Contact:  Margaret Hambrick  /  Nora Venezky  304-646-2439          304-645-3398

NEWS RELEASE April 26, 2019

Founded    in    1963,    the    Greenbrier    Historical    Society    is    dedicated    to    community    enrichment    through education   and   preservation   of   the   history   and   culture   of   the   Greenbrier   Valley.   The   Greenbrier   Historical Society   is   a   regional   organization   that   serves   the   West   Virginia   counties   of   Greenbrier,   Monroe,   Summers, and Pocahontas.

GREENBRIER HISTORICAL SOCIETY 814 Washington Street, West Lewisburg, WV  24901 304-645-3398 For immediate release. Contact: Nora Venezky, Executive Director 304-645-3398 Margaret Hambrick, President 304-646-2439 2019 HOME TOUR WEEKEND ANNOUNCED The   Greenbrier   Historical   Society   is   excited   to   announce   its   2019   Home   Tour   Weekend   events.      June   7,   8, and   9   will   be   full   of   beauty   and   grandeur   with   more   than   a   hint   of   drama   and   a   reoccurring   theme   of   pottery as   well   as   history.      It   begins   on   Friday,   June   7   at   6:00   p.m.   with   a   “Garden   Party”   at   the   home   of   Dr.   Kyle and Ann   Fort,   where   the   tiles   around   the   swimming   pool   echo   its   storied   past.         Locally   sourced   ingredients from   the   Turnrow   Collective   will   form   the   base   for   appetizers   from   six   local   venues   including   The   General Lewis   Inn; The   French   Goat; The   Humble Tomato;   Cakes   and   Cones;   Blackwells;   and   Patina   will   be   paired with beer from the Greenbrier Valley Brewing Company  as well as wine. The   Fort’s   hospitality   is   legendary   and   guests   will   enjoy   fabulous   views   across   what   may   be   the   oldest private   swimming   pool   in   Greenbrier   County   and   terraces   displaying   stunning   flowers.      Built   in   1926   as   a summer   home   for   Mr.   and   Mrs.   Walter   C.   Hardy,   this   Spanish   Eclectic   style   house   was   named   “Mirapaso” meaning   “behold   the   pass”   for   the   stunning   view   of   the   White   Sulphur   Gap.      An   original   guest   book   from June, 1928 to May, 1936 records many happy days and large parties that were held there.   It   was   sold   in   1941   to   the   Nallen   family   who   were   staunch   Catholics.      When   Mr.   and   Mrs.   Jack   Nallen became   too   feeble   to   attend   church,   they   built   their   own   chapel   in   an   upstairs   bedroom   or   sleeping   porch.     It   is   said   a   Catholic   Bishop   came   to   visit   them   and   held   services   in   the   chapel.      When   the   Forts   bought   the house   in   1983,   they   found   kneeling   benches   and   an   altar   in   the   attic.      During   their   restoration   work   they also   found   a   number   of   liquor   bottles   hidden   in   the   walls!      Since   that   space   had   served   as   the   Hardy   boys’ bedroom before becoming a chapel, the origin of those liquor bottles is uncertain. On   Saturday,   June   8,   the   traditional   tour   of   exceptional   homes   will   begin   at   10:00   a.m.      This   year,   one   of the   homes,   the   Hunter   House,   owned   by   Paul   and   Mary   Linquist,   will   feature   two   restored   fireplaces   which are   surrounded   by   tiles   which   were   made   by   the   Wheatley   Company   in   Cincinnati   in   1906   and   include   a display   of   G.N.   Fulton   pottery.     Another   home,   owned   by   Steve   and   DeEtta   Hunter,   is   said   to   have   been   the location   of   one   of   the   two   known   potters   in   Lewisburg.      Also   on   tour   will   be   the   home   of   Ellen   Goodwin, built   in   1795,   with   its   fabulous   collection   of   furniture   by Austin   May;   the   1850   home   of   John   Patterson   and Brian   Daugherty   which   once   served   as   the   Catholic   Rectory;   and   the   Second   North   House,   home   to Elizabeth   Destiny.      Rounding   out   the   tour   is   the   more   modern   home   of Aaron   and   Sparrow   Huffman,   built   in 1952 as a vacation home, and now a lovely family dwelling. On   Sunday,   June   9,   starting   at   1:30   p.m.,   there   will   be   drama   in   the   cemeteries   as   four   “Graveyard Townsfolk”   come   to   life   in   the   Dick   Pointer   and   Old   Stone   Cemeteries   under   the   skilled   hand   of   award winning   writer   and   director,   Pamela   Barry.      Cemetery   Preservationist   Morgan   Bunn   will   also   be   on   hand   to discuss    the    proper    way    to    honor    and    preserve    these    beautiful    monuments    and    the    people    they commemorate   and   the   afternoon   will   end   with   dessert,   provided   by   the   Greenbrier,   in   the   Fellowship   Hall   of Old Stone Presbyterian Church. For   more   information   and   tickets,   visit   the   Greenbrier   Historical   Society/North   House   Museum   or   their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/greenbrierhistorical/ , and web page http://www.greenbrierhistorical.org/ As   always,   the   Greenbrier   Historical   Society   is   extremely   grateful   to   the   all   the   people   who   come   together to   make   this   weekend   a   success   from   the   guests   to   the   sponsors,   the   homeowners,   the   Garden   Club members,   the   writer/director   and   actors,   and   all   the   volunteers   whose   behind   the   scenes   work   make   it happen so smoothly.   PHOTO   CAPTION:      View   across   the   1929   swimming   pool   toward   the   “White   Sulphur   Gap”   from   the   terrace of   the   home   of   Dr.   Kyle   and   Ann   Fort,   location   of   the   Greenbrier   Historical   Society’s   “Garden   Party”   on June 7, (Click on photo for larger  view)