Visitors board the Little Sorrel. The boat is named after the favorite horse of Confederate general and Lewis County native Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. A new restaurant at Stonewall is named after Jackson's boyhood friend, Union General Joseph Lightburn.

After Little Sorrel leaves the bay, which is overlooked by the lodge and Arnold Palmer-designed golf course, all signs of development disappear, as the cruise boat coasts past densely wooded hillsides and numerous glassy-surfaced coves and channels.

The 70-foot-long, 16-foot-wide excursion boat is buils atop a custom houseboat hull, and is powered by twin Chevrolet engines. It arrived on a tractor trailer.

"It can seat 65 people for dinner and carry a total of 100 passengers," said Todd Gillespie, the resort's director of sales and marketing.

OFF TO DINNER ON LITTLE SORREL

Named after Confederate general's horse, excursion boat cruises Stonewall Jackson Lake

Publication: CHARLESTON GAZETTE
Published: 07/18/2004 Page: 2B
Byline: RICK STEELHAMMER, GAZETTE STAFF

A new, 100-passenger excursion boat is giving visitors at Stonewall Resort a way to explore the coves and bays of Stonewall Jackson Lake without having to leave air conditioning or gourmet dining back at the lodge.

"Little Sorrel," names after the favorite horse of Confederate General and Lewis County native Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, makes up to three round-trip cruises each day from a mooring at the resort's lodge.

"A bald eagle has been seen three times on recent trips, and blue herons and wild turkeys have also been spotted," along with numerous deer, geese, turtles and other forms of wildlife, said Greg Parsons, the resort's general manager. A park naturalist takes part in many of the cruises to point out wildlife and identify flora and fauna.

"The boat is something that guests have asked for and something we believe will really allow them to unwind and experience the wonderful scenery West Virginia offers," said Parsons.

The 100-passenger excursion boat Little Sorrel makes its way past the Stonewall Resort lodge and the newly opened pro shop-restaurant (in background) at the start of a two-hour round-trip cruise to Stonewall Jackson Lake Dam.

Resort employee C.J. Skinner pulls a stern line to bring the Little Sorrel back to its berth at the dock.

Up to 65 diners can be seated in the boat's climate controlled cabin, where dinner cruises are offered on Friday and Saturday nights.

Little Sorrel's flag flaps in the breeze. Daily cruises aboard the boat are open to anyone, and not restricted to Stonewall Resort guests. General Manager Greg Parsons says the new boat "gives us one more thing to make us stand out from all the resorts we're competing with. We're looking forward to fall color tours."

Daily cruises aboard the boat are open to anyone, and not restricted to resort guests.

Sundays through Thursdays, two-hour cruises depart from the lodge at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Dinner cruises, from 6 to 8 p.m., are added on Friday and Saturday nights. On the day cruises, complimentary soft drinks and light snacks are served, and a beer and wine cash bar is added during the afternoon runs.

Meals prepared under the supervision of executive chef Dale Hawkins are served on the dinner cruises. Hawkins, the former resort chef at Glade Springs Resort and the Deer Park Country Inn near Buckhannon, specializes in fare using traditional Appalachian ingredients presented in non-traditional ways, which can range from a Codd salad with black-eyed peas and ramp vinaigrette dressing to cornbread pizza with hand-pulled chicken and scallions.

The new boat "gives us one more thing to make us stand out from all the resorts we're competing with," Parsons said. "We're looking forward to fall color tours."

The air-conditioned, glassed-in lower level of the boat contains the dining area, while the open upper level offers an open observation deck.

"There are 26 miles of lake to explore, and this got to be one of the most relaxing ways possible to do it," said Gillespie.

Morning and afternoon trips aboard the Little Sorrel cost $15 for adults and $9.95 for children ages 6-12. Dinner cruises go for $44.95 and $17.95.

Also new at Stonewall Resort is the opening of the golf course clubhouse, housing a pro shop, a locker room, and Lightburn's, a 60-seat restaurant overlooking the golf course, lodge and several arms of the lake. Balcony tables add another 40 seats to the restaurant, when weather cooperates.

Lightburn's, named after Stonewall Jackson's boyhood friend, Joseph Lightburn, who went on to become a general in the Union army, features smoked, slow-roasted meats and fish, along with an assortment of Southern-style sandwiches, side dishes and desserts.

Waits to be seated are common on busy weekends at Stillwaters, the resort's main restaurant. Lightburn's offers a quicker, more casual alternative.

The opening of the clubhouse added another 25 full-and part-time employees to the resort's work force, bringing total summer employment at Stonewall up to about 275.

Writer Rick Steelhammer can be reached by phone at (304) 348-5169 or by e-mail at rsteelhammer@wvgazette.com.