Morgantown Magazine June/ July 2017

FLATWATER & HERITAGE

Explore the Mon River’s industrial past and culinary present—and get some paddling in, too.

GOING BACK TO THE SOURCE

A missing fountain resurfaces—just in time to anchor the Mon County Courthouse plaza renovation.

MORGANTOWN AS GYM

The steepest hills? The most rewarding views?

Learn the best spots around town for an outdoor workout.

to tr y

New Re Rounstaurant dup

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PUBLISHED BY

New South Media, Inc.

709 Beechurst Avenue, Suite 14A, Morgantown, WV 26505

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Nikki Bowman, nikki@newsouthmediainc.com EDITOR

Mary Wade Burnside, marywade@newsouthmediainc.com DESIGNER

Becky Moore, becky@newsouthmediainc.com ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Zack Harold, zack@newsouthmediainc.com Pam Kasey, pam@newsouthmediainc.com OPERATIONS MANAGER

Allison Daugherty, allison@newsouthmediainc.com WEB & SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

Katie Jarrell, kjarrell@newsouthmediainc.com PHOTOGRAPHER

Carla Witt Ford, carla@newsouthmediainc.com INTERNS

Anna N. Saab, Carly Suplita, Kristen Uppercue, Julian Wyant SALES DIRECTOR

Heather Mills Berardi, heather@newsouthmediainc.com CONTRIBUTORS

Kaylyn Christopher, Christine Snyder

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MORGA NTOW N is published by New South Media, Inc. Copyright: New South Media, Inc. Reproduction in part or whole is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of the publisher. © N EW SOU T H M EDI A, I NC. A LL R IGH TS R ESERV ED

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EDITOR’S NOTE

I

got right to work on “50+ Ways to Stay Cool This Summer” during Memorial Day weekend. On a trip down Interstate 79, I took about seven minutes to jump off at Exit 137 in Fairmont and make a pit stop at Dairy Creme Corner, a seasonal custom for many local ice cream lovers. I tackled a “small” black raspberry cone. If you’ve ever been to Dairy Creme Corner, you know that’s still a very generous serving. Check out the nineswirl cone on page 43. That’s what you will be navigating if you order a large—without asking for it to be supersized.

I doubt I’ll get to everything on the list that we’ve compiled, but I plan to make this the summer I discover if I can stand up on a stand-up paddleboard. It’s been on my to-do list for a few years, and now that I know the large variety of places where I can rent one, I’m going to give it a whirl. We hope the list inspires readers to try new things, whether that would be to raft on the Cheat River or at the Adventure Sports Center International (ASCI) course in nearby Deep Creek, careen down a slope on Wisp Resort’s Mountain Coaster, explore a new trail at Coopers Rock State Forest or the West Virginia Botanic Garden, or decide which margarita flavor at Mountain State Brewing Co. is your favorite.

For those of you who like to add paddling into your day or weekend trips, Pam Kasey’s feature, “Flatwater and Heritage,” on page 34, provides insight into the small

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towns that dot the Monongahela River between Morgantown and Pittsburgh. And while you’re in Carmichaels, you can check off another tip from the “50+” list—see a movie at the SkyView Drive-In. Morgantown’s reputation as a culinary community continues to grow. So many new eateries have been established recently that we decided to do a “New Restaurant Roundup,” on page 48. If you’ve never tried the Vietnamese soup pho—or if you have and you love it—you’re in luck. There are also new Thai, Asian fusion, and elevated comfort options as well.

And finally, if you want to work off the calories from sampling the ice cream, the margaritas, or those new dishes—beyond bicycling or cross blading on the rail-trail and the other active suggestions from the “50+” list—we’ve got you covered there, too. Trainer Megan Whritenour of Pro Performance Rx tells us where to exercise around town and offers some handy tips in Kaylyn Christopher’s “Morgantown as Gym,” on page 32. Turns out, Guthrie Loop at the WVU Core Arboretum is a great place to flow through a yoga sequence, and the benches at Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park double as resistance equipment. And many runners already know that Law School Hill tests their endurance.

So as summer gets underway, splash around, eat some ice cream, kick back on Cheat Lake, or explore the rail-trail. And don’t forget the sunscreen.

Featured Contributors Christine Snyder Christine Snyder, who studied journalism and history at Marshall University, worked as a copy editor for The Plain Dealer in Cleveland before settling in her native Eastern Panhandle. She is the managing editor of the Spirit of Jefferson, an award-winning weekly in Charles Town that has been around since 1844. She looks forward to time with her husband, a cartoonist, and her four daughters.

Kaylyn Christopher Kingwood native Kaylyn Christopher is a graduate of WVU, where she studied journalism and philosophy while running track and cross country for the Mountaineers.

She worked in the newspaper industry and as a communications professional for both WVU and the University of Virginia before deciding to step back on the track, this time as a collegiate track and cross country coach at Salem International University.

Letters to the Editor Breathe In, Breathe Out, Relax, Repeat Big thanks to Mary Wade Burnside over at Morgantown magazine for profiling meditation in Morgantown (April/May 2017). Thank you Carly Suplita for the sweet photos, too. Meditation is like the silent contributor to all things good and wonderful! It is a personal development tool that just keeps you going! Meditation unlocks health and wellness side benefits like lower blood pressure, and many of us say we are just better people for it.

Elizabeth Halliday-Reynolds of BlissBlissBliss, via Facebook Sunnyside Up-date “It looks beautiful.”

Wilma Summers Swiger, via Facebook

M A RY WA DE BU R NSIDE,

Editor

Follow us at . . . facebook.com/morgantownmagazine twitter.com/morgantownmag instagram.com/morgantownmag

Looking good, Sunnyside.

Lorena Vaccaro Golias, via Facebook New student housing re-opens neighborhoods for families “I hope this is all true! Would love to buy a starter home in the next couple years.”

Rachel Dianne, via Facebook

In This Issue

CARLY SUPLITA

JUNE/JULY 2017

Flatwater and Heritage

Stay Cool This Summer

Restaurant Roundup

Drive along the Monongahela—and paddle it, too—to see our river’s industrial past and quieter present.

Ice cream, water sports, splashing in a pool—we came up with more than 50 ways to keep you cool.

Want to try new food this summer? Get the lowdown on five eateries that just opened in town.

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In This Issue 30

32 61

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This Matters

Departments

14 Try This Mountain Harvest Farm is growing produce this summer so you don’t have to.

24 Hear This In its second year, the Deep Roots Mountain Revival hosts acts such as Sam Bush and Brandi Carlile.

16 Read This A new book reveals everything about pepperoni rolls you wanted to know.

26 This Matters To… Holly Purpura catches us up on what’s new with the Friends of Deckers Creek.

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28 Shop This

Get socially conscious chocolate, coffee, cute clothes, and upcycled bags all in one place—River Fair Trade.

Support This The Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia rehabilitates winged creatures from robins to red-tailed hawks.

22 Follow This The Mon County Courthouse plaza is getting a makeover.

23 Check This Out

Renew your driver’s license at the DMV Now kiosk at the Star City Sheetz.

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30 Love This The opening of WVU’s Falling Run Greenspace returns a near downtown oasis to us.

6 Editor’s Note 2 Outdoors 3 Get tips from a pro on exercising outside—using the city as your gym.

55 The Scene West Virginia Bites & Brews and the 12th Annual Canine Egg Fetch.

61 Calendar 64 Then & Now Marilla Pool has seen some changes in the last 60 years.

ON THE COVER New South Media’s very own office pup, Ellie Belly Truffle Shuffle, reported for cover girl duty to illustrate that even a hot dog can keep cool. Photographed by Carla Witt Ford

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EAT / LOVE / WEAR / SHOP / WATCH / KNOW / HEAR / READ / DO / WHO / WHAT

STOCK UP ON YOUR FRUITS & VEGGIES

It makes sense that June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month. What better place to celebrate than at the Morgantown Farmers Market, which takes place twice a week during the summer? Check out the strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and more 8:30 a.m.–noon Saturdays at the Morgantown Market Place on Spruce and Fayette streets and 3–6 p.m.

Tuesdays in the parking lot of the old Shop ’n Save in Westover. morgantownfarmersmarket.org

CASSIA KING

CANDYLAND

Coincidentally, June also is National Candy Month. The Morgantown Farmers Market can help you on that front as well, with goodies from vendors Patty’s Pastries and Bakery and Busy Beaver Farm & Greenhouse.

Historical Cook-Off Mark your calendar—the next Best Chef Cook-Off to benefit the Morgantown History Museum takes place at 6 p.m. Thursday, August 3, at Lakeview Golf Resort & Spa. Last year’s winner, Marion Ohlinger of Hill & Hollow, plans to be there to defend his title for a good cause. morgantownhistorymuseum.org

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THIS MATTERS

Mary Oldham, Chico Ramirez, and their son Oscar (right) on the land they cultivate for their business, Mountain Harvest Farm. Lower right, Ramirez and Josie Martin hoe a field of crops.

TRYTHIS

Homegrown

Mountain Harvest Farm sows the seeds for a season of fresh vegetables with a subscription-based produce service. ➼ ERIN LEATHERMAN LOVES to roast root vegetables, blend fresh strawberries into smoothies, and chop freshly picked tomatoes for salsa. That’s just a few of the dishes Leatherman makes with produce from Mountain Harvest Farm.

“The vegetables are delicious, and the variety provided allows us to experiment with new recipes,” says Leatherman, an assistant professor at WVU. Mountain Harvest Farm is operated by Mary Oldham and her husband, Francisco “Chico” Ramirez. The couple grows crops on 5 acres of land just off Goshen Road; subscribers sign up for weekly or biweekly pickup through the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

“Customers know they’re going to have a source of the freshest products in the area because they are all cut the day of delivery,” Oldham says.

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restaurants, launched Mountain Harvest Farm in 2013. This is the fifth season that customers have been able to drive out to the land and pick up bins that contains six to 10 items. Customers can sign up for full weekly shares or half-shares to pick up every other week for either 22 weeks or 20 weeks. The program runs from May through midOctober. Full-share customers pay $480— or $530 for the additional two weeks—and half-share customers pay $265. As of late May, the couple packed an average of 70 boxes a week.

Morgantown native Oldham met Ramirez—a lifelong farmer—when she was serving in the Peace Corps in Honduras. After moving back to Morgantown, the couple began renting land at Owl Creek Farm in 2012, which had been a pick-your-own strawberry farm for 30 years.

This summer, customers can find a wide variety of vegetables in their boxes.

Lettuce, spinach, turnips, kale, carrots, beets, and broccoli can grow in this area’s cooler climate at the beginning of summer and will be in the boxes for the first few weeks. Strawberries are another early crop. For the rest of the summer, produce includes tomatoes, peppers, squash, and zucchini. Oldham and Ramirez also add items from other local farms, including dried pinto beans and organic raspberries.

In the future, Mountain Harvest Farm would like to grow more on a year-round basis, “so that our community has access to healthy products in the winter and not just in the typical growing season here,” Oldham says. The couple also follows organic standards, avoiding chemicals and other synthetic substances used to promote growth and kill insects. They are working toward obtaining an organic certification from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“That is the most healthy food that we can provide,” Oldham says.

That appealed to Leatherman and her husband, Perry, who joined Mountain Harvest Farm because they did not have space for their own garden when they first moved to Morgantown. “We appreciate knowing where our food is grown,” she says. mountainharvestfarmllc.com written by kristen uppercue photographed by mary wade burnside

THIS MATTERS Nelson also notes that other area businesses—including Tomaro’s Bakery in Clarksburg—began selling a similar item around the same time. “There are about 10 different bakeries that I feel set the groundwork for pepperoni rolls, and we have tons of great bakeries doing great modern versions,” she says. “Going into the history of the evolution of the pepperoni roll, we don’t know whether it was Country Club or Tomaro’s, and it probably was neither one of those. It was likely a woman in a kitchen in the northern part of the state or the western part of Pennsylvania.”

True pepperoni roll fans pay attention to every detail. Bakeries distinguish their rolls in part by the oils and herbs that seep into the bread in the oven.

Nelson heard stories of enthusiasts who take the pepperoni out and just eat the cured meat-, oil-, and herb-infused bread. At Abruzzino’s Italian Bakery in Harrison County, she adds, “They talked about people who come into the bakery and flip over a package of pepperoni rolls to see which has the most orange-ish tint, because that would mean it has the most oils and herbs that seeped through.”

