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North America : United States of America : South : West Virginia : Mountains and Lakes Country : Clarksburg

Clarksburg (West Virginia)

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Clarksburg [1], also called the "Jewel of the Hills", is a city of 16,743 people in West Virginia. Established in 1785, it was named for General George Rogers Clark, an important military leader in the Revolutionary War and the brother of William Clark, who was half of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It was the birthplace of Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, and today is part of the I-79 Technology Corridor. Despite being a relatively large city for West Virginia, it has the second-lowest crime rate in the state, and one of the lowest in the nation.

Clarksburg has a fairly large population descended from Italian immigrants, many of whom came to the area to work in the coal mines and the glass factories. Along with the West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival, you'll also find a number of really good Italian restaurants in town.

Get in

Clarksburg is at the intersection of US-50, between Parkersburg in the west and Grafton in the east, and US-19, between Fairmont in the north and Weston in the south. Clarksburg is just west of I-79 (exit 119); Bridgeport is just east of the interstate.

There is one airport serving Clarksburg:

  • Harrison/Marion Regional Airport (CKB), 2000 Aviation Way, 304-842-3400. Daily flights to Cleveland via Continental.

Get around

  • Central West Virginia Transit Authority, 208 N 4th Street, 304-623-6002, [2]. Bus service for Harrison County, covering Clarksburg, Bridgeport, Shinnston, Adamston, Anmoore, Despard, Hartland, Northview, Nutter Fort / Stonewood, Stealey, West Milford and Wolf Summit / Salem. Fares $0.50 - $1.
  • Tom's Central Taxi, 528 Philippi Pike, 304-622-0590.

See

  • The downtown Clarksburg historic district includes hotels (the Waldo Hotel), homes (the Waldomore, at the corner of 4th and Pike, as well as the Nathan Goff Jr House and the Stealey-Goff-Vance House on Main Street), an art deco courthouse and more. A plaque at 324 W Main Street now marks the site of Stonewall Jackson's former home site, and there's a statue of him astride a horse in the Harrison County Courthouse Plaza.
  • Ten Mile Creek Covered Bridge, Marshville - Camp Rock Road off US-50 (exit 5). A 58-foot-long covered bridge over Ten Mile Creek, built in 1891 and restored in 2002.
  • Watters Smith Memorial State Park, Duck Creek Road in Lost Creek (exit 110 off I-79), 304-745-3081, [3]. A farm from the late 1700s, complete with an 1876 home turned into a museum, a reconstructed log cabin. Guided tours available from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Visitors can also go swimming, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding.

Do

  • Mountaineer Ghosts Paranormal Investigators, [4]. The first paranormal investigators in north-central West Virginia, since 2000. Guided paranormal tours available to the West Virginia Penitentiary in Moundsville.

Events

  • Scottish Festival & Celtic Gathering, [5]. Held the first weekend in May. Bagpipe and drumming competitions, kilted golf outing, dog and sheep herding exhibits, harp workshops, historical presentations, Scottish vendors, food, live music and dancing.
  • Greek Food Festival, 1010 Factory Street at the St Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church, 304-624-5331. Held in early June. Greek food, music and dance.
  • West Virginia Day Celebration, 404 W Pike Street at the Clarksburg Public Library; call the visitors' bureau at 304-622-2157 for confirmed location. Held on June 19. Entertainment, vendors, music, food and cake.
  • West Virginia Blackberry Festival, Clarksburg city park on WV-20 in Nutter Fort, [6]. Held the first weekend in August since 1996. Blackberry pie and cobbler baking contest, food vendors, handmade crafts, golf tournament, talent contest, parades, carnival, live entertainment, fireworks. Lots of blackberry desserts available.
  • West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival, 340 W Main Street, 304-622-7314, [7]. Held each Labor Day weekend since 1979. Pasta cookoff, hot pepper eating contest, homemade wine contest, bocce and chess tournaments, traditional Italian music and dancing, 5K run, festival ball, parade, live entertainment. Rated one of the top 100 events in North America.
  • West Virginia Black Heritage Festival, uptown Clarksburg, 304-623-2335. Held the second weekend of September. Celebrating black history with music, artists, soul food, a gospel sing, a youth showcase and speakers.
  • Clarksburg Christmas Parade. Held in late November. Parade with bands and floats.

