Secrets of The Greenbrier

There are precious lessons in life that teach us to value what we have. Like diamonds stashed away in our very own backyards, sometimes we hardly know what we possess. Look where you least expect and there you will find priceless wealth.

Magically locked away in the lush Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia lies a Shangri-La of sorts — a timeless paradise of colonial privilege, surreal beauty and ever-flowing white sulphur springs with curative prowess, glorious history and unrivalled adventure. The Greenbrier, America’s Resort, as old as the nation itself, takes pride in a history that spans four centuries. Since 1778, 26 presidents of the United States, Hollywood celebrities, royalty and sports luminaries have experienced this sanctuary for the senses where it seems time stands still as it grants grand wishes and desires.

I have visited many luxury resorts in my life but never have I stumbled on a more mind-boggling property than this heavenly colonial edifice that offers just about everything one can think of.

I was awed by the presidents who frequented the resort: John Tyler (1827, 1844, 1845, 1854), Ulysses S. Grant (1874), Dwight D. Eisenhower (1944, 1945 twice, 1956), John F. Kennedy (1948, 1958), Lyndon B. Johnson (1940, 1950, 1961), Richard M. Nixon (1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958), Gerald R. Ford (1959, 1961, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1974), Jimmy Carter (1971, 1972), Ronald Reagan (1972, 1979), George H. Bush (1983, 1997), Bill Clinton (1985, 1988) and George W. Bush (1994, 2002).

Jim Justice, the new owner of the resort, one of the state’s most prominent businessmen in coal and agriculture, refers to The Greenbrier as a “national treasure.” According to gracious Lynn Swann, public relations director of The Greenbrier, “This renowned property offers 682 rooms, including 33 suites and 96 guest and estate houses. There are elegant guesthouses and rooms decorated by Dorothy Draper (an influential and innovative American interior decorator of the early to mid-20th century).”

Dorothy Draper’s custom designed chandelier in the Cameo ballroom became the symbol of her comprehensive new look for the hotel’s interiors.

The Greenbrier has 10 lobbies, more than 40 meeting rooms and a complete conference-center facility. Guests enjoy more than 50 recreational activities including three championship golf courses, indoor and outdoor tennis courts and a 40,000 square-foot spa. There is also horseback riding, white-water rafting, lessons on the art of falconry, fly fishing, outdoor ice skating, golfing on the PGA Tour course, gaming in their posh casino described as “Monte Carlo meets Gone with the Wind,” epicurean dining choices, shopping and, above all, their bunker tour.

Who would have ever thought that beneath these halls and walls of luxury and pedigreed class, there was a top secret kept hidden for 30 years? There existed a Cold War fallout shelter that could house the Congress in time of war, specifically nuclear holocaust.

The US Government Relocation facility called “Project Greek Island” was built between 1958 and 1961 under the West Virginia Wing of The Greenbrier. In the event of a national emergency, the 112,544-square-foot facility would have been activated and used by the US Congress and support staff. There was an efficient train and airport facilities and it was only four hours by land from the nation’s capital. Amtrak service from Chicago and Washington DC still drops guests off at a station right across the street from the resort.

Also, if ever there would be an attack on Washington, the nuclear fallout would be blown east, away from The Greenbrier which is situated to the west of Washington. The simple formula for its secrecy was that it was built in plain sight for the project to go unnoticed for 30 years. Had it not been for ace journalist Ted Gup, who exposed the military bunker, which was kept incognito till May 1992, discriminating guests and valuable visitors of the resort would still be dining and dancing nonchalantly, oblivious to what lay below.

In fact, during the bunker construction in 1959, American golf history took place at The Greenbrier Pro Am where Sam Snead scored an impressive 59. Though media coverage was extensive, it was unknown that not far from the 18th hole, heavy equipment had completed digging the bunker’s site.

The definition of Southern gentility is where guests come to toast their luck, celebrate winnings or simply relax in the middle of the casino excitement.

Our tour group was awed by this massive facility. Imagine, for three decades, guests casually went up to the E floor where the trade hall was, to attend to their events and sorties without the slightest hint that the exquisite lace design wallpaper camouflaged the thick bunker door that was actually built by the Mosler Safe Company!

Yes, 20-inch-thick doors, made by Mosler in Hamilton, Ohio, shielded The Greenbrier’s top-secret Congressional bunker from the outside world for three decades. There were bunk beds, state-of-the-art hospital facilities, a fully stocked pharmacy, over 1,000 telephone and fax machines, extensive food, water supplies, massive generators and only a handful of political leaders knew of its existence.

Today, tours to this bunker feature photographs, documents, maps and other materials conveying the complexity of the plan to activate the bunker and the detailed steps that would have been necessary to ensure the continuity of the US Government in the event of a national nuclear threat.

After Gup’s exposé, the British soon admitted they also had their own version of a Cold War fallout shelter.

The air was nippy and frosty as the excited crowd gravitated towards the massive tree lighting event at the front of the colonial Greenbrier. Guests in their furs, saber coats, and polished leather shoes that had gone from the casino excitedly awaited the annual lighting of the giant Christmas tree. Lively carols were sung as the illumination radiated like a million fireflies and Tinkerbell fairies cast into the air.

Before braving the snowy outdoors, I admired the hotel lobby, a living repository of timeless artifacts, furniture, paintings that showcase the time and date of the visits of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, the famous publisher Conde Nast, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra and even the honeymoon of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher in 1955. Old photographs depict elegant women in the 19th century playing tennis and bowling on the green in their gowns and frocks. Such elegance and grace of a bygone era continues till today. After some hot cups of apple cider and cinnamon cookies, we felt warm inside. Truly, it was a night to remember.

Indoor heated pool with classic columns is a royal treat at The Greenbrier.

My travelling photographer Tony Rodriquez, who works for the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, which operates the Greenbank Observatory nearby, joined me for the famous Spa at The Greenbrier. It was truly an honor to be where the great international dignitaries and luminaries bathe and savor their signature massage.

To say I was on Cloud 9 is an understatement, what with the exhilarating Greenbrier Treatment that begins with a warm sulphur soak in the healing waters, followed by a steam bath or sauna. Cold towels with ice cubes refresh your whole body as a Swiss shower and Scotch spray, their manual version of a Vichy shower, breaks up toxins and cellular blockage.

These prepare you for the 50-minute massage where the masseuse expertly kneads your sore muscles. Like a dance in perfect harmony, the therapist is in tune with your physique and spirit leaving you feeling brand new. Color hydrotherapy at its finest showcases a synergy of light and music complementing the intricate design of the bathing salons and private rooms, where luxurious massages, exhilarating exfoliating treatments and relaxing body wraps can be savored along with an extensive selection of facials, foot and hand care.

Listening to the Christmas carols while the snow was falling gently on the pavement, it dawned on me that I had never been to any haven as luxurious and interesting at the same time.

Some things never change. Classic beauty is timeless. In fact, such things only get better and stronger with age. No matter how far away in time, we feel close to their hearts because of the impact they have made on our spirits. A jewel of magnificent proportions, a trip to the East Coast is never complete without a visit to The Greenbrier, a magical sanctuary where time stands still, preserving only the good, the true and the beautiful.

Come what may, The Greenbrier is here to stay.

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For more information about the Greenbrier, log on to www.greenbrier.com.

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E-mail the author at miladay.star@gmail.com .