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Show Eastern Panhandle Is Favorite Spot for Vacationers Old-timers used to talk about "this neck of the woods," and West Virginia's Vir-ginia's Eastern Panhandle may have the answer to how the expression expres-sion started. Back in the wilderness wilder-ness days, the area was called "The Northern Neck of Virginia." Eastern Panhandle retains a flavor fla-vor all its own Gouging into Maryland Mary-land and Virginia as it does, it partakes par-takes of the traditions of both those states and remains somewhat dif ferent, if not apart, from the main area of West Virginia. In 1776, the village of Martins-burg Martins-burg had "30 houses" and the community com-munity was building "a courthouse of no inconsiderable size and elegance." ele-gance." Today Martinsburg is the ; industrial center of the Eastern Panhandle. West Virginia's Eastern Pan-i Pan-i handle has as its main attractions I Cac?i "n state park, old homes of I the Washington family in Colonial days, Berkeley springs, and large apple and peach orchards. Harper's Ferry, historic center at junction of the Potomac and Shenandoah, Shen-andoah, is the state's oldest town. The Eastern Panhandle is only 52 miles from Washington, 73 miles from Baltimore, and 261 miles from j New York. It is one of the favorite ' spots for week-end and vacatioi trips from metropolitan areas. |