The Lewisburg bike club is putting on the Wheels of Hope Ride (registration & maps) cancer benefit ride on Saturday the 17th so why not make a weekend of it and explore some of the great riding in the Lewisburg area. The riding in the area features beautiful pastural scenes with mountain backdroops and enough climbing to test your legs. Saturday's rides (21, 56, 86 miles) take you North to the Williamsburg area. Sunday's rides take you South to Alderson and Blue Sulphur Springs with an optional longer loop (48-50 miles) that goes thru Sinks Grove and Wolf Creek before coming back to Alderson. Sundays rides feature a combination of rolling terrain, flat portions, ridge riding and the long climb of Muddy Creek Mountain. Roads are for the most part in good to excellent shape.

If you have not spent much time in Lewisburg, this is an opportunity to explore, not only the town, but the surrounding area. There are good restuarants, a variety of shops, beautiful homes, and fantistic scenery.

Saturday Wheels of Hope Ride.

Link to Saturday Route Maps on Wheels of Hope Web Site. Appear in new window. Saturday turn list will be available at registration.

Sunday Club Ride To Sinks Grove, Alderson, Blue Sulphur Springs.

Sundays ride to Aldersons, Sinks Grove, and Blue Sulphur Springs takes you thru beautiful farm country of Greenbrier and Monroe Counties. Parts of the route follow historic pioneers roads in the area, as well as civil war camps, and the former resort Spring area of Blue Sulphur Springs.

Please print out and bring with you the ride Maps, Turn List, Directions to Greenbrier State Forest, and historical information.

Click to see arial photo of Fort Spring climb. Ride comes in from top of photo. 32 miles ride goes toward Alderson and 47 mile ride goes toward to Sinks Grove.

Click to see arial photo of descent of Muddy Creek Mt.

Click to see arial photo of descent of Flat Top Mt.

Camping Facilities - Location

Camping will be at the Greenbrier State Forest Campground. Greenbrier State Forest is accessed from I-64 exit 175. Coming from Charleston, you take a right off the exit, passing thru the one lane tunnel under the railroad tracks and it takes you right to the Forest. The campground is at the other end of the forest, right after the road narrows. The main campground (hot showers) is on the right. Some of the 12 sites can be reserved. There is a large tree lined field on the left just past the main campground entrance that is used for overflow and tent camping (no utiiities). I usually camp there. Access to the overflow campground is past the main campground thru a single bar gate on the left. There is a sign at the entrance of the overflow site. Once you get to the end of the field at the overflow site, it is not to far to the restrooms and showers - providing the creek is at normal levels to get across.

Leanne Chandler stops to enjoy the view on the 2007 Wheels of Hope ride. Some of the scenery reminds you of the Horsey Hundred - except with mountains in the background.

Nearing the Blue Sulphur Spring.

View of the Greenbrier River in Alderson.

Blue Sulphur Springs - A Little History

We will riding over what was originally the main route of travel from the Lewisburg area to the Kanawha Valley from the Indians till the development of modern highways. General Lewis followed Indian traces along this route when taking his army west to Point Pleasant. Civil War troops went back and forth via this route to the Kanawha Valley. Conferate troops camped here to guard again Union troops using the route to invade Virginia. Confederate General Robert E. Lee obtained his famous horse Traveller in the area of the Blue Surphur Spring.

Sundays ride takes you to Blue Sulphur, but to see the actual spring location you will have to take a couple mile detour (one out and one back), but it is a flat out and back. The Spring is located on property originally patented to James Patterson in 1789. His daughter Nancy Patterson inherited it. The Blue Sulphur Springs Company was formed in 1834 for the purposes of building a resort and George Buster became the owner. The building of a hotel and other facities commenced and the name "Blue Sulphur" was given because the water was "blue as the Sea of Galilee." See the excert from the book below for and the period illustration to get an idea of the facilities. Dr. Alexis Martin, a former surgeon in Napolian's Army came in 1840 to be the physician and operate the bath houses.