Learn

  • The visitors' bureau is at 208 Court Street, 304-622-2157.
  • The local newspaper is the Clarksburg Exponent Telegram, 304-626-1400 or 800-982-6034, [8]. Now one morning edition.

Buy

  • Embellishments, 134 S 3rd Street, 304-622-8199. Eclectic housewares and gifts, including gourmet foods, rugs and tapestries, china, artisan soaps and much more.
  • Oliverio Peppers and Pasta Products, 427 Clark Street, 800-296-4959. Freshly made sausage, chopped cherry peppers and pickled vegetables, cracked olive salad.

Eat

  • Audia's Country Kitchen, 301 W Pike Street, 304-623-0202. Italian specials. Try the table-side omelettes during Sunday brunch.

  • Greenbrier Restaurant, 200 Buckhannon Pike, 304-624-5518, [9]. Open daily 11 am to 11 pm. Owned by two Italian sisters who learned to make pasta from their mother. Soups, salads, appetizers, sandwiches, beef, poultry, seafood, homemade and baked Italian specialties. Try the fried meatballs for $1. $4.50 - $40.
  • Julio's Restaurant, 501 Baltimore Avenue, 304-622-2592. Italian and continental cuisine. Try the crab cakes. $20 - $30.
  • Minard's Spaghetti Inn, 813 East Pike Street, 304-623-1711. Very popular local restaurant serving baked pasta, spaghetti, steak, seafood, salads, Italian specialties. Try the spaghetti with meatballs and their house salad. $8 - $12.
  • Philip's Restaurant, 401 N 5th Street, 304-623-6400. Hoagies, steak, seafood, pasta. Homemade sauces and salad dressings.
  • Ritzy Lunch, 456 W Pike Street, 304-622-3600. Serving local favorite hot dogs since 1933. Try them topped with chili and slaw.
  • Smitty's Pizza, 1639 Hamill Avenue, 304-622-9010, [10]. Homemade Italian food since 1970. Pizza, subs, hoagies, hot sandwiches, salads, hot dinners. $4 - $6, pizzas $6.60 - $13.60 (10" - 16").
  • 4th Street The Downtown Experience, 123 South 4th Street, clarksburg WV 26301, ☎ 304-423-5444, [11]. 11am to 10pm. 4th streets serves lunch and dinner..offering daily lunch special, nightly dinner features including the freshest seafood around. Lobster, crabcakes, grouper, etc. Hand cut steaks, homemade soups and sauces, full wine list and bar, also visit our piano bar with live jazz 3 nights a week.varies.  

Drink

  • 212 Pub, 212 Milford Street, 304-622-9330. Irish pub.
  • Double Diamond Casino and Lounge, 424 Buckhannon Pike, 304-622-7742.

Sleep

  • Greenbrier Motel, 200 Buckhannon Pike, 304-624-5518, [12]. 50 rooms. Sauna and whirlpool suites available. Fried meatball trays available.
  • Jackson Square Bed & Breakfast, 154 E Main Street, 304-624-7233 or 888-605-7233. 3 rooms. $60 - $75.
  • Microtel Inn, 201 Conference Center Way ,304-808-2000 ,[13]. Offer complimentary, daily, deluxe continental breakfast
  • Mountaineer Lodge, 1422 Buckhannon Pike, 304-622-0760.
  • Parsons Hotel, 403 N 5th Street, 304-624-6514.
  • Riverbend Motel, 817 Milford Street, 304-622-7072.
  • Sutton Inn, 250 Emily Drive, 304-623-2600. 113 rooms. Situated next to East Pointe shopping mall. Complimentary newspaper. $45 - $55.
  • Towne House Motor Lodge West, route 50 W, 304-623-3716.

Get out

  • Grafton is about 30 minutes east on US-50.
  • Fairmont is about 30 minutes north on I-79.
  • Weston is about 30 minutes south on I-79.

This page was last edited at 01:26, on 5 March 2009 by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by Stacy Hall and Carson Maynard and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel.