(Above) The eastern end of the West Virginia Route 9 Bike Trail begins 3.5 miles north of downtown Charles Town. The 10.5 mile trail continues northwest — ending at the outskirts of Martinsburg (by the Eastern Regional Jail, hence the nickname “jail trail”). Berkeley County and the City of Martinsburg are working on a project to extend the Route 9 trail from it’s current terminus to connect with the under-construction Frog Hollow Trail, creating a direct connection into downtown Martinsburg.
Editor’s note from the June 2022 print issue
The room was packed at May’s Tourism Summit, organized by the Jefferson County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Chelsea Ruby, West Virginia’s Secretary of Tourism and Dr. Danny Twilley, of the Brad & Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative at WVU, both described the significant potential here in Jefferson County to expand opportunities for outdoor recreation — an economic base that can sustain a broad range of businesses, create jobs, and make living and visiting here even more attractive than it is today.
Twilley highlighted the importance of connections — especially the connections between communities inside Jefferson County that are formed by the physical network of outdoor recreation activities available in the surrounding area. Trails and paths are an important, yet often overlooked, connection that can drive an area to become a hub of outdoor recreation. Today, it’s possible to cycle directly from Pittsburgh to Harpers Ferry or Shepherdstown on a direct path — and these communities see the economic impact of this increasingly popular recreation vacation activity. Imagine if the rest of Jefferson County could be connected to this network. Not unlike high speed internet, if we can connect to it, good things will come.
Bob Kuska writes of another type of outdoor recreation — and one of the perennial joys of an American summer — baseball. Especially in a minor league park, fans are part of the game. Likewise, at the Contemporary American Theater Festival, it’s the audience that makes the experience. So batter-up, break a leg, and hope you enjoy some time out on the town this summer.
By Steve Pearson