Measure for Measure Among Blue And Gray

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By Stephen Willingham

While Americans celebrate the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, the recent gruesome images of Western hostages being murdered by the so-called “Islamic State” only serve as a reminder that these kinds of atrocities are nothing new. In an effort to understand the senseless murder of the defenseless, we only need look to the brutal killings conducted by a detachment of Confederate Col. John S. Mosby’s forces near where Clarke County High School stands today.

These killings, in the foggy, pre-dawn hours of November 7, 1864, were committed in retaliation for the summary execution of six of Mosby’s troops in Front Royal, Va. earlier in the fall. However, it was not a random incident. This murder of innocent hostages, actually prisoners of war on both sides of the Gray and Blue divide, involved a series of larger events.

Soon after Mosby’s daring wagon-train raid at Berryville, on August 13, 1864, General Ulysses S. Grant drafted a letter to the new commander of the Army of the Shenandoah, General Phillip Sheridan, “The families of most of Mosby’s men are known and can be collected. I think they should be taken and kept at Fort McHenry, or some other secure place, as hostages for the good conduct of Mosby’s men. When any of Mosby’s men are caught, hang them without trial.” Why had Mosby, and a command that probably never exceeded 500 operatives at any given time, become such a potent threat to the supreme commander of U.S. armed forces?

Unbeknownst to Grant, this order would ignite a grisly duel that would develop over several months and only end with these killings in Beemer’s Woods. The principal antagonists in this hideous affair would end up pitting Mosby against an equally determined nemesis, Union Brigadier-General, George Armstrong Custer.

Origins of the Fight

“Mosby’s Rangers,” as they were commonly known, was an independent, guerrilla unit of General J.E.B. Stuart’s cavalry division, and at least on paper, members of the Army of Northern Virginia, officially known as the 43rd Battalion of the 1st Virginia Cavalry. According to Grant’s order, why were bona fide members of an enemy force not to be accorded the same respect and civilized treatment as other prisoners-of-war?

In February 1864, U.S. Grant was promoted to lieutenant-general by President Lincoln and placed in charge of all Union forces. Lincoln, who faced re-election in November, wanted to bring the ruinous Civil War to an end by the time political campaigning rolled around.

During the spring of 1864, one of the few weapons remaining for General Robert E. Lee was to prolong the war and inflict as much damage on Grant as possible.

By July, Grant had Lee locked under siege at Petersburg, Va. In an effort to relieve pressure on his embattled forces, Lee sent General Jubal Early, with a small army, to operate in the Shenandoah Valley with the intended purpose of making a demonstration against Washington. Early’s efforts succeeded when Confederates eventually skirmished with Federal forces at Fort Stevens at Silver Spring, Md., in the suburbs of the capital city. Once again, the wily Confederates had used the Valley to threaten Washington and invade the North. As they had throughout the war, Confederate generals continued to enjoy the luxury of being on the offensive in the Shenandoah Valley.

Grant realized that the Valley could only be swept clean of Confederates by using a massive concentration of cavalry. As a result, he replaced the feckless General David Hunter with Sheridan on August 6, 1864.

August 13: The Berryville Wagon-Train Raid

Sheridan didn’t have long for a honeymoon. Every day after he assumed command there were new reports of partisan rangers causing mayhem and threatening his supply lines and outposts.

Quickly moving his army south to Harpers Ferry, Sheridan prepared to advance against Early, who had positioned his army on the west bank of the Opequon Creek in an effort to defend Winchester. With Sheridan busily securing the fords on the Opequon, Early, uncomfortable with his position, retreated further up the Valley to a fortified location near Strasburg. Early’s withdrawal greatly increased the length of Sheridan’s supply and communication lines, thus making them more vulnerable to sniping guerrilla attacks.

On August 12, a giant Union supply train, numbering 525 wagons, left Harpers Ferry, guarded by nearly 3,000 troops, with orders to reach Winchester as speedily as possible. A herd of cattle plodding along at the rear of the column slowed its progress. The ever-watchful Mosby, meanwhile, gathered a small force to pounce on this succulent prize.

According to Virgil Carrington Jones, in his biography, Ranger Mosby: “Noise made by this great shipment of military supplies echoed for miles. It came as a throaty roar of thudding hoofs, squeaking leather and clattering metal. Mules brayed up and down the line . . . Officers and teamsters, threatening penalties, swore violently in a futile effort to make their charges move faster.”

At a place known as Buckmarsh, about a mile north of Berryville, each section paused to water the mules and give the guards and drivers a respite before continuing west toward Winchester.

As Mosby recalls in his memoirs, during the night of August 12, he crossed the Blue Ridge through Snicker’s Gap with 250 men and two mountain howitzers. (One howitzer broke down and had to be abandoned.) Mosby forded the Shenandoah River near Castleman’s Ferry and the command rested while John Russell, leading several scouts, went out to reconnoiter.

Knowing that he couldn’t take on the whole train, Mosby intended to attack the tail end. Before long the scouts returned, interrupting a well-deserved nap by men who had been in the saddle all night. Mosby’s account continues:

 

 

“The men sprang to their saddles. With Russell and some others I went on in advance to choose the best place for attack, directing Captain William Chapman to bring on the command. About sunrise we were on a knoll from which we could get a good view of a great train of wagons moving along the road and a large drove of cattle with the train. The train was within a hundred yards of us, strongly guarded, but with flankers out. We were obscured by the mist, and, if noticed at all, were doubtless thought to be friends . . . The howitzer was made ready. Richards with his squadron, was sent to attack the front; William Chapman and Glasscock were to attack them in the rear, while Sam Chapman was kept near me and the howitzer.”

 

According to Mosby, the signal shot, “knocked the head off of one of the mules.” Surprise and confusion reigned. With the guard temporarily routed, Mosby began directing the destruction of the 75 wagons his men had captured. As the sun rose on a new day, so did the smoke from wagons, supplies and anything else that Mosby’s command could not carry away. Mosby captured more than 200 prisoners, including seven officers, 500–600 horses and mules, nearly 200 beef cattle, and a cache of sundry valuable stores. However, an even grander prize eluded Mosby and his men. Unknown to them, a box containing $112,000 payroll was later recovered from the side of the road by returning Federals.

August 19: The Morgan’s Lane Fight

Following the Berryville Wagon-Train Raid, Mosby divided his command so that the Rangers could simultaneously strike Sheridan in more places. Keeping Companies A and B, Mosby rode off toward Charles Town, while Companies C, D, E were placed under Captain William Chapman who was ordered to continue operations around Berryville and Winchester.

