This week, it seems appropriate to bring attention to the Civil War Trails Sign that was recently installed on the east side of the Greenbrier River, at First Avenue in Marlinton. It commemorates the importance of the Greenbrier River Covered Bridge Crossing. Built in the 1850s, the bridge connected Union-controlled territory on the western side with the Confederate occupied area on the eastern side.
The bridge was replaced in 1915.
This week marks 156 years since Union Gen. William W. Averell passed over the bridge with his command on August 29 – 30 and later on November 4, 1863, during two of his three raids. Earlier in 1861, the better-known General Robert E. Lee and his army marched across the same bridge from Huntersville to the Tygart River Valley. The bridge was used at various other times during the war, until 1865.
Stop and read all about it.
Now, for a life lesson and the rest of the story.
The process, leading up to the actual placement of the sign, has been about a three-to-four year journey. At one point, the site had been selected and installation was expected by early spring 2019. If the sign had been placed at that time, it would have been at a less accessible location.
As it turned out, waiting a little longer made for a better placement. With the sidewalk project in progress, a level spot for ADA accessibility to the street was completed by the time the sign arrived.
Now, when you stop to read the sign, you will see that its placement looks like the new sidewalk corners were constructed with the sign in mind – and that, my friends, is “the rest of the story.”