West Virginia National Heritage Areas (Non-Units)

6/29/2007 Got on the Coal Heritage Trail Byway (Coal NHA) in Bluefield and stopped at Pinnacle Rock State Park. Walked the trail up to the rock and I climbed out a bit while Mom stayed on the wood observation platform. Very nice Catskills-like view of the mountains. Back on the CHT through many small towns (not in great shape – closed stores, tough looking homes!). Followed the railroad a lot and saw some coal processing plants.

A sign on the Byway

Info on Pinnacle Rock

The park map

Me on the Rock

Mom on a platform ...

... looking at the great view

7/1/2006 ... then across the street to the Artisan Center (this and next place in the Wheeling NHA). Checked out really nice products made in WV. Walked a little to the old courthouse [West Virginia Independence Hall NHL] that was the center of the WV secession movement during the civil war. Saw a good film with hokey acting then toured the building including war exhibits.

NHA sign

Floor of the artisan center ...

... and some of the many products

Independence Hall

Me in court

Part of the WV secession exhibit

9/10/2016 Near the base of the I-70 bridge which parallels the Wheeling Suspension Bridge we parked for a view of the Marsh Stogies Building in the Wheeling NHA. Although old and dilapidated, like others we'll view, this building was the oldest stogie manufacturing company in Wheeling. Historical note: Stogies, sometimes called tobies, originated with the National Road. Wagon and stage drivers demanded a cheap brand of rolled tobacco to smoke, and a Pennsylvania manufacturer began to roll long thin twists of tobacco, conveniently shaped to carry in a driver's boot (a favorite spot for carrying knives, pistols, and other small objects), which sold four for a cent. These became popular with the drivers and were at first called Conestoga cigars, for a type of wagon common on the Pike. Later the name was corrupted to stogie. We walked midway across the I-70 bridge for a photo-op of the more interesting Wheeling Suspension Bridge and also managed to find an elusive ‘March Wheeling Stogies’ interpretive sign which actually was on a rather inaccessible river-side path below the bridge. …, then continued south to a pretty rough industrial area to view the LaBelle Nail Plant, also in the Wheeling NHA. The site includes four contributing buildings; three Italianate style brick buildings dated to the founding of the company in 1852, and a tin plate mill built 1894-1897. The cut nail machinery still in use by La Belle dates to 1852 and the 1860s. ... Nearby we stopped at... Wheeling NR0100 Bloch Mail Pouch Tobacco Building & Wayside Exhibit – “Mail Pouch Tobacco”. This too is in the Wheeling NHA. ... Back into Wheeling we parked at the Wheeling Suspension Bridge NHL, a suspension bridge spanning the main channel of the Ohio River built in 1849 and at the time the largest suspension bridge in the world. We enjoyed walking the length on one side and back on the other, with nice views of boats on the Ohio.

The NHA logo

Marsh Stogies Building ...

... and signage

Signage for ...

... the B&O Railroad

La Belle Nail Plant

Mail Pouch Tobacco ...

... and signage

Ken near Mail Pouch

East side of the Suspension Bridge

Me ready to walk over

More signage

The west side ...

... of the Bridge

National Heritage Areas (Non-Units) - West Virginia