Later, while crossing the Blue Ridge through Snicker’s Gap, a portion of Chapman’s men surprised a picket outpost of the Fifth Michigan Cavalry, part of Custer’s command. A brief exchange resulted in one Union cavalryman killed and several wounded and captured.

When informed early the next morning of the attack, Custer decided to teach the Rangers a lesson in an effort to protect his own men from what he considered to be uncivilized conduct. The flamboyant young general ordered two companies of the Fifth Michigan to burn several homes of prominent secessionists and suspected partisan supporters. The companies split into squads and spread out to perform their assignment. On the evening of August 19, a company of Rangers led by William Chapman approached the Valley from the east. The sight of burning houses and barns chilled their blood.

Chapman and his men soon arrived at the home of Colonel Morgan, now Hill and Dale Farm. The barns and outbuildings were already reduced to flames. The house had recently been torched by a party of Federals, who now stood back to admire their handiwork. Suddenly, they were viciously attacked by Chapman’s company. With a cry of “take no prisoners,” the Rangers began the systematic annihilation of their enemy, by the light of the recently set inferno.

A reporter from the New York Times wrote in dispatch sent from Berryville, on August 21: “Captain Drake, leaving the main part of the command under Lt. Allen in line near one house which had been fired, took a few men and proceeded to fire another house about 100 rods distant. While thus engaged 200 rebels suddenly emerged from a ravine and made a furious charge upon the force under Lt. Allen before due preparation could be made to receive them.”

The Federals broke and ran, but an unusual configuration of stone fences prevented the escape of many. Though badly outnumbered, a few tried to mount resistance before they were overwhelmed. Upon seeing the hopelessness of their situation, others tried to surrender. The Rangers made good on their promise to take no prisoners. In his book, Gray Ghosts and Rebel Raiders, Jones describes their last moments: “They hid behind the burning ruins, they crouched in the corners of fences, they begged for life, but their day of grace was past.”

On September 11, Mosby mentioned the Morgan’s Lane fight in a report to General Lee. According to James J. Williamson in his memoir, Mosby’s Rangers, “About 25 were shot for their villainy. About 30 horses were brought off, but no prisoners.”

September 23: Custer Executes Six Rangers At Front Royal

After being defeated at Winchester, Jubal Early retreated south of Strasburg to a somewhat fortified position on Fisher’s Hill. Sheridan, in an attempt to get behind the Confederate army, sent General Alfred T. A. Torbert with two brigades of cavalry up the Luray Valley. By evening of September 20, Early was again forced to retreat. The Union cavalry, however, did not fare so well, encountering stiff resistance from Confederate Fitz Lee’s horsemen. Following several unsuccessful charges, Torbert pulled back. During the course of the Union withdrawal, Sam Chapman, leading a detachment of Rangers, lurked in the mountains. Dividing his command, the Rangers struck at an ambulance train rolling through Chester Gap, near Front Royal.

Sam Chapman had approximately 120 men under his command at that time. While preparing for his part of the attack, Chapman realized that the train was guarded by a brigade of Union cavalry. Frantically, he tried to reach Captain Frankland, who commanded the other wing of the assault, to call off the attack. The warning arrived too late.

Chapman retreated through Chester Gap, hard pressed by Union cavalry. In a valiant effort to escape, the Rangers turned and counter-attacked, riding head-long into the enemy, hoping to cause as much confusion as possible to cover their escape. During the fight, a Union lieutenant named Charles McMaster was cut to pieces by bullets from the revolvers of frantic partisans. Rumor had it that Lieutenant McMaster had surrendered and that the rebels showed no mercy and gunned him down.

More hearsay swirled about. Union soldiers with their throats cut were supposedly lying beside the road; McMaster’s pockets were presumably robbed, while another Federal was found stripped to his underwear, hiding in a barn. As Jones reports in Gray Ghosts, “All implications involving feats that would seem scarcely possible in the heat and pressure of the moment.”

In reality, it appears that McMaster, whose horse had been shot out from under him, had been on the ground attempting to lead his men to cut off the partisans’ retreat. In the milieu, the Union officer had been trampled in the heat of the moment.

Upon viewing the body, Custer proved to be inconsolable. From Ranger Mosby, Jones reveals: “Derision hurt and ridicule disparaged. It was not within his power to lose gracefully in open battle, let alone in the small skirmishes of independent warfare. The repulse that morning at Milford had injured his pride; the sight of McMaster infuriated him, and in the back of his mind was the haunting memory of the house-burners he had sent to their death.”

Most of Chapman’s men got away from the debacle that could have gotten them all captured. However, six were captured and taken into Front Royal. Four of the rebel prisoners were shot and two were hanged on the main road entering Front Royal. On the chest of one man, the executioners fixed a sign, which read, “Such is the fate of all of Mosby’s gang.”

November 7: Mosby Executes Some of Custer’s Men at Berryville

While his men were being murdered in Front Royal, Mosby had been recuperating from a wound sustained in a separate action. By the time he returned to his command on September 29, Mosby had little time to contemplate revenge against Custer. Early had been routed. The remnants of his army awaited those few reinforcements coming his way in the area of New Market. Meanwhile, Mosby had his hands full sniping at Sheridan’s supply and communications lines.

In an effort to shorten his supply lines and make them less vulnerable to partisan attack, Sheridan made an attempt to reopen the Manassas Gap Railroad east of Front Royal. Mosby was equally determined to thwart the effort. Eventually, Sheridan gave up on the railroad since the partisans constantly harassed the construction crews, who required considerable guard, and ripped up track nearly as fast as it got laid.

For his part, Mosby never forgot the indignity and uncivilized treatment of his men at Front Royal. With winter fast approaching, and Early recently defeated at Cedar Creek, the partisan leader found a respite for retaliation.

At the end of October, while fighting over the Manassas Gap Railroad, Mosby had written to General Lee complaining about the barbarous Federal treatment of citizens within his theater of operation.

“I desire to bring, through you, to the notice of the Government the brutal conduct of the enemy manifested toward citizens of this district since the occupation of the Manassas road. When they first advanced up the road we smashed up one of their trains, killing and wounding a large number. In retaliation they arrested a large number of citizens living along the line . . . During the absence from my command, the enemy captured 6 of my men near Front Royal; these were immediately hung by order and in the presence of General Custer. They also hung another in Rappahannock. It is my purpose to hang an equal number of Custer’s men whenever I capture them.”