Though it is considered a remote location now, one period literature listed is as "being on the main road from White Sulphur to the Guyondotte." Business fell off in the1850s and the Baptist Church bought the facilities in 1859 to start a school later known as Allegheny College. The main hotel burned in 1860 but the main part was rebuilt. The Civil War doomed the college and during the war, both armies visited the area. During the winter of 1862-63, several hundred Georgia troops camped there and eighty-nine died during a typhoid epidemic. They are buried on top of the hill and traces of the burial site have been lost. The troops would have camped here to block access to Virginia from the Kanawha Valley. There presence here reaffirms that the road was a major thoroughfare during the period. Union troops burned the facilities to the ground in 1864 and it was never rebuilt.

The roof was rebuilt over the concrete pillars of the Grecian Temple at the Spring in 1966, by the property owners. To learn more about the various Spring resorts, read Historic Springs of the Virginias - A Pictorial History, by Stan Cohen

Below is a pre civil war description of the spring.

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The Mineral Springs of Western Virginia with Remarks on Their Use, and Diseases to Which They are Applicable.
By William Burke, Second Edition, New York: Wiley and Putnam, 161 Broadway, 1846.

CHAPTER XXI
BLUE SULPHUR SPRING

"THE Blue Sulphur Spring is situated in the County of Greenbrier, in a beautiful valley, through which flows a streamlet bearing the unclassical name of Muddy Creek. It is twenty-two miles, in nearly a western direction, from the White Sulphur, on the road to Guyandotte and thirty-two miles north by east of the Red Sulphur, with which it is now connected by a fine turnpike road. The im­provements consist of a brick Hotel 180 feet long, and 50 feet wide, 100 feet of which is three stories, the remainder two stories, with a portico 12 feet wide the whole length. Attached to this building is another, two stories high, 90 by 32 feet ; and adjoining this latter is a two story brick building, 150 by 17 feet, also having a two story piazza. The whole of these piazzas connect ; making a contin­uous piazza of 420 feet. This range of build­ings affords a dining-room 180 by 30 feet, two large receiving rooms, a ball and drawing-room, bar-room, counting-room, and a large number of very comfortable chambers, most of them having fireplaces. At the north end of the Hotel are several brick cottages contain­ing two and three rooms each, for families; and several frame cabins in the lawn. We think the establishment can comfortably ac­commodate 220 persons. We said that this valley is beautiful; we should, perhaps, have said, it has been. Fuit Ilium. Never have we seen bad taste more unfortunately illustrated than here. It seems as if the designer had his brain obfuscated by mint-julap. What man in his sober senses could have ever thought of spoiling a lovely valley like this, admitting a prospect of several miles, by throw­ing across it from hill to hill a long line of buildings which could have been so easily and so gracefully ranged along the sides ; not only obstructing the view, but also preventing the delightful current of air which otherwise would have fanned it in the dog-days? Not content even with this piece of botching, they must permit Dr. Martin to erect his tartarean ovens also across the valley, leaving the Temple containing the Spring, and the lawn in which it stands, bounded by brick walls and mountains. We found Dr. Martin a po­lite old gentleman ; but we wished he had been a bird of passage, and could have car­ried his nest in his bill, never again to mar this charming valley. We were angry enough to throw him into his own boiler, or worse, to consign him to the care of Dr. Moorman, who might cause him to evolve gas in the stomach, for such an act of barbaric taste. Notwith­standing all that has been done to spoil this place, it is still interesting and beautiful : in­deed it will compare favourably with any of the watering places in this region. The Spring rises in the centre of the vale, and is covered by a well-designed but badly executed Temple. The fountain is enclosed in marble slabs, is five feet in diameter, and one of the moat beautiful objects imaginable. The sides are covered with a brilliant pink deposit, and the dear, cool, crystalline water seems to say, " Come and drink me." It flows off in a large stream, and is conveyed by pipes to Dr. Mar­tin's baths. It appears that after the Temple was built, our old friend Major Vase (our informant is Dr. Martin) undertook to arrange the fountain so as to square with the building; but at that very time, a hail-storm, mingled with mountain-dew or fog, happened to set in, which so blinded himself and workmen, that notwithstanding the remonstrances of the said Dr. Martin, (who happened to be sheltered from the storm by one of the columns, and could, therefore, see the work was not square,) the angles of the fountain were made to deflect some 18 or 20 degrees from their intended position; the Major, all the time, swearing all was as straight as a shingle.

