[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 22 (Friday, February 11, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E214]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      REGARDING LEWISBURG, WV AS ``COOLEST'' SMALL TOWN IN AMERICA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 11, 2011

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, one hundred and thirty nine thousand and 
sixty eight visitors and residents and still counting have cast votes 
to designate Lewisburg in my home State of West Virginia, as the 
coolest small town in America. Whether victory in this contest is 
ultimately ours or not, we have learned a lot, reminded a whole lot of 
our friends not to be strangers, and have won new interest from around 
the country. To all those who competed in this year's effort, we salute 
you. Of course there are many towns across this great country and in 
West Virginia that are cool, worthy of recognition, and multiple 
honors. But to be the coolest, you have to heat up a lot of energies, 
and fire up plenty of old fashioned grit and hard work, and burn untold 
candles at both ends, and exhaust a multitude of warm hearts.
  And Lewisburg has done just that. Not just in the last year, either. 
Lewisburg's charm, its endearing hospitality, historically spans the 
centuries, back to America's earliest beginnings. Nestled in the 
peacefully lush valley of the Greenbrier River, Lewisburg has hosted 
Presidents and Generals, Yankees and rebels, patriots and loyalists.
  Historic Lewisburg is the county seat of Greenbrier County, and named 
after Andrew Lewis, a young surveyor, who, in 1751, established a camp 
near the spring, located behind the present courthouse, and known since 
that time as the Lewis Spring. In 1782, Lewisburg was formally 
established by an act of the Virginia General Assembly. The Old Stone 
Church in Lewisburg, the county seat, was the first Presbyterian Church 
built west of the Allegheny Mountains and has been in continual use 
since 1786.
  The Greenbrier Valley and mineral-rich springs were fertile grounds 
for prosperous farming and elegant resort hotels and spas for visitors.
  Today, Lewisburg--with its many 18th and 19th century buildings--is 
home to families, young professionals, and senior citizens and hosts 
thousands of visitors from all across America and around the world each 
year. Its vibrant performing arts community offers live performances by 
artists from around the world, arts in education programming, classes, 
workshops, fine art exhibits, an independent film series, and more in 
its own Carnegie Hall--one of only four Carnegie Halls still in 
continuous use in the world.
  But above all its fine attributes, Lewisburg's lasting legacy will be 
its people, and their close knit neighbors in West Virginia.

                          ____________________