On November 2, General Lee endorsed Mosby’s proposed action with a letter to Mosby’s adjutant. A copy went to the Confederate Inspector’s General office: “I do not know how we can prevent the cruel conduct of the enemy toward our citizens. I have directed Colonel Mosby, through his adjutant, to hang an equal number of Custer’s men in retaliation for those executed by him.”

This letter proceeded up the chain of command through Adjutant General, H. L.Clay to Confederate Secretary of War, J. A. Seddon. On November 14, Seddon belatedly approved Mosby’s plan.

Meanwhile, at Rectortown, in Fauquier County, on November 6, Mosby’s command found themselves with 27 prisoners, some of whom belonged to Custer. Williamson recalls: “The 27 prisoners were drawn up in single line. Twenty-seven epics of paper, seven of which were numbered and the remainder blanks, being put into a hat and the hat shaken up, each prisoner was required to draw. The numbered pieces meant death by hanging, and the blanks Richmond and Libby Prison.”

A newsboy and a drummer boy were among the captured. The newsboy was summarily released. When informed that a drummer boy was among the condemned, Mosby ordered another drawing to find a replacement.

Then, with a squad under the direction of Lieutenant E. F. Thomson, the hostages were taken across the Blue Ridge through Ashby Gap where the group stopped in the town of Paris. Thomson had been ordered by Mosby to execute the men as close to Sheridan’s headquarters as possible.

Captain Montjoy, heading back to Fauquier from the Valley, also stopped at Paris for the night. Upon discovering that two of the condemned Union hostages were fellow Freemasons, Montjoy, being the ranking officer, immediately replaced them with two men from the prisoners he had taken in an earlier raid. The hostages were roped together to prevent their escape, but one, Private George Soule of the Fifth Michigan Cavalry, slipped his hands free and faded into the night.

Originally, Mosby had wanted the prisoners hanged on the Valley Pike near Winchester. But with dawn approaching and the party running behind time, Thomson decided to conduct the executions on the Winchester Pike outside of Berryville. According to Williamson, this was Beemer’s Woods, about 100 yards from what is now the Clarke County Ruritan Fairgrounds.

Three of the Federals were hanged before Thomson discovered that the Rebs hadn’t brought enough rope to finish the job. The other prisoners were allowed to kneel and pray before being shot. One prisoner apparently untied his hands and struck Thomson, knocking him to the ground, and disappeared into the darkness and mist of early morning. The remaining hostages were immediately shot. According to Williamson, the escapee climbed a tree where he remained until the Ranger party departed. Eventually, he made his way back to the Union army.

Pinned to the breast of one of the hanged men was a note from Mosby. “These men have been hung in retaliation for an equal number of Colonel Mosby’s men hung by order of General Custer at Front Royal. Measure for measure.”

Reconciliation, of a kind

On November 11, Mosby dispatched John Russell to Sheridan’s headquarters with a letter of reconciliation. In this missive, Mosby delineated numerous incidents of his humane treatment of hundreds of Federal prisoners processed by his command. He explained that the killings of Union prisoners was intended to avenge not only the six Rangers killed at Front Royal, but also one summarily executed in Rappahannock during actions centered around the Manassas Gap Railroad fight. Mosby closed by offering to cease atrocities.

“Hereafter any prisoners falling into my hands will be treated with the kindness due to their condition, unless some new act of barbarity shall compel me reluctantly to adopt a line of policy repugnant to humanity.”

Any further retribution, by Mosby, Sheridan, or Custer, ceased. Early’s army had been shattered at Cedar Creek, and with the onset of winter, retreated to a position below Waynesboro, never again to pose a threat to Union occupation. The wanton murder of hostages by both sides ultimately accomplished nothing.

With Johnny Neel, it’s Every Kinda BluesToo

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Renowned Singer-Songwriter-Musician Johnny Neel
Brings the Blues to the Barns

By Jennifer Lee

Johnny Neel has enjoyed a long and prolific career in the music world, with eight solo albums and countless contributions to other releases: as the keyboardist and co-songwriter of the reunited Allman Brothers Band in 1990, and as recipient of several major awards including the Life Time Achievement Award at the 2012 GRAMMYs. On April 5, he will bring his special brand of the blues to the Barns in Berryville.

“I’m going to mix it up,” he said of the selection he will be playing that evening, drawing songs from his 2012 release, “Every Kinda Blues . . . But What You’re Used To” and his gospel-inspired “Harmonious,” among others, with styles ranging from hard-driving rock blues to a gentler, more soulful sound. Another feature of his performances involves a fun exchange, where a big bowl is passed around soliciting made-up song titles written on strips of paper from audience members. “Then I’m Johnny on the Spot! I come up with a little song with that title in it right there,” Neel explains.

Neel was born blind in Wilmington, Delaware, and began playing the piano at the age of 7 while attending a school for the blind. “You either had to tune ‘em or play ‘em,” he says. He got his first record deal at age 12, performing as Johnny Neel and the Shapes of Soul. “I didn’t know where I was going or what we were doing until I was there,” he recalls of that first visit to the recording studio. “I’m glad I didn’t choke!”

He moved to Nashville 30 years ago, where he has enjoyed musical collaborations with the likes of Dickie Betts, Greg Allman, Delbert McClinton, and John Mayall. In describing how he writes songs for other musicians, he explains that he almost always has a co-writer to bounce around ideas. “And you can’t get in (someone else’s) head too much. You get close, but you gotta stay honest. Once you chase the cut, they’re already on to something else.”

His inspiration for songs, he saids, “pops out of the universe. People might say something, we’ll be talking, and that gets me thinking. You don’t know what ‘the hook’ is until it just pops out.” Openness, authenticity, and spontaneity are characteristic trademarks of Neel’s inimitable style.

Opening for Neel on the 5th will be The Outpatients, playing original blues songs and covers from Eric Clapton and Little Feat as well as some old-time tunes. Neel’s cousin, Steve Cifala, plays guitar for the band. Neel says he’ll be performing solo, but will likely be joined by The Outpatients “and maybe some of those good players y’all got down there” for a couple songs. “I can’t wait to come and play down there with y’all,” he said.

Get your blues groove on April 5 at the Barns of Rose Hill. Doors open at 7:30, show starts at 8pm. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door. Purchase tickets at www.barnsofrosehill.org or by calling 540-955-2004.

