View from the top of Ft. Boreman, Parkersburg, West Virginia

Parkersburg, West Virginia was not on my “Go To” list until recently when my husband and I headed there for a quick weekend away. Located at the confluence of the Ohio and Little Kanawha Rivers, Parkersburg is a pint-sized package of important aspects of American history. From pre-Civil War to the oil and gas boom to the height of manufacturing, Parkersburg’s history is a nutshell version of our shared tale of industriousness and the quest for new horizons.Many attractions are within easy walking distance of each other making a Parkersburg trip easy and relaxing.

Fort Boreman Historical Park – Located off US 50, Marrtown Rd exit  just 2 miles from downtown, this park is a fitting starting place for a Parkersburg tour. From the vantage point of the park’s hill you can see both rivers, the train tressels that give testament to Parkersburg industrial past, and a large part of the city. Fort Boreman was also an important spot during the Civil War. There are remnants of the Union fortification that once exited here.

Toilet exhibit at Blennerhasset Museum of Regional History

Blennerhassett Museum of Regional History – 137 Juliana St.  Along with showcasing items that depict the history of Blennerhasset Island and the family that lived there, this museum features unusual objects of Ohio Valley history dating back to 9000 B.C. When I visited, there was an unusual displays of early toilets as a special exhibit.

The museum is housed in a building that has served as a grocery store and a warehouse. This is an example of a re-purposed building done right. It’s gorgeous.

Oil and Gas Museum, 119 3rd St. This museum is a facinating mix of items important to Parkersburg and West Virginia history. There’s more than oil and gas industry paraphenelia. Wandering from room to room and floor to floor of what was once a massive hardware store, I was able to gather how life in the United States has changed from pre-Civil War days to the boom and demise of major manufacturing. You could go back here dozens of times and find some other treasure you didn’t see before.

The Oil and Gas Museum in Parkersburg, West Virginia

Julia-Ann Square Historic District – Juliana and Ann Sts between 9th and 13th Sts. Pick up a walking tour brochure at the Blennerhasset Museum or the Blennerhasset Hotel.  The tour leads you past the finest homes in Parkersburg. Here is where prominent people lived back when Parkersburg was a booming center of trade and industry. The houses, dating between 1850 and 1910 are a gorgeous mix of Second Empire, 19th century eclectic and Queen Anne style architecture. In 1977, Julia-Ann Square acquired prominence by landing a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.

Several residents were outside gardening or sitting on their porches while we walked by and were happy to talk.

Julia-Ann Square Historic District, Parkersburg, W Virginia

Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park, accessible via sternwheeler. (Purchase tickets at the Blennerhassett Museum, 137 Juliana St.) This island is where Irish aristocrat Herman Blennerhasset called home.  His Palladian style mansion burned to the ground in 1811 but has been  reconstructed to reflect the times when Blennerhassett was a prominent figure. Blennerhassett was accused, along with Aaron Burr, of treason for allegedly trying to establish a southwest empire.

From May to October, costumed docents lead tours of the mansion. Alas, we were in Parkersburg a week before the season opened. That’s okay. This just means I’m heading back to Parkersburg. I’m thinking about the fall when the colors will be at their peak.

The historic Blennerhassett Hotel in Parkersburg

Blennerhassett Hotel - If you are spending time exploring a town’s history, stay in its historic hotel. The Blennerhasset Hotel, built in the late nineteenth century, is a Parkerburg  gem and downtown centerpiece. We stayed in a King room. On the weekends there are specials to entice guests. Our package was the Spring Fling which included a $20 gift card to use in the hotel and two Starbucks drinks. Our room rate for one night was $119. We used the gift card for the hotel’s sumptuous Sunday brunch.  After the gift card, brunch cost us  $15 and some change plus the tip.

320 Market St
304/422-3131;800/262-2536

http://www.theblennerhassett.com

Post and photos courtesy of Jamie Rhein, member of Midwest Travel Writers Association

Quail Lodge Golf Course offers scenic golf play

Designed by Robert Muir Graves, Quail Lodge & Golf Club is a walk-able par-71 golf course that features 10 lakes, the scenic Carmel River and nearly year-round sunny skies.  The golf course offers challenges to all aspects of the game while not being the most difficult course on the peninsula.  I found the golf course to be in excellent condition; the greens were pristine and rolled true, but not too fast, while the fairways demanded that you work the ball. In some instances, mature and strategically placed trees had me scrambling, resulting in a less than perfect drive.

