What is a Purple Fiddle?

Recently I sold my home and during one of the many weekends spent packing Rachel and I decided to take break from this very labor intensive task and just get away for a few hours…destination the Purple Fiddle. Located in beautiful Thomas West Virginia, a quick yet scenic trip just an hour and half drive over the mountain from Morgantown.

The trip east across West Virginia mountains and south through Maryland countryside are at their best this time of year offering up abundant foliage and mild weather as well, although the late night return offered a thick blanket of fog thus creating a return trip that lasted well over two hours. None the less the trip up the mountain via I-68 east and south on RT 42 from Friendsville was pleasing to the eye and once we connected with RT 219 south the ride opened up to pasture vistas second to none.

The trip like they say can be the best part of any destination travel, offering the typical road side amenities, which included some unique offerings unseen in most of the country, but are taken for granted by locals in the area; such is the case with the Smallest Church east of the Mississippi, power generating wind mills which loom over the hilltops like mouments to greek gods and the headwaters of the Potomac which at this elevation is only a small spring.

Just minutes from the Potomac headwaters you find the small community of Thomas WV home of the Purple Fiddle our intended destination. This tiny little community tucked away in a remote region of Tucker County WV offers just one road in and one road out of town …literally. Entering the tiny hamlet from the north you arrive on Main Street on what appears to be very wide thoroughfare, of course this wide country lane can be deceptive most of which is shared parking limited to business’s within Thomas. Exiting town, if traveling north you leave town on a second street located above the first, sandwiched between the upper and lower streets lies the community of Thomas West Virginia.

As any traveler will certainly notice upon arriving in Thomas is its unique architecture along its thoroughfare harking back to its boom years when timber and coal where the principle employment in the area with their “company store look” applied to most shops and business’s, except for the Purple Fiddle. It is not hard to distinguish which building houses the Purple Fiddle mounted over the portico entering the establishment hangs a six foot tall purple fiddle!

Along with the special marker perched precariously above the door what one soon realizes when entering the Purple Fiddle is that you are readying yourself for a very special experience, if not a one of a kind experience and part of that experience includes the menu and furnishings. The restaurant offers up a very unusual yet inviting atmosphere with its miss matched tables and chairs and collection of “stuff”; which includes the likes of environmental newspaper resting on the knee wall, to the quilts which make up the back drop for the live performances, while church pews await those late arriving individuals who have simply stopped by to enjoy the live bluegrass performances which is offered up thrice weekly.

While you wait for the talent to take the stage around 9:00 find a table if you can… seating is limited to around 75 guests and it pays to find a table as early as 7:00 and just sit back and try something from the menu. Trust us you will not be disappointed. Rachel and I always try and order something different then the other allowing each to share in the others menu selection. This particular evening I had the pork gyro and Rachel had the coleslaw, organic rice and beef barbeque wrap, both were excellent and the portions were generous. As for beverages Rachel sampled a simple Merlot and I tried a very nice organic beer from Germany,Pinccus Honey Wheat, but be ready it only comes in an 18 oz bottle and two of these hardy beers will have you looking for a designated driver. All totaled we spent less the $25.00 which included the tip.

While the kitchen and menu are managed by one of two proprietors the other handles booking talent several months in advance of their performance. Handled is a word I use loosely only because most acts desire time on the stage at the Purple Fiddle, the Fiddle has gained US and UK notoriety since is humble start with more then a few bluegrass acts adding the Fiddle to their list of must perform places.

The entertainment matched the menu, earthy, organic and off the beaten path. While the music was performed by a New York based band the the sound was pure appalachian. Delayed by fog and the tardiness of the sound operator the band started a little late, however late is ok considering the caliber of the talent. A complete list of future performances can be found by visiting http://purplefiddle.com/mmschedule.html Please note that all though you are not charged a cover charge when you enter, someone will certainly stop by your table to collect $7.00 soon after the bands starts, this paltry sum is very much a bargain considering the quality of the talent. At first I thought the idea of collecting the fee after the band began to play a little odd, but actually this is made very good business. One family who had just stopped by for dinner was pretty much locked into seeing the entire show once their three year old began tapping her foot in perfect rhythm with the band.

If you could define the audience this evening it would be very much like the restaurant itself... very ecclectic from the girls in the corner who each had their own bottle of wine, to the old timer who just seemed to "hang out", to the young couple with children; strangely enough all seemed to fit the character of the establishment.

Both, Rachel and I would strongly suggest anyone planning a trip to Thomas arrange a little extra time to travel around the area. The town itself offers many unique shops while the region also offers Blackwater Falls just minutes away, as well as Canaan Valley. If shopping is really a must then consider Mountainmade (yes I did spell the business name correctly), a very nice outlet located in former grade school which showcases West Virginia made crafts and goods; which includes fresh honey, WV wines and pottery to name but a few things to entice the wallet.

As mentioned earlier the fog became an issue on our return trip, but we dealt with it and were in no hurry to get home. Although an option would have been to stay the night in the B&B next door to the Purple Fiddle,The Fiddlers Roost, we thought better and decided not to stay the night. Maybe next time we will check out the The Roost on our return visit, I will admitt the little place did remind me of a little hotel just outside Mt. Storm WV, I stumbled across it one late April night…but that’s a story for another day.


Robert & Rachel