Where Art Meets History

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By Doug Pifer

Can you imagine being able to do what you liked best, in just the right place, with no limitations on size or space? That describes my experience this past winter with the Clermont Farm Art Forum II project.

This interpretation of history through art will be open to the public at Clermont Farm in Berryville from April 12 to May 31 this year. Fourteen artists from all over the country will be participating. The exhibit will include a wide range of the arts: sculpture, painting, fabric, ceramic, music, writing, and video.

Foremost is the deeply historic atmosphere of the place. Clermont has been a working farm for over 250 years. Its 360 acres lie where East Main Street, Berryville, joins VA Route 7. On the farm stand many well-preserved historic buildings. Besides an intact main house, there are a slave quarters, a smokehouse, a huge bank barn, and a family cemetery.

Here is where the Clermont Foundation, the Va. Department of Historic Resources and the Rotating History Project are partnering for a unique opportunity to interpret history through art.

On a recent Sunday Bob Stieg, CEO of Clermont Farm, hosted a lunchtime meeting where I met with three of my co-exhibitors to discuss our work on the project thus far. The exhibit curators Teddy Johnson and Heather Rounds, from Baltimore, Md., joined us.

Local artist Sally Myers is in the midst of creating an outdoor metal sculpture for the exhibit with a Native American theme. Long before the English colonists settled here, original people revered it as a special place to hunt and propagate game animals. To honor the memory of native inhabitants, Sally is creating a series of welded columns suggesting trees. On the steel framework will appear leaves, vines and birds of forged copper and iron. The columns are to be organically decorated with actual bones from game animals. This walk-through sculpture will appear somewhere alongside the farm road for visitors to see as they enter the farm grounds. She passed around intricately worked leaves and birds for us to examine.

I helped Baltimore fiber artist Melissa Webb carry dress forms and boxes of vintage clothing from her car upstairs to the 1756 bedroom in the main house, where her exhibit is to take place. Melissa’s exhibit will feature two composite historic dresses, a magnificent wedding gown and a funerary garment (also called a mourning dress or widow’s weeds), restored from a collection of garments found at Clermont farm. The wedding dress with a 9-foot train showed alterations made for the wedding ceremonies of several generations of Clermont women. Melissa wants her display to be interactive, so visitors can touch the fabric and ask questions.

Andrew Shenker, along with fellow Baltimore artist Michael Benevento, is responsible for the monumental outdoor “highway” sculpture alongside Route 7 coming into Berryville. Featuring huge wooden timbers and stacked round hay bales, this collaborative sculpture mimics the entryway of the main house at Clermont, specially built to admit visitors but also to preserve the privacy of the inhabitants. Hay bales came from Clermont, and the wooden beams were salvaged from local barns that have been demolished. Andrew explained how the severe winter weather caused the round bales to deteriorate and collapse just after the final design was completed. Undaunted, the two artists still have a master design which can be reconfigured with new hay bales in time for the show’s opening. Bob Stieg says this highway sculpture has attracted lots of local interest.

I’ve been painting a series of life-sized farm animals on location inside the enormous 1917 bank barn. So far I’ve done a family of chickens and a pair of turkeys.  A full-sized draft horse is nearly completed. Despite severe weather, I plan to create a life-sized pig, a sheep with twin lambs, a cow and calf, and a pair of peacocks before the show opens. These animals were raised at some time on the farm. All the required research, measuring and study has been pure fun for me.

Clearly, we artists of Clermont Forum II have been having a ball. And there’s so much more art and history to see and experience for adults and kids alike.

See you there this spring!

Thespian Or Equestrian, There’s A Summer Camp For Every Interest

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The 2014 summer camp listing

Time was when all summer camps were weeklong retreats into rustic surroundings where kids could enjoy some time outside, improve some social skills, and—the best part—take delight in acting utterly childish while learning how to be a little more grown up. Camp was something most kids yearned to do.

Today there are as many kinds of camps as there are topics, addressing nearly every array of interests. And weeklong day camps have overtaken boarding camps as the most popular—in part because working parents need “some coverage” during summer months.

Still, despite all the changes in American society over the last few decades, summer camps have stood the test of time, says Jill Atchessen, a retired Northern Virginia family therapist. “Whether day camps or overnight,” she said, “it’s one of the few things that have been able to keep the best traditions of the past while changing to meet the needs of modern families.”

Take nature, for example. Spending time outdoors is more important now than ever before, says Atchessen. “When I was a kid, it was fun to swim in a lake for a week. Now, for some kids, it’s their only access to nature. And most camps, whether for math, or science or art, tend to give kids a little time outdoors.”

Another summer camp tradition, that of being totally off grid from contact with friends and family, offers an antidote to today’s plugged-in culture. Most camps have a no cell phone rule, and getting kids unplugged without access to cell phones for several hours a day, or a week for overnight camps, is a benefit cited by many parents of campers. “When kids take a break from television and electronic devices they rediscover creativity, and how to navigate the challenges of the real world, including their own emotions when thrust into a situation of meeting new people,” said Ellen Brevard, who develops education programs for day camps.

Something else that hasn’t changed: Camp helps children build self-confidence. Removed from the pressure of getting a grade or being the best, kids get to learn new things on their own terms. “Camp is a real boost for young people,” said Brevard. “The good ones are designed to give every kid a chance to finish a project every day, to learn something new every day.”

In and near Clarke County there are several day and overnight camps offering programs ranging from the arts to Bible study to outdoor adventure and equestrian skills. Some are all day, even offering pre-camp drop off for an additional fee. Others are half-day, with morning and/or afternoon sessions.

The Observer’s 2014 Summer Camp Directory will get you started in your search for the summer camp that fits your child’s interests and your family’s budget.

 

2014 Summer
Camp  Directory
…………………………………..

Blandy Experimental Farm

nature camps

www.blandy.virginia.edu

 

Camp Sandy Cove

Christian overnight and day camps

www.campsandycove.org

 

Clarke County Historical Association

milling, history, conservation camps

admin@clarkehistory.org

 

Clarke County Parks & Rec

sports, art, science, business

http://www.clarkecounty.gov/parks/parks-and-recreation.html

 

The Old Opera House

theater camps

oldoperahouse.org

 

The Outdoor Education Center of For Love of Children (FLOC)

wilderness, frontier, survival, patriots
day & overnight camps

www.flocoutdoors.org

 

JBiT Ranch

horse lovers camps

www.jbitranch.com

 

Keystone Baptist Church

soccer, Chinese culture camps

www.keystonebaptist.org

 

Oak Hart Farm

farm, exploration, cooking camps

shawna@oakhartfarm.com

 

Opus Oaks, An Art Place

art camps

gale.bowman-harlow@opusoaks.org

 

Powhatan Summer Camps

pre-k/k, invention, sports camps

www.powhatanschool.org/summercamp

 

River Riders

outdoor adventure, aerial park camps

www.riverriders.com

Clarke County Answers

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By Jennifer Lee

 

If you could get in a time machine, to what time and place in history or the future would you travel?

