GO | The Greenbrier Resort with Tracy Smith | Issue LXIX

GO: The Greenbrier Resort w/ Tracy Smith

From Tracy:

very year my girlfriend, KRIS, and I take a road trip from our hometown of Athens, Ohio. This year we headed to the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulpher Springs, West Virigina. It was my second trip there. She has been there numerous times for family getaways.

Google Maps

The Greenbrier is a beautiful hotel resort, nestled in a gorgeous mountainous location in southeastern West Virginia. It has a rich political history, including a defunct bunker for the US congress, healing springs, celebrity visitations, golf courses with golfing legend stories, a casino, varied dining opportunities, fun shopping, multi-level hiking experiences and more.

COTTAGES

The first time I stayed at the Greenbrier, I stayed in the large glamorous hotel. This time we decided to stay in the Baltimore Row Cottages, which were built in the mid 1800s. It was a lovely place to stay.

Cottages

The cottage next to our cottage, #G, is where Robert E Lee brought his family for three years from 1867 to 1869. While there, he signed the White Sulpher Manifesto in 1868 and in 1869 met with a number of confederate generals to discuss providing schooling and aid to Civil War orphans.

Robert E Lee with Confederate Generals at the Greenbrier in 1869.

The colonial history of White Sulpher Springs dates back to 1778 when people started to visit in order to experience the benefits of the healing waters. The cottages were built from early to mid 19th-century for lodging.

Some information about the rows of Cottages

Paradise Row: Built in the early 1800s, these are the oldest remaining.
Alabama & Louisiana Rows: Built in the 1830s, built for the affluent from the Deep South - some house artisan shops.
Baltimore, Florida, & South Carolina Rows: Constructed in the mid-1800s, these rows were named after the home states or cities
Spring Row: Originally log cabin housing from 1810, rebuilt in 1988–1989 while maintaining historical features.

The Presidents' Cottage Museum was built in 1834. It served as the Summer White House for five U.S. presidents: Martin Van Buren, John Tyler, Mllard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan. In 1932, they turned it into a museum and display historical art, photographs, documents and other nostalgia regarding the 28 presidents that have spent time at Greenbrier.

The White Sulpher Springs

The Spring House. Displayed is a current photo, a photo from the 1850s and a brochure cover for the springs soon after the Civil War when West Virginia chose to secede from Virginia in 1863 because they did not want to join the confederacy with eastern part of Virginia.

You can still utilize the springs via the spa at the Greenbrier Resort. They offer access to the magical spring water through some of their wellness services.

THE OLD WHITE

The first hotel was built in 1858. It was a large, luxurious, seasonal structure, called the Grand Central Hotel, (often referred to as The White and later The Old White Hotel). It was used in the warmer seasons and did not offer any heat. It was demolished in 1922.

THE GREENBRIER RESORT

The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway bought the Greenbrier Resort in 1910. They built the current opulent hotel, which opened in 1913, and was named The Greenbrier in 1914. They already had train service that took people to the area and wanted to make it a year-round lavish resort.

https://www.greenbrier.com/discover-more/about-us/history/

During World War II, The Greenbrier served as a hospital helping over 24,000 soldiers with surgery and rehabilitation. Afterwards, Dorthy Draper, a renowned interior designer, was hired to redecorate the entire hotel. Her vivid, colorful style is still evident throughout today.

THE CHAPEL

A subsequent owner, U.S. Senator and former governor of West Virgina - Jim Justice, had the chapel built in 2015 for his daughter's marriage at the resort. It can seat 500 guests.

POOLS

The mountain view Infinity Pool.

I enjoyed having lunch by the pool with my girlfriend, reading my book in the abundant sunshine. Many of the guests were full of Greenbrier stories having had a long history vacationing there. People come back over and over and over again. I hope to too.

The lovely interior pool hasn't been changed since 1913.

SHOPPING

https://www.greenbrier.com/shopping/yarids/

There are lots of shops in the hotel and also in some of the cottages. Yarid's Shoes store is a huge favorite. This time I only bought one pair, last visit I bought five!

GOLFING

We did not golf, but there are three 18-hole golf courses, plus a 9-hole par 3 course.

DINING

We decided to eat dinners at the hotel vs going out. We enjoyed Sam Snead's, with wood-fired cuisine and named for the golf legend, overlooking the golf courses. Prime 44 West, the steakhouse named for NBA legend and West Virginia resident Jerry West, and The Forum for Italian fare.

https://www.greenbrier.com/dining/

BUNKER

https://www.greenbrier.com/activities/bunker-tours/

After World War II the United States government chose The Greenbrier as the place to build an emergency Cold War fallout shelter for Congress and their support staff in the event of a nuclear attack or other national emergency. They called it Project Greek Island. It could accommodate over 1,000 people with sleeping quarters, dining area, and meeting rooms. They located it beneath the West Virginia Wing of the hotel. It remained a secret for over 30 years. In 1992, a Washington Post expose revealed its existence and caused it to be defunct. Now you can visit it as a tourist.

An excellent read about the people that lived and worked at the Greenbrier and in the community.

My favorite thing about staying at The Greenbrier is how relaxing and peaceful it is. Stunning mountain views, and beautiful grounds. I enjoyed learning about the history and viewing the pictures of world famous celebrities, politicians, and movie stars who have stayed there. The weather was lovely. Three beautiful days with clear blue skies and low humidity.

A delightful time!

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