Bunkers and water at Quail Lodge & Golf Club

The plentiful bunkers had soft quality sand with water coming into play on several holes.  At just over 6,000 yards from the gold tees, (6,400 from the blue) with little

Quail Lodge Golf Course bunkered green

elevation except for the fifth hole, a down hill par three with water along the right side, it is as pretty as any Monterey area golf course.  The Quail Lodge Golf Club is semi private, so early morning tee times are for members, yet it is still easy to obtain a good start time.  The driving range and practice greens at the Golf Club are top notch and there is even a small putting green at the first tee.  It winds through the quiet residential area but the Carmel Valley houses do not come into play.

Walkable golf course

It is a nice course to walk,  with only a small hike on the cart path back to the Quail Lodge Club House from the 18th hole.  At par 71, there are three par threes on the front nine, but the pace of play never slowed. You can expect a four to four and a quarter hour round of play on this golf course.  The par fives are back to back on the back nine and the 18th hole is a surprisingly challenging par four that looks straight forward, yet is the kind of hole you desire to play again.

For those golfers interested in improving their game, Katherine Marren, PGA Professional and Director of Instruction at Quail Lodge Golf Academy, is the go-to gal.

Relax at the Quail Lodge Clubhouse before or after a round of golf

Insider Tip:
Quail Lodge has recently undergone a $28 million renovation. Quail Lodge & Golf Club offers a variety of golf packages, including golf lesson packages and lodging packages.

What are your favorite things to do in Carmel, California?

Keep an eye out for Quail on the Quail Lodge Golf Course

If You Go

Quail Lodge & Golf Club  phone 831-624-2888

8205 Valley Greens Drive

Carmel, California 93923

This review of Quail Lodge Golf Course is a guest post by Cory N. Brown.  Cory was a guest of Quail Lodge & Golf Club. All photos courtesy of Nancy D. Brown

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America’s National Parks, a Pop-Up Book, features unique depictions of some of our most beloved national parks. Photo provided by W.W. West.

When you hear “pop up book,” you immediately think of children. However, adults can find just as much joy in America’s National Parks, a Pop-Up Book as their young counterparts.

Innovative book design

America’s National Parks, a Pop-Up Book is not your every day coffee table book. It takes readers on a tour of some of America’s most famous national parks, through pop-up art. The art literally comes off the page to offer a 3-D glimpse of the parks you just don’t see in other books. The design team of the book includes concept and text by Don Compton, paper engineer Bruce Foster, and award-winning illustrator Dave Ember.

Because the pop art is the focal point of the book, text on each page is cleverly placed in foldout sections, which contain yet more pop art. The overall design is drawn from 1930s WPA posters, giving the book a timeless feel.

The stunning visuals of this pop-up book make it fun for everyone to learn about national parks. Photo provided by W.W. West.

Fun yet functional book

America’s National Parks, a Pop-Up Book is educational as well as fun to look at. It contains information on 18 national parks, 6 of which include the titular pop-ups. From Florida’s Everglades National Park to California’s Yosemite, this book is overflowing with information, presented in a way that is fun but not overwhelming.

The Great Smoky Mountains, along with several other national parks, are presented in vivid 3D form. Photo provided by W.W. West.

For a good cause, read this book

Buying this book will do more than just provide reading material and a book for your coffee table. Proceeds from each copy will go to the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), with the goal being to raise $100,000 for parks. America’s National Parks, a Pop-Up Book comes in two hand-assembled versions: the regular edition, of which $8 goes to NPCA, and the deluxe limited edition, which gives $80 to NPCA.

Only 1200 copies for Deluxe Limited Edition are being produced, each numbered and autographed by the paper engineer, illustrator, and author. Each will feature the NPCA mission statement stamped in gold foil on the slipcover and an NPCA logo pop-up above the mission statement, all enclosed in a black cloth slipcase.

I have the page open to Yellowstone as I write this. I’ve never been to Yellowstone National Park, but with Old Faithful rising a foot off the page and a huge bison coming at me, I can only imagine what it’s like.  I’m not much of a “picture book” person, but I enjoyed this pop-up book, and imagine it will become a well-loved part of my collection.

Where to buy: National Parks Pop-Up Book

Suggested Retail: $34.95

This is a guest post by Melanie Conrad. W.W. West, Inc supplied me with this National Parks book for review.