Traveling West Virginia: Through the Smoke Holes, Part II: Eagle Rocks

We were still in the Smoke Holes canyon, looking for a place I remembered from our last visit: Eagle Rocks. The place was not named for the bird, although eagle sightings of both the bald and the golden eagles are common here. It was named for William Eagle.

A small falls along the way....

and while taking the photo I saw movement, so I swung my camera quickly. The photo didn't come out well--there were two turkeys but they were moving fast!

And then, Eagle Rocks.

Across the road, vines tangle in the woodland.

Down the road behind us, some elderly men get ready for an afternoon of trout fishing.

And then, this grave: William Eagle, Revolutionary War soldier, who lived in this area until his death in 1848. He was born in 1761. We added our penny to the memorial.

From the Find-a-Grave website, the application for his headstone. So glad someone made the effort to do this.

There are apparently other graves on this site, a few marked with a fieldstone, others just sunken spots in the earth. The gravesite is small, huddled between the river and a mountain, but looks out over this beautiful view. A perfect resting place, I think.

We finally wound our way out to the highway, but sure hated to leave.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Traveling West Virginia: Through the Smoke Holes, Part I

Yesterday we re-drove a road we traveled over 10 years ago--I have been wanting to go back ever since. But every time we were in Grant county, WV, we were on a timeline that didn't allow for meandering the back roads.

The Smoke Holes, as locals call it, is a canyon along the South Branch of the Potomac River. Many people are surprised that the Potomac, which runs through Washington DC and into the Chesapeake Bay, is even in West Virginia, but this state is its birthplace.

The name of the canyon probably dates back to pre-white-people days. Native Americans in the area used a cave there that was smoked kinda like a funnel to smoke their meats, and the smoke rising out of an opening in the top of the cave gave the place its name. There are other explanations (moonshiners, mists rising from the canyon) but I believe the one about the early use of the cave by the natives to be the most likely.

So, here is a photo journal of our trip:

As I recall, the road was gravel our last trip. This time it was smooth new pavement most of the way.

In my last post, I posted a photo of this cabin that I took the last time we were here. This time, the grass is still green because this area has had an incredible amount of rain this year.

Notice that the cabin is three stories tall--first floor, second floor, and attic. This would have been the home of a very prosperous pioneer, probably German as the heritage of the region was made up of many German immigrants who brought the log cabin style of building with them. Earliest settlers arrived here around 1750. Imagine how wild it must have been then!

King of the Hill! Well, stump anyway...

As we neared the canyon, the road was lined with fishing camps. This is prime trout-fishing country.

Abandoned farmsteads were scattered along the road too, possibly bought out by the government when this became federal land? I'm not sure--they may be testament to the ruggedness of life in this remote area.

Finally in the canyon, a stone cellar built, my brickmason husband said, in the Italian style of stone masonry.

Nearby is this log church, originally called Palestine Church, now called St. George's, built in 1850

Tomorrow, the rest of our trip through the canyon.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.