A Face of Hospitality
What makes our community special? It’s the people. People whose passion for their roles at work, in their volunteer lives, and in their homes stands out. They make up the unique color and character of life in Morgantown. Here we share a few stories behind the faces of people who make our community a better place.
When he was still in college, Bill Bjorkman leased mineral rights and established a coal mining company. But that path wasn’t meant to be, for him. Instead, he remade himself into a landlord in Morgantown, doing much of the renovations and maintenance himself and gradually accumulating dozens of properties.
It was a good career for a man who is willing to work hard and loves to meet people. His downtime is social, too. Once Bjorkman, a Preston County native, took a driving tour with a buddy to see the courthouse in every one of West Virginia’s 55 counties. They ate Spam and drank bourbon at each one—which, he’ll tell you he learned, is one good way to get locals to talk with you.
In 2008, Bjorkman bought a farm in Preston County, almost on a whim. He hauled away all of the junk stored in two barns, then the barns themselves. Near the end of a long, long driveway, overlooking a picturesque pond, he built himself a stately brick house. He put a low stone wall up along the drive and named the place Stone Wall Farm. Then he built several charming one- and two-bedroom stone guest houses he rents out as Airbnbs. Beside one, he built a stone tower with steps to the top inside.
Stone Wall Farm would be remote enough to forget about the outside world, if it weren’t such a lively place. Bjorkman keeps a small menagerie that might include, at any given time, horses, chickens, and more, plus a dog and a cat. He loves to cook and hosts occasional multi-course group dinners for the pleasure of sharing good food with good company. And every year he holds a wine walk during which invitees, who all bring wine, walk to each of the guest houses and drink and talk along the way.
The highlight of the walk is a hedge maze Bjorkman planted a decade ago, patterned after the famous maze at Hampton Court in London. It’s big enough to get a little lost in, but small enough that it stays fun. Guests who find their way to the center can relax together in a gracious seating area—hospitality that will be remembered.
READ ABOUT OTHER FACES OF MORGANTOWN
READ MORE STORIES FROM THE MORGANTOWN FALL 2024 ISSUE
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