On the Front Line for the Blackwater Canyon

It started with a hot Sunday in Thomas, WV. My cousin, Jenna, and I set up on the abandoned sidewalk in front of Reid Gilbert’s Opera House at 4 PM, having arrived way too early for the fireworks crowd. We played hangman, and I only let her do environmental words to keep her focused. Teenagers. . .

When the crowd finally rolled in around 7 PM, we had run out of conversation and were gleeful at the prospect of pitching ideas. And people came. We gathered 90 signatures, and many thanks. And we listened. People thought the Canyon had been bought by or given to the governor, having been confused by Lindy Point coverage; others reminisced about driving trains through the beautiful land, giving us their full support and saying tourism was the future of West Virginia; still others, gave support, but doubted it would ever "really work." A Blackwater Canyon National Park? Power to the people, we cried, and drove onward, a flush in our cheeks from rapidly counting the names.

Appropriately, our next stop was an all-ages show at 123 Pleasant St. in Morgantown. Twice I got on the microphone to announce our presence over in the corner, getting whistles and cries of support, particularly when bare-chested band members shouted "stop the tree killers," after I stepped down. Almost every person at the show signed our petition. Harrison, Elissa, and Devin worked the crowd and got the names of six potential volunteers! We were cruising.

Next was a quiet stop in Stuart Park [a park near Elkins]; Gabriel and Elissa were with me. We got a chance to talk to the scattered groups of nature worshipers as we walked around the beautiful park, which in itself, is a fine example of how to integrate access and recreation on public land. And people listened. All but two people signed our petition after we explained the present Canyon situation and benefits of a national park. By that time, I decided handing out stapled packets was the way to go. Then nobody would wish they had more information later. The packet includes a postcard to Congressman Mollohan, addresses for other politicians, an order sheet for "Save Blackwater Canyon" T-shirts and card, and an information flyer.

Next Helen, Julie, and I went to "Pickin’ in the Park" in Elkins [part of the Augusta Festival], getting a great reception, handing out tons information packets and bumper stickers. One triumph was a couple of ladies who shook their heads disapprovingly when I first approached them with my petition. After explaining how we weren’t against timber as a rule, simply against timbering a special, beautiful place that West Virginians have always thought of as theirs, they began to bend, and when they heard about the possible benefits of a National Park to Tucker County, they signed.

Helen met a woman who had written to President Clinton about the Canyon, and was disappointed that she’d gotten no reply. We assured her that a American Legion Auxillary Girl had been one of two chosen to travel to Washington, DC, and the Blackwater Canyon was her political concern of choice. She had contacted the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy for information in order to personally sway President Clinton to give his support for a Blackwater Canyon National Park.

And so we traveled on to the "Revenge of the Rattlesnake" bike race [a mountain bike race that goes from Blackwater Falls State Park to Canaan Valley State Park], and handed out bumper stickers like it was chewing gum, and to the businesses of Morgantown, who let us set up petitions and information stands. Onward! Occasionally, we get a scowl and a sharp, "I won’t sign anything that takes away John Crites’ land!" In response, we flinch, sigh, nod and say we understood that opinions differ. But as we walk away, we look over our shoulder at whoever rebuffed our advances and raise an eyebrow that says, "ain’t no stopping us now, look at this stack of signatures."

Power to the People!