The West Virginia Pepperoni Roll also acknowledges READTHIS the national attention the item has received—from a 2009 article in the New York Times to a feature in 2013 in the magazine Bon Appetit. Another emerging factor is the pepperoni roll’s place in pop culture, from the Major League Eating event held each year at the West Virginia Three Rivers Festival in Fairmont—with a record 34 buns devoured in 10 minutes by Matt Stonie West Virginia’s most famous food gets the encyclopedic in 2015—to the named pepperoni roll characters who the bases at Monongalia Ballpark during West treatment, highlighting everything from its origins to why run Virginia Black Bears baseball games. the bread tastes so good.

In addition to giving the original North Central West Virginia bakeries their due, the book acknowledges ➼ IF YOU GREW UP IN North Central West Virginia, chances newer versions of the pepperoni roll, such as Morgantown’s Terra Cafe’s options, which include not only the traditional are you have a pepperoni roll story. Like John Angotti of roll, but also a vegetarian variety with feta cheese, sundried Morgantown, whose mom would fashion tiny ones for him and his friends with leftover pizza dough. “My buddies, they’d flock tomatoes, and spinach.

In addition to the firsthand accounts from natives, even some like bees to honey,” he told author Candace Nelson. Former newcomers weighed in on the impact pepperoni rolls have had news anchor April Kaull recalls watching cooks at Wallace on their lives. That includes West Virginia Public Radio’s Roxy Elementary School in Harrison County rolling out dough in Todd, who credits the dish—especially a homemade variety she preparation for lunch. once tasted that incorporated ramps—for helping to motivate her These memories are recounted in a new book released in to move to the Mountain State. “That should be the recruitment June by WVU Press: The West Virginia Pepperoni Roll. But the book does not just highlight stories from West Virginians about strategy for bringing in new people to West Virginia,” she is quoted as saying. Todd’s former WVPR colleague, Fairmont native Ben what pepperoni rolls have meant to them. Instead, Nelson— Adducchio, now an actor in New York City, noted that a trip home known for the food blog Candace Lately—set out to create a is not complete without getting his fix at Colasessano’s. comprehensive guide on all things pepperoni roll.

So what’s next for the pepperoni roll? Will West Virginia’s This included not only the history and cultural implications unofficial official food ever become famous outside the state’s of the food but also perennial pepperoni roll debates. Such jagged borders? Nelson is optimistic. “Folks outside our area as slices versus sticks? Or with or without cheese, sauce, or are taking a greater interest in food being created here,” she Oliverio Italian Style Peppers? Her verdict: “I’m very careful says. “It makes sense to me that it would catch on. I want to not to disparage any of them,” she says. “I truly like them all.

But there is nothing better, regardless whether they are made of make sure these folks get recognition for pioneering this. It’s important to take ownership and to be able to craft our own sticks or slices, than if it’s fresh out of the oven.” narrative. Sometimes Appalachians are too humble.”

According to local lore, pepperoni rolls were first created

by Giuseppe Argiro at Country Club Bakery in Fairmont in 1927 as a handy meal for coal miners to take underground. But written by MARY WADE BURNSIDE

The Pepperoni Roll, from A to Z

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THIS MATTERS

Canaan the red-tailed hawk SUPPORTTHIS

Birds of a Feather

The Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia takes flight, rehabilitating winged creatures from robins to red-tailed hawks. ➼ CANAAN, A RED-TAILED HAWK who can no longer fly, nestles on the gloved hand of Katie Fallon, who is feeding the bird on a sunny spring day.

“She prefers mouse heads and torsos over mouse tails,” Katie says as Canaan spits out a mouse tail.

Canaan was found lying on the ground

by Fallon’s husband, Jesse, a veterinarian

at Cheat Lake Animal Hospital, during a fishing trip in Canaan Valley with friends. Canaan got to crash the boys’ weekend by spending the last day of their trip with them before traveling back to the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia, which was co-founded by the Fallons. Now, she enjoys a luxurious life at the center as an education bird.

Her calm personality and large size surprise and intrigue audiences during programs. “Usually when you get Canaan out of her travel carrier, all of the kids in the audience go ‘whoa’ because it is unexpected how big she is,” Katie says.

The Fallons established the ACCA in 2012 with friends Erin and Todd Katzner to help conserve birds throughout Appalachia because of the wide variety of species that nest in the interior hardwood forests in West Virginia and the surrounding areas. “Appalachia has the best birds,” says Katie—meaning a large variety of unique species. “West Virginia has more breeding cerulean warblers and wood thrush than any other state.” Those are two of the fastest declining songbirds in North America.

The center treats all species of injured native migratory birds found in the wild, which range from small, speedy hummingbirds to majestic birds of prey such as eagles. Last year, the center treated MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

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THIS MATTERS Katie Fallon and Tundra the falcon

Westley the kestrel

more than 300 injured birds of 50 species, “which is a lot for our volunteers to do,” Katie says. Their most common patients were robins and screech owls. That number is up from about 150 the first year, Jesse says. Some of the most common incidents that injure birds include being hit by a car or shot by people, flying into windows, and, in some instances for smaller birds, attacks by domestic cats.

Nestled in a wooded area full of the sounds of woodpeckers tapping on trees and the sights of Cooper’s hawks soaring above, the ACCA is located on the same property as the Cheat Lake Animal Hospital. “That was really important to us when the organization started and it’s very important to us today,” Katie says. Because the animal hospital is open 24/7, it is easy for people to drop off injured wild birds.

Every bird that enters the center receives a full exam and is treated through various practices, from medication to acupuncture.

Around 40 people volunteer each year as 20

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in North America, and their numbers are declining. The center partnered with the state Division of Natural Resources (DNR) to find landowners who are willing to put kestrel boxes—similar to big bird houses— on their properties. This way, the center can monitor the avians’ lifestyle and watch for chicks. The boxes serve as “an appropriate habitat to urge kestrel nesting,” Katie says.

Another project, started by center co-founder Todd Katzner, is to check the amount of lead in avian scavengers, such as turkey vultures. The lead commonly enters birds’ bloodstreams when they eat from gut piles that hunters leave behind, and it can make birds sick or even kill them. Hunters can avoid this by using non-lead ammunition.

The center cares for eight nonreleasable birds that cannot live on their Crystal the Eastern screech owl own in the wild, including Canaan, and uses them for on- and off-site education programs to teach local children about the importance of birds in the ecosystem.

“Education is really where you make the big difference—it’s really how you change the future,” Katie says.

The public is treated to a wide array of birds and behaviors, too. “Every bird has its own personality,” Jensen says as Tundra, a peregrine falcon who is also too injured to thrive in the wild, perches on her hand. “She is kind of a brat,” says Katie, who compares the bird to her 2-year-old.

However, Tundra is a popular education bird. “She was not raised by humans but took to being around humans very well,” frequently as every day; others work once a week. Volunteers help transport and exercise Katie says.

The ACCA receives money from the state birds and clean the center. The organization DNR; however, the vast majority of funding does not currently have enough space for comes from donations made by private a flight enclosure where the birds can fly citizens and foundations. The organization freely while still being contained. To ensure is raising funds for future plans to move to a the birds get plenty of exercise, volunteers 35-acre farm in the Cheat Lake area where fly them on a creance, which works like a there will be enough room to build a flight leash for the bird and allows it to fly a short distance. Pre-veterinarian students volunteer barn and an educational center for more onsite programs. by shadowing Jesse, a veterinarian at Cheat Another effort in the works is a Lake Animal Hospital who conducts most birdwatching club for children. The goal is of the surgeries on the birds. Others help to host birdwatching walks and an annual out by raising money for the organization. conference for children to “share their “It feels good to give back and conserve the experiences with others about birdwatching ecosystem,” says Ashton Fox, a volunteer and have kids come and hear what they can who plans to become a veterinarian.

Volunteers spend a lot of time conducting do with their love for birds,” Katie says.

The club could also bring more tourism to research projects and are “always looking the state by “advertising to people that we for more projects we can do to get citizens have the best birds.” accawv.org interested in conserving birds,” Katie says.

The American Kestrel Nest Box Project is an ongoing program. American kestrels written by KRISTEN UPPERCUE are the smallest and most common falcons photographed by MARY WADE BURNSIDE

programmable light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs—is embedded in the walkway. The glass river follows the curvature of the river from its source, just outside Fairmont, represented by the fountain. It then snakes and winds its way to the end of the plaza, where the state line—and Mason-Dixon line—is represented by a series of pavers.

The fountain had been in place in front of the courthouse for decades until a modernization effort in the 1960s.

However there was a hitch: No one knew what had become of the fountain, A designer jogs into the longand the fear was that it had been hidden forgotten fountain he had away for good, or maybe even destroyed. been seeking for the Mon Buying a modern, ready-made fountain County Courthouse plaza didn’t seem like the right fit for a project that’s so focused on local history, Cole says. makeover.

But with only a few poor-quality, blackand-white photos showing the fountain’s ➼ FOR PHIL COLE , a recent Sunday afternoon jog came with an added benefit: general shape and size, he’d had no luck finding a company to create a replica. And He spotted a long-missing bit of county even if a firm could recreate the fountain, history—the drinking fountain original the work wouldn’t come cheap. Estimates to the Monongalia County Courthouse were in the $50,000 range, a hefty sum square that’s at the center of the major for the $2 million project. “We’d have a makeover that began in May. “We’d been banging our heads against meeting and talk about what to do and the wall about this fountain,” says Cole, a then we’d have to push it off to do more WallacePancher Group landscape designer research,” Cole says. “And then, at the next meeting, we’d still be at a standstill. It was who’d been working for months on the unbelievably frustrating. I’d just called a courtyard design with architects from foundry in Alabama and they said, ‘With Mills Group and county leaders. these photos, we can’t do it.’ I didn’t know In the design for the transformed what we were going to do.” courtyard, a glass outline of the And then on a warm March weekend, Monongahela River—illuminated by FOLLOWTHIS

A Run of Good Luck

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Cole and his wife, Kellie Cole, a Mills Group architect, headed off for a run in Westover City Park, a place they hadn’t ever visited during their four years in West Virginia. The park was once home to the county fairgrounds and the Coles, regular running partners for more than a decade, were chatting about the interesting building remnants around them when a small, dilapidated pavilion came into view.

Kellie Cole remembers that her husband literally stopped in his tracks. “He said, ‘Kell, look!” and I said: ‘Is that what I think it is?’” Phil Cole instantly recognized the elusive courtyard fountain. “That fountain had been burned in my brain,” he says.

The Monongalia County Commission coordinated with Westover to return the fountain, which designers believe can be retrofitted to make it a flowing water feature that will provide a trickling sound.

Getting to place the original fountain in the rehabbed courthouse plaza means a lot to architect Michael Mills, the founding principal of Mills Group and an expert in historic preservation. “We thought the fountain was such an important element to the entire project,” says Mills, who grew up in Bethel, Vermont, where he says he discovered an appreciation for both architecture and history. “We wanted to have the sound of water and we wanted to find ways to show how significant water has been to the county over the years. The

MICHAEL MILLS, MARY WADE BURNSIDE

THIS MATTERS

THIS MATTERS CHECKTHISOUT

Avoiding Traffic

Renew your driver’s license in a jif while getting lunch at the Star City Sheetz, with the DMV Now kiosk. ➼ YOU’RE GOING TO SHEETZ

Mon River’s been a major factor in the progress here.”

Dr. Ed Hawkins, president of the Monongalia County Commission and the Monongalia Historical Society, says he’s excited that the plaza is getting attention a half-century after its last major update. He’s also thrilled the project, due to be completed in mid-December, will make the building fully compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements via a ramp that will be integrated into the front entrance. And he’s looking forward to an end to the question he’s heard all too regularly in 40 years of working downtown. “So many people ask, ‘Where’s the courthouse?’”

When the project is finished later this year, the Romanesquestyle Monongalia County Courthouse will be difficult to miss.

Starting with a county seal and flag poles creating an inviting gateway from the street, the public will be welcomed into the courthouse that dates to 1891.

Visitors to the plaza will be drawn into the story of the county, Hawkins says, which will also be told through a timeline of key dates and by relocating existing memorial plaques to be displayed at eye level. In May, the project started with the removal of blighted ash trees, which will be replaced with a combination of shade and flowering trees. “Having the fountain, the tree plantings, all the plaques and memorials at eye level and easy to read, the spectacular lighting, the timeline of key dates in the county’s history—this is going to be a place where people will want to come.”

Phil Cole envisions the finished courtyard as a true destination for local residents and out-of-town visitors alike. “It’s our goal to create a really nice space where people will get a sense of our history and our geography. I can’t wait for it to all come together.”

to gas up the car and you notice that your driver’s license has expired. Or you only have 30 minutes for lunch, and you want to grab a sandwich and update your car’s tags. You’re in luck.

