Charles Town is a small city of 6,500 people in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Who is Charles and why is the town named after him? Why is it called a town when it’s officially a city? It’s a place with a lot of history, and I learned more about it from the abundant informational signs and historical markers throughout the downtown and beyond. I’ve heard about Charles Town from people who take daytrips to visit Hollywood Casino there. On a whim, I decided to take a drive there myself to check it out.
Charles and Washington Streets in Charles Town, WV
The main downtown thoroughfare is Washington Street which runs East and West through the middle of the city. In contrast to many towns of a similar size, it actually has more active stores and restaurants than abandoned buildings, which is instantly a good sign. People were walking around, and it felt very safe.
Charles Washington’s Town
Charles Town is named in honor of Charles Washington (d. 1799), a business and plantation owner and the brother of George Washington, the first president of the United States. Charles Washington personally laid out the streets for the town and named some of them after his family members. According to a historical marker, he petitioned the General Assembly of Virginia to establish the town in 1786 on his own land.
Charles Town Historical Marker
According to signs in the downtown area, Charles Town is famous for being the home of W.L. Wilson, the Postmaster General who started the first rural free delivery in America in 1896. It is also known as the place where John Brown was convicted of treason in 1859. According to Prologue Magazine, he was the most important figure in the struggle against slavery immediately before the U.S. Civil War.
The Trial of John Brown
Mr. Brown was connected to terrorism for the Pottawatomie raid in the Kansas Territory in 1856 and his raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859. On the first raid, he and his men killed five pro-slavery settlers. At Harpers Ferry, he seized the U.S. arsenal with 18 soldiers. He was convicted of treason, murder, and conspiring with slaves to revolt, and he was hanged.
Charles Town City Hall
In addition to a city hall, post office, courthouse, and bank with a historic appearance, Downtown Charles Town has several restaurants, stores, and other businesses. The main part of the downtown area is only about six blocks long, but the sidewalks and intersections are very walkable.
Zion Episcopal Church
Zion Episcopal Church is a historic church located just one block south of the downtown on Congress Street. The church was built in 1851 to replace the original church which was built in 1815 and destroyed by fire. According to a placard, the church’s cemetery contains the graves of over 70 members of the Washington Family.
Abolitionist Ale Works
Abolitionist Ale Works is a brewery located in the heart of Downtown Charles Town, and its name is derived from the city’s long history of abolitionists. The brewery also doubles as an AirBNB with a rental condo upstairs. Rather than sitting at a bar or table inside, I sat at a table outside to enjoy the nice weather. Music was playing over the speakers, and I noticed that darts and other games were available to play. I ordered an IPA and a Pork BBQ artisan pizza, and both were very good. I highly recommend checking this place out.
Evitts Run Park
On my way out of town, I walked past Evitts Run Park. It’s a small park with a playground, basketball court, and Evitts Run flowing through the middle of it. It has a walking path with a small pedestrian bridge over the creek.
Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races
Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races is located on the outskirts of town. As the name implies, a horse racing track is located there, in addition to a hotel, casino, and restaurants. It is owned and operated by PENN Entertainment, which is a publicly-traded company with properties across the United States.
Hollywood Casino Floor
The casino has quite a bit of slot machines and table games. I was impressed by how large it is. The entertainment venue also gets a lot of big-name comedians, musicians, and other performers. It was very clean and a cool place to explore.
Heading East on Route 51
I drove out of Charles Town on Route 51, heading east. There were several fast-food restaurants on the way, and you can get a good view of the mountains off in the distance. Overall, I really enjoyed my visit to Charles Town, WV. It’s a place with a lot of history, and it really offers a lot of fun and recreation for such a small city. If you’re in the region, I highly recommend visiting and seeing it for yourself.