“Before the crucifixion, to Galilee to actually experience The Sermon on the Mount.  For right now though, I’d like to be on Paradise Island in the Bahamas!” ~ Sharon Parrish at Bank of Clarke County, Boyce branch

“The 1920s-40s in the US for the culture, music, dancing, and art.  Or the early 1900s when women’s rights activists were fighting for voting rights, prohibition, and other things to protect their way of life. And Paris, when bread and pastry were the staple, just to see how they baked then, before electricity.” ~Abby D’Arcangelis, 24, at Locke Store

“I’d just want to go back to my childhood, wandering the fields, eating the tops of grasses, watching butterflies, and catching bumblebees on the side of the barn.” ~ Juliet Mackay Smith, 52, Locke Store proprietress

“I’d like to be in Juliet’s field, eating grass tops with her.  That sounds lovely.” ~ Ruth Szechenyi, 37, at Locke Store

“Palestine, hanging with Jesus.  I’d like to follow him around and hear what he has to say.  Or the early 1960s to hear John Coltrane.  I would have loved that, when his music was really going sideways.”  Matt Szechenyi, 45, local farmer and musician

“When the dinosaurs lived. Because I love dinosaurs! Or watching a Winnie the Pooh movie.  Or being in the Gummy Bear song” (which he then sang in entirety).  Andrew Szechenyi, 5

“I’m not gonna answer that question.  I’m a minister.  I don’t do imagination.  I do the real deal, like Jesus Christ.” ~ Reverend Gary Doleman, 60, visiting his brother at the Johnson Williams Community Apartments in Berryville, where he went to elementary school in the early 1960s.  Pictured with his friend and apartment resident, Wade Winchester Yowell, 52.

“1968, when I graduated from high school and I was drafted in the military.  My whole life began then, it was awesome.  I went to Ft. Bragg for basic training and Ft. Lee for specialized training.  I also played semi-pro football in Frederick, Maryland, for the Frederick Falcons.  I played tight end, defensive end, linebacker.  I was the all-around guy.” ~ Larry Bouie, 63, in Berryville with his dog Zeus and grandson Javion, 7.

“I would totally go back to when Eve was in the Garden of Eden.  I feel like I would never have eaten that apple.  Everything was so innocent and perfect then.  That’s what I would want.” ~ Melissa Pryor, 36, Asst. Customer Service Manager at Berryville Food Lion

 

Musical Duo Taarka Returns to Barns

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By Jennifer Lee

Following devastation of their Colorado home by flood,
they find rest in the Old Dominion

Loudoun county native David Tiller is bringing the “new acoustic super-group,” Taarka, he and his wife Enion Pelta-Tiller have fronted for the last 12 years to the Barns of Rose Hill for the second time on March 1. Their music has been widely acclaimed as a “collision of Django Reinhardt and David Grisman” (SF Weekly), with David on mandolin, tenor guitar, and vocals, Enion on five-string violin and vocals, and guest musicians on guitar and bass. They were a big hit on stage at last year’s Watermelon Park Fest.

Living in Colorado since 2006, the duo finds themselves on an extended stay in Virginia following the devastating floods that hit the Front Range of Colorado last September, destroying their home and studio in Lyons. Their personal story has been featured on the PBS News Hour, Al Jazeera, multiple AP articles, and the Denver Post.

Last November, musicians and community members from Waterford (David’s home town) and surrounding areas hosted a benefit that raised over $4,000 to help the Lyons Musicians’ Relief Fund. Enion says that she and David were not able to attend that event, so this upcoming performance at the Barns “is our chance to thank everyone and share with them the music that we have written following our experience of loss, displacement, and new hopes for the future.”

Enion answered a few questions for us about their music and recent experience.

 

1.   Where did you get the name Taarka?

I cook a lot, and Indian food is one of my favorite cuisines. When we formed the band, I had just learned about making a tarka—roasting mixed spices in hot oil till the seeds pop and make the onomatopoeic sound Tarka. We learned that the word refers to the sound, and that Taarka is a female Hindu demon. Our music is both energetic and diverse in its influences, so we thought it was a perfect name. We added the extra “a” for aesthetic reasons. Over the years we’ve learned it means things in many languages, spelled with either 2 or 3 a’s. it’s a Peruvian wind instrument, means many-colored in Hungarian, peace in ancient Finno-Ugaric, and walnut in Tibetan.

 

2.   How long did you live in Colorado, and will you return?

We moved to Colorado in 2006 because of the fantastic musical community there. David had lived there before, in the late 90s and on our journeys through, we realized we had more of a community there than anywhere else. Lyons is 15 miles north and a little bit west of Boulder. We plan to return there; we have gigs in March and have music students awaiting our return.

 

3. Have other members of that community been displaced?

Many, many folks were displaced—large parts of the town were without services for almost two months, and some people had to wait until December to go home, even if their homes were fine. In our neighborhood and a couple of others, everyone is living elsewhere for the near future.

 

4.   What has been the worst part of that experience? Did anything positive come from it?

It’s been a little different for each one of us. Our son Aesop, who is very resilient, was most upset about the loss of favorite toys and other material things. For David and me, it’s different. The things we lost are less important than the loss of a way of life. We had a lot of help from family with the house, and having that home meant that we could afford to be professional musicians without having to struggle as much as many do. We had completed a recording studio on the property not long before, and having a place where our friends and colleagues, as well as ourselves, could record music and enjoy the peace of the river was really nice.

The good that has come out of it has been palpable. The first thing that was really apparent after this happened was that we are part of a very strong local community. The help and support from neighbors and friends in town and in the Front Range region for each other and the folks in Lyons has been incredible. The support on a national level was mind-blowing, particularly from the musician community. Musicians from New Orleans to Bend, Oregon to Waterford, Virginia banded together and put on benefits for individuals in the musician community and the community as a whole. So many people came from far away places to help with the cleanup efforts.

