Historic Eastern Panhandle Tour

Dates
October 9 – 11, 2011

Costs

• Early Bird Registration by June 9: $380.00 per person based on double occupancy; $475.00 single occupancy
• Registration after June 9: $420.00 per person based on double occupancy; $515.00 single occupancy
• Tour includes: travel by coach bus, two nights lodging, two breakfasts, two lunches, one dinner, entrance and tour fees

Description

_Activity Level: Moderate to intermediate (walking tours can be on hilly streets) _

The Historic Eastern Panhandle was the first region of West Virginia to be settled and is steeped in history. Situated between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Allegheny Plateau, the rolling hills, long ridges and valleys of this region can easily be described as “Almost Heaven, West Virginia.” This area is most noted for its American Civil War experience and for its beautiful and bountiful orchards. Come learn about the Eastern Panhandle, its history, beauty and taste a fresh locally grown West Virginia apple straight from the tree.

The tour will depart Charleston on October 9 for a five hour trip to Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley where we’ll stop for lunch, a tour of the Museum of the Shenandoah and the house and gardens of Glen Burnie. The house, which dates from the 1700s, is filled with art and treasures of the founder of the City of Winchester. The six acres of spectacular gardens include numerous fountains, sculptures and garden “folly” structures.

Next we’re back on the bus for our trip to Jefferson County where we will tour Town and County Nursery to get a flavor of a family oriented, family owned and operated nursery and agricultural learning center. We’ll arrive in Harpers Ferry and check-in the hotel. After a brief break it’s off to the Hollywood Casino at the Charles Town Race Track for an evening of fun, including dinner and $20.00 of slot play promotion.

After breakfast on Monday we’ll depart for a tour of Orrs Farm Market and its apple packing facility. With over 1,100 acres of orchards, this family-run fruit and berry farm is a mainstay of the farming industry in Berkeley County. Next, we’ll visit the Judicial Center Rain Garden. Among the first of its kind in West Virginia, the Berkeley-Jefferson Master Gardener rain garden has received a number of awards and it has earned recognition from the Department of Environmental Protection. We’ll have lunch at and tour the West Virginia University Kearneysville Tree Fruit Research and Education Center. This facility includes 158 acres devoted to research plantings for investigations in the areas of entomology and plant pathology.

In the afternoon we’ll tour Harpers Ferry National Historic Park. The year 2011 marks the beginning of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War experience in Harpers Ferry, the first target in Virginia following secession. The town changed hands between Union and Confederate troops eight times between 1861 and 1865. Four years of warfare resulted in a garrison town under martial law, military hospitals, partisan warfare, and a base of operations for military campaigns. Your evening is free for touring and dinner on your own.

Tuesday after breakfast and check-out we depart and start our travels back to Charleston. We stop for a Tour of Mock’s Hydroponic Greenhouse facility. Mock’s is famous for its ability to grow commercially using hydroponics. Next, we’ll leave Berkeley Springs for Charleston with a stop for lunch and arrive in Charleston in time for hotel check-in and to attend the conference’s opening reception “A Taste of West Virginia.”

Schedule

Sunday, October 9

8 a.m. Depart Charleston for the following activities:

• Travel to Winchester, Virginia & Museum of the Shenandoah
• Lunch in Museum’s Garden Tea Room
• Tour of Museum and Glen Burnie house and gardens
• Tour of Town and Country Nursery
• Hotel check-in
• Dinner and evening at Hollywood Casino

Monday, October 10

8:15 a.m. Depart Harper’s Ferry after complimentary hot breakfast for the following activities:

• Orrs Farm Market and apple packing facility tour
• Visit Judicial Center Rain Garden, master gardener project
• WVU Kearneysville Tree Fruit Research and Education Center tour
• Tour Harpers Ferry National Historic Park
• Evening on your own

Tuesday, October 11

8 a.m. Depart after complimentary breakfast and check-out for following activities:

• Tour Mock’s Hydroponic Greenhouse facility
• Lunch on your own
• Travel to Charleston with arrival in time for hotel check-in and to attend conference’s opening reception – A Taste of West Virginia