmhouse throughout the newer portions of the end. The clapboard and exterior trim of the farmhouse was copied throughout as well, resulting in the seamless transitions from one portion of the inn to the next.
      At the same time, modern updates have resulted in a well-equipped space for conferences and relaxation.

The main dining room of the Inn at Mountain Quest where chef Andrew Bennet showcases his culinary skills for guests. The room is also easily converted to a conference space complete with data projector and whiteboards. Photos by Drew Tanner

      The conference room boasts a top-of-the line data projector for visual presentations as well as plenty of whiteboards for brainstorming and outlining topics of discussion. In the evening, the room serves as the inn's main dining room; The posh executive chairs are switched out for more formal high-backed banquet chairs.

The community room provides an intimate setting for a round of pool, a round of drinks, or watching a movie on the big-screen television. Photos by Drew Tanner

      Upstairs, the community room provides a variety of diversions and creature comforts: Comfy sofas in front of a large-screen television, an extensive movie library, a Wurlitzer jukebox, a pinball machine, Pac-Man arcade game and pool table are the main attractions.
      In addition, a well-stocked bar and gas fireplace make the community room a great space for New Year's parties that have become popular with repeat guests.
      For those who absolutely have to stay wired to the outside world and break out into a cold sweat for the lack of cellphone service in the area, a business center adjacent to the community room provides access to e-mail and the Internet.
      What many guests appreciate most about the inn, however, are its wide open spaces. The 450-acre farm offers a variety of activities for guests who want to play out of doors. Guests can visit the gentle llamas in the big red barn, enjoy catch-and-release fly fishing on Knapps Creek as it meanders through the property, or enjoy a moment of introspection as they walk the inn's labyrinth.

A tower in the middle of the complex offers breathtaking views of the valley and the night sky. Photos by Drew Tanner

      Trails also offer the opportunity to explore the property, and the Bennets occasionally take guests by ATV to one of the ridges that overlook the valley, providing a panorama of bucolic scenery.
      At the end of the day, guests retire to rooms that, because of their unusual themes and decor, stimulate some interesting breakfast conversation. Aviation, astronomy, Africa, Japan and the Mediterranean are just a few themes among the 12 rooms.
      Each is executed in a way that's both thorough and playful. "Everything is built to stimulate the mind and a the same time be relaxing," Ramos explained.
      In The Hangar, a silvery tin ceiling is accented by model airplanes suspended as a mobile and murals of World War II fighter planes. On the ceiling of the bathroom, the sky at sunset is rendered as though viewed from a cockpit.

Behind the Inn, a winding labyrinth provides a space for quiet reflection. Photos by Drew Tanner

      The Universe room caters to those who grew up with dreams of being an astronaut with its telescope, posters of nebulae and a ceiling with glow-in-the-dark stars.
      In the Japanese Room, a bamboo floor takes the place of the hardwood floor found in many rooms. The closet door is actually an ornately carved and painted room divider ­ one of many artifacts in the room from the Bennets' former residence in Japan as a military family.
      It's the little touches and attention to detail that brings guests back to the inn. Only in the midst of its second season, Ramos said she is already seeing repeat customers who enjoy the inn's combination of intellectual stimulation and relaxation.
      You can find out more about Moutain Quest Institute at their website, www.mountainquestinstitute.com, via email: adean@mountainquestinstitute.com, or by phoning 304-799-7267 or 866-245-6494.  

The Traditions day event will feature a blacksmith shop, cider press, soup pot, story telling, crafts and traditional music Photos by Sunny Given

Huntersville celebrates its history with Traditions Day

      Huntersville is showing off and everyone's invited! Jeannie Dunham, one of the co-chairpersons, along with Terry and Connie Carr of the Huntersville Tradition Days says "People will get to experience some of the lost arts and workmanship of our fore fathers."
      Traditions Day will be held all around Huntersville on Saturday, October 1.
      Huntersville, the first county seat of Pocahontas, was laid out in 1821 at the terminus of an early road leading from Warm Springs and on the site of John Bradshaw's pioneer cabin, which once served as headquarters for the pioneer hunters.
      A location in the vicinity of what is now Edray, had been selected by a committee and favorably reported as the place for the permanent location of the county seat. Inducements by John Bradshaw were so enticing and favorable, and the people at the head of Greenbrier so anxious on the subject, that Huntersville prevailed and the report of the committee on location was overruled.
      For a number of years previous to the organization of the county, Huntersville had been a public place for trade. The merchants and tradesmen from the east arranged to meet the hunters there and to barter goods for the proceeds of the chase. Smithville was suggested to be an appropriate name for the county seat, but the existing name of Huntersville was strenuously insisted upon by John Bradshaw and his friends, as a special compliment to the hunters that swarmed there during the trading season.

Details of Civil War soldier life, like this fire starting kit. Photos by Sunny Given

      It was no uncommon thing for Huntersville merchants to realize three or four hundred per cent on dry goods, and not much less on groceries, during the period from 1822 to 1845. After the Huntersville and Warm Springs turnpike was constructed and the Parkersburg road penetrated upper Pocahontas County, stores of importance were opened at Green Bank, Mill Point and in rapid succession at other points.
      Huntersville is unique because it still has so many of its original buildings. Neither industry nor subdivisions have taken the old buildings that represent much of the town's vital history. The Huntersville Schoolhouse was built in 1890. The first few years after the Civil war, the Old Academy building which had been built in 1841 was used as a school. Most of the business part of Huntersville was destroyed by fire in 1852. A new two-story school building was constructed about 1880. The schoolhouse was closed in 1968, and was the end of an era. It was the last of the one- and two-room schoolhouses in Pocahontas County. The property is currently owned by Acil Ryder.
      The second annual Huntersville School Reunion will be held at the hospitality tent at the Carr home starting at ten Saturday morning.. The Huntersville Presbyterian Church, built in 1854, played an important part during the Civil War. The eaves over the front door are the original roof line where the tower was first positioned outside the second floor gallery. The second story auditorium was added later and dedicated June, 1896. The Church was registered as a National Historic Place on October 4, 1978 and is currently owned by the Masonic Lodge.
      As part of Traditions Day, soldiers of the 36th Virginia Infantry Reenactment Unit will have an encampment on the lawn of the Huntersville Presbyterian Church. They will present details of Civil War soldier life, weapons demonstrations and point out events and locations of Huntersville Civil War history.

Elderly gentleman prepares to do a little saw fiddlin. Photos by Sunny Given

      The Huntersville Jailhouse was built in 1883. It was used for about 10 years after the county seat was moved to Marlinton.
      In 1886 the Huntersville Methodist Church was built. The gothic revival beauty is cared for by its continuing congregation and now belongs to the circuit of the United Methodist Church.
      Many of the original homes are occupied even today and have been transformed for the modern century. One of the town's earliest homes was built in 1852 and now serves as one of Pocahontas County's premier Bed & Breakfast Inns. The Carriage House Inn was originally a dairy farm built by the Barlow family.
      Three generations of the Carr family have lived in their house, built in 1893. The back of the parlor chimney is exposed showing the handmade bricks formed from clay from the Brown's Creek.
      The Traditions day event will feature a blacksmith shop, cider press, soup pot, story telling, crafts and traditional music. "The quilting bee, which is one of our most popular demonstrations, will be back again this year," said Dunham, "As well as the saw fiddlin."
      People who would like to set up demonstrations or are crafters should contact either Jeannie Dunham at 799-6706 or Connie Carr at 799-4747.