Learning W.Va. history
Area residents celebrate Labor Day touring BlennerhassettBy JOLENE CRAIG, jcraig@newsandsentinel.com
Article Photos
PARKERSBURG - Some area residents and visitors decided to celebrate Labor Day by learning about West Virginia's history on Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park.
"My husband and I came to Parkersburg specifically to tour the island today," said Sandy Rains.
Rains and her husband, Gino Rains, came from their home in Columbus during the Labor Day Weekend to see the sights of the Mid-Ohio Valley.
"We stayed at the Blennerhassett Hotel last night and toured the museum and went into Marietta this morning," she said. "It's beautiful here."
John and Tammy Fordyce of Parkersburg brought their son, Evan, to the island as a peaceful way to spend the holiday.
"We try to come over to the island about once a summer and this is our one trip," Tammy Fordyce said.
"It's something nice to do and Evan likes to learn about how it was to live in history."
While the island didn't have any special activities scheduled for Monday, dozens of people took the boat to the island just to have a nice day.
"A lot of people come just to have a nice, quiet day and many even bring food for a picnic," said volunteer and tour guide Joyce Zipfel.
"The island is a nice place to visit."
Roger Fontaine, of Salem, W.Va., made his first trip to the island Monday with friend Kay Hudson, of Doddridge County, on the boat of her and her brother, Jack Downs.
"I lived in Marietta for 11 years and never made it to Blennerhassett Island until now," Fontaine said.
"I'm really excited to see the house and learn the history of the island."
Carol Klar and Karon Stalnaker, both hairdressers in Parkersburg, decided to take their Labor Day and visit a friend working on the island.
"We're getting away from the spray and getting out to the island," Klar said.
Rains said she and her husband chose to visit Blennerhassett Island because of the history.
"For long weekends, we go online and look at historical areas within a day's drive and that's where we go," Gino Rains said.
"We'd never been to the island and decided it was a good place for this weekend."
The Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park will continue hosting events through October with the Mansion by Candlelight as the last major event of the season.
