The excitement is building and the horses are prancing in anticipation of being driven along the country roads at Blue Sulphur Springs. Those who pledge to the “Save the Blue Sulphur Spring Pavilion” kickstarter campaign at the $2,500 level will be treated to a ride provided by Raymond and Lynn Tuckwiller in one of their historic carriages.
The Tuckwillers have 22 antique carriages stored in several locations. These include a landau which is a more formal conveyance that can have the top up or down according to the weather. People who owned this kind of carriage would have always been driven by a servant so, if they choose to use this carriage, the Tuckwillers will dress accordingly. They might use a “Doctor’s Buggy” for the ride. This one would be of particular interest to people from the Greenbrier Valley because it was sold by Crickenberger and Co. of Lewisburg. It is about 125 years old and was purchased by the Dixon family who cared for horses at The Greenbrier for many years.
Another possibility for the ride is a roof seat break. This tall vehicle was often driven to events such as races. The seats are very high and, once the horses were unhitched, it served as portable “stadium seating” for its passengers. The “back-to-back” trap would be an interesting possibility. This is a smaller vehicle which has a second seat facing to the rear behind the driver and passenger. The seat could be folded up if not needed. Just imagine a “rumble seat” facing the other way. A more prosaic wagon might be hitched up and it looks pretty elegant in black with red wheels.
While the $2,500 level may not be within everyone’s reach, a pledge of any amount will be appreciated. As of Friday, Mar. 20, over $17,000 had been pledged and the campaign was at 69 percent of its goal of $25,000. However, with the end in sight at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 28, more support is needed. Everyone is encouraged to support The Blue by going to https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/693916700/restore-the-blue-sulphur-spring-pavilion and making a pledge using a credit card.
Alex McLaughlin, chair of the Friends of the Blue Committee, said, “We have nearly 100 wonderful ‘Champions for the Blue’ and we appreciate every one of them. For the many who have been thinking about making a donation during this campaign, now is the time. Let’s get this wonderful old treasure fixed.”
