For more than two centuries, West Virginia has hosted American presidents, European royalty, and regular folks. In 1748 young George Washington journeyed to the warm springs of Bath (then part of Virginia). He recorded the trip in his diary, and returned there for years afterward. Now known as Berkeley Springs, this West Virginia resort town continues to lure travelers.
West Virginia also is home to one of America's most pivotal historic sites: At Harpers Ferry (pictured), now part of the Civil War Discovery Trail and maintained as a national park, abolitionist John Brown raided the U.S. Arsenal in 1859 and set off a chain of events that sparked the war. A collection of many small museums created within original buildings, the park features costumed interpreters who provide daily tours in summer and weekend talks in other seasons.
Civil War buffs may also want to see Lewisburg, site of an 1862 battle. Its 236-acre National Register Historic District preserves 18th- and 19th- century buildings of historic or architectural interest.
Perhaps no place in the state is more famous than The Greenbrier, near White Sulfur Springs. Since 1780, this 6,500-acre property in the scenic Allegheny Mountains has grown from a small inn to an award-winning resort with 650 guest accommodations that features more than 50 activities.
Guests come to The Greenbrier (pictured) to savor the cuisine, improve a golf swing, and behold the beauty of the surroundings. During World War II, it served as an army hospital. This 200-year-old resort has hosted 26 U.S. presidents and kings and dignitaries from around the world.
During the Cold War, the US government built relocation bunkers for members of Congress there. This secret was exposed in 1992. The bunkers, stripped of electronic devices and security clearance, are now among the many unusual attractions visitors to West Virginia discover.
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