Another positive thing is that we’ve written a lot of new songs following this, which we’ll be playing at the Barns of Rose Hill. And getting to live in Virginia for the winter and see all of David’s oldest friends has been great.

 

5.   Are you two the only members of Taarka?

We’re the only full-time members. However, we bring in a vibrant cast of characters to fill out the band for our shows. For this show we’ll have the incredible NY-based guitarist Ross Martin and the great young bass player from Colorado, Andrew Bonnis.

 

6.   Describe your sound and your “typical” audience.

Our sound is difficult to describe. We are influenced by music from all over the world but our sound is most informed by Americana, folk, gypsy-jazz and a little bit of pop music. These sounds blend in an interesting way with the string-band ensemble of violin, mandolin, guitar and bass. Our audience is pretty diverse. We have fans who are young—high-school age—who enjoy our poppier elements, fans who are in their 20s and 30s who have more broad musical tastes, and older fans who enjoy the refinement we try to bring to our craft.

 

Give Taarka a listen and read more about them on their website at www.wp.taarka.com. And come on out to see and support these folks at the Barns on Saturday, March 1st! Purchase tickets at www.fanfueled.com/Event/Details/6501-taarka.

Let’s Dance!

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Story and photos by Jennifer Lee

 

The Blue Ridge Studio for the Performing Arts  offers people of all ages the opportunity
to kick up their heels.

Every weekday afternoon and evening in autumn, winter, and spring, Berryville’s Main Street is graced with a tutu-clad bevy of little girls, or a group of fleet-footed 40 and 50-somethings, or a band of youngsters tapping their way up the stairs to learn a new dance step or perfect an old one at the Blue Ridge Studio for the Performing Arts.

In the 22 years she has operated the Blue Ridge Studio, Nela Niemann has helped hundreds of students of all ages and backgrounds learn to dance, commit to a practice, and make lasting friendships.

Lessons and Legacies

“You have to give kids the opportunity to do their very best. You can’t just put them on a stage,” Nela Niemann said that was one of many valuable lessons her mother, Cornelia Niemann, taught her about preparing students for a performance. Indeed, Mrs. Niemann was a well-loved powerhouse who produced, directed, and promoted the performing arts in Clarke County for many years, beginning in the mid 1960s. A professional actress from New York City, Mrs. Niemann and her husband Don moved to Boyce in 1963 where both have left enduring legacies. Mr. Niemann, now residing at Westminster-Canterbury, served as headmaster of Powhatan School for 19 years—its auditorium and service awards are named in honor of him and his wife, who passed away in 2000.

“She came from a theater background and was easily my biggest influence growing up,” says Nela of her mother. “She was my mentor and my friend, as well as my mom.” Michael Hobert, an attorney in Berryville and now Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, grew up with the Niemann family. “She was always alive with energy and when she asked you for something, it was impossible to turn her down,” he remembers.

“She took me on my first trip to New York City and bought me my first suit, at Saks Fifth Avenue. I am forever a loving fan of Cornelia Niemann, indebted to her and her inspiring husband Don, for their perpetual guidance and support,” said Hobert (who also is my “bonus-dad”).

Another Clarke County native and now the county’s zoning administrator, Jesse Russell, was also a beneficiary of Mrs. Niemann’s dedication and generosity. He spent several summers in high school as part of the Battletown Drama Group, which Niemann organized and directed. “She was a perfectionist dealing with a bunch of kids that had the attention span of a fly swatter. She never got mad at us and somehow was able, by sheer repetition and force of her will, to get us to remember our lines and cues. I thought she was great and thought of her as having been some great actress and director from Broadway,” Russell muses.

Among others, that troupe also included Rick Sponseller, Billy Whiting, Susan Smalley, and John Gilpin, who went on to become an actor in New York.

Hobert recalls that Mrs. Niemann also held together the Blue Ridge Players at the Old Opera House on Church Street in Berryville, “supported mightily by Jane Caspar and Barbara Sambol, and featuring Art Weiss, Harry and Barbara Lee Jones, Chet Hobert, Helen Byrd, Bill Donovan, Kay and Lucy Gilpin, Julian Everly, Becky Mitchell, Sarah and George Burton, the Clagetts, John Richardson, Ben Harrison, and many more luminaries of the time, too numerous to list.”

It is apparent that energy is reflected and carried on in her daughter. “I really have the best job in the world,” Niemann beams from her office, adjacent to the studio. Though the business part of her job doesn’t rate highly, the enthusiasm for her students, instructors, and all kinds of dance is more than evident in her bouncy step and infectious smile.

“I knew right away…”

Nela moved to Clarke County with her parents and two older brothers and younger sister from Palm Beach, Florida, when she was 7 and promptly started ballet lessons with Miss Ewing, for whom the dance studio at Shenandoah University is named. “She was an icon in Winchester at the time … and I was smitten from the start. I absolutely loved dancing and knew right away that classical ballet was what I wanted to do in life.” By the time she was 14, however, she realized that dream was impossible given her petite stature, but she never stopped training and took classes with professional companies in Washington, DC, and Spain.

“I taught dance part-time everywhere I went, but I didn’t realize it was my career until I was 27 and a mother,” Nela says. After her third son was born, the decision was made to stay in Clarke County near her family, and Berryville seemed like the natural choice of where to open a studio. “I knew the area and the people, and there were no other dance studios [in the area]. “

After significant research, diligence, and talking to other businesses in the area, Niemann was told a dance studio wouldn’t fly here. “I believe the exact quote was ‘We’re a farming town. We don’t need no dancin’ school,’” she laughs. But she says she knew the time was right and in September 1991, after adventures with textured paint and the installation of a dance floor, opened the doors to the studio at 5 East Main Street, (below where the studio is today). The first spring show, the culmination of the season, had a cast of 30 students.

The Dancers

Students from 3 to 93 can enroll in classes at the studio, which range from beginning to advanced levels of classical ballet, jazz, tap, and modern. Creative Dance is offered for 3-5 year olds, but it is at 7 years that Niemann says kids really start to “get it”, gaining control of their bodies, and the ability to sharply focus. Classes have always been female-dominated, but even more now than in the past. “Back when my own sons were dancing, we had quite a few boys, and my husband still dances, but other than three men in my adult classes, we only have two other little boys.”

“It takes a special kid, willing to stick with it, especially if you’re a boy surrounded by all girls. And kids are so overscheduled these days, “ Niemann says. “When they’re little, it’s all fun, fun, fun, but as they progress, it gets to be a lot of work and requires commitment and dedication.” Among the approximately 140 students currently enrolled in classes, most are from Clarke County but include many from the four adjoining counties.

