The History of the Greenbrier, America's Resort, by Robert S. Conte (oversize HC, 1998, $3)
Shawnee Natives knew of a foul-smelling mineral water spring with healing powers. The area was called White Sulphur Springs because of a white deposit left by the sulphur on nearby rocks. The Natives told an early settler. She decided to test its powers. She bathed in it, for weeks. She also drank it, also for weeks. Eventually her rheumatism got better!
Sometime after 1812 the spring's owner, surprisingly no longer the Shawnee, decided to build a resort there. Over time the original frame house was made larger and larger, but even so by the beginning of the 20th century the buildings were old, and the resort was losing money. Luckily the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, owned by Vanderbilt and Morgan, came to the rescue. They bought the resort, surprisingly only paying a fraction of its worth. The railroad company updated the resort, built on a massive Bath Wing, and ran lots of passenger trains to the resort. They advertised, "Better than Europe! Take the Cure at White Sulphur!"
But what about the "Greek Island" secret? In 1953 both Russia and the United States had nuclear bombs directed at each other. President Eisenhower worried how the government would survive if Russia nuked DC. As president, he had the power to build emergency shelters for the executive branch, but Congress had to decide to build a bunker for its own people. Secrecy was imperative. The government chose to build at Greenbrier. The hills surrounding the resort would help protect it from radiation. Greenbrier was close enough to DC to be reached by plane, train, or car. Greenbrier was large enough that a bunker could be built without being noticed. Also, during the war, the railroad company had worked closely with the government to set up housing for foreign diplomats. This was a company that could be trusted to keep a secret.
"Greek Island" was kept secret until 1992 when the Washington Post told an amazed public what lay underneath the Greenbrier's ballroom. Look for this book on the new non-fiction table. (L.-arch.)
