history – recollections – memorials and more
Cloverdale was once an active apple orchard, with trees planted just as WW II was ending. Today most of those remaining trees continue to bear fruit – however, sadly with the age of apple trees, quite a few have fallen thru a series of strong winds and heavy snow storms over the course of the community’s age. Our Homeowners continue to preserve the rural beauty and scenery and have planted a variety of replacement species, too and including the favored apple tree.
You may have wondered about the names of our streets – they were all named after the family of the Developer, Charles C. Marcus. Several streets were eventually re-named due to the 2009 GIS National Addressing regulations. Most notable was Charles Drive which became Cloverdale Road.
Cloverdale passed a resounding resolution just after September 11, 2001 to erect a flag pole with our US Flag in memory of those who perished in Pennsylvania, New York and the Pentagon, and those of us who survived by forging ahead in preserving harmony and continued peace. A daunting task to this day. As you drive along 340 South or 340 North the Flag is there, 24/7 . Our community member Bryan Lavallee maintains the Flag and administers the federal protocol. Bryan has been instrumental in the safety of the pole with inspections from Citizen’s Volunteer Fire Company 2.
Shortly after old route 340 was cut off and renamed to Cloverdale Road to allow for the new Veterans Memorial Highway US 340 bypass the Garden Council of Jefferson & Berkeley Counties – Shenandoah- Potomac District installed, parallel to US 340 South & Cloverdale Heights, a large marker – dedicated May 19, 2006 – and formally installed June 5, 2006. The president of the Garden Council during that period was Tammy Bellotti our community member. When you are on the entrance road to Cloverdale you’ll see the BLUE STAR MEMORIAL. Ronnie Fellers, our community member, mows and trims around the Memorial as well as Cloverdale Road and our common areas.
Transition to the early days of Cloverdale 1988-2000 the governing documents were an instrument to “snag” a homeowner with harshness. The Executive Board at that period were generally retired, thus enjoying the routine to cross every “t” and dot every “i”. The amount of time our Executive Board had on their hands evolved into extreme regime-governing practice. Real estate agents refused to offer homes for sale in Cloverdale, volital gossip was rampant in Jefferson County concerning Cloverdale because of more than two-hundred (200) individual liens placed upon homeowner property.
Were these liens valid – yes. Were the intentions of the Executive Board valid – yes. However, had the Executive Board been more open and expressive by reaching out to homeowners – not really.
Now, move onward from 2000 – to the present , the “transition” has been positive. The Executive Board takes that extra step, conversing with homeowners, assisting them with a helpful hand, explaining issues publicly; at meetings, and now online, sharing the governing documents for education and not primarily a homeowner sentence. Delinquent homeowners regarding their timely payment of annual dues still happen, though certainly not the way of the past. The Executive Boards of today have initiated eleven (11) liens during this transition, only after exhausting every avenue of reaching out and attempting to work with the homeowner. Of those eleven (11) liens only one remains active. Were these liens valid – yes. Were the intentions of the Executive Board valid – yes.
Cloverdale has become a community of the homeowner and for the homeowner. Real estate agents are excited to offer sales in Cloverdale; and the continuing positive attitude is well known now in Jefferson County offices, commissions and organizations.
Key to success: education, interaction, understanding.
Side Bar History:
as related by George Elliott Tabb to George Elliott Tabb, Jr. on 28 March 1990
Source: Tabb Family History
Just prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1941, the U.S. Army proposed the construction of a large ammunition storage facility in Jefferson County, West Virginia. The facility would have covered the area from Middleway to Kearneysville to Shenandoah Junction and back to Middleway [including Kabletown where Cloverdale is today]. It would have destroyed some of the most productive farm land in Jefferson County.
James Elliott Tabb served on the Jefferson County Commission at that time. He and a delegation including Joe Warrenfeltz and other prominent men from Jefferson County decided to visit Senator Harry F. Byrd (of Virginia) in Washington, D.C., who was serving as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee at that time. Senator Byrd owned large orchards in Jefferson County which were not affected by the Army’s proposal.
Senator Byrd graciously received the delegation and escorted them to the inner sanctum of the War Department to meet with Army officials on the matter. Senator Byrd strongly supported the position of the delegation and shook his finger at one of the Generals present saying “You will not build that facility in Jefferson County because I will not appropriate funds for the construction.”
Needless to say, the delegation was quite successful. The facility was built at Letterkenny Army Depot in nearby Pennsylvania. If the proposal had been made after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, no one would have questioned the need for the construction of this facility in Jefferson County.
. . . and a little about US-340:
