a day / 130 miles / 4 hours 20 minutes
Follow the footsteps of George Washington through West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle and a landscape rich in historic, natural, and scenic resources. Mountains and valleys, rivers and springs, vestiges of bygone industries and five picturesque 18th-century towns highlight a rural retreat combined with rich cultural attractions.
Day 1
9:00 - 35.8 miles / an hour 11 minutes - 10:11
The National Register Historic District of Gerrardstown was laid
out in 1784. Today it contains many of the original buildings,
including the Hays-Gerrard House (1743), which is one of the oldest
houses in Berkeley County.10:56 - 13.0 miles / 25 minutes - 11:22
In 1770, Samuel Washington moved into the stone Harewood mansion
he had built on the 1600-acre tract inherited from Lawrence
Washington in 1752. Harewood is the only Washington family home
that is still owned and occupied by a Washington descendent.
Although the estate is privately owned, it can be seen from WV
State Route 51, west of Charles Town.11:27 - 3.8 miles / 7 minutes - 11:35
John Augustine, brother of George Washington, inherited land in
West Virginia from his brother Lawrence but never lived there. His
heir, however, constructed large estates on his land. Blakeley was
constructed by grandson John Augustine II, while another grandson,
Bushrod Corbin Washington (brother of John Augustine II) built the
sumptuous Claymont Court manse on the opposite side of CR 13/3 at
around the same time. John Augustine II and Bushrod built their
mansions close to each other, in part, because their wives were
sisters. Bushrod served as Jefferson County Justice of the Peace
and was later elected to the Virginia General Assembly. Claymont
Court remains the only one of the Washington homes that is open to
the public. The estate includes the magnificent main house, formal
gardens, and the massive brick stables, which have been adapted for
use as a school.12:05 - 4.8 miles / 9 minutes - 12:14
The Belle Boyd House was built in 1853 by Ben Boyd, father of the notorious Civil War spy Isabella (Belle) Boyd. By eavesdropping on Union officers, Belle was able to gather information for the Confederacy. With the information she would gather, she crossed enemy lines at the peril of her own life to deliver messages to leaders like Stonewall Jackson. This happened a number of times throughout the war.
Her home now stands as an important resource for folks interested in the Civil War and the history of Martinsburg and Berkley County. It contains museum artifacts as well as genealogical and historical records.12:14 - 4.6 miles / 9 minutes - 12:23
Shepherdstown is the oldest incorporated town in West Virginia.
Thomas Shepherd incorporated the town, originally named
Mecklenburg, in 1762 but had already operated a grist mill here
prior to 1739. Numerous 18th and 19th century buildings line the
downtown streets and make up the Shepherdstown National Register
Historic District. The Entler Hotel, originally built in 1790 and
added to in 1809 and again before 1815, now houses the Historic
Shepherdstown Museum. Shepherd College, located in downtown
Shepherdstown, was established in 1872 in a building constructed in
1859 as the Town Hall and library. The James Rumsey Monument
memorializes his successful trial of a steamboat on the Potomac
River near Shepherdstown in 1787. Civil War history abounds in this
area, and information on it can be found at the George Tyler Moore
Civil War Center - part of Shepherd College and open to
researchers.12:53 - 7.2 miles / 14 minutes - 13:08
The Town of Hedgesville was laid out in 1832 along the old Warm
Spring Road. The town, a National Register Historic District, is a
collection of historic buildings that primarily date from the
town's establishment to the Civil War era. Mt. Zion Episcopal
Church predates the town, having been built in 1818 and replaced an
even earlier meeting house. It is the burial site of many members
of the Hedges family.13:38 - 10.8 miles / 21 minutes - 13:59
The City of Martinsburg was laid out in 1778 and became the
county seat of the newly created Berkeley County (1772). The
arrival of the railroad in Martinsburg in 1842 brought renewed
industrial growth, and the B&O Roundhouse and Station Complex
stands as a monument to the great railroading era. It was here that
the first industrial strike in the nation took place in July 1877.
Other significant historical landmarks in the city include the
General Adam Stephen House, home of the city's founder; and the
Belle Boyd House, home of Confederate spy Belle Boyd and now a
museum commemorating her life and housing a large collection of
local and regional artifacts. The City of Martinsburg contains seven
separate National Register Historic Districts.15:29 - 0 miles / 0 - 15:29
These mineral springs have been prized since the time Native Americans first discovered them. Lord Fairfax maintained them as a village green and they soon became known as "Bath Square" and then "The Grove." From his first visit in 1748, George Washington became a regular at the warm springs. In 1815, the Roman Bath House was built and is still in use today. The springs include:
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the springs are now known as Berkeley Springs.15:59 - 8.5 miles / 16 minutes - 16:16
Berkeley Springs (Town of Bath)
The Town of Bath was established in 1776 but had been a favorite
of Native Americans and colonists well before then. For hundreds
of years people have been attracted to the natural springs that
emanate from the side of Warm Springs Ridge at a rate of 2000 gallons per
minute, providing warm water that is a constant 74 degrees. George
Washington, on one of his surveying expeditions, waited out a flood
here and returned at least a dozen times to "take the waters" and
enjoy the scenery.
Today, the waters can still be taken to at Berkeley
Springs State Park, which is listed in the National Register of
Historic Places and includes a number of historic structures
related to the springs. The nearby Museum of the Berkeley Springs
exhibits artifacts from and describes the history and geology of the
region. The town that developed around the springs became a spa
resort, and the large stone house known as Berkeley Castle, which
sits on top of Warm Springs Ridge, is testimony to the inflow of
visitors' wealth.18:16 - 41.7 miles / an hour 23 minutes - 19:40