In Tucker County, West Virginia, wind whips through the mountains. This is the high heart of Appalachia and in this area you will find Thomas, a fast becoming destination town. If you are traveling between Snowshoe Mountain Resort, Morgantown, or Washington D.C. you may make this destination a regular stop. It’s just 2 hours North of Snowshoe, 1 ½ hours south of Morgantown, and 2 1/2 hours West of the Washington DC Beltway. This lively town is filled with imaginative people, live music, a wine bar, art galleries, a brick oven pizzeria, bed and breakfasts, cafes, restaurants, antique stores, and designer coffees.

EAT LOCAL IN THOMAS! purplefiddle.com

Thomas is small with less than 600 residents. It was established around its natural resources of lumber and coal. Tragedy struck Thomas when a large fire destroyed much of the timber. From the ashes of the flame, new bounties grew including blueberries. Today, they flourish in many varieties and color, which many locals have turned into wine and jellies.

Photo above: The Purple Fiddle feat. The Falconers. Photo credit: @melodiva42 on instagram

“Eclectic, small town, yet worldly, aware and intelligent… don’t miss destination” – Anne B,
Deep Gap, NC.

Though Thomas’ population is tiny, it is full of spunk and creativity. If you walk down the city streets you will pass stores filled with goods made by West Virginian artisans, restaurants ran and frequented by locals, bed and breakfasts, and late night coffee houses. Among these is The Purple Fiddle. Located downtown, this hip eatery is popular for more than just their weekend specials. They feature music acts to complete their jazzy ambiance and also caters to vegetarians, vegans, and people with gluten restrictions. In a 2013 article, the Washington Post described Thomas as “popping” under their travel section.

ALL YOU CAN EAT! chinapalacewv.com

Whether you are looking for a unique place to eat, shop, enjoy wine and live music, stay overnight, or just pass through, Thomas is the place for you. It’s located on RT 32 about 45 minutes north of Seneca Rocks (another beautiful must-see destination)

Photo above: The Purple Fiddle. Photo credit: @the_wandering_fern on instagram

“Enjoyed the concert Friday night at the Purple Fiddle! They bring in the best music and it certainly made for an enjoyable evening. It is a very informal setting so it makes the music much more personal. They also serve excellent food. The menu is not extensive, but has a good variety. They combine things in a very creative way. I had a turkey wrap with cranberry salsa and walnuts.
Loved our evening there.” – Judy W. Morgantown.

YOUR NEXT DREAM HOME! gregallmangroup.com

If you are interested in checking out the Purple Fiddle, they are located on Rt 32 at 96 East Avenue. Hours are Sunday through Thursday from 12-8pm and Friday and Saturday from 11:30am-late. For more information call 304-463-4040 or find them at purplefiddle.com.

– Bailey Pace, LBSPY #73. January 2016.

Featured photo by @tiptopthomas on instagram.