| People often pride themselves in having "minds of | | | | it over the first mountain ridge; and incoming |
| their own"; but what about places? A good | | | | planes often passed-up landing, heading on to the |
| character study can enthrall, mesmerize -- a | | | | next available landing field. Old-timers tell |
| strong portrayal of personality can stun, | | | | tales of the first airplane owners in the area. -- |
| captivate, intrigue. But who says the main | | | | Often farmers or landowners with a curiosity |
| character must be a person? Why not let a | | | | about piloting a plane, but completely untrained, |
| bustling city, yarn-spinning town or lazy locale take | | | | they would purchase a plane, ask for directions |
| center stage -- play the protagonist, and even tell | | | | and general flying instructions; then get in the |
| a success story?The Greenbrier Valley in | | | | plane and fly home -- or at least what they |
| southeastern West Virginia, home to old-time | | | | perceived to be home. Needless to say, some of |
| mountaineers, middle-class business folks, lawyers, | | | | them finally got there by another means of |
| academicians, and people of rather high net worth | | | | transportation, and much later than expected. -- |
| in search of some peace and quiet in the pure | | | | But well-wishing neighbors would leave lanterns |
| mountain air -- is a place of simple, rare beauty | | | | burning outside, well into the night, hoping to bring |
| with much to tell. For this reason, it is also a | | | | each fledgling pilot down to earth safely. Now, the |
| haven for creative artists. Writers, musicians, | | | | modern Greenbrier Valley Airport near Lewisburg |
| painters, sculptors, photographers, and makers of | | | | has capacity for large commercial jets, as well as |
| crafts from the U.S. as well as abroad come to | | | | small, two-engine models. And no one pilots |
| experience the poignancy, joy, laugher and | | | | without a legitimate license! (But the fog and ice |
| sorrow reflected in the local folklore, mountain | | | | can still impede one's progress over the first |
| music, and breathtaking colors of hazy sunrise and | | | | mountain ridge on snowy winter days. And |
| brilliant sunset mixed with the vibrant hues of the | | | | sometimes you decide this side of the mountain |
| countryside terrain.Just a few years ago, a visit to | | | | looks good enough, change your plans, and stay |
| the county schools was a truly unique experience. | | | | home.)White Sulphur Springs hosts the Greenbrier |
| The student population was made up of town | | | | Hotel with its healing natural springs water, golf |
| kids, kids from farms throughout the county, and | | | | and tennis and horseback riding facilities, cool rolling |
| the children of families who had lived sparse, but | | | | grounds and tall, overhanging maples, oaks and |
| enduring existences in sometimes isolated | | | | evergreens that bow and lean close in the breeze |
| mountain regions for many years. Mountaineer | | | | -- a tease to the curious newcomer, full of |
| customs were different. Mountain language was | | | | questions and wishing the trees could talk. The |
| fun -- but it took some getting used to, and much | | | | Greenbrier now sports a growing community of |
| was never explained, or left | | | | elegant, luxurious new homes on the |
| unsaid. But, those shy, silent children had much to | | | | well-landscaped site of its former golf course; |
| tell. One current local resident, now a teacher in | | | | while just a |
| her 50's, remembers being somewhat in awe of | | | | hillside or two away, you can find a cozy, |
| one quiet, wide-eyed boy who told of his family's | | | | well-seasoned log cabin, a bit worn, but still in use. |
| home being part wooden house with a red-dirt | | | | And on the front porch is an elderly, white-haired |
| floor, and part cave; but his older brother had | | | | man playing banjo with his small |
| recently installed a color TV set. -- The teacher, | | | | great-granddaughter beside him, strumming the |
| then a schoolgirl, was jealous | | | | strings of a cherry wood dulcimer. While from the |
| at the time, since her family still had a | | | | distant interstate, you hear faint, persistent |
| black-and-white TV at home.... Now the schools | | | | rhythms of rock music and modern country |
| are large and consolidated, with a quality of | | | | songs |
| sophistication both built-in and acquired.In years | | | | drifting out from the open windows of passing |
| past, the railroads were still very important to the | | | | cars. And even the Greenbrier Ghost from |
| area. With regular and frequent stops at the | | | | centuries past comes forward in time to make |
| Victorian style wooden stations in White Sulphur | | | | current appearances for delighted (and spooked) |
| Springs and Ronceverte, the next valley town to | | | | audiences at the Greenbrier Valley Theater |
| Lewisburg, they carried lumber, coal, cattle, | | | | productions!Yes, the Greenbrier Valley has a |
| produce and passengers en route to neighboring | | | | creative mind of its own -- embracing the past, |
| or distant locations. Residents say it was always | | | | present and future in a single gesture, smile, word |
| comforting to hear the train whistle, foggy on the | | | | or glance, as it reaches out warmly to greet you. |
| misted night air -- and much fun to get to take a | | | | For, after all, an enchanted visiting creative artist |
| trip in the jostling, clacking passenger cars. -- Last | | | | could become a productive artist in residence -- |
| year, some visitors took Amtrak from White | | | | and the wind whispering softly through the trees |
| Sulphur to New York, and while waiting at the | | | | will try to persuade you so.Ellen Gilmer, |
| station for the train to arrive, a group of | | | | copyright Ellen Gilmer is a writer-composer and |
| well-dressed guests at the | | | | artist who lives in New York City. Crystal Clear |
| Greenbrier Hotel were happily out on the tracks | | | | Artforms, her creative arts business, |
| placing nickels and quarters on the open rails, so | | | | is dedicated to the development and promotion |
| the incoming train could flatten the coins into | | | | of Thematic Arts (creative expression in multiple |
| pendants. (The onlookers' main concern was that | | | | art forms). Ellen's work includes copywriting and |
| the train would flatten the guests, instead!) But, | | | | article writing, and she is a member of the Agora |
| they all scurried back to the platform and safety, | | | | International Press Corps / AWAI Travel Writers |
| just in time.Braver souls used to fly in small | | | | Group. |
| commercial planes, or even two-or-four-seaters, | | | | She has published two books: La Belle Famille (a |
| from the small airport near White Sulphur and the | | | | novel); and Free Style Run of the Heart (a book |
| Greenbrier Hotel. The only problem there was | | | | of dramatic monologues with songs). Both books |
| that on foggy, | | | | were published by The Pentland Press Ltd./ |
| snowy or ice-coated days, you might not make | | | | Carnegie Publishing, England. |