The Philippi Races

"The Philippi Races" refers to my speed run across West Virginia on my way to Paul's. I had hoped to get some pictures on the way down the Ohio River, but nothing presented itself and, though the drive was pleasant, nothing presented itself on the West Virginia side either, until I got to Philippi. The covered bridge here has a storied past, as does the town itself. If you want to know about the real "Philippi races", check Wikipedia to read about the Civil War battle. There were several noted personages associated with the battle, among them were General George B. McClellan, Ambrose Bierce, and my favorite, Col. Benjamin Kelley.

This first shot is from the west side of the Tygart Valley River, and shows the covered bridge leading into the town. The bridge dates from before the Civil War and is an excellent example of the art. I had always wondered what the purpose of a covered bridge was. I mean, it wouldn't be to protect travelers since they'd be subject to the weather both before and after crossing the river. So, what's the point? Well, it seems that when bridges were built of wood, they deteriorated because of the weather. If maintenance wasn't done promptly, the bridge could be significantly weakened. By making it a covered bridge, only the roof and walls would be affected by weather, giving those responsible for the bridge's maintenance time to take care of business without affecting the structural integrity of the bridge.

These two shots are taken from the same general location on the west side of the river and show a little more of the town. The whitewater at the bend in the river suggests the flow rate, which can be considerable. Also, on the far bank beyond the bends, at a point near the center of both pictures, is the mouth of Anglin's Run, named after William Anglin, my ggggg-grandfather.

Here's another view of the bridge, looking west from behind the Philippi Museum, which used to be the train depot (closed the day I blew through town). The bridge, designed and largely built by Lemuel Chenoweth of Beverly, was finished in 1852.

This marker refers to William Anglin (my aforementioned ancestor), who was licensed to run a ford across the river near this spot in the 1780s. The several authors of the 1899 History of Barbour County think William lived at the site of Philippi probably as early as 1783 or 1784. A one-night stay at William's cabin is described in the writings of the circuit-riding Methodist churchman, Bishop Asbury. It was a less than ringing endorsement. . .

This shot taken from the courthouse square looking west shows "No-Business Hill" in the background. The hill stands opposite the mouth of Anglin's Run and towers over the western landing of the old ferry. The telephoto lens makes the hill appear close behind the buildings on Main Street. In fact, both Mill/River St and the Tygart Valley River itself intervene.

Both these pictures are of the Seneca Rocks, the first from a really nice picnic area directly opposite the rocks and the second was taken a mile or two down the road near the Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area visitor's center.