This is the third of a series of articles that examines Ascend WV, a talent attraction project made possible by a $25 million gift from Brad and Alys Smith. Brad is a Kenova, WV native and former CEO of Intuit. Over the past few years, he and Alys have invested heavily into various economic development efforts in WV. Ascend WV offers $12,000 cash to remote workers outside the state who choose to move to one of three “featured cities”- Morgantown, Lewisburg, or Shepherdstown. Applications for Morgantown recently closed, but interested workers can apply for Lewisburg and Shepherdstown within the next year. 

I grew up in Wayne County, WV, and it’s where I returned after spending six years away in college and at my first job. It also happens to be the home county of Ascend WV founder Brad Smith. Wayne County is as far west as you can get in West Virginia. It’s only 1 hour 45 minutes from Lexington, KY and a little over 2 hours from Cincinnati, OH. It is quicker to drive to Indianapolis, IN than to Shepherdstown, the second “featured city” of the Ascend WV program. Until recently, I didn’t know much about Shepherdstown, but I fell in love the first time I drove down German Street.

Like so many others, we changed our vacation plans in 2020 due to COVID. My wife and I decided to stay in WV rather than travel to other states, which gave us the opportunity to visit Shepherdstown. Our main destination was Cacapon State Park, but we decided to visit Shepherdstown since it was nearby. The main reason I wanted to visit was because Shepherdstown is the oldest city in the state. It was incorporated (along with Romney) on December 23, 1762.  

Shepherdstown sits on the Potomac River just a couple miles from Sharpsburg, MD and Antietam National Battlefield. Many of the small communities in the Potomac River region of WV, VA, and MD have done an excellent job of preserving old buildings and maintaining a 19th century “feel” to the towns, and Shepherdstown is no different. The charming main throughway, German Street, is lined with brick buildings from the 1800’s which house cafes, bookstores, restaurants, and shops. Shepherdstown is full of unique small businesses and is easily walkable, which has led to it being named as “one of America’s coolest small towns” by Budget Travel. 

True to the mission of Ascend WV, Shepherdstown is a place to wind down, relax, and enjoy outdoor recreational opportunities. The C&O Canal Towpath trail is just a couple hundred yards from the Shepherdstown city limits, and the Appalachian Trail is 20 minutes away in Harper’s Ferry. The Potomac River is a popular spot for kayaking and fishing, and historical sites are everywhere. In fact, Shepherdstown was the site of James Rumsey’s first steam engine test in 1787. 

Unlike Ascend WV’s first featured city, Morgantown, Shepherdstown is tiny. The population is less than 2000. That’s great for people looking for a slower pace of life, but it also means there aren’t many fast food options, big box retailers, or mainstream entertainment like shows or concerts. We returned to Shepherdstown last spring while visiting Antietam National Battlefield. After walking around the park on a late Sunday afternoon, we were starving so we looked for a quick place to grab a sandwich. Many of the cafes were closed, and we couldn’t find any fast food (our cell service was spotty). We eventually passed a McDonald’s on the way out of town, but by then we had located a nice organic food store and loaded up on some snacks. All that said, Martinsburg and Charles Town are both within 20 minutes and have most of the popular chain retailers and restaurants found throughout the Mid-Atlantic. 

Shepherdstown checks all the boxes for “idyllic small town.” It is charming, quaint, and historic. As the home of Shepherd University, it has a youthful vibe with unique, quirky shops and restaurants. It’s away from everything without being too far away- Shepherdstown is only 90 minutes from downtown Washington, DC. It’s small, but if you are interested in applying for the Ascend WV program, that’s probably a good thing. Ascend WV is not designed for people looking for the city life. 

In the next installment of this series, I’ll take a look at Lewisburg, the third featured city of Ascend WV. Lewisburg is one of my personal favorite spots in the Mountain State, so I look forward to introducing you to another great small town soon!