About Us

The story of our Colonial Village Subdivision reaches back to the late 1970’s but just as important to know one of the earlier owners of the land, Pennsylvania Glass Sand Corporation, now U.S. Silica, continues to be a thriving part of the community until this day, employing families from Berkeley Springs and the surrounding area. Also, the subdivision’s original owners and developer, then Colonial Village Industries, Inc., employed families and for many years made a major contribution to the growth and development of the local community.

Mining in Berkeley Springs has been part of the local landscape for over a century. Pennsylvania Glass Sand Corporation came into the area in the late 1800’s, acquired large tracts of undeveloped land and began mining high quality silica sand at what was then known as Berkeley Works, renamed U.S. Silica in 1987.

In April 1966, Pennsylvania Glass Sand Corporation acquired the tract of land now comprising Colonial Village. The deed makes mention to trails on the land that may have been logging trails at one time for transporting raw timber when the land was owned in the early 1960’s by then Rappawan Lumber, Inc. The land, formerly known as the “Mason Land” in the deed, was purchased by James W. Mason in 1919 and when sold in 1935, twelve of the nineteen names on the deed had the last name “Mason.”

On January 8, 1979, Colonial Village Industries, Inc. (CVI), then a local home building contractor and developer, purchased 239.7 acres of the vast undeveloped landholdings from Pennsylvania Glass Sand Corporation to establish a new development. The deed conveying the land to CVI also included a right-of-way (Birch Grove Lane) from Highway 522 to provide access to the development. CVI had the land surveyed and initially platted 194 acres into 77 single home lots each ranging from 2 to 3 acres, with two common areas, a pond (named Birch Grove Lake in the deed) and Beaver Island. Next, CVI planned, cleared and constructed roads, marketed and sold lots, and built log cabins for new owners. The first road CVI cleared and established within the development is today known as Cattail Drive. CVI focused initial planning and development along this road.

In early 1979, CVI began constructing the first two log homes on Cattail Drive (Lots 10 and 17) for no other than CVI owners, Wayne and then, David Omps (David’s daughter and her family now live in his home). The next log home constructed was just off of Cattail Drive, on what is now Retreat Lane. To preserve the natural woodland in the development, CVI made an extensive effort to save trees – and they did this well —

cutting down only those necessary to make way for constructing a new home or grading a new road.

On July 6, 1979, CVI, desiring to preserve the natural beauty and rural quality of the property and structures within, designated the property as “Colonial Village Subdivision” in a Protective Covenants recorded in Morgan County records. The Protective Covenants and Articles of Association of Colonial Village Subdivision Property Owners Association do need to be amended/updated but for the most part, both documents have served the community well until this day. The one and only amendment to the Protective Covenants since 1979 was an addendum issued and recorded on January 10, 2019 allowing eighteen (18) unsold lots at the time to have a homebased business with one small sign on the lot.

When you purchase a lot or a home in Colonial Village, you automatically become a member of the Colonial Village Homeowners Association (CVHOA) and agree to adhere to general agreements spelled out in our covenants. CVHOA bylaws state an annual meeting for members shall be held on the 2nd Saturday of June each year. The Board of Directors include a President, Treasurer and Secretary who are elected annually by members of the Association to enforce the agreements in the Protective Covenants and Articles of Association.

From the early 1980’s onward, the community developed steadily and nicely as CVI established new roads, sold more lots and constructed log cabins for new owners. In August 1989, the subdivision’s remaining 45 acres (Section II) was platted into 17 lots. Today, the 69 property owners of 94 lots include a mix of full and part-time residents from many different walks of life, treasure the tranquility and blend of nature, natural beauty and serene living the development offers. Residents can take in spectacular views from their cabin windows of woodland speckled with a mix of hickory, oak, cherry, walnut, maple, sycamore, redbud, dogwood and other trees and shrubs, or for some owners, a beautiful view of Cacapon Mountain or Sleepy Creek in the backdrop. They can gaze at the dozens of beautiful and colorful bird species populating the woods during all seasons, including pileated woodpeckers, or deer roaming about and various other wildlife species and mammals that abound the development. Residents can enjoy walking along or wading in Sleepy Creek, a 44-mile-long tributary flowing so gently through the development while making its way to dump into the Potomac River near Hancock, Maryland, and

 Sleepy Creek flows gently through the development

The pond at the subdivision’s entrance provides a nice relaxing place to enjoy a family picnic or to fish

along the way producing soothing and calming sounds from the waves of the water rippling over rocks and branches. The pond (Birch Grove Lake) at the development’s entrance provides a location for owners and their guests to gather and enjoy a picnic or to fish. Beaver Island (straddling the creek next to the bridge) is a smaller common area that needs some clearing of brush and fallen trees, but one can enjoy quite time on the creek bank while listening to the sounds of the water as it ripples on its way. The development offers its residents peace and a quiet place for developing strong connections to nature.

Colonial Village Subdivision is accessed from Birch Grove Lane off of Highway 522, and is located less than 2 miles from Cacapon National State Park and 12 miles from historic Berkeley Springs – America’s First Spa Town. The National Park and town of Berkeley Springs and surrounding area include sights and activities for both kids and adults will enjoy.