By Jeanne Mozier

Berkeley Springs was tagged as a "chic new area" for vacation homes and one of the best second home bargains in the world by the Wall Street Journal in a Weekend Journal feature on Friday, October 1 [1999]. Seven other locations were also featured including towns in Crete, Belize and Thailand. Price and accessibility supported the choice of Berkeley Springs as the Washington, DC suburbs grow closer. The Journal article, written by June Fletcher, overlooked the lively culture in the area. "There's not much high culture in Berkeley Springs -- the highlight of the year is the annual Apple Butter Festival -- but there's still plenty to do if your tastes run to hunting, hiking, fishing, horse-back riding and water sports." Ms Fletcher reports that Berkeley Springs is "undergoing a revival" as vacationers and retirees buy property. She quotes a newly relocated Ken Frazier who said: "After looking up and down the east coast, we couldn't find any better views -- or prices." A listing from Kesecker Realty concludes the article and owner, Jim Miller is quoted describing Berkeley Springs as "a very laid-back town."