The Greenbrier Resort
By Ben Crookshanks
Feature Stories
The Greenbrier, located in White Sulphur Springs in southeastern West Virginia, is the last of a number of old-time rural resorts built around sulphur springs. The Greenbrier is the last of its type, an old, elegant ante-bellum resort built around mineral springs thought to have curative powers. These resorts catered to the rich, offering luxury accommodations and services and the cool air of the mountains. The latter was particularly prized by southerners and lawmakers from Washington as they sought to escape the oppressive southern heat in the days before air-conditioning. Since Congress wisely (and, thankfully) closed up shop in the summer months, politicians and influential citizens were free to escape the humid coastal cities and head for the mountains of what was then western Virginia. This was nothing new since many Native American groups had been spending their summers here for thousands of years.
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The Greenbrier can trace its beginnings to 1778, when one Amanda Anderson was brought to the area on a litter in hopes that the mineral waters could cure her rheumatism. The cure worked and word quickly spread among the wealthy. Soon others came to the area in hopes of finding relief for various ailments. Soon, several spas popped up, among them were Red Sulphur, Blue Sulphur, Green Sulphur, Salt Sulphur and no fewer than two resorts at White Sulphur Springs. Competition among them was keen and each touted its water as being the best. One even promoted its water as a hangover cure.
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In the early days, getting into the western Virginia (now West Virginia) mountains was no easy task. Roads were more like trails and a trip by horse and carriage from the coast was truly an ordeal. The coming of the railroad changed all that. The Greenbrier happened to be on the main line of the C&O Railroad which made it the easiest of the resorts to get to. The Greenbrier flourished and the others gradually fell by the wayside. As the automobile took over from the railroad, the resort remained easily accessible as US 60, a main east-west highway, went right through White Sulphur Springs.
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The earliest visitors stayed in tents. Later, rustic lean-tos and cabins were added. In 1835, wealthy planter Stephen Henderson built the first private grand "cottage"on the grounds. Called "the President's Cottage," it played host to hundreds of dignitaries, including several US presidents. Through the years, no fewer than two dozen US presidents have visited the Greenbrier. Today, the stately two-story President's Cottage still stands and serves as a museum. |
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In the early 1900's, the allure of mineral springs faded and the Greenbrier had to come up with other attractions to keep its clientele. They built a golf course, followed ultimately by two more golf courses, one designed by Jack Nicklaus. And there's much more to do at the Greenbrier than chase a little white ball around. The property is massive and its 1,700 acres feature a variety of outdoor activities including indoor and outdoor tennis courts, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, ice skating, exercise rooms and a 25,000 square foot spa to sooth your tired muscles after all that exercise. There are carriage rides and even a year-round off-road driving school where you can tool through the mountains in a Land Rover. Another popular pastime is shooting. There's a skeet range, a trap range and bird hunting in the hunting season.
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But it's the golf that makes the Greenbrier famous. The resort recently lost one of golf's most loveable men Sam Snead. Sam was still going strong and recently shot a 78 on the par-70 Old White Course...on his 85th birthday, no less! It's only fitting that the Greenbrier has named its golf academy after Sam, who came to work at the resort as a pro at the age of 23 back in 1935. The academy has everything a golfer could need, including six resident teaching pro's. The readers of Conde Nast Traveller rated 224 golf resorts in North America, Hawaii and the Caribbean in its 5th annual golf poll. Based on six criteria, including course design, pro staff and food, the 4,000 readers surveyed rated the Greenbrier as Number One.
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For a resort, the Greenbrier has figured prominently in our nations history. After the Civil War, Gen. Robert E. Lee was a frequent visitor, travelling over the mountains from his post-war home in Lexington, VA. When World War II began for the US with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, German, Italian and Japanese diplomats were interned at the resort until they could be exchanged for their US counterparts in those countries. Their stay was relatively uneventful despite a rowdy beer party thrown by the Germans on Hitler's birthday. There was also some friction between the Germans and their somewhat reluctant allies in Italy. It seems that Bebe Thomson, wife of the German Charge d'Affairs, hired the hotel staff to capture mice, chipmunks and gophers which she gave to the Italian diplomats as Christmas presents. Once the exchange of diplomats cleared the place out, the resort was used as a military hospital for the duration of the war.
To get more information on the Greenbrier, check out their website at www.greenbrier.com or call them at 1-800-852-5440.
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It's only recently been discovered that, during the Cold War, a huge 120,000 square foot underground shelter was constructed beneath the Greenbrier. This was to be a refuge for important government types, notably members of Congress, in the event of a nuclear attack. The bunker was kept in readiness until the fall of the Soviet Union and is now a historical artifact that visitors can tour.
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