Appalachian Travelogue (3)

People, nature and history of Monroe County, West Virginia are magnetic

Clouds role in to Sweet Springs Valley, in the far eastern tip of Monroe County, W.Va.

SWEET SPRINGS, W.Va. — When a West Virginian refers to home as “Almost Heaven,” it certainly applies to virtually every region of the state (despite the destruction caused by the fossil fuel industry). One place, in particular, is magnetic to me. It’s here in Sweet Springs, in Monroe County. I was pleased to be a regular guest of Ashby Berkley, the man who rescued Sweet Springs Resort (designed by Thomas Jefferson) from destruction.

I first met Ashby more than 20 years ago. I caught up with him again in the late Spring and visited and volunteered at Sweet Springs throughout the summer. Below are a few photos from my restful times there over the summer. I think they will help you understand why the resistance to the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley pipelines is so strong there and across the border in Virginia.