The Arsenal Square site is historically significant as the storage facility for arms produced at the Federal Armory at Harpers Ferry begun during the last decade of the eighteenth century. The Arsenal was also the target of John Brown’s infamous raid in 1859 and is the current, although not original, location for the Armory Engine House; renamed “John Brown’s Fort” after Brown was captured there during the raid.
Arsenal Square is the location of the earliest NPS archeology in Harpers Ferry, starting in the late 1950s. A significant archeology collection from this early excavation is managed by the park’s museum staff. The site is also managed as a cultural landscape. An interdisciplinary approach has enabled the NPS to protect and preserve the archeology site, interpret the major structures from the Armory period, and provide access for park visitors. The site is far from static and has undergone a number of changes through the years. The decision-making process for the development of the site will be discussed and a question and answer session will be included. Register for the PAWV conference today. Early bird rates end September 14th.
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By Danielle
The PAWV historic preservation awards banquet program began in 2009, and we are in our fourth year of honoring preservation achievements across the state. Join us for this year’s banquet on Friday, September 28th, in Harpers Ferry, WV. If you can’t make it to the conference, be sure to look for new posts about the banquet and conference in October. In 2011, PAWV spent the awards banquet in the Downtown Historic District in Charleston, the WV state capital, at the Scottish Rite building. PAWV was delighted to present Senator Brooks McCabe with a Preservation Achievement Award for his work with the redevelopment of the downtown Charleston Historic Village District. Browse through the gallery and scroll down to read more about the award winners. In 2011, PAWV honored many wonderful projects, which reflects a surge in preservation projects. Cheers to that! Preservation of Historic Downtown Areas – West Side Main Street, Pat McGill West Side Main Street has actively participated in a number of façade renovations along the Washington St. W business corridor by offering grants to business owners who are looking to improve their property. One project was completed by a group of young entrepreneurs who not only improved the façade of a dilapidated building in the Elk City historic district, but also developed the interior to house two new businesses and a loft for living space. Tighe Bullock, his sister Megan Bullock and her business partner Josh Dodd, along with a host of friends and family, uncovered transoms, removed old signs, and rebuilt and preserved the original windows, doors and woodwork to make the building modern on the interior, while preserving the history and character of the building throughout. The building now houses Spa Elements on the first floor, MESH Design on the second floor and a two bedroom loft for living quarters. West Side Main Street provided a $5000 façade grant and is pleased to welcome these young professionals to the West Side. Preservation of Historic Downtown Areas – East End Main Street, Ric Cavender and Mary Ann Crickard Since their inception in 2002, the staff and hard working volunteers of Charleston East End Main Street (EEMS) have dedicated themselves to economically revitalizing the city’s most historic and diverse neighborhood and business district. As of September 2011, there had been over 40 historic preservation consultations provided at no charge to business and property owners and over $3.4 million in exterior façade restorations have been completed using East End Main Street’s façade and sign grant programs. EEMS led the charge in transitioning development ethic in the district and the city to focus solely on preservation-based rehabilitation. Key properties restored to their historic status, include the old State Theatre building which is now the home of the WV School Service Personnel Association and the Charleston Fire House which is now home to Charleston’s premiere Little India Restaurant. EEMS also led the charge in saving and preserving historical architectural salvage from old East End residential properties through their “LemonAID” project. EEMS teamed up with the Charleston Urban Renewal Authority to sell historic mantles, baseboards, floors, transom windows, glass doorknobs, and much more out of homes in the district slated for demolition. Over 400 different pieces of salvage were removed, sold, restored, and recycled back into the surrounding community to be preserved for years to come. Heritage Tourism Award – West Virginia Division of Tourism, Jane Bostic The Civil War Trails program has been recognized as one of the most successful and sustainable heritage programs in the country by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Civil War Trails project was created to provide a unified identification for significant Civil War sights throughout WV, VA, MD, NC. State lines mean nothing to a tourist and this program proves that. It was also a way to get the small communities involved in the 150th Commemoration of the Civil War. The WV Civil Wars trails program, is a partnership between the West Virginia Division of Tourism, Civil War Trails Inc., and the local communities. It has helped to identify, interpret and create driving tours centered on 150 Civil War sites and stories statewide; there are ten markers interpreting the Kanawha Valley stories. Currently, there are over 1000 sites in the program and more than 3,000 map guides are downloaded weekly from the program’s web site, www.civilwartrails.org. WV Tourism is being awarded for going above and beyond the call of duty to market tourism sites. This program actually created these 150 Heritage Tourism sites to tell the story of a “state born from a nation torn.” Heritage Tourism Award – Independence Hall, Travis Henline, West Virginia Division of Culture and History, and McKinley Associates Beginning in 2008, the WV Division of Culture and History undertook much needed restoration work at WV Independence Hall in Wheeling. The restoration included the installation of a new HVAC system, replacement of the leaking roof, stone repair work, plaster repair work and painting. A fire suppression system was also installed throughout the building. In addition, all the building’s windows were restored and period appropriate glass panes installed. On the second floor, two unfinished rooms were completely restored with new plaster walls, ceiling and cornices, new flooring and decorative wood graining. On the building’s lower level, walls were built for a new gallery and theater. The concrete gallery floor was “marbleized,” and the theater received carpeting. This November the WV Division of Culture and History will be restoring the artwork that was original to the historic courtroom at WV Independence Hall. Best Use of Historic Preservation Tax Credits Award – Riverview at Clendenin School, AU Associates and Terrell Ellis & Associates Riverview