Spencer (West Virginia)

Spencer is a city of 2,352 people (as of 2000) in West Virginia. It was chartered in 1858 and named for Spencer Roane, a jurist from Virginia.

Get in

Spencer is located at the intersection of US-33, between Ripley and Weston, and US-119, north of Charleston.

Get around

See

• Robey Theatre, 318 Main Street, ☎ [phone]. The longest continually-operating movie house in the US, opened in 1907 as a vaudeville house and showing movies since 1908. One screen. $5 general admission, $7 balcony. 
• Mount Zion Drive-In, WV-16 in Mount Zion, 304-354-9405. Open during warmer months; movies begin at dusk. Historic drive-in since 1949. Full concession stand serving pizza, fresh hand-pattied burgers, hot dogs, popcorn and frozen custard, with homemade pizza crust and hot dog sauce. Food $1 - $8, admission $6.
• Heritage Park Museum, 207 Court Street, ☎ [phone]. Housed in an old Baltimore & Ohio Railroad depot, with late 19th and early 20th century tools, printing press, World War I memorabilia, restored 1920 school house, early 1900s oil derrick, and Baltimore & Ohio caboose. 
• Charles Fork Lake. Off WV-36. Fishing, canoeing, and over 25 miles of hiking and biking trails. Hosts the Aquafina Tour de Lake Mountain Bike Race every May. 

Do

Events

• West Virginia Black Walnut Festival, 116 Court Street, ☎ [phone]. Held during four days beginning on the second Thursday in October since 1954. The festival was begun when a local farmer sold two million pounds of black walnuts, inspiring the region to cultivate them as a cash crop. Grand parade, kid's parade, art and photography show, competitions, pageant, exhibits and flower show, live music, gospel sing, food booths, carnival. 

Buy

• Common Cents and Vanity Consignment, 219 Main Street. Open 10 am to 5 pm Monday through Saturday, and 12 pm to 3 pm most Sundays. One of the largest consignment stores in West Virginia, with over 5,000 square feet. Clothing, household items, antiques, furniture and wallpaper. 
• Hughes Jewelry Inc., 144 Main Street, ☎ [phone]. Rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and mens' jewelry, specializing in diamonds. Watch, clock and jewelry repair. 
• Seven Sisters Handcrafted Soaps, 145 Summit Street, ☎ [phone]. 

Learn

• The local newspaper is the Times Record, 210 E Main Street, 304-927-2360, .

Eat

• Grandview Family Restaurant, Ripley Road, 304-927-9838.
• Main Street Cafe, 217 Main Street, ☎ [phone]. 

Drink

• Roane Vineyards. Reedyville / Golf Course Road off US-14 near US-33, 304-927-3200. Hours by appointment; please call ahead. Begun when the owners discovered wild grapes growing on their farm in 1995, now cultivating eight varieties of mostly French-American Hybrid grapes. Fourteen wines available, including plum, raspberry, elderberry and melomel. 

Sleep

Motels

• Grandview Motel, 1158 Ripley Road, ☎ [phone]. 

Bed and Breakfasts

• Cunningham House, 224 Chapman Avenue, ☎ [phone]. 4 rooms. Historic home, built in 1900 and opened as a B&B in 1998. Fireplace, wraparound porch, dining room. $84 - $104. 
• Vintage House, 435 W Main Street, ☎ [phone]. 

Go next

• Ripley is about 40 minutes west on US-33.
• Charleston is about 1 hour south on US-119 / I-79.
• Weston is about 1.5 hours east on US-33.

Routes through Spencer

Columbus ← Athens ← Jct N S ←

W  E

→ Weston → Harrisonburg