Lee County, VA

ince this is the tri-state area, we couldn’t leave without visiting the third state... Vir- ginia. So we made the trip across the border from Cumberland Gap into Lee County, Virginia. We were spending the day exploring all Wilderness Road State

Park had

to offer. The first stop, The Karlan Mansion. This grand house was originally known as the Ely House, and it was built in 1878 by Robert

McPherson Ely. he constructed the house while his family lived states away in Missouri. There are letters from McPherson to his wife and children that are preserved in the museum room of the mansion. There are three beautiful, handcrafted fireplaces in the mansion that are original to the home. They were made with imported Italian marble, and they just make the space feel grand. In the dining room you’ll find a pie safe, where baked goods used to be stored in order to cool without getting covered in flies. That’s also original to the mansion. We received a tour from a relative of one of the home’s original owners. Ms. Frances Inwood took us around to every room, telling stories she had when the home was still the Ely House. Almost every room in the house has at least one elephant decoration. These were donated to the home by a local politician and his family. Turns out The Elys, especially Frances’s cousin, Maurine, were staunch democrats. So if anyone wants to donate a few donkey figurines or stuffed animals to balance things out, I’m sure the donation would be appreciated. Besides the many elephants, the Karlan Mansion is filled with original furniture and other vintage pieces that have been donated by the community. You could spend hours just walking around and im-

mersing yourself in the history of every room. After our tour, we were treated to some delicious sour cream pound cake in the kitchen. Absolutely delicious! The Karlan Mansion is a great venue for weddings, reunions and other parties. It has a full-service kitchen, two dressing rooms, three restrooms and a solarium great for receptions. Wilderness Road State Park also has several other venue options like the amphitheater, Surber Cabin and the Visitor Center theatre. The park opened officially in 1998, but the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation purchased the Karlan estate and 200 acres surrounding the property in 1993. When it opened in December of ‘98, the mission was to provide people with resources and a cultural experience. It actually sits on part of the original Wilderness Road cut by Daniel Boone in the late 1700s. It’s a great spot for picnicking, hiking and just enjoying the offered living history programs. At the Visitor Center you’ll be able to watch a documentary about the Wilderness

Road and to learn about the treaty signed between the Native Americans and settlers through an animatronic reinaction. However, if you want something a little more immersive than a documentary, Wilderness Road has several options. Throughout the year they have events like the Heritage Festival, Candlelight Ghost Tour and Mystery Dinner Theatre. The park also offers picnic areas, a large amphitheater and more than eight miles of Wilderness Road Trail. Our favorite part of our time in Virginia, was our visit to Martin’s Station. It was closed for refurbishment while we were visiting Wilderness Road State Park, but we got an exclusive look at what’s to come later this year. Martin’s Station is a replica of the original fort built in 1775. The fort was active during the Westward expansion during the Revolutionary War. It served as a place of refuge for settlers braving the new frontier. The Martin’s Station you see today is a living museum. It has authentic structures, and reenactors that showcase life as it would’ve been on the frontier in the 1700s. The two reenactors we met on our tour actually live on the settlement during the season. They said it provides a more immersive experience for them and for visitors that come to the fort. They grow their own food and purify their own water. If someone is injured on site (non-life threatening), they’ll treat the wounds as they would have during the time of Daniel Boone. No matter the situation

reenactors stay in character while the fort is open to the public. You’ll get to watch them perform blacksmithing duties, tending to the fields, smoking meats, and more. The aim is for you to feel like you’ve stepped into 1775. We were blown away by the committment of the reenactors. They showed us how they cut the logs to build the structures, and even because that’s likely what would’ve been done in the Westward expansion days. However, after all of that, the bleeding still didn’t stop. What’s the next logical solution? He had to cauterize it. He took a nice hunk of metal and heated it over the fire and zapped that cut until the bleeding stopped. It was as good as new.

These reenactors are passionate about bringing you an authentic 1700s experience, but they also just love what they do. The two guys we were with said they love this area and the history, and they like the idea that they’re preserving something and bringing it alive like a textbook never could. They get to solve problems without technology, and there’s something satisfying about that process. Martin’s Station is open for visitors during the summer months.

how they started a fire for the blacksmith shop. I asked the man starting the fire if he burned himself often, because he was getting awfully close to the flames. He proceeded to pick up the flaming ball with his bare hands. “I can’t feel anything anymore,” he said. Then he followed that with a story about a time he sliced his finger pretty bad a few seasons ago. He started by rubbing some dirt in it, because that’s a classic solution. He tried some tree sap,