The Star City Sheetz is one of four locations in the state to house a DMV Now kiosk, a machine that allows you to perform those tasks at your convenience. “Our main goal is to make sure you’re taken care of in a timely fashion and to make the DMV business process better for everyone,” says Natalie Holcomb, West Virginia DMV public information specialist. In addition to the Star City Sheetz, drivers can opt for DMV Now renewal at three other locations across the state—Barboursville, Beckley, and Kanawha City in Charleston near the DMV state headquarters.

The kiosks were first unveiled by former Governor Earl Ray Tomblin at the 2016 State Fair of West Virginia; the one in Star City opened in early February. The machines are accessible during normal business hours of each location—which means 24/7 for the one at Sheetz. The kiosk is used regularly every evening during the week, says Chuck Pillar, manager of the Star City Sheetz. With flexible hours and an easy process, the kiosks are becoming popular: A total of 200 transactions were processed at the Star City location by mid-May. The license renewal process is simple. Drivers need their current or recently expired licenses and the personal identification numbers (PIN) found on the renewal forms that they receive in the mail. Following the instructions on the kiosks, drivers scan their licenses and enter PINs to confirm their identities. Next, drivers answer routine renewal questions, like whether they need glasses, and then pay the renewal fee with credit or debit cards. The DMV Now vendor prints receipts that serve as the licenses until the real ones come in the mail in one to two weeks. The kiosk uses the most recent license photo for the ID; drivers have to go into the DMV for their next renewal to update the photo.

Aside from offering drivers convenience, the DMV Now kiosks help to reduce lines and wait times at DMV regional offices. “We encourage customers to use the online and kiosk renewal option because it makes it so much easier, and you can do it 24/7,” Holcomb says. The DMV Now kiosks put drivers in the fast lane when it comes to simple renewals; some DMV tasks also can be done online. dmv.wv.gov

written by christine snyder

written by ANNA N. SAAB

COURTESY OF MILLS GROUP

To see Mills Group’s virtual tour of the project (above), go to vimeo.com and search for “Monongalia County Courthouse Masterplan”

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HEARTHIS

Roots Run Deep In its second year, the Deep Roots Mountain Revival is all about the music.

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➼ IT’S NO SECRET there were problems with the music festival that formerly occupied Marvin’s Mountaintop in Masontown. The crowds were huge, but not always in a fun way. Traffic jams caused headaches for locals. Rowdy festival-goers kept police busy.

But the root of all those problems, at least in C.J. Ryan’s estimation, was that the festival lost focus. It became more about partying than it was about music. So when Ryan launched his own event—the Deep Roots Mountain Revival—at Marvin’s Mountaintop last year, he resolved not to make the same mistake. “We’re a familyfriendly event you can bring your kids to,” he says. “It keeps the focus on the music and things that are positive.”

Ryan has been a passionate music fan for years. He started going to concerts as a young man, but his love for live music

really took off when he discovered the festival circuit, hitting up events like the Jerry Garcia Birthday Bash and the Recipe Family Cookout in Terra Alta, Bonnaroo Music + Arts Festival in Tennessee, and the early years of All Good in Masontown.

He liked being able to see dozens of bands on the same bill and the experience of camping out on the festival grounds. “For some people it’s a lifestyle, not just a scene.

And apparently I’m one of them now,” he says with a laugh.

It wasn’t long before being an audience member wasn’t enough for Ryan. He started holding mini-festivals in his backyard—he built a stage, booked bands from surrounding states, and invited friends to camp out for the weekend. Then he and his sister bought P.J. Kelly’s in Clarksburg. “I didn’t get into it to be in the bar business. I got into it to be in the music

KID IN THE BACKGROUND, INC.

THIS MATTERS

Jakobs Ferry Stragglers played last year’s inaugural Deep Roots Mountain Revival.

business,” he says. Ryan hosted live music four or five days a week, often booking well-known touring bands like Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, Yarn, and The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band.

They sold the bar after a few years, but the experience gave Ryan a lot of contacts and fueled his passion for live music. He wanted to do something bigger. So, in January 2016, he decided to go after his longtime dream of running an honestto-goodness music festival. And he gave himself nine months to do it. “It was either ambitious or stupid,” he says.

Ryan figured it was the right time, both personally and professionally. In the previous few years he’d gotten married, had two kids, built a house and moved into it, and sold two companies. He was ready for the Next Big Thing. Plus, it had been five years since All Good left Masontown,

so Ryan figured locals wouldn’t associate his new festival with the one that had caused so much bad blood.

He began booking bands. “We were trying to do this blend of bluegrass and traditional country,” Ryan says. “We felt it was a void out there in the music festival scene.” In 2016, he wound up with an impressive lineup for a firsttime festival, including newgrass bands like Greensky Bluegrass and Leftover Salmon, neo-traditional country acts like Shooter Jennings and Jamey Johnson, and renowned country/bluegrass figures including David Grisman, Ricky Skaggs, and Marty Stuart.

The lineup for 2017’s festival, scheduled for July 20–22, is just as impressive, with appearances by mandolin master Sam Bush, Americana songstress Brandi Carlile, the genre-

THIS MATTERS

bending Yonder Mountain String Band, Grammy-winning bluegrass band The Steeldrivers, and indie rock weirdos Dr. Dog, to name a few. And just like last year, 2017’s bill also includes lots of West Virginia artists. “That was extremely important for me,” Ryan says. “Any of the big festivals that were out there, that was never their priority. West Virginia bands had to beg to get into a festival like that. We wanted to make sure we were representing our state.”

Ryan tapped bands to represent all areas of the state, including The Woodshedders of Shepherdstown, Matt Mullins & The Bringdowns from Beckley, Qiet from Charleston, the Poor Taters from Princeton, and East Kentucky’s Tyler Childers, adopted son of Huntington’s music scene. “We’re not just throwing them on there because they’re from West Virginia. We’re throwing them on there because they’re talented musicians from West Virginia,” Ryan says.

He wants to build out the West Virginia connection in other ways, too. This year’s festival will feature workshops on traditional Appalachian music, including clawhammer banjo and flatpicking guitar.

There will be an old-timey jam session, so amateur musicians can be part of the entertainment, and possibly a big square dance, too. Ryan is also bringing in 10 West Virginia-based visual artists to set up displays and provide workshops.

Local food vendors will be on hand to feed hungry music fans, and Jo’s Globe Distributing of Morgantown and Thomas’ Mountain State Brewing Co. will provide craft brews. And unlike other events where children’s activities are an afterthought, Ryan’s wife, Bri, has put together a list that might make adult attendees jealous, including yoga, instrument making, nature hikes, and inflatables.

But, true to Ryan’s original plans, Deep Roots’ focus is still mainly on the music. He’s looking forward to hearing headliners Carlile and Bush, but he’s also excited to showcase up-and-coming acts like JJ Grey & Mofro and White Denim. “My favorite thing about going to a festival is when I discover a new band that really gets me excited.” He’s happy to provide that opportunity to his fellow fans. mountainrevival.com written by ZACK HAROLD MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

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THIS MATTERS THISMATTERS TO

Holly Purpura ➼ WHEELING NATIVE HOLLY PURPURA enjoys kayaking. And even though the

flatwater enthusiast has not worked her way up to riding the rapids of Deckers Creek, she devotes a great deal of her time to the stream as the executive director of the Friends of Deckers Creek (FODC) for the past two years. Purpura oversees programs the 22-year-old organization implements to keep acid mine drainage and garbage out of the waterway, which forms in the Arthurdale area of Preston County and flows for 64 miles to empty into the Monongahela River at Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park. “We work with the state Department of Environmental Protection to clean the watershed,” she says. The group’s handiwork can be seen in some unexpected places: Check out the underpass mural near the riverfront park and the creekside garden and park behind the Sabraton Kroger.

interviewed by MARY WADE BURNSIDE | photographed by CARLA WITT FORD

On the creation of the FODC in 1995 It was formed by a group of outdoor enthusiasts who saw the asset Deckers Creek was, but how abused it was. There was illegal dumping and acid mine drainage and other pollutants—such as sewage systems being illegally dumped into the creek.

On the last Deckers Creek cleanup We cleaned up an illegal dump a year ago in April.

We pulled out 10,500 pounds of trash and 150 tires. We worked with the Morgantown Utility Board (MUB) and the Mon County Solid Waste Authority to remove couches, TVs, tires. We had to bring out a boom truck—MUB did—with a pulley system, to bring everything up from a ravine.

On stocking Deckers Creek with trout We just reintroduced brook trout to the creek, which is a native trout. We’re stocking brown trout for the seventh season. We work with the local chapter of Trout Unlimited, another non-profit organization, that works to promote fishing, restore water quality, and improve fish habitats.

On where FODC gets the trout to stock the stream The brook trout were provided by Trout Unlimited and grown in a classroom setup from eggs by kids in the community, in a 55-gallon tank that Trout Unlimited provides. Teachers and students raise the eggs during the school year and we stock in May. The fish are 3 inches long. The first ones were grown by kids last year at Skyview Elementary. The ones we stocked in May were grown by them and Morgantown Learning Academy. It’s a really valuable learning experience.

On what you can do to help One good way is with the (newly revived) Citizen Scientist program. It’s a great way to learn about the watershed. We recruit individuals throughout the community in Mon and Preston counties to help us with water monitoring and keep an eye on the creek. We provide a toolbox and they take monthly measurements of water quality in Deckers Creek. We also hold rain barrel workshops—you connect a rain barrel to the downspout on your house to collect water to reduce stormwater runoff. You can use the water to water plants, wash your car. The workshops provide a way for us to spread the word that directly dumping chemicals, pet wastes, paints, cleaners, and other liquids into storm drains can contribute to the pollution of our waterways.

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THIS MATTERS SHOPTHIS

Progressive Purchasing From baby clothes to bowls and from chocolate to jewelry, River Fair Trade has something for just about everyone. ➼ STRINGS OF COLORFUL FABRIC birds hang in one corner of River Fair Trade on High Street. Customers who look through the large variety of items for sale learn more about the artisans than they might at another store.

In this instance, crafters who create the Bird Bell Totas believe that, if you hang them by a door or window, they will bring good luck into your home.

This is just one of many stories customers can pick up at River Fair Trade, which opened last September.

Here’s another: If you buy one of the cute, colorful, recycled rice bags decorated with graphics and text, you’re helping to provide health care, education, and income to some of the neediest people in Nepal.

Owner Shannon Dowling thought it was a niche that needed to be filled in Morgantown, and she purposely stocked the shop with bright items. “I felt it brings a little bit of happiness into the store when customers walk in,” she says. She follows the rules of the Fair Trade Federation, an approach to business that seeks to ensure fair wages and other benefits to artisans. “People get what they deserve for making the beautiful products we have,” Dowling says.

Dresses, $67 & $68 These Mata Traders dresses are among the most popular items at River Fair Trade.

They are handmade in India out of fabric that is 95 percent cotton.

River Fair Trade, 316 High Street, 304.413.0098 riverfairtrade.com written by MARY WADE BURNSIDE photographed by CARLA WITT FORD

Chocolate, $3.99 These Ghana-made bars by Divine come in several yummy flavors, including milk chocolate with toffee and sea salt and dark chocolate with pink Himalayan salt.

Baby set, $28, $18, $12 | Toy giraffe, $21 Baby clothes don’t always have to match the plushies, but it’s fun when they do. The giraffe and the dress, hat, and pants come from Zen|Zen Garden Home in Bali, Indonesia, using upcycled workshop scrap.

Tote bag, $16

Coffee, $13.99 This organic Peruvian coffee comes from Level Ground Trading, whose motto is, “We shake the hands that farm the land.�

This turquoise Metallic Block Print Shop with gold designs was made in India by Matr Boomie, a collective that pairs modern design with traditional art forms.

Zip bag, $35 The Hemp Slant Zip Bag is made by Hempmania, a company with a goal of providing products using eco-friendly materials.

Satchel, $36 This cute bag used to be a sack that held rice. It comes from Himalayan Healthcare, a non-profit organization that provides programs in Nepal.

Bath soap, $6.50 There is also a balt salts version of this Maroma lemongrass soap.

Made in India.

ADVERTISE

WITH US!

CALL 304.413.0104 OR EMAIL info@newsouthmediainc.com FOR MORE INFORMATION

Candle, $11 This jasmine candle, made by Maroma in India, will fill your home with the sweetest of scents as well as brighten up a room.

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LOVETHIS

A Respite Reclaimed With the opening of WVU’s Falling Run Greenspace, a small army of volunteers has returned a near-downtown oasis to us all. ➼ A HUNDRED YEARS AGO, Falling Run fell in a series of charming, rocky cascades. It flowed from what we now know as the WVU Organic Research Farm through the steep ravine between Willey Street and the downtown campus to its south and Stewart Street to its north. Old photos show students and faculty relaxing by waterfalls there. It must have been a big loss in the ’20s when the lowest section of the stream was culverted under the first Mountaineer Field—where the Life Sciences building stands today.

