Saturday, September 9, 2017

2017-25 Lewisburg and Greenbrier West Virginia

2017-25

traveling through West Virginia Allegheny mountains

Lewisburg West Virginia
White Sulfur Springs West Viginia
Greenbrier Resort


WV State Fairground, parking area
behind the Rv campsites


Campground: West Virginia State Fairgrounds. Full hookups 30 and 50 amp. $30 regular rate. $3 discount with Good Sam or AARP etc. Grassy sites, electric, water and sewer connections are spread apart for most of the sites but mostly usable.





from Burnsville to Lewisburg WV

Lewisburg, a vibrant small town

Distance traveled: 110 miles


I've arrived in Lewisburg, the closest destination I could find at a fair price for camping here at the state fairgrounds. The small town of only 3,500 still has a surprisingly active and fun downtown area to explore. Having a Carnegie Hall, one of only 4 in the world, an active local theater group and is a hot spot for retirees. But my main interest is about 12 miles down the road in the even smaller town of White Sulfur Springs.

This is a high priced area for shopping and dining.  Lunch average price paid in downtown restaurants:  $25.  Antique shops and do-dad shops have high prices on most all of their offerings. I did find a nice coffee shop with reasonable prices and on the outskirts of town are a few of the basic commercial restaurants (Rudy Tuesdays) and your Walmarts, Lowes, Dollar Tree etc.


The Greenbrier, one more bucket list item checked off.


The Greenbrier Resort


I quickly made reservations to join the “bunker tour, $38.38” at the Greenbrier Resort. What an awesome place, having it's beginnings as far back as 1778, when folks would come here to drink the sulfur waters to ease their rheumatoid arthritis and cure upset stomachs. The first hotel was built in 1858 and the current one that replaced it got it's start in 1910 when the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad purchase the property. Expanding the place and building the Greenbrier Hotel expansion. Over the years it has gone back and forth between the railroad owning it, the Government using it during WWII including housing over 2,000 wounded soldiers in a makeshift hospital.

Original entrance to the Greenbrier


One of the many grand public rooms

lounge looking down main corridor


all original designs by Draper

the writing room

a side chat perhaps

bold exciting designs 

bold design required due to large scale of each room, hallway

latest updates to lower level restaurants, casino, shops

private casino open to hotel guests only
only saw a few people at the poker table


It has always catered to the well-to-do crowd of business men, political statesmen, tycoons, world leaders and has even hosted 26 Presidents and continues to do so today. Vice President Mike Pence was here just a few days ago. With a first rate golf course which the average person can not see as it is hidden behind green painted fencing, trees and shrubs all along the main road leading to the resort. It even has a private casino on the lower floors but is only accessible to guests staying at the resort, or if you purchase a membership. I did neither, but I did enjoy a great lunch at one of the restaurants in the hotel. High end boutique shops line one level, along with a bowling alley and indoor and outdoor infinity pool.

high end shops on lower level concourse 








large ball room on main floor

lower level leading to indoor swimming pool, bowling alley

There is even an AMTRAC train station across from the hotel which goes between New York, Washington D.C. And Chicago. Providing easy access and would make for a fun trip. The railroad has been in operation since the mid 1800's.

The bunker tour, hidden in plane sight
behind movable wall
LINKS:

The Bunker

Greenbrier Resort,   the Hotel


But enough of that, I was there to tour the bunker which was originally built in the Eisenhower era as a safe place to members of congress to go in the event of a nuclear attack. This being after WWII and our dropping the first atomic bomb. After the war and the start of the Cold War, with Russia gaining power and nuclear capabilities congress needed a safe place close to the capital in case of nuclear attack. The Greenbrier would become that safe haven.

It was all secret of course. Congress appropriating the funds and having the Greenbrier “expand” the hotel and at the same time build an underground convention center as it was called. The bunker was built in 1958 into the side of a hill with the West Virginia Wing being built over the top of it. The locals being told that it would be an underground conference facility and part of the space was actually used as such with the public being totally unaware that it was in actuality a part of the secret bunker.
the original secret bunker dining room, seating for 400 at a time

the end of the tour, what secrets remain behind the
walls and doors we didn't get to go through

an innocent hallway, but lies behind it
was a secret bunker, hidden in plane site
as part of it was used for convention exhibits etc.

The tour covers a good portion of the underground bunker with it's massive 20 ton steel and concrete doors, two auditoriums designed to house the House of Representatives and the Senate. Dormitory bunk-bed style sleeping arrangements for the house and single beds for the senators including over 500 staff members. For 30 years, each of the 1,100 beds were assigned to a member of congress. Note: none were reserved for their families though space was later available on another level. Dining hall, work rooms, extensive power plant, water storage etc. Currently much of the underground space is leased out to corporations for storing digital data. So not all of the rooms were available to view and due to the sensitive data being stored in the old bunker spaces, no photography was permitted in much of the tour areas.

Ultimately the facility was never used during it's 30 years of activation. An article in the Washington Post, May 31st 1992 revealed it's secret location and purpose making it instantly obsolete, though by then it had already become somewhat known. Congress would decommission it in 1995. So of course the question is: where is the new secret bunker?

the room VP Mike Pence spoke in
just a few days before I arrived... obviously to a
"select" group 

Roku Update:


Pluto TV channels 600+


As a full time Rv-er we don't always have good “over the air Tv” connections. I'm not a fan of paying $$ for satellite tv and the headaches setting it up at each campsite. The alternative is a device like Roku. Since getting Roku, a small device that attaches to the back of my tv set and connects to the internet via my Verizon tablet hotspot which I have an unlimited plan making it all possible.

One of the programming choices is called “Pluto” and is set up much like satellite tv channels. I've explored up to the 600's and have discovered lots of channels I'll be watching including travel, learning, documentaries, home improvement, live news feeds etc. A second link shows all the movies available. A few other channels I like include “popcorn flix”, “youtube”, CBS and VUDU a movie channel.

Although one can pay for the movies and shows without commercials, I don't pay any fees and basically turn off the sound when a commercial comes on.

many free movies supported by adds

RV Update:


While staying here at the Lewisburg State Fairgrounds, I found an Rv service that will come to my camper for repairs. It appears I have a pinhole leak in my hot water tank and will have it replaced. While at it, I'll also have a new Awning installed as the one that came with my camper has a cheap plastic fabric that has begun to peal and separate. I've ordered a better fabric with a cover for the awning when closed up.

All this while watching the news and keeping a close eye on hurricanes advancing on Florida.

More photos:





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