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