Niemann credits her instructors, some of whom have been with her for many years, with the success of the studio and students. “My instructors are the best. I have five teachers working with me, and we all work beautifully together. Each and every one is highly trained and they are dedicated to their students and their art.”

She also feels that people choose the Blue Ridge Studio because of its family-oriented, accessible and inclusive nature. Lauren Olinger, 17, attests to this. She has been attending an array of classes at the studio since she was in first grade. “It’s a good environment. I like the teachers and it’s a close-knit group of people. I’ve made a lot of friends here. And it’s fun and I get to use my body. I also get to help out with the younger kids,” she says.

Niemann says her most dedicated students continue to pursue dance at the college level. She feels her biggest job is to prepare them for whatever dance path they choose, whether at the professional level or as a hobby they can participate in for the rest of their lives. Her students report back that she continues to accomplish this. “They always advance beyond the freshman (college) level,” she says proudly.

Beyond the Dance Moves

The physical benefits of dance are obvious and, though everyone may not be a Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers, it would appear that the desire to dance in some form is innate. “It is part of who we are,” Niemann states. “Virtually all babies sway or bounce to music. It’s in our DNA. More importantly, dance is part of our heritage and culture.” She points to studies that show dancing also improves cognitive acuity as well as providing an excellent emotional outlet.

“Shy children come out of their shells a bit, hyperactive children learn a little restraint, awkward children get a chance to feel elegant. I had one student who needed help with sequential thinking in math, and our tap class was very successful for him. I have seen introverted toddlers grow up to become leaders, truly exceptional young women. They learn everything from time management to strong work ethics to the meaning of commitment. Learning to dance is painfully slow – no instant gratification – so children learn to understand what dedication really is,” Niemann says.

That’s not all. Good nutrition is always discussed as part of the education. “I say if it comes in a shiny wrapper, it’s probably not good for you.” “Oh, and I also correct their grammar. We are a full service dance studio,” she smiles.

Community support is essential to the success of the studio and Niemann gushes that “people are much more genuine and generous than you could ever imagine.” The Blue Ridge Studio is a non-profit organization and has awarded tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships over the years to children who otherwise could not afford to attend classes. With the help of her students’ families, anonymous donors, small fundraisers throughout the year, an annual contribution from the Clara Weiss Foundation, and ticket and concession stand sales, Niemann says they have never turned away a child who couldn’t afford the class tuition.

Summers are spent planning shows for the following year. There is usually a winter show and at least two major spring productions. This spring, the Junior Company (ages 3 to level II) will be performing “Alice in Wonderland,” the first story ballet they have done in a long time, on May 30 and 31. The Senior Company (Level III – Advanced and Adult classes) will be performing to Broadway music in an as-yet unnamed production. Millbrook High School’s auditorium provides a large, welcoming space for these performances.

In addition to having “the best job in the world,” Niemann is perhaps even more passionate about her family. “I have three sons, four stepchildren, a wonderful husband who helps me with virtually everything at the studio, and a new grand- daughter who is the most amazing little baby on the planet!” If Nela Niemann’s overall jolly countenance, love of her work, and joy of life is any indication, dance is most definitely good for the soul.

For more information on the Blue Ridge Studio for the Performing Arts, visit their website at www.blueridgestudio.org, email nela@blueridgestudio.org, or call 540-955-2919.

Diana Kincannon Returns To The Barns

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By David Lillard

The Barns of Rose Hill announced that Diana Kincannon would return to the Barns of Rose Hill to serve as chairman of its board of directors. Her term of office began January 1. Kincannon led the capital campaign from 2004 to 2011 that resulted in the restoration of the Barns in Rose Hill Park. The Observer asked her to outline some of the Barns’ challenges and its aspirations for the future.

What are the primary challenges the board will tackle in your first six months as chair?

We will be focused on establishing a sustainable operating platform and beginning both an endowment fund and a maintenance fund. We’ll also be looking at our programming, and we will welcome input from the community in that area.

How will the board work to diversify the funding streams needed to sustain the Barns?

The Barns is like small and large arts organizations all over the state and nation in having an ongoing need to raise sustaining funds. The most important funding stream is that of major gifts from patrons, private individuals who wish to support the work of the Barns in promoting “the power of beauty and the deep power of harmony” (Wordsworth). These are individuals who value the arts and their power to interpret life and discern meaning, the power to influence people of all ages to experience life in a deeper and more positive way.

Other income streams include grants, memberships and appeals, special events, corporate sponsorships and event underwriting. We have already begun working in these areas, and the next six months are very important ones in our  fundraising efforts.

What types of programming changes do you foresee in changing the financial prospects for sustainability? 

I mentioned that we will be looking at programming, and that will be led by a programming committee made up of both board and community members. Input from the community would be appreciated. We have a wealth of talent in all visual, literary and performing arts in the region, and we have people who have had extraordinary careers and life experiences; one of our efforts will be to feature a greater diversity of programs featuring nearby resources that will appeal to our members and supporters. We will have to consider in each case if the proposed program will be profitable.  Establishing a sustainable financial basis is extremely important.

Do you anticipate different types of musical programming that would appeal to a broader audience?

The programming committee will be open to ideas. We’ve been able to feature just about every kind of musical programming—serious music of the classical and romantic eras, blues, bluegrass, country, contemporary dance.  I’d personally like to have a Broadway musical review, a ballroom dancing event, a music of the 40s swing and dance event—really, we’re open to your ideas and invite readers of the Observer to tell us what they would like.  Send a message to programs@barnsofrosehill.org.

How is the organization doing right now? Can it be sustained while going through the current transition? 

The Barns is in a challenging financial situation right now. I expect to be able to sustain an even keel while we work to establish a strong foundation, particularly if all those whose belief in the vision for the Barns led them to help build this beautiful facility. We have built the structure—the “body”, if you will. Now we must feed the “soul” of the Barns, its life as a vitally functioning center for community, arts and education. We will need, we do need, for Barns angels and patrons to sustain the organization.

What else would you like to tell Observer readers?