This, with a little embellishment, is Dr. Martin's version of the story, which he narrated with the grace of a French comedian ; if the worthy Major give his version in time for the next edition, we shall insert it with pleasure. The temperature of this water is about 53 degrees : it is pleasant to the palate, but it is a heavy water : it imparts not the agreeable feeling to the stomach which is imparted by the White Sulphur ; nor does it possess that light tranquillizing property that characterizes the Red Sulphur. Our opinion of this water is founded on a slight acquaintance, and therefore we desire that it may be taken only for what it may be deemed worth ; but we have taken this impression with regard to it, that it cannot be drunk in as large quantity as either the White, or Red, or Salt, with equal advantage. We are per­fectly satisfied it is a valuable water; but dys­peptics, especially, may do well to begin, at least, with small potations, and if they find it agree, it is easy enough to increase the quan­tity. Indeed, it would be well if this course were pursued with all those waters; but un­happily this view is taken by a very limited number of those who visit mineral waters. A peculiar merit is claimed for this water in reg­ulating certain periodical secretions ; but we are disposed to think its power in this respect is exaggerated ; at least, that it has no specific action different from other sulphur waters. Let the ladies try, though, and judge for themselves.

Dr. Martin, a Frenchman, has, as the reader is already aware, erected a Bathing establishment at this place. His arrangements are quite extensive and well contrived, and enable him to give plain or medicated baths of any temperature. There can be no question of the utility of these bths, if judiciously administered; they would be equally deleterious in the hands of an empiric or a selfish, disingenuous man. The only knowledge we have of Dr. Martin is derived from a brief acquaintance, during which he was most agreeable and attentive, and we understood this is his uniform manner. He is courteous, affa­ble, communicative, and on the subject of Va­pour Baths be is always fluent, nay, some­times eloquent. We could perceive he was an especial favourite with the ladies. And, now, we owe the Dr. an apology for being so rude as to wish him subjected to the manipulations of Dr. Moorman. Indeed, Dr., we were jo­king! We are sure you prefer your own odoriferous vapours to those evolved by your learned neighbour.

The Blue Sulphur property is owned by a company of gentlemen, one of whom, George Buster, Esq., resides at the place, and conducts the establishment. It would be doing great injustice not to say that the style of living here is more elegant than we have met with at any of the Springs. The furniture is better, and judge for themselves.

Dr. Martin, a Frenchman, has, as the read­er is already aware, erected a Bathing establish­ment at this place. His arrangements are quite extensive and well contrived, and ena­ble him to give plain or medicated baths of the appearance of the table is neater, and every thing bespeaks comfort and attention. We have seen quite as good things at other Springs, but nowhere as well served, except, perhaps, at the Warm Springs and Salt Sul­phur. Mr. Buster himself made a favourable impression on us, and our inquiries sat­isfied us that our prepossession was justified, by his uniformly estimable deportment. We trust he will reap the just reward of his atten­tion in an annually increasing company. "

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From The White Sulphur Papers by Mary M. Hagner (Mark Pencil, pseud.) 1837

The Blue Sulphur is twenty five miles from the White the stage leaves the latter place regularly every morning and arrives before dinner The Blue Sulphur has become a very favorite and fashionable resort within a few summers past and bids fair to be the chief watering place in the mountains after the White Sulphur The accommodations are sufficient for two hundred persons and very extensive improvements are in projection In front of the main brick building is a handsome three piazza forming a fine promenade before which have an extensive level plain laid out in walks bounded on both sides by the mountains and ornamented with groves of the sugar maple and rows of pretty cabins The bathing is good and the bath houses are in very fine order

The dining room is of an agreeable size and airy of a warm day and the table is abundantly supplied with many delicacies.

The water in the spring very much resembles that of the White Sulphur in taste The fountain is not so large nor the stream so copious as the White the water has a purplish color and from its ingredients it may be likened to the famous spring of Baden It contains sulphuretted hydrogen and carbonic acid gas sulphate of soda muriate of soda sulphate of lime carbonate of lime sulphate of magnesia sulphur and animal or glairine matter The above enumeration of its ingredients agrees precisely with a published analysis of the spring at Baden near Vienna

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Battle of Lewisburg

Account of the battle of Lewisburg.

Military battle report from Lewisburg.

Short biography of Colonel George Crook, Federal commander.

Biography of Henry Heth, Confederate commander.

This site include information on Blue Sulphur Springs in the Civil War.