WV Weekends in
Greater Parkersburg
Mysteries, Mansions, and Microbreweries
TREASURES FROM THE PAST
Greater Parkersburg has a rich history.
As you travel down the Ohio River
on an authentic sternwheeler to
Blennerhassett Island Historical
State Park, you’ll experience that
history firsthand.
Romance, mystery, and betrayal will
capture your attention as you hear the
ill-fated tale of Harman and Margaret
Blennerhassett, the wealthy Irish
aristocrats who settled on the island
in the late 1700s. The couple became
entangled in the doomed Aaron Burr
Expedition to the Southwest and fled
their island home in 1806.
The only park of its kind in the
state, visitors to Blennerhassett
Island may enjoy guided tours of the
reconstructed Blennerhassett Mansion,
wagon rides around the estate, and
special events—like Mansion by
Candlelight—May-October.
Once back on the mainland, take a
stroll through the Julia-Ann Square
Historic District, the largest
residential historic district in the state.
Architectural gems line the streets and
echo the wealth of a bygone era. Spring
garden tours and Christmas home tours
are offered annually. skill levels. The grooved trail creates a
rhythm for a better biking experience
and traverses across a scenic and
seldom-visited area of the park. The
trail also links to 30 miles of existing
mountain bike trails.
While downtown, stop by the Oil &
Gas Museum to learn of the area’s
leading role in the nation’s first oil
and gas boom. Then round out your
excursion back in history with a visit
to Henderson Hall. Built in 1859,
this impressive 17-room pre-Civil War
mansion has survived as a legacy of the
Victorian and Edwardian eras. GOOD EATS
Visit three microbreweries within
15 minutes of each other. Stop by
Parkersburg Brewing Co. and try
their award-winning craft beer 304
or the Marietta Brewing Co. for a
Happy Trail IPA. Grab a bite and a beer
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
Stretching 72 miles through 13 tunnels
(a few are haunted), the North Bend
Rail Trail winds through rural
countryside, historic sites, and North
Bend State Park. The trail’s low
grade makes it perfect for a leisurely
bike ride. For the more adventurous in
spirit, Mountwood Park offers a new
Flow Trail for mountain bikers of all
at the North End Tavern & Brewery
(or the N.E.T. as the locals call it). The
house specialty, the N.E.T. Burger, is
legendary and made even better when
washed down with a house-brewed craft
beer—like a Roedy’s Red or WV Wheat.
The N.E.T. is the oldest continually
operating bar in the state with an onsite
microbrewery to quench your thirst.
Begin your WV Weekend at
GreaterParkersburg.com!
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