Now we have Falling Run back.

It’s been there all along, of course— at least, the part that wasn’t buried. It was privately owned and too steep to develop. The owner left it to grow wild.

But in 2012, WVU acquired the valley as part of a settlement: an overlooked 94 acres of green space practically downtown. To make best use of the property, administrators invited Vaike Haas, assistant professor of landscape architecture, to spearhead a project. Haas developed a master plan. She involved a succession of landscape architecture classes in identifying vegetation, developing restoration strategies, and 30

MORGANTOWN • JUNE/JULY 2017

aligning, grading, and setting out pin flags to mark proposed trail routes.

Then, in August 2016, Welcome Week activities included for the first time a service component for all freshmen. The enthusiastic flow of volunteers to trailbuilding at Falling Run took on momentum that pulled in more students, faculty, and staff through the academic year.

In April, WVU unveiled the freshly trailed green space to the public. “As of today, 943 students have devoted 2,800 hours to building 14 trails,” Vice President for Administration and Finance Narvel Weese raved at the ribbon cutting. About 200 crew leaders had volunteered almost 900 hours through the fall and spring semesters. “This is a grand total of 3,682 volunteer hours to flag lines, cut brush, construct and groom trails, build steps, and forge streams.”

Unvisited for so many decades, the Falling Run ravine is pretty undisturbed.

“There were a few old homesteads in there that have mostly been taken out, and there was a lot of greenbrier that had to be hacked through,” says Julie Robison, senior advisor to Weese, who contributes a background in urban planning and a university

administration presence to the project.

“But it has just tremendous tree cover, and there’s a real variation in elevation. It’s probably one of the largest undeveloped parcels in downtown Morgantown—just very natural, very pristine.”

A trail map online shows almost five miles of trails planned, with about half of that built so far. The trails are a little rough in some places, at this early stage—some of the drainage and stabilization is still getting established. But the high number of volunteer hours dedicated to the project has left its $100,000 budget untouched and available for bridges, gravel paving, and boardwalks and ramps to make the primary trails accessible to all.

For a quick first experience of the Falling Run Greenspace, Robison recommends parking at the end of Outlook Street off College Avenue—still marked “No Parking,” a reflection of how volunteer enthusiasm got the trails developed before the infrastructure around them was ready, she says. But it's safe to park there while the university and the city work out trailhead development.

A few minutes’ walk up the blue trail will take you to a promontory with a great view. Or head down the yellow trail to Falling Run and relax by the cascades our predecessors enjoyed. fallingrungreenspace.wvu.edu “Falling Run Trail Project” on Facebook written by pam kasey

COURTESY OF THE WEST VIRGINIA & REGIONAL HISTORY CENTER; PAM KASEY

THIS MATTERS

OUTDOORS

STARTING OUT Explore nearly five miles of wooded trails at White Park by foot or bike.

Morgantown as Gym Take advantage of the warm weather and get your exercise out in the open, with equipment provided by the city—and Mother Nature.

W

ith 48 miles of rail-trail—easily accessible for activities ranging from walking and running to biking and rollerblading— as well as numerous parks and plenty of hills, Morgantown offers an assortment of opportunities for physical activity.

And as summer’s arrival brings sunny days and warmer temperatures, it’s a great time to get outside for exercise.

Megan Whritenour, a personal trainer at Pro Performance, says it is recommended that adults get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise. We’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite places in the community—sorted by fitness level—to reach your fitness goals. So get outside and soak up some vitamin D while working up a sweat—and don’t forget your sunscreen.

written by KAYLYN CHRISTOPHER | photographed by CARLY SUPLITA

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MORGANTOWN • JUNE/JULY 2017

For some cardio and a dose of serenity, take a trip to the nearly five miles of trails along the water at the Cheat Lake Trail. Alternate walking for one minute and running for one minute for anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes total, depending on skill level.

Exercise your mind while improving your physical strength and flexibility with some yoga among the trees of the WVU Core Arboretum’s Guthrie Loop, which is directly accessible from the parking area near the Coliseum. Try beginning in child’s pose, move to downward facing dog, step halfway toward your hands before slowly standing, then fold back down halfway and step back to high plank. Finish the sequence by flowing through to upward facing dog pose and finally lifting the hips high back to downward facing dog. This series of poses is known as Sun Salutation A.

MEGAN’S TIPS

WORK ON FLEXIBILITY “We often neglect working on our body’s flexibility and also the ability to be still with the mind; incorporating a yoga flow can help. A daily yoga sequence lasting 15 to 20 minutes can significantly boost our mood and flexibility.”

OUTDOORS

PUMP IT UP

Head over to the gravel loop surrounding the WVU Student Rec Center fields in Evansdale. Whritenour suggests breaking up the monotony of simply running laps by incorporating some aerobic exercises. Run the straightaways, and then, at each of the four corners, add in your choice of the following: 30 jumping jacks, 30 high knees, or 30 squat jumps. Continue for as many laps as you can.

The West Virginia Botanic Garden’s Reservoir Loop Trail, which is nearly three-quarters of a mile long, is another great location to complete this workout.

Take a three-mile round-trip hike out to Ravens Rock at Coopers Rock State Forest. Don’t forget to pause at the overlook to enjoy the scenic views of the Cheat River Canyon.

1

Five Morgantown Hills That Will Test Your Endurance

WVU Core Arboretum For those who want to be immersed in natural beauty while they sweat, look no further than the Arb. Starting from the base of the hill along the Caperton River Trail, walk, jog, or run up the winding path until you reach the Guthrie Loop, or take the even steeper service road to the top for an added challenge.

2

Oakland Street Located directly behind the Towers residence halls in Evansdale, Oakland Street is a long, gradual, winding hill that will put your aerobic capacity to the test. As you crest the top of the hill, you’ll pass Blaney House, home to WVU President E. Gordon Gee, and ultimately be rewarded with a spectacular view of downtown Morgantown.

3

Law School Hill If you’re looking for a serious challenge, try running anywhere from four to six repeats, walking down to the base of the hill for recovery after each climb.

4

Eighth Street Across from the Seneca Center along Beechurst Avenue, this steep incline sometimes gives even cars a run for their money.

Whether you’re walking, running, or biking, your lungs and your legs are sure to feel the burn once you’ve reached the top.

5

Falling Run Road Both steep and long, this hill is not for the faint of heart. It begins near WVU’s downtown campus, and you will get a brief sighting of university life before you begin your uphill journey.

MEGAN’S TIPS

STRETCH

“For those who suffer from chronic muscle tightness, a proper warmup and stretch before your workout is advantageous to your exercise prescription.

And spending five to 10 minutes stretching after working out aids in quicker muscle recovery and can help eliminate excessive muscle soreness.”

TO THE MAX

Rent a bike from Wamsley’s Cycles at the Seneca Center and ride south along the rail-trail toward Prickett’s Fort State Park in Fairmont. Take a break at the park to enjoy a picnic lunch before making the trek back to Morgantown.

MEGAN’S TIPS

HYDRATE

“The loss of water and salt while working out increases as the temperature rises.

Drinking enough fluids, mostly water, before, during, and after exercise can prevent heatrelated illness.”

For a mixture of aerobic training and bodyweight exercises, make your way to the rail-trail access point at Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park. Start by running or jogging for a few minutes until you find a trail side bench where you will complete the following sequence of exercises: three sets of 15 push-ups and three sets of 15 bodyweight squats. Run back to your starting point, then repeat, this time doing three sets of 15 lunge jumps and three sets of 15 tricep dips on the bench. Repeat each sequence two to three times.

When renovations aren’t underway near the hospital and stadium and the WVU College of Law steps are open, they make for a great spot to get in a total body workout.

Try running up the steps and walking back down for recovery, repeating multiple times.

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The Mon River’s industrial past makes it more than just a pretty place to paddle.

written and photographed by Pam Kasey

o

ur Monongahela was the first river in the nation to be completely controlled for navigation. In its natural state, it was sometimes flooded and sometimes too shallow for boats. But as dams tamed the river from its mouth at Pittsburgh progressively southward through the 1800s, port towns grew and thrived on the banks of new, deep slackwater pools, all the way to the head of the river at Fairmont.

Today, commercial river traffic has slowed, and those towns have riverside lifestyles that are the envy of communities all around. Morgantown is among the envied. Its position on the Point Marion pool of the river—pools are named for the downstream dams that form them— puts boating, fishing, and lazy river-watching all at our doorstep.

But the river is also a great excuse for a road trip. So strap your canoe or kayak up top, heft your bike onto your bike rack, and toss the fishing rods in the back. And don’t forget the cooler—this is a trip along a formerly beaten path, with fewer shops and restaurants than some destinations but rich in recreation, scenery, and history.

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just across the border

A relaxed day trip gets us to two places on the next pool downriver, the Grays Landing pool. A good way to start a day trip is breakfast in Point Marion, just over the Pennsylvania border. Apple Annie’s (28 Church Street, 724.725.1300, on Facebook) —the founding location of the Morgantown bakery of the same name—is a perennial favorite, and the Riverside Diner (120 Penn Street, 724.725.9911, on Facebook) has a loyal following, too.

Given a ready supply of sand and transportation at its peninsula where the Cheat River flows into the Mon, Point Marion prospered in the early 1900s with at least four glass manufacturers. Today, the town and its rivers are calm. Put in the Mon at the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC) boat ramp adjacent to Point Marion Community Park (South Main Street). You can rent a kayak there from Mon River Recreation (724.320.8237, monriverrecreation.com). The public dock at the park is a good place to toss in a line—sauger, bass, walleye, muskie, and catfish are plentiful in the Mon. You might see a heron or a kingfisher, too.

You can also put into the Grays Landing pool by heading another 10 miles north to Greensboro. A glassmaking, pottery, and clay roofing tile center in the 19th century, quiet Greensboro shows little sign of that industry today. If you’re lucky, the eclectic Riverrun Books and Prints used bookstore (106 County Street, 724.943.4944) will be open. Launch your canoe or kayak at the Volunteer Fire Department on Front Street or at the bottom of County Street. Boats on trailers can put in at the PFBC Glassworks Boat Launch just north of town (342 Stoney Hill Road), which is also a good place to fish. This is also the eastern trailhead of the Warrior Trail that runs 67 miles west to the Ohio River, a path said to have 36

MORGANTOWN • JUNE/JULY 2017

Brownsville

Fredericktown maxwell lock and dam

Rices Landing Carmichaels

grays landing lock and dam

Greensboro

PA

point marion lock and dam

Point Marion

WV Morgantown

Start your Mon River trip in Point Marion— the Riverside Diner’s “Big Barge” serves up two of just about every breakfast favorite. Work it off on the Greensboro Walking & Biking Trail for some great river views. Tour the W.A. Young & Sons Foundry and Machine Shop in Rices Landing to see equipment dating to the 19th century. The Riverside Inn in Fredericktown reflects a grander past; today, the town’s butcher shop is the hot spot for fried chicken. Nemacolin Castle in Brownsville gives a window into the family history of a bank president in a booming industrial river town.

been used for 5,000 years by Native Americans and maintained for hikers today by local volunteers. For a shorter experience, bike or walk the 1.25-milelong Greensboro Walking & and Biking Trail between the bottom of County Street and Mon View Park (377 Stoney HIll Road, 724.943.3201).

A satisfying way to end the day is to head a few miles farther north to Carmichaels for take-out sandwiches from the Hungarian Smokehouse (543 North Eighty-Eight Road, 724.966.2200, hungariansmokehouse.com) or a sit-down dinner at Hartley Inn (102 South Market Street, 724.966.2813, hartleyinn.com), then take in a double feature at the SkyView Drive-In (595 South Eighty Eight Road, 724.966.2364, skyviewdriveinpa.com). If you don’t want to drive the 25 miles home to Morgantown afterward, book a room in advance at Captain’s Watch Inn in Greensboro (County Road at the river, 724.943.3131, thecaptainswatch.net).

more distant exploits

Traveling north along the Mon is like traveling back in time—each port town farther north was established earlier and shows more of its history today. A full weekend gives enough time to venture to downriver pools where the Monongahela is wider and the towns are older.

Head about 20 minutes north of Greensboro to Rices Landing, which thrived as a river port from the 1850s and later as a producer of coal and coke. Check out the W.A. Young & Sons Foundry and Machine Shop that, among other services, fashioned repairs for steamboats and operated through 1965 (116 Water Street; tours Sundays in summer, call 724.710.4898). If you’re biking, you can MORGANTOWNMAG.COM

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park at the 5.2-mile-long Greene River Trail trailhead off Main Street; if you’re bound for the Maxwell pool of the river, fishing licenses and bait are available at Ozie’s Sport Shop (1020 North Route 88, 724.592.5009), and there’s a boat ramp at Min Love Park (137 Main Street).