While there have been growing pains, and certainly a steep learning curve over the first two years of serving the community, these are to be expected. My aspirations, the board’s aspirations, are to establish an income stream that is predictable and reliable, that allows us to operate at the professional level our community deserves, and that allows us to initiate an endowment fund and a maintenance fund. We are committed to fulfilling our governance responsibilities by ensuring the Barns’ future. These actions are essential to support the Barns’ reason for being, the reason thousands of gifts were given to restore the old barns—to serve those who come to the Barns with ever more meaningful and delightful programs and events to enrich their lives and make the world a better place in the process.

Study Cites Berryville As Potential Hotel Site

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By David Lillard

The Town of Berryville has released a market feasibility study for developing a hotel site at the corner of U.S. 340 and Virginia State Road 7 north of town. The study, conducted by the Florida-based firm Nichols Hospitality Consulting, Inc., projects that a hotel on the site would generate more than $20,000 in lodging excise revenue for Clarke County—which would nearly double the roughly $23,000 in lodging taxes received in 2012.

According to Berryville town planner Christy Dunkle, funding for the study came from a USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant provided to hire a consultant to conduct the study.

“The intention was to have a professional determine whether this would be a viable effort,” said Dunkle.

Jan Nichols, the lead researcher on the study, looked at different sites in the town and county to find the most viable site for a hotel. She felt that the location north of the Food Lion would be the best option, added Dunkle. “We have forwarded the study to the representatives for the property owners.”

Nichols cited several advantages of the site. Among them, quoting directly from the study, are:

Good Accessibility: The subject site is accessible to a variety of local, county, and state highways, and features good access to SR 7 (the most highly trafficked roadway in Clarke County with an AADT of 21,000 to 25,000 near Berryville). Berryville is the County Seat of Clarke County, and is centrally located with good access to numerous leisure, meeting and group, and commercial lodging demand generators within the region.

Excellent Ingress and Egress: A planned extension of McNeill Drive and/or McClellan Street, which intersects with Mosby Boulevard one block southwest of the site, will provide ingress/egress. Mosby provides access to North Buckmarsh Street/US 340 within one block, which provides access to SR 7, located within one block. A traffic signal eases access from North Buckmarsh Street in both directions.

Excellent Visibility: Due to its location directly adjacent to and above the highway grade, the subject site should enjoy good visibility from North Buckmarsh/US 340 and SR 7. Prominent signage on the proposed two story hotel building and at entrances to the site will enhance the property’s visibility. Signage on SR 7 indicating lodging at the Berryville US 340 exit should be provided as well.

Ample Land, Zoned for Hotel Use: The subject hotel site is part of a greater parcel with a total of 11.6 acres, and is zoned for Business and Commercial, which allows hotels as well as other commercial/retail land use that would complement a hotel facility. Public water, sewer, and utilities are available to the site.

Complementary Adjacent Uses: Food Lion grocery store (convenient for hotel guests to purchase deli and other food or sundry items), a bank, and several retirement/assisted living facilities (can generate lodging demand) are nearby, with room for additional commercial development, including restaurants. Within one mile north, a new mini market and gas station, “Route 340 Depot” is scheduled to open in 2014, and a gasoline service station is located within one half mile of the site on N. Buckmarsh.

Proximity to Restaurants: The site is approximately one-half mile north of Main Street via N. Buckmarsh Street, within walking distance of +12 restaurants plus unique shops and entertainment in downtown Berryville. Numerous additional restaurants are located within a 10-minute drive, including fine dining.

No proposals yet

According to Dunkle, the objective of the study is to evaluate the feasibility of attracting a hotel operation. Nichols evaluated a number of market-area factors to determine demand. The objective of this study is to evaluate the supply and demand factors affecting transient accommodations in the subject market area and determine the market feasibility of a proposed hotel, and estimate the occupancy, average rate, and net operating income available for debt service for its first ten years of operation.

Dunkle said the report would be used by the Town of Berryville and/or potential investors in connection with business decision-making purposes.

The most likely investor in the hotel site, according to Nichols is a chain hotel that could support the brand through affiliated advertising and promotions. She concluded that the site could support a midscale to upper midscale hotel of 40 to 50 rooms, plus a small conference center.

Ingress and egress to the subject hotel site is planned via an extension of McNeill Drive and/or McClellan Street, which intersects with Mosby Boulevard, one block southwest of the site. Mosby provides access to North Buckmarsh Street/US 340 within one block, which provides access to SR 7, located within one block.

North Buckmarsh Street, said Nichols, is the potential hotel guests’ primary access to downtown Berryville, and many will want to walk the half-mile distance. “It is important that this be a pedestrian-friendly route,” writes Nichols. She recommends, “That the town consider streetscape beautification and wayfinding signage to enhance visitors’ experience traversing to Main Street.”

Dunkle said the study also recommends the development of a tourism strategic plan, projecting that as much as 50 percent of the accommodation demand would be from tourism. “We have been discussing this for years—the town, county, Economic Development Advisory Committee and through a series of community summits held in 2009 and 2010,” she said. A tourism plan has been drafted, Dunkle added, and is now being reviewed by county staff. The scenic country roads, wineries, historic sites, and other attractions bring in about $17 million a year in travel dollars to local businesses. Currently, Clarke ranks near the bottom of all Virginia counties in terms of tourism spending, according to figures compiled by the Virginia Travel Corporation and the U.S. Travel Association, says Nichols. The two most significant reasons for these low numbers cited by Nichols are the lack of a marketing effort and the absence of a hotel to serve out-of-town guests.

Destination marketing programs are funded in large part through taxes on lodging. At 2 percent, Clarke County’s hotel/motel tax is among the lowest of all surrounding counties—including in the nearby counties of West Virginia and Maryland. It creates a chicken-and-egg scenario: In order to increase tourism, counties need to invest in marketing, but to have the funding for marketing they need a stronger tourism industry.

Nichols suggests one way to expand the marketing outreach to tourists is by raising the current county lodging tax to 5 percent. The increase would align Clarke County with surrounding jurisdictions. Loudoun, for example, taxes hotels and motels at a rate of 7 percent. This increased revenue would expand resources available to promote Clarke’s attractions beyond county borders.

Research suggests that modern destination marketing relies on a robust social media effort. Travelers increasingly visit travel blogs and websites like Tripadvisor.com to plan their trips.

The good news for Clarke County is that its B&Bs and country inns are highly rated in Tripadvisor.com, says Nichols. Smithfield Farms, Rosemont Manor, Berryville Inn, and Battletown Inn all get great scores from guests—people who, in turn, become online ambassadors for the county. What the county tourism industry needs, according to the study, is more rooms at mid-scale prices and highway convenience.