A bird’s eye view of Blennerhassett Island during the Mansion by Candlelight event in the fall of 2024.
PARKERSBURG — Two of West Virginia’s 36 state parks are in the Mid-Ohio Valley.
Situated in the Ohio River near Parkersburg, Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park sees more than 40,000 visitors a year.
Settled in the late 1700s by Irish aristocrats Harman and Margaret Blennerhassett, the island became linked to Aaron Burr’s military expedition to the southwest, ultimately forcing the family to flee.
Today, it is a major tourist draw to the area. The island is most commonly accessible by a 20-minute sternwheeler riverboat ride from Point Park off Second Street. The park offers hiking trails, picnic facilities, guided tours and events throughout the year.
Blennerhassett Island Historic State Park Superintendent Craig Pyles said the Island Belle Sternwheeler runs from May 1 to Oct. 31.
A bird’s eye view of Blennerhassett Island in 2024. (Photo provided by Craig Pyles)
“Technically you can visit the island if you have your own boat but the facilities aren’t open in the wintertime,” said Pyles. “It’s a really good time of year to visit the island for bird watching because it’s really peaceful.”
He said during the cold months, park officials focus more on the three-story Blennerhassett Island Museum of Regional History at 137 Juliana St.
Four new paintings purchased by the Blennerhassett Island Historic Foundation hang in the museum’s lobby, images of Blennerhassett Island, Margaret Blennerhassett, Harman Blennerhassett and Aaron Burr.
“The museum is full of Native American artifacts,” Pyles said. “There is evidence of Native Americans inhabiting the island as much as 10,000 years ago.”
Because the island is a state park, artifact hunting is prohibited but sometimes arrowheads and stone jewelry will show up.
Horses preparing for carriage tours at Blennerhassett Island during the Mansion by Candlelight event in October 2024. (Photo provided by Craig Pyles)
“We used to have this history kids camp and we did an activity where we placed some arrowheads in the sand for the kids to sift through but actually started to discover more artifacts,” said Pyles. “We inadvertently found a handful of arrowheads.”
Pyles said there are low-mileage trails guests can enjoy throughout the park and they’re hoping to expand those soon.
“We attract a lot of people from the big C’s,” he said. “Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Charleston.”
Pyles said they’ve noticed people from Pittsburgh have started visiting the area more recently. He said they usually have around 15 charter bus tour companies but this year they’ve already booked 20.
“We’re booked for weddings every weekend the entire months of May and June,” he said. “We’ve always offered a wedding venue on the island but it’s really taken off this year.”
The sun shines through an Almost Heaven Swing on Blennerhassett Island in 2024. (Photo provided by Craig Pyles)
Some upcoming events at Blennerhassett Island include:
* May 6-8: Rendezvous on the River
* June 20: West Virginia Day
* July 4: Ringing of the Bell ceremony
* July 19: Three Rivers Avian Center Birds of Prey Program
The Blennerhassett Mansion on Blennerhassett Island in October 2024. (Photo provided by Craig Pyles)
* Oct. 9-10: Mansion by Candlelight
More information about Blennerhassett Island is available online at https://wvstateparks.com/parks/blennerhassett-island-historical-state-park/.
Near Cairo and Harrisville in Ritchie County, North Bend State Park includes a 72-mile long trail that is flat and smooth for pedestrians and bicyclists. There are also 20 miles of single-track trails for mountain bikers to explore.
North Bend was developed and established in 1954 after the state purchased over 1,400 miles of land. As the park expanded, campgrounds and lodging were later established.
The park is also part of the North Fork of the Hughes River Watershed Project which consists of the 305-acre lake.
Horses pull a carriage of tourists during the Mansion by Candlelight event at Blennerhassett Island in October 2024. (Photo provided by Craig Pyles)
There is a boat and canoe launch and two fishing platforms to fish the selection of bass, catfish and more.
Visitors wanting to stay overnight can book a campsite at two available campgrounds. They can participate in activities such as geocaching, mini-golf, swimming, hiking on 19 different trails, fishing, and bird watching.
More information about North Bend State Park is available online at https://wvstateparks.com/parks/north-bend-state-park/.
The Island Belle Sternwheeler docking at Blennerhassett Island. (Photo provided by Craig Pyles)
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.newsandsentinel.com ’
