The official beginning of fall is just days away. How will you celebrate the beauty of autumn? We suggest a road trip to wild and wonderful West Virginia! The Allegheny Mountains are often swirled in early morning fog, but the day finally gives way to muliple shades of green and blue peaks on the horizon.
If you love good design and good living, The Greenbriar Hotel & Resorts is the place to go. It is both a National Historic Landmark and world-class resort that has been welcoming guests from around the world since 1778. The natural mineral springs drew the first guests over 235 years ago; you can still “take the waters” today. With a guest list that includes 27 of our country’s 46 Presidents, America’s Resort has long been a favorite destination of royalty, celebrities and business leaders.
Best news is that it is only three hours from Winchester. And like our city, it has a rich history. Before the Civil War, five sitting presidents stayed there. Once the war broke out, both sides used the grounds as a hospital or military headquaters. In 1910, the C & O Railroad purchaed the resort and its moden story began. It quickly took its place within high society’s traveling network that stretches from Palm Beach to Newport. During WWII, the U. S. Army purchased the hotel and converted it into a hospital. In 1946, the railroad reacquired the hotel and commissioned a comprehensive interior designer Dorothy Draper.
Design Diva.
Draper’s design is still in evidence today. She transformed the once dowdy Ashford General Hospital back into an elegant resort. She once said ‘show me nothing that looks like gravy’ and her love of color is still saturated throughout the main building. Draper’s theme was Romance & Rhododendrons; her rooms at the White Sulphur Springs resort were once called the most photographed rooms in the United States.
Royalty Reigns.
The Presidential Suite at the resort held up to its name when President Dwight D. Eisenhower held the North American Summit Conference here in 1956. In addition, it has been the residence of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Prince Ranier and Princess Grace of Monaco and many other notables of society. This portrait of the princess is in the main hall.
Take the waters.
This is the original springs, but you can still bask in the rejuvenating waters of West Virginia’s own Alvon Springs. The high concentration of minerals is perfect for soothing tired, sore muscles while helping to rebalance your body’s natural minerals and rehydrate your skin. Count us in!
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The Feltner Group is a full-service real estate team that specializes in providing a concierge-level of service for all clients. Your home is the set where life’s big and small moments are staged. We can help find a house worthy of your memories.
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