daily304 - Episode 03.23.24

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.  

Today is Saturday, March 23, 2024.

Blennerhassett Island may be a beautiful park to visit, but it also boasts a fascinating history. A popular brewery in Morgantown expands. And learn about Chef Boyardee’s West Virginia connection…on today’s daily304.

#1 – From THE HISTORY PROJECT – In the middle of the Ohio River between Parkersburg, West Virginia and Belpre, Ohio, sits Blennerhassett Island, a place named for the Anglo-Irish gentry who built their estate there in the 18th century and named it for themselves. But this paradise would not last after the arrival of Aaron Burr …

Learn more about Blennerhassett Island with The History Project, the Daily304’s presentation of famous people, places and events that shaped West Virginia. Then plan a visit to Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park when the park opens for the season in May. 

Read more:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=9SxdBF2F82tG57HN&v=q6U2SQBxDr8&feature=youtu.be

 

 #2 – From DOMINION POST – Chestnut Brew Works, a staple of the Morgantown microbrewery scene for over a decade, completed a long-anticipated expansion last month with the launch of Chestnut Beer Hall at 132 Pleasant St.

Owner Bill Rittenour and his team transformed the former Black Bear Burritos into a space woven with local talent, history and flavor.

Local artist Brian Pickens contributed freehand wall art that evokes the crisp, green taste of hops. Pickens also painted the support posts running down the center of the space to look like vibrant tree trunks.

Local craftsmen Scott Frederick and Michael Barr created high-top tables using now-rare Chestnut lumber reclaimed from an old church in McDowell County. Rittenour took some of the same lumber and made one-of-a-kind tap handles replete with Appalachian history.

The Beer Hall will feature 10-16 Chestnut Brew Works beers on tap. Cheers!

Read more:

https://www.dominionpost.com/2024/03/06/chestnut-brew-works-new-pleasant-streetspace-celebrates-appalachia-craft-beer/

 

#3 – From WV EXPLORER – Did you know the iconic image of Chef Boyardee that adorns so many food packages worldwide is that of a genuine person? Not only that -- he has West Virginia connections.

In the early 1900s, The Greenbrier was managed by the same company that managed The Plaza Hotel in New York City, according to historian Bob Conte. When they sent staff down to The Greenbrier, among that staff was 16-year-old Ettore Boiardi, anglicized as “Hector Boyardee.”

A native of Italy, Boiardi worked as an apprentice chef in his hometown and in Paris and London before boarding ship for Ellis Island in 1914. He eventually worked his way up to Head Chef at The Plaza Hotel, where he served President Woodrow Wilson and troops returning from WWI.

After serving a stint at The Greenbrier in West Virginia, Boiardi opened his first restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio, where patrons frequently asked for samples and recipes of his spaghetti sauce.

He met Maurice and Eva Weiner, owners of a local self-service grocery store chain who helped Boiardi and his brother Paolo develop a process for canning and distributing spaghetti sauce.

In 1938, production was moved to rural Milton, Pa., where its products were sold under the “Chef Boy-Ar-Dee” brand. And the rest, they say, is history.

Read more:

https://wvexplorer.com/2024/03/12/chef-boyardee-west-virginia-resort-the-greenbrier/

 

Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304.

The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo. 

That’s all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.