When you’ve pedaled or paddled up an appetite, no lunch in the area beats the locally famous fried chicken 10 minutes’ drive north at the Fredericktown Butcher Shop (334 Front Street, 724.377.0439, on Facebook). Drive your take-out to the pavilions on Water Street and Front Street in Fredericktown for comfortable riverside dining.

The northernmost stop on this river towns tour, Brownsville

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MORGANTOWN • JUNE/JULY 2017

was once the town Morgantown wanted to be: It beat out Morgantown as the Monongahela River crossing of the National Road that connected the Potomac River at Cumberland, Maryland with the Ohio River at Wheeling and beyond.

After the road opened in 1817, many travelers heading west switched at Brownsville to river transportation, making the town a boatbuilding hub and a trading post for everything from clothing to groceries to hardware, with a booming business for hotels and taverns, too. To see some of that history today, visit the Flatiron Building Heritage Visitor Center (69 Market Street, 724.785.9331) and, on a weekend afternoon, tour the 19th

plan your road trip before you go

If your canoe or kayak is not registered in another state, it needs a Pennsylvania registration or launch permit to use a Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission boat launch.

Buy a launch permit online at pa.wildlifelicense.com, $10 for the calendar year.

Fishing permits may be purchased and printed from pa.wildlifelicense.com, $26.90 and up for non-residents.

Be safe: Check the weather forecast, wear proper footwear, and take a personal flotation device for boating.

events JUNE 9–10

Rices Landing Riverfest Foundry tours, live music, food, and fireworks. At the riverfront, Rices Landing, Pennsylvania, rlvfd66.com AUGUST 11–13

National Pike Steam, Gas & Horse Association Show Antique machinery, virtual coal mine display, rope making, blacksmithing, food, and entertainment.

222 Spring Road, Brownsville, Pennsylvania; nationalpike.com SEPTEMBER 2

12th annual Art Blast on the Mon Arts and crafts, music, and food.

Ice Plant pavilion, Greensboro, Pennsylvania, natgreene.org

century Nemacolin Castle, built by the founding president of the Monongahela National Bank (Brashear and Front streets, 724.785.6882).

Brownsville lies on the Charleroi pool of the river, a little busier than the Grays Landing and Maxwell pools. Access here is from the Brownsville Riverside Wharf Park at the bottom of Banks Street. If you’re off the river and hungry before 2 p.m., check out the century-old diner Fiddle’s Restaurant (101 Water Street, 724.785.2020, on Facebook). Later, for a more elegant dinner, visit Twelve Oaks Restaurant & Tavern (815 Water Street, 724.785.3200, twelveoaksbrownsville.com),

housed in a 21-room 1906 mansion built by the son of local rye whiskey distiller Sam Thompson. To stay the night in this area, book ahead at Wilcov Bed & Breakfast in Brownsville (514 Market Street, 724.880.6528, wilcovbedandbreakfast.com) or, in Fredericktown, at Riverside Inn (Front Street, 724.377.2833) or the Riviera Restaurant Lounge Hotel (578 Front Street, 724.377.1480, on Facebook).

This is just a sample of the access points and things to do downriver. If you’re more ambitious, you can learn online how to lock through from one pool to the next—then you can paddle all of the Mon’s 130 miles of historic towns, from Fairmont to Pittsburgh.

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When summer begins to sizzle, it’s time to seek out the cool and refreshing.

Luckily, the Morgantown area is full of options —from splashing around in a serene swimming hole or riding the rapids on a frothy river to ice cream and drink choices galore.

Here are some of our favorite ways to beat the heat.

written by Mary Wade Burnside

BIG BEAR LAKE CAMPLANDS

It’s almost like camping in your backyard. Big Bear Lake Camplands, which offers mini-golf, live music, cabin rentals, and the coolness of Big Bear Lake, is a hop, skip, and a jump away outside Bruceton Mills. Property owners and campers can also take advantage of Bearfoot Springs Waterpark. bigbearwv.com

OPPOSITE PAGE: ELIZABETH FORD; COURTESY OF WISP RESORT; MARY WADE BURNSIDE; COURTESY OF MARION COUNTY CVB. THIS PAGE: COURTESY OF WISP RESORT; MARY WADE BURNSIDE; MICHAEL MILLS

PADDLE ON A LAKE

You can explore Cheat Lake via rented pontoon, canoe, kayak, waterskis, wakeboard, and tube.

Rentals available at Deep Creek Lake State Park include kayaks and pontoons. sunsetbeachmarina.com, wispresort. com/deep-creek-lakestate-park

TUTTO GELATO

Try a smooth and creamy cup of gelato from Tutto Gelato—and check out the seasonal s’mores flavor in July. Other flavors such as blood orange, lemon, pistachio, and the signature stracciatella will also do the trick. tuttogelato.com

FLOAT DOWN THE RIVER

Rent a pontoon boat from Wood’s Boat House in Fairmont and have a party on the Tygart Valley River. If lakes are more your style, pontoons are also available to rent at Tygart Lake State Park in Grafton and at Deep Creek Lake in Maryland. woodsboathouse.com, tygartlake.com

Try standing up on a paddleboard

Explore Cheat Lake or Deep Creek Lake on a stand-up paddleboard—you can rent one at Sunset Marina or at Deep Creek Lake State Park. sunsetbeach-marina.com, wispresort.com/deep-creek-lake-state-park

Cold local brews

Drink a flight of beers on the patio of Mountain State Brewing Co. right next to the rail-trail and the Monongahela River; or on the deck of the Morgantown Brewing Company.

Or go with seasonal options: the pale ale Devil’s Gulch at Mountain State Brewing Co. or the Jesco’s White IPA, Brookside Saison, or Bergsteiger Hefeweizen at Morgantown Brewing Company. mountainstatebrewing.com, morgantownbrewing.com

Fly-fishing

Looking for a great spot for fly-fishing? Garrett County, Maryland, gives anglers the opportunity to cast their lines in the Casselman and Savage rivers in the Grantsville area.

If you need equipment—or a guide—Maryland Mountain Fly Fishing can help.

304.303.0564

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KREPPS POOL

If you are a kid, splash around the children’s aquatic area at Krepps Pool. If you’re an adult, watch the kids play in the aquatic area from the comfort of a lounge chair. boparc.org

SCUBA DIVING CLASSES

Get sprayed with water while playing on the banks of the Monongahela River at the Splash Park at Palatine Park in Fairmont. mcparc.com

WV BOTANIC GARDEN

Hiking and bouldering in the shade Coopers Rock State Forest has a network of trails that will keep you shaded while you hike, from the Clay Furnace Trail to the Virgin Hemlock Trail. You also can go bouldering while you are there. coopersrockstateforest.com

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Epic ice cream treats

Get together with friends and share a nine-scoop banana split at The Poky Dot in Fairmont. Or try the iconic restaurant’s latest popular ice cream treat, milkshakes in a Mason jar—dipped in chocolate, no less.

The concoctions feature sprinkles on the rim and come in four regular flavors: cookies and cream, doughnut, candy bar, and s’mores. thepokydot.com

Enjoy the shade— and the flowers, plants, and butterflies—while walking through the West Virginia Botanic Garden. wvbg.org

CROSS BLADING

It’s like cross country skiing but on roller blades, with a cool breeze blowing through your hair.

Make this the summer you try cross blading on the rail-trail.

COURTESY OF MARION COUNTY CVB; NIKKI BOWMAN; CARLA WITT FORD; NIKKI BOWMAN; CARLA WITT FORD

Splash by a river

Scuba diving classes start up in June through My Dive Shop in Westover. Students begin in a pool and graduate to exploring the depths of Summersville Lake. You can be certified in two weekends. mydiveshopwv.com

Cool jumping

You might work up a sweat jumping up and down or even taking a workout class at Launch Pad Trampoline Park, but it will be a good sweat with air conditioning to cool you down. launchpadtrampolinepark.com

Ride the rapids course Taste a nine-swirl architectural feat

CARLY SUPLITA; NIKKI BOWMAN; COURTESY OF WISP RESORT

Drive down the interstate and enjoy a nine-swirl black raspberry ice cream cone— or chocolate or vanilla, or order from the extensive menu of custom treats—at Dairy Creme Corner in Fairmont.

SUP YOGA

Take stand-up paddleboard to a new level with yoga classes on top of paddleboards. If your tree pose is wobbly, you’ll just fall into the water.

At Suncrest Yoga, you can schedule your own SUP yoga class on Cheat Lake for up to six people. suncrestyoga.com

SPARK!

Put your engineering skills to work and test the air conditioning at Spark!

Imagination and Science Center, as you learn about science through interactive displays and events. sparkwv.org

You don’t have to be an expert whitewater rafter to navigate tough rapids. The Adventure Sports Center International, at the top of Wisp Mountain, helps novices gain skill and find their way through the whitewater on a controlled course. adventuresportscenter.com

MOUNTAIN GETAWAY

You don’t have to go very far for a weekend retreat in the mountains, complete with a serene lake and boat rentals. Alpine Lake Resort in Terra Alta is just an hour away. alpinelake.com

JET SKI

Two words: Jet ski. It’s a popular sight on the Tygart Valley River in Fairmont. If you don’t have your own, the Aquatic Center in McHenry, Maryland, rents them to ride on Deep Creek Lake. aquatic-center.com

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COOL EATS

Check out Heston Farm Winery’s new restaurant, the Mason Jar Grill, from inside the cool airconditioned establishment or, on a breezy evening, out in the courtyard. hestonfarm.com

COOL JAZZY SOUNDS

The Summer Jazz Stroll in Clarksburg is free and takes place at several venues in downtown Clarksburg on June 16. Jazz is always cool—especially with Reggie Watkins & the Cool Cats playing. wvjazzsociety.com

SWIM & SLIDE

Coast down a mountain

It’s not just for skiing anymore. Wisp Resort’s mountains see action during the summer, too. Try out the Mountain Coaster that whooshes you down Marsh Mountain. You can also admire the view of Deep Creek Lake from the vantage of a chairlift. wispresort.com

Slip down the twisty slide into the cool waters of Marilla Pool, which features two slides and a zerograde entry. boparc.org

So many ways to motor or paddle around Deep Creek Lake in Maryland await, from pontoons and canoes to kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and tubes. It’s only an hour away. wispresort.com/deep-creek-lake-state-park

Margaritaville EXPLORE BRUCETON MILLS LAKE

Just a half hour away, Bruceton Mills Lake offers many of the same water amenities to rent—canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards. padlz.com 44

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Pitchers of frozen margaritas at Los Mariachis—or the Mexican restaurant of your choice. Mountain State Brewing Co. also has a flight of three margaritas—choose from flavors of traditional lime, jalapeño-lime, berry, caramel apple, hibiscus peach, strawberry, and jalapeño-strawberry. mountainstatebrewing.com

COURTESY OF WISP RESORT; MARY WADE BURNSIDE; CARLA WITT FORD; COURTESY OF WISP RESORT

EXPLORE DEEP CREEK LAKE

DRIVE-IN MOVIES

Check out the Sunset Drive-In in Shinnston and the Skyview Drive-In Theater in Carmichaels, Pennsylvania. The summer’s biggest blockbusters always have a special vibe when you watch them outdoors. sunsetdriveinmovies.com, skyviewdriveinpa.com

LEARN TO SWIM

Don’t know how to swim? The folks at the Shack Neighborhood House have got you covered, with swimming lessons for all abilities throughout the summer. the-shack.org

Feel the wind in your face COURTESY OF ADVENTURE WV; PAM KASEY; MARY WADE BURNSIDE; AMBERLEE CHRISTEY PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY OF CHEAT RIVER OUTFITTERS

Zipline through the woods during a WVU Canopy Tour at Adventure WV in Coopers Rock State Forest. adventurechallenge.wvu.edu

RAFTING ON THE CHEAT There’s no better way to explore the Cheat River Canyon than on a raft. You can do that through midJune and also during the summer if there’s enough rain to keep the waters rushing over the rapids. cheatriveroutfitters.com

DRINKS ON THE DECK

THE OLD SWIMMING HOLE

There’s nothing like an old-fashioned swimming hole—and two of the area’s best-known are Wonder Falls at Big Sandy Creek and Blue Hole in Jenkinsburg, both in Preston County.

Enjoy frosty margaritas or piña coladas under an umbrella on the deck at Crab Shack Caribba or a freshly made mint-filled mojito at The Lakehouse on the Cheat, with a prime view of boats on Cheat Lake. crabshackcaribba.com, lakehousewv.com.

