The Tamarack

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Carpenter Center building with peaked roof design and landscaped entrance garden

The Tamarack, located at exit 45 off route I-77  in Beckley, West Virginia is artisan home to many craftsman, musicians and woodworkers. Offering a statewide collection of handmade crafts, art and specialty foods (managed by The Greenbrier), featuring thousands of one-of-a-kind gifts in the retail store, the Tamarack is a unique, must stop visit in your travels through West Virginia.

Two handcrafted wooden rocking chairs with spindle backs, one stained black and the other natural wood finish, displayed

The name Tamarack is the Algonquian Native American name for the conifer tree species. The Tamarack Larch, or Hackmatack, or American Larch is a species of larch (conifer pines) native to northern North America and Canada, from eastern Yukon and Inuvik, Northwest Territories east to Newfoundland, and also south into the northeastern United States from Minnesota to Cranesville Swamp, West Virginia; there is also a disjunct population in central Alaska. According to one of the Tamarack artisan’s, Fred Friar, “The Tamarack is a cherished wood for wooden boat building. There are some useful drugs being derived from Tamarack, one of which is a cancer drug to combat colon cancer. The root bark is the material Indians used to sew their birch bark canoes.” Fred creates some rockers from Tamarack wood and also wrote a research paper that is located in the Tamarack Conference Center.

During our visit to the Tamarack, we interviewed the on-site musician and woodworker’s studio of Greg and Tish Westman of Westman Instruments. The Westman’s make bowed psalteries and dulcimers. Here is Tish explaining her craftsmanship…

Another artisan at the Tamarack is woodcarver Karen Sparks. Karen’s carvings include a carved horse and other 3 dimensional carvings. Click on either picture for Karen’s website…

Wooden sculpture of a horse made from carved and assembled driftwood pieces
Carved wooden sculpture of a woman and child with detailed hair and clothing outdoors

Jim Probst furniture creations include dining, bedroom, office, and sculptures. Jim is featured in the December/January issue of our Woodcraft Magazine…

Dining table with tapered legs and four matching chairs featuring tamarack wood backs and red upholstered seats
Tamarack wood dining table with six high-back chairs featuring upholstered panels in a workshop showroom

Carver, Dr. John Garton a graduate of the Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine, puts his knowledge of animal anatomy to use, making his carvings look realistic. Check out the sculpted bear gun cabinet..

Large wooden sculpture of a dog covered with curly wool in a workshop display setting.
Two men stand beside a large carved bear cabinet with open doors revealing rifles and hunting gear inside.
Two handcrafted wooden rocking chairs with woven seats, showcasing different wood finishes and ladder-back designs.

Another rocking chair maker, Tom Lynch shares his shaker style expertise at the Tamarack…

Jean & John Gieseking create furniture from wormy chestnut. Contact Jean & John at sjgieseking@yahoo.com for your special order…

Rustic woodworking display featuring a tall clock, armchair, tables, bed frame, and chest made from tamarack wood
Tamarack wood bench with hinged top and visible wood grain in workshop setting

and of course from the Pocahontas Woodworking School is John Wesley Williams showing his kane table and bubinga cabinet…

Cabinet with carved tamarack wood panels and decorative edge detailing on legs and drawer front
Handcrafted wooden desk with carved legs, multiple drawers, and a textured top surface.

We will be featuring some of these fine woodworkers in their individual “how-to” blogs, so stay tuned.

Other items of interest shown by Cheryl Hartley, General Manager of the Tamarack are…

Woman standing beside shelves filled with striped hardwood cutting boards and wooden kitchenware in a workshop setting
Wooden sculpture of a hollow tree trunk with No Hunting sign, two dogs, and a raccoon figure in a public indoor space.
Shelves displaying various hand-turned wooden bowls and natural edge wood vessels in a woodworking shop.
Turned wooden bowls and a spalted wood dinner plate displayed on pedestals in a gallery setting
Adjustable wooden music stand with carved tripod base and unfinished violin body on small stool nearby
Handcrafted wooden toy train with riveted boiler and decorative star on front panel

Special thanks to Cheryl for her tour of the facility.

You have to see the detail of these works personally to appreciate the talent and time that goes into such beautiful results. Contact any of these woodworkers and they will share their story, and be happy to create a work of art especially for you.

The Tamarack also offers a conference center for your meetings, conferences and special events.

For more information on becoming an exhibiting artisan at the Tamarack, click HERE.

In closing, I highly recommend the cuisine at the Tamarack. In your travels on I-77 through West Virginia, be sure to stop in to see and purchase from the many vendors that display their artisan talents… and enjoy yourself! It’s a “must see” on your journey.
auf Wiedersehen! ….Frank

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