DISCOVERY CENTER

The 6,000-square-foot Discovery Center at Deep Creek Lake State Park teaches visitors about the flora, fauna, and wildlife and the cultural and historical heritage of the area. discoverycenterdcl.com

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GO CAVING

After a short 45-minute drive, you could be exploring the cool, dark cave at Laurel Caverns Park in Hopwood, Pennsylvania, the state’s largest cave with three miles of passages. laurelcaverns.com

NEMACOLIN WOODLANDS RESORT

Luxurious pools as well as an Adventure Center with ziplining, a canopy tour, and the Quickjump that allows you to safely free fall four stories—Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, Pennsylvania, has a lot of ways to cool you down, even if you sweat a little working up your nerve. nemacolin.com

SWINGS

There is nothing quite like the freedom you feel soaring back and forth on a swingset. Morgantown is lucky to have a park system chock-full of playgrounds where you can take your kids—or feel like one yourself. boparc.org

Play indoors or out

At Valley Worlds of Fun in Fairmont, indoor activities like bowling, tactical laser tag, and bumper cars will keep you in air-conditioned comfort, while the outdoor attractions such as bumper boats and the Valley Free Fall drop ride will provide a splashing and breezy good time. valleyworldsoffun.com

Wave pool

A hike by the falls

Speed down Cheat Lake

Tour Cheat Lake propelled by the power of a speedboat. Head toward Cheat Canyon to feel a big drop in temperature.

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Few local river views are as spectacular as the one of water rushing over the rapids at Valley Falls State Park in Fairmont. Shady hiking trails are nearby. valleyfallsstatepark.com

COURTESY OF MARION COUNTY CVB (3); ELIZABETH FORD

Sure, West Virginia is a landlocked state, but you can do some real surfing at the Wave Pool at East Marion Park in Fairmont. mcparc.com/ wave-pool.html

GREEN MACHINE

There’s nothing quite as refreshing as an apple-and-mintinfused Green Machine smoothie—and in the summer, you can enjoy it on the deck of Terra Cafe while watching the action on the railtrail and the Mon River. terracafewv.com

ELIZABETH FORD; COURTESY OF ZUL'S; CARLA WITT FORD; ELIZABETH FORD; CARLA WITT FORD

Kayak on the Mon

If you want to try watersports on the Monongahela River but you find yourself up a creek without a paddle, you can rent it—and other watersports equipment—affordably from the WVU Outdoor Rec Center: $12 a day for stand-up paddleboards, $13 a day for kayaks, and $15 a day for canoes. Other gear such as wetsuits can also be rented. adventurerecreation.wvu.edu

ZUL’S FROZEN LEMONADE

A tall cup of Zul’s frozen lemonade will cool you down for nine innings— or more—during an evening of West Virginia Black Bears baseball at the Monongalia County Ballpark. westvirginiablackbears. com, zulswv.com

BUBBLE TEA

If you haven’t tried bubble tea—with chewy tapioca balls—this summer is a great time to start. You can find it at Lavender Cafe, Green Tea Asian Fusion, and, of course, T.K.’s Fruit, Produce, and Bubble Tea.

Made in the shade

Does anything sound cooler than an ancient hemlock forest with 90-foot-tall trees that are 21 feet in circumference? Cathedral State Park, located on U.S. Route 50 in Preston County, is a mere 75-minute drive from Morgantown. cathedralstatepark.com

BIKE THE RAIL-TRAIL

SIP WINE

A ROUND OF DISC GOLF

IN-TOWN HIKING

Having trouble getting your bike down to the rail-trail?

Rent from Wamsley’s Cycles and zoom around the 19 miles of the Deckers Creek Trail and the 29 miles of the Caperton and Mon River Trails south to Prickett’s Fort State Park and north to the Pennsylvania line. wamsleycycles.com, montrails.org

Relax in the tasting room at Forks of Cheat Winery and check out the different varieties. The fruit wines— apple, blackberry, blueberry, peach, raspberry, and strawberry—are especially refreshing in the summer. wvwines.com

Heat rises, but not when you climb mountains. Dorsey’s Knob Park stands at an elevation of 1,398 feet— about 600 feet above the river. Play some disc golf on the lightly wooded, 18-hole course while you’re there. boparc.org/dorseys-knobpark.html

Not only is the WVU Core Arboretum shady, beautiful, and criss-crossed with trails to explore, but it’s also conveniently located in town, next door to the Coliseum and across from the WVU Creative Arts Center. arboretum.wvu.edu

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NEW

Morgantown has a heaping helping of new eateries that will tickle your taste buds, offer some home-cooking comfort, and maybe introduce you to your new favorite dish.

NIKKI BOWMAN

written by Mary Wade Burnside

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GREEN TEA ASIAN FUSION RESTAURANT FOOD You can get a variety of Asian foods in one location—Thai, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese, including noodles, sushi, stir-fry, and lunch and dinner boxes.

OPENED March 15, 2017

CARLA WITT FORD

ORIGIN OF NAME A nod to the different types of food served as well as one of the flavors of bubble tea on the menu.

POPULAR DISHES Crunchy Unicorn Roll, featuring shrimp tempura, avocado, and cream cheese topped with spicy crabmeat and crunch flakes; the similar Butterfly Roll, with shrimp tempura, avocado, spicy tuna, and crunch tobiko; and Dry Hot Pot, with chicken, beef, or shrimp plus vegetables, tagged with two chilis for “Hot & Spicy.”

MENU Extensive, ranging across appetizers, soups, salads, noodles, and entrees by country. You and your friends can get pho, pad Thai, sushi, hibachi, and General Tso’s Tofu all in one place. BBQ Squid, anyone? And don’t forget dessert—choices range from fried cheesecake and fried banana ice cream to tempura ice cream and the customer favorite, mochi Japanese ice cream covered in rice cake to make it crunchy.

ALCOHOL A selection of beers, including the Japanese Sapporo and the Chinese Tsingtao, as well as wine and sake.

VIBE Small and contemporary—owners Emily Cai and Qiaowu Chen want to provide great food options both to students and their neighbors in the Suncrest area.

UNIQUE FEATURE The extensive menu, which also includes nine flavors of bubble tea—tea with tapioca balls—including mango, Thai, taro, coconut, green tea and chocolate. Diners can also order comforting ginger honey tea with goji berries. Sushi is also a work of art, not only in the slices of fish but in the presentation that can include cucumbers and pickled ginger slices blooming into flowers and wasabi sauce designs on the plate.

HOURS 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Monday– Thursday, 11 a.m.–10:30 p.m. Friday– Saturday, noon–10 p.m. Sunday 511 Burroughs Place, Suite 106 304.381.2140 or 304.381.2403 greenteaasianfusionmorgantown.com

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PHO HUNG VIETNAMESE CUISINE FOOD It’s right there in the name—pho, pronounced “fuh.” It’s a Vietnamese noodle soup that can feature a protein such as chicken or beef. Then there are traditional garnishes served with pho that the diner adds in—bean sprouts, jalapeño, lime, thai basil, and, often, sriracha sauce.

OPENED April 22, 2017 ORIGIN OF NAME Named after owner Hung Hoang and the primary dish on the menu.

POPULAR DISHES Pho, of course. The wildly popular dish—a second pho restaurant opened in late May in Suncrest—has a loyal following. And it’s OK to slurp the broth after you’ve eaten the noodles, vegetables, and protein. Vermicelli, or rice noodles, with the diner’s choice of grilled pork, chicken, or shrimp, is also a frequently ordered item.

MENU The house specialty, Pho Hung, is packed with meat—rare steak, beef, meatballs, tendon, and welldone flank steak. There’s also Pho Bo Vien, or meatball noodle soup; Pho Bo Chin, or eye of round steak noodle soup; and Pho Bo Tai, which is well-done brisket noodle soup. On the lighter side, there is Pho Tom, with shrimp, and Pho Ga, or chicken noodle. Non-pho offerings also include chicken or beef satay, lemongrass soup, bun—or pork and noodles—and spring rolls wrapped in rice paper served with peanut sauce. Hoang plans eventually to offer the popular Vietnamese sandwich, banh mi.

ALCOHOL Hoang is working on obtaining a liquor license. In the meantime, diners can enjoy the specialty Vietnamese iced coffee with their pho, or select from other options that include oolong or jasmine green tea, Thai iced tea, soy milk, and coconut juice, and, of course, water and soda.

UNIQUE FEATURE The traditional Vietnamese cuisine. A native of Saigon, Hoang based his recipes on those made by his mother.

HOURS 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Monday–Thursday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Friday–Saturday, noon–8 p.m. Sunday 21 Commerce Drive, Westover, 304.292.5622

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CARLA WITT FORD (2); MARY WADE BURNSIDE

VIBE The small space is contemporary and comfortable, with bright orange walls and modern décor.

MORGANTOWN FLOUR & FEED CO. FOOD “Comfort food with a twist” OPENED March 28, 2017

NIKKI BOWMAN

ORIGIN OF NAME Many Morgantowners might remember previous restaurants in this location in the heart of Wharf District, most recently the Lebanese Bistro. And then there are a few who might recollect the Morgantown Flour & Feed warehouse—formerly the historic Kincaid and Arnett Feed and Flour Building.

POPULAR DISHES Hunter’s Meatloaf with bison and boar, wild mushrooms, garlic confit mash, glazed heirloom carrots, and brandy pan sauce. “People love it,” says owner Kristin Elek.

MENU “Fine Dining on Traditional Recipes,” with an entire section on the eatery’s specialty: homemade pierogies.

Flavors include herbs, cheddar, potato, andouille, and herb butter. Toppings include caramelized onions, lardons, house-made sauerkraut, and roasted mushrooms. The restaurant serves brunch on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and there are plans to do occasional barbecues on that day as well, roasting a whole pig out back.

ALCOHOL Local craft beer, wine, and signature cocktails, switched up seasonally.

VIBE Laid-back, with deck seating by the rail-trail in good weather. Elek aims to provide an atmosphere where customers

“can come in and relax and have a good meal without being rushed out.”

UNIQUE FEATURE The history. “We have pictures on the wall of women dressed up as flour girls from the 1940s—they are stuffing sacks,” Elek says. Also on display is a scale used to weigh flour; a 1932 calendar from the warehouse also will go up on the wall after Elek has it put in glass.

HOURS 5–10 p.m. Tuesday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Wednesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Sunday 156 Clay Street, 304.212.5092 morgantownflourandfeed.com

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OPENED January 19, 2017 ORIGIN OF NAME Ta-Khrai means “lemongrass,” a frequently used ingredient in Thai food.

POPULAR DISHES Pad Thai, which comes in several varieties, such as Pad Thai Yellow Noodles and Pad Thai Woon Sen. Customers also like the Drunken Noodles— stir-fried rice noodles with chicken, bell pepper, string beans, onions, and tomatoes in a spicy basil sauce.

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MENU Wide-ranging, featuring a large selection of appetizers, soups, salads, big bowl noodle soup, vegetarian fare, Asian fried rice, and Thai curries. Diners can stick with the familiar, such as Cheese Rangoon, or explore such dishes as Triangle Tofu, Balloon Soup, Papaya Salad, and Duck Curry.

ALCOHOL Not yet. Katepratoom and his wife, Panaphat, are applying for a liquor license. In the meantime, diners can enjoy the signature Thai Iced Tea, made with Thai tea leaves using a secret family recipe.

VIBE Located above Zenclay in the same location as the recently closed Dancing Fig, the space is brightly adorned with statues and other Thai décor.

UNIQUE FEATURE In two separate locations, customers will see offerings, one set for Buddha and another for Chulalongkorn, a king of Siam. “We do it every morning,” says Pannaphat Katepratoom of refreshing the offerings, which can include rice, oranges or other fruit, sweets, and something to drink.

“We do that because they bring good people, good customers, and make my restaurant popular.” Also, customers get a 10 percent discount if they pay cash.

HOURS 11 a.m.–3 p.m. and 5–9 p.m.

Monday–Thursday, Sunday; 11 a.m.–3 p.m. and 5–10 p.m. Friday–Saturday 2862 University Avenue, 304.322.2737 takhraithaimorgantown.com

MARY WADE BURNSIDE

FOOD Thai cuisine, with many dishes made from owner Phasavee Katepratoom’s family recipes that originated in his hometown of Ayutthaya, about 50 miles north of Bangkok.

FEAST TO WEST FOOD “I call it an eclectic American fusion diner,” says owner Todd Washburn, longtime chef at Oliverio’s on the Wharf. “We’ve taken staples from various parts of the country and brought them here. Some say we’re a diner on steroids.”

OPENED March 20, 2017 ORIGIN OF NAME “You come in the restaurant and feast, and we’re in West Virginia,” Washburn says.

POPULAR DISHES “We serve a lot of bacon and a lot of waffles. We use brisket a lot,” Washburn says.

He makes his own curry ketchup “that goes great on potatoes,” although bottles of the Heinz variety are readily available. The restaurant’s Bourbon Bacon Balls are a hit.

MENU Washburn watched about 30 episodes of the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives before crafting the extensive menu, which features six versions of eggs Benedict—“The Bennys”—including the Waffle Benny, plus sections on sliders and burgers, as well as delights such as Bacon Fondue, Fish & Chippers using Guinness beer, and an oyster dish called The World is Your Oyster.

ALCOHOL The assortment includes both local craft and domestic beers, wines, four types of mimosas and bloody marys, plus margaritas and drink specials.

MARY WADE BURNSIDE; CARLA WITT FORD; TODD WASHBURN

VIBE Diner atmosphere with TVs and a digital jukebox, original murals carrying out the Feast to West theme, and Washburn’s growing collection of license plates.

“People come in and bring a license plate and we trade them a cold beer for it. We have all 50 states already— I’m trying to overwhelm it with West Virginia.”

UNIQUE FEATURE The entire menu is served at any hour. “You can come in and have a Jack Daniel’s and a burger at 9 a.m. or eggs Benedict and a mimosa at 9 p.m.,” Washburn says. And the serving of french fries comes in a different presentation—half on the plate and half in a glass. For dessert, the PB&J Waffle Taco and the Waffle Cinnamon Roll sound pretty great.

HOURS 9 a.m.–9 p.m. Monday–Saturday 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Sunday 750 Fairmont Road, Westover 304.241.4916, feasttowestcafe.com

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OUT & ABOUT IN THE MOUNTAIN CITY

APRIL 8 • MARILLA PARK

12th Annual Canine Egg Fetch

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MARY WADE BURNSIDE

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Eighty-one dogs, ranging from fluffy goldendoodles to a tiny Chinese crested canine with hair dyed pink and green for the holiday, participated in the 12th Annual Canine Egg Fetch at Marilla Park on April 8, 2017, sponsored by Animal Friends of North Central West Virginia. Dogs and their humans hunted for brightly colored Easter eggs filled with dog biscuits.

Twenty-five lucky pooches found eggs that made them instant toy winners. Dogs who found eggs marked for first, second, and third places won baskets, and the pups also had a chance to win door prizes. They also posed for photos with the Easter Bunny. Many of the participants had been rescued

by Animal Friends and adopted to forever homes. Money raised from registration fees—$874—went to the Animal Friends Shelter for ongoing expenses, which include vaccines, flea treatment, worming, and spaying and neutering services for rescued animals. animalfriendswv.org.

1 Taylor Cunningham and her blue merle Great Dane puppy, Nova.

2 Goldendoodle lineup: Trina Cutright and Cutty; Kyle Bero and Burton; Aaron and Emily Gay and Murphy.

3 Angie Hixenbaugh with Chinese crested Prue, with hair dyed for Easter.

4 Mitzi Bailey and sheltie Rozzi and Ariel Bailey and boxer mix Zoe. 5 Marlene Whitehair and yorkies Sabrina and Baby Doll with the Easter Bunny. 6 Susie Huggins and black and tan coonhound Sidney. 7 Sheryl and Emily Saunders with German shepherd mix Zoey. 8 Yellow lab Halle and 18-month-old Gentry Yost.

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OUT & ABOUT IN THE MOUNTAIN CITY

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APRIL 22 • MORGANTOWN READINESS CENTER

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West Virginia Bites & Brews More than 420 people sampled food and beer at the 2nd Annual West Virginia Bites & Brews, which took place at the West Virginia National Guard Readiness Center in Morgantown on April 22, 2017.

Attendees sampled food from four food trucks and three dessert booths and sipped craft beer from eight breweries.

Nearly $15,000 was raised for Spark!

Imagination and Science Center, compared to about $10,000 for last year’s inaugural event. Main Street Hustle, a band from Morgantown’s PopShop, entertained the crowd with rock songs. Food vendors included Bar-B-Qued Beast, Menas’ Mobile Foods with Colasessano’s pepperoni rolls, Pyles of Pasta, and Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe. Sweets from DaisyMoon Bakery, The Cupcakerie, and Rosalind Candy Castle provided dessert. Breweries in attendance included Chestnut Brew Works, Mountain State Brewing Company, Morgantown Brewing Company, and Parkersburg Brewing Company.

Mountain Dragon Mazery gave out samples of honey wine. Attendees used chips to vote for favorites in each category. Winners were Pyles of Pasta, DaisyMoon Bakery, and Parkersburg Brewing Company. Cardinal Pediatrics, which has sponsored two events for Spark!, received the facility’s first Ignitor Award.

1 Main Street Hustle, a PopShop band, entertains the crowd. 2 Nadia Caterina of DaisyMoon Bakery with her trophy, and Angela Carver, fundraising chair and former president of Spark! 3 Food winners David Pyles and Andrew Beach of Pyles of Pasta, with Michael Howell.

4 Jason and Jody Nguyen with their raffle prize, a science basket. 5 Johnnie Rominger, Joe and Liz Bartolo, Jaclyn Rominger. 6 Austin Weser of Chestnut Brew Works. 7 Craig Frazee of BarB-Qued Beast gets orders for Donny Leonard and Chris Lindsey.

MARY WADE BURNSIDE

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Morgantown

METRO PROPERTY TOWNHOMES AND APARTMENTS, MORGANTOWN The communities managed by Metro Property Management are in the middle of it all. These apartments and townhomes are steps away from shopping, dining, professional facilities and offices, and so much more!

Metro manages anything ranging from 1 to 3 bedroom apartments and townhomes. Check them out today at liveatmetro.com, or give 304.292.0900 a call and they can direct you to where you need to go!

Metro Property Management, 304.292.0900

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Listings

From historic houses to picturesque farms to quaint cottages, there’s a special place in Morgantown calling your name. Check out these extraordinary properties from around the city.

2312 LAKESIDE ESTATES–$985,900 MLS#10114352

Brick Colonial 5 bedroom home on 2 level lots in gated community with many custom features including fitness room, wine cellar, steam/sauna, spa-style master bath, California closets, fireplaces, Brazilian hardwood, deck with pergola & water feature, Pella windows, and more. Major renovations & upgrades; detailed descriptions are available.

Howard Hanna Premier Properties by Barbara Alexander, LLC, 304.594.0115

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1142 CHARLES AVENUE, MORGANTOWN–$ 340,000

MLS: 10113312 4 bedrooms, 3 full and 2 half bath Cape Cod near shopping and both campuses. Kitchen and great room open to private backyard, covered patio, multi-level decks, lush landscaping.

Main level owner's retreat, 1st floor laundry, study, and sunroom.

Howard Hanna Premier Properties by Barbara Alexander, LLC, 304.594.0115

1607 WATERFRONT, MORGANTOWN–$ 384,750

MLS: 10096848 Unique living atop the Morgantown Marriott at Waterfront Place overlooking the picturesque Monongahela River; refined condo living above a full-service hotel in the Wharf District. Indoor pool, state-of-the art fitness center, rail-trail, private deeded garage parking, discounted spa, salon & dining services.

Howard Hanna Premier Properties by Barbara Alexander, LLC, 304.594.0115

593 PRESTON ROAD–$1,450,000

MLS: 10114343 Estate Home secluded in town on 2.54+/- acres convenient to Downtown & 705. 5 bedroom suites, gourmet kitchen, great room, family room, theater/game room, 4 car garage, and more.

Howard Hanna Premier Properties

by Barbara Alexander, LLC, 304.594.0115 60

MORGANTOWN • JUNE/JULY 2017

2096 LAKESIDE ESTATES., CHEAT LAKE–$795,000

MLS: 10107000 Exquisite custom-designed 5 bedroom, 6.5 bath home on 1.633+/acres. 7,000+/- sq. ft. of multi-level living. Vaulted ceilings, floor-toceiling stone fireplace, and wine cellar with copper ceilings.

Howard Hanna Premier Properties by Barbara Alexander, LLC, 304.594.0115

331 MARCH LANE, MORGANTOWN–$ 264,900

MSL: 10111970 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath. Charming home in Four Seasons development. Large family room, large game room, some hardwood floors, first floor laundry room, 2 car garage, rear decks, hot tub, and more.

Howard Hanna Premier Properties

by Barbara Alexander, LLC, 304.594.0115

4508 LAUREL RIDGE –$427,900

MLS: 10111778 Immaculate home in Greystone. Custom home, open floor plan, soaring ceilings, 1st floor master. Stainless appliances, granite counters, private patio, heated oversized garage.

Howard Hanna Premier Properties

by Barbara Alexander, LLC, 304.594.0115

Your local guide to life, art, culture, & more JUNE/JULY 2017

June JUNE 8–11, 14–18 Young Frankenstein WVU Creative Arts Center, June 8–11, 15–17 7:30 p.m.; June 10–11, 17–18, 2 p.m.; June 14 1 p.m.; 304.381.2382, wvpublictheatre.org West Virginia Public Theatre presents the bawdy, quirky, and spectacular musical created from Mel Brooks’ classic movie that tells the story of Frederick Frankenstein, who inherits his grandfather’s house and mad scientist ways. $14–$26 JUNE 9

DALE SPARKS

Shorty Circuits Morgantown Public Library, 373 Spruce St. Fri., 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m., 304.291.7425 morgantown.lib.wv.us This class will guide kids in fifth through eighth grades in the process of building their first circuit, learning not only about the circuits they’ll be building but also how to safely use a soldering iron to attach the circuit components to a board. $20 JUNE 9–10 Relay for Life of Monongalia County Westwood Middle School, 670 River Road, Fri.– Sat., 7 p.m.–7 a.m., 304.296.8158 relayforlife.org/monwv You can go for just the opening ceremonies or you and your team members can take turns walking the entire 12 hours of this American Cancer Society event that raises awareness as well as money for cancer research. Register online.

Comedy with Christian Cox M.T. Pockets Theatre, 203 Parsons St., Fri.–Sat. 9 p.m., 304.284.0049, mtpocketstheatre.com Comedian and self-proclaimed TV and movie addict Christian Cox brings his unique style of observational comedy filled with impersonations and songs to this show, called Moving the Line.

General admission $15, senior citizens and military $13, students $10, ages 12 and under $7 JUNE 10 Spring Bird Walk West Virginia Botanic Garden, 1061 Tyrone Road, Sat., 7:30 a.m., 304.322.2093, wvbg.org Join local birder LeJay Graffious on an early morning bird walk, birding by eye and ear to search in the bushes and boughs for feathered friends. Take binoculars if you have them. All ages, registration required. Free

JUNE 19–20, JUNE 28-30 Watch baseball, hang out with mascot Cooper, enjoy some pepperoni roll races, and more as a new season of Minor League Baseball kicks off with the West Virginia Black Bears playing Mahoning Valley. $8.50–$12.50 Monongalia County Ballpark, 2040 Gyorko Drive, Granville, Mon.–Tues., Wed.–Fri., 7:05 p.m.

304.293.7910, westvirginiablackbears.com

Morgantown Farmers Market Morgantown Market Place, Spruce St., Sat., 8:30–noon, 304.291.7201 morgantownfarmersmarket.org If it’s summer, it’s time for a weekly trip to the Morgantown Farmers Market for fresh local produce, breads, cheeses, artisan crafts, and more. Check out the market held 3–6 p.m.

Tuesdays at the old Shop ’n Save in Westover.

JUNE 11 West Virginia Grand Bash BBQ & Concert Monongalia County Ballpark, 2040 Gyorko Drive, Granville, Sun., noon, 304.598.4346 wvgrandbash.com Presented by the Mountain Loggers

Cooperative Association, this event is open only to those with tickets to the June 24 West Virginia Grand Bash to benefit WVU Medicine Children’s. Steve Augeri, former lead singer for Journey, will headline the concert, with the Davisson Brothers Band opening. Vendors will offer barbecue. $100 for both events Beginner’s Guide to Plant Identification West Virginia Botanic Garden, 1061 Tyrone Road, Sun., 1–3 p.m., 304.322.2093, wvbg.org Research Botanist Cindy Huebner will lead a walk and introduce participants to the basics of plant identification, with a focus on trees and shrubs. The walk will be followed by a short slide presentation. Most appropriate for adults and older children. Registration required. Free

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JUNE 15

THROUGH OCTOBER 15

LEGO Builders Club Morgantown Public Library, 373 Spruce St. Thurs., 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m., 304.291.7425 morgantown.lib.wv.us Build your own world that will feature a variety of imaginative buildings and vehicles. Learn to make towers and structures sturdy as well as functional.

Work with others to create pieces that will work and fit together. First through third grades. $20

Applachian Global Dinner Series Hill & Hollow, Seneca Center, 709 Beechurst Ave., 304.241.4551 facebook.com/hillandhollowwv Check out themed feasts offered concurrently with dinner service at this farm-to-table favorite.

Themes are, respectively: Bourbon & Beef: grass-fed beef from diverse terrains served with single-barrel bourbons, $75 per person; Goan Cuisine: Portuguese influences on tropical India, $35 per person; Summer Beer Pairing: New American Pacific-rim cuisine paired with IPAs and pale ales, $55 per person; and the Watermen’s Feast: Cuisine of the Chesapeake Bay, market price to be determined.

JUNE 16 NEARBY Uptown Jazz Stroll Various venues around uptown Clarksburg, Fri. 6:30 p.m., 304.517.9813, wvjazzsociety.com See six bands at five venues while strolling around Clarksburg, including headliners The R&B Jazz Quintet, an all-star band led by Fairmont’s Kenny Rittenhouse, at Parker’s 4th Street Restaurant. Free, reservations recommended for headliner.

COURTESY OF ART MUSEUM OF WVU

JUNE 15–17, JUNE 30–JULY 1, JULY 13–15 JULY 27–29

Shepard Fairey: Work Against the Clampdown

A Season of Good Taste Dinner with Table 9 West Virginia Botanic Garden, 1061 Tyrone Road, Sat., 6–9 p.m., 304.322.2093, wvbg.org Chef Mark Tasker of Morgantown’s Table 9 restaurant creates an elegant evening of food using high-quality, fresh ingredients that highlight the flavors of the season, with his whimsical plating and precision that showcases each dish. $95 NEARBY Goat Gallop Arthurdale Heritage, 18 Q Road Arthurdale, Sat., 9:30 a.m., 304.864.3959 arthurdaleheritage.org Run or walk a 5K with goats through beautiful and historic Arthurdale. $25

JUNE 17, JUNE 18, JULY 9, JULY 21 Artist Series Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park, 6 p.m.

304.296.8356, boparc.org Concerts include PopShop, June 17; The Joseph Sisters with Tim Litvin, June 18; Johnny Staats with Stewed Mulligan, July 9; and the Morgantown Jazz Orchestra with Travis Riddle and the Bourbon Street Band, July 21. Free

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Art Museum of WVU, 2 Fine Arts Drive, Wed., Fri.–Sun., 12:30–4:30 p.m., Thurs., 3:30–7:30 p.m. 304.293.2141, Ext. 2, artmuseum.wvu.edu

JUNE 19–23, JUNE 26–30, JULY 10–14 The Wow! Factory Summer Camps The Wow! Factory, 3453 University Ave. Mon.–Fri., 8 a.m.–4 p.m., 304.599.2969 wowfactoryonline.com Create blue and gold glass fusing projects, carnival canvas paintings, and more, in Summer Camp West Virginia; create fused-glass jewelry, sparkling mosaics, canvas paintings, shiny pottery pieces, and more in Bling It On!; and create sea-themed arts and crafts by painting sea creature pottery, making ocean scenes out of glass, and forming sea creatures out of clay, in Under the Sea. $250 for each week, or $135 for half-day sessions.

JUNE 21–25

JUNE 17

This exhibit features the work of Shepard Fairey, the street artist, graphic designer, illustrator, and political activist who created the iconic “Hope” poster for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. Free

Sylvia WVU Creative Arts Center, Wed.–Sat., 7:30 p.m., Sat.–Sun., 2 p.m., 304.381.2382 wvpublictheatre.org In this West Virginia Public Theatre production, empty nesters Greg and Kate take home a dog— Sylvia—that they find on a walk. Greg loves the new companion, while Kate finds her intrusive.

Between Sylvia’s witty zingers and Greg and Kate’s bickering over the dog’s effect on their marriage, A.R. Gurney’s comedy playfully discusses love, friendship, and man’s best friend. $14–$26 JUNE 22–25 Celebrate West Virginia Various museums, kicking off at Spark!

Imagination and Science Center, 5000 Green Bag Road, Thurs., 4–7 p.m., 706.340.3625 facebook.com/mountaineercountrymuseums Celebrate West Virginia Day the museum way, visiting as many as eight museums in four days, with a kick-off party at Spark! Other participating venues, organized as Mountaineer Country Museums, include the Royce J. & Caroline B. Watts Museum, Art Museum of WVU, West Virginia Botanic Garden, Old Hemlock Foundation, Monongalia Historical Society,

WVU Libraries/West Virginia & Regional History Center, and Arthurdale Heritage. Free JUNE 24 West Virginia Grand Bash J.W. & Hazel Ruby Community Center, Mylan Park, 500 Mylan Park Lane, Sat., 1–7 p.m.

304.598.4346, wvgrandbash.com In an event that benefits WVU Medicine Children’s, ticket holders will have a chance to win more than 50 prizes totaling more than $600,000, including a Ford F-150 Raptor, a Kenya family safari, a 2017 Harley-Davidson Night Rod Special, a trip for two to Maui, and cash prizes including a $100,000 grand prize. Musical acts will play throughout the day.

Ticket holders do not have to be present to win and also are entitled to attend the June 11 barbecue and Steve Augeri concert. $100 David Allen Pretzel Memorial Rodeo Pretzel Arena, 3783 Moyers Road Bruceton Mills, Sat., noon–11 p.m. allenpretzelmemorialfoundation.org Buckin’ B Cattle Co. rodeo, with open barrels at noon, cattle penning at 3 p.m., SEBRA bulls and barrels at 7 p.m., and the Martyr Kanin Band 2–3 p.m. and 5–6 p.m. Adults $15, ages 5–12 $10, under 5 free NEARBY Soundwaves & IPAs Bridgeport City Park, 515–531 Johnson Ave., Bridgeport, Sat., 4:30–10 p.m. soundwavesandipas.com Taste craft beers and listen to bands, including Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty, The Lawsuits, The Defibulators, Matt Mullins & The Bringdowns, and Annie Neeley & Lucky Old Sun. Ages 21 and over. General admission $40, VIP $60

JUNE 25 Young Birders Walk West Virginia Botanic Garden, 1061 Tyrone Road, Sun., 10 a.m., 304.322.2093, wvbg.org This walk will introduce children of all ages and their parents to the wonder and joy of birds and bird-watching, led by Katie Fallon of the

Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia, which offers a Young Birders Club. Take binoculars and a bird guide if you have them. Registration required. Free

JULY 19–23

JUNE 27, JULY 25 Chefs’ Dinner Series Sargasso, 215 Don Knotts Blvd., Tues., 6:30 p.m., 304.554.0100, sargassomorgantown.com Chef Dave Halterman presents a five-course exploration of styles of cooking in different regions of India on June 27; Chef Thomas Metzler presents cuisine of Morocco. $75 each

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown WVU Creative Arts Center, Thurs.–Fri., 7:30 p.m., 304.381.2382, wvpublictheatre.org Based on the classic Peanuts comic strip by Charles M. Schulz, this West Virginia Public Theatre musical is perfect for the entire family as Charlie Brown and the gang sing and dance their way into your heart. $13–$23

July JULY 3 NEARBY Wheeling Symphony Celebrates America Clarksburg Amphitheater, 1 Clarksburg Park Way, Mon., 7:30 p.m., theculturalfoundation.org The Wheeling Symphony and special guests will perform patriotic music to celebrate the Fourth of July, presented by the Cultural Foundation of Harrison County. Free

JULY 4 Fourth of July Cookout Triple S Harley-Davidson, Willie G Ave., Tues. noon–2 p.m., 304.284.8244 triplesharley-davidson.com Food, fun, and live music from PopShop. All proceeds will benefit the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg. $5 donation to eat, veterans free Celebration of America’s Fourth of July High Street and Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park, 6:30 p.m., Tues., 304.292.0168 mainstreetmorgantown.com Morgantown gets patriotic with events that include a parade down High Street at 6:30 p.m., bands at Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park at 8 p.m., and fireworks at about 10 p.m., presented by the independent Celebration of America Committee with help from Main Street Morgantown. Free JULY 7, JULY 17, AUGUST 4 Morning Yoga in the Garden West Virginia Botanic Garden, 1061 Tyrone Road, 9:30–10:30 a.m., 304.322.2093, wvbg.org Join yoga instructors Sally Tolka or Heidi Sherwin to experience relaxation through yoga surrounded by the beauty and serenity of the

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JUNE 29–30

garden. All skill levels welcome. Take a yoga mat, water, sunscreen, sunglasses, and small hand towel. Register online. $12 for WVBG members; $15 for non-members JULY 8 Suzanne Lawrence M.T. Pockets Theatre, 203 Parsons St., Sat. 9 p.m., 304.284.0049, mtpocketstheatre.com The West Virginia native and WVU alumna is a mother, a scientist, an avid eater of food, and a stand-up comedian who often performs in the Pittsburgh area. General admission $15, senior citizens and military $13, students $10, ages 12 and under $7 NEARBY New Deal Festival Arthurdale Heritage, 18 Q Road Arthurdale, Sat., 10 a.m., 304.864.3959 arthurdaleheritage.org This festival that celebrates Eleanor Roosevelt’s pet project, the New Deal town of Arthurdale, includes a day of entertainment, crafts, wagon rides, artisan demonstrations, children’s activities, and an antique car, truck, and tractor show.

JULY 15 MedExpress Kids Day Downtown High Street, with information booths at Dairy Queen, 444 High St., and Citizens Bank, 265 High St., Sat., 10 a.m.–2 p.m. downtownmorgantown.com Kids can participate in more than 60 scheduled events by playing games, learning about safety, making crafts, having fun in a giant sandbox, and receiving free goodies from area businesses.

JULY 23 Lightsaber Basics Morgantown Public Library, 373 Spruce St., Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m., 304.291.7425

MountainFest George Thorogood & the Destroyers will be on hand to play during this year’s motorcycle rally, along with Hank Williams Jr., Amish Outlaw, War, the Davisson Brothers Band, and AC/DC tribute band LiveWire. The festival offers a variety of vendors and events as well as the July 22 off-campus events: the Blessing of the Bikes at 11 a.m. at the WVU Coliseum and the Parade of Bikes at 1 p.m. through downtown Morgantown. $45–$125.

Mylan Park, 500 Mylan Park Lane, Wed.–Sun. wvmountainfest.com

morgantown.lib.wv.us Craft and customize your own lightsaber, watch dueling examples, learn proper form and technique for combat, and then duel with your fellow students or professors from The Outer Rim Praxeum Lightsaber School of Fairmont.

Fifth through eighth grades. Must be prepaid and pre-registered. $20 JULY 24 Knitastic Morgantown Public Library, 373 Spruce St. Mon., 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m., 304.291.7425 morgantown.lib.wv.us Children in first through sixth grades can learn about knitting from Cecilia Graves of The Needlecraft Barn. All supplies are provided.

Must be prepaid and pre-registered. $20

Upcoming AUGUST 1–5 Mon County Fair Mylan Park, 500 Mylan Park Lane, Tues.–Sat. 304.291.7201, moncountyfair.org Check out carnival rides, agricultural and livestock events, musical entertainment, a quilt show and other exhibits, and more.

AUGUST 5 Mugs & Music on the Mon Hazel Ruby McQuain Park and Amphitheater Sat., 11 a.m.–5 p.m., 304.292.0168 downtownmorgantown.com Enjoy live music, food vendors, and craft beer down by the Monongahela River, in an event hosted by Main Street Morgantown.

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THEN & NOW

Marilla Pool was a popular place in 1961, even before BOPARC added two iconic twisting slides.

The pool’s zero-grade entry is one of the features that draws swimmers out even on a moderately warm opening-day weekend.

The Thrilla at Marilla Marilla Pool has kept Morgantown residents cool for nearly 60 years. When this historical photo was snapped in 1961, the 20,000-gallon, L-shaped pool at Marilla Park had been open for three years.

The pool is still one of the most popular activities at the 45-acre Marilla Park near Sabraton that also offers ballfields, tennis courts, and a skatepark. For about 30 years, smaller children could splash around in the kiddie pool seen in the foreground. It was filled in around the same time two iconic flume slides that deposit swimmers into a separate pool were installed in 1990, providing more concession and deck space.

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FOR MORE PHOTOS

of Morgantown’s past, check out wvhistoryonview.org

Those slides still stand to the right of this vantage point.

The cutting-edge zero-grade entry that was added later also provided a new play area for toddlers.

The changing facility on the left and concession stand on the right are original, as was the slogan used to advertise the slides’ arrival: “The Thrilla at Marilla.”

Then & Now is published in partnership with WVU Libraries’ West Virginia & Regional History Center. wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu written and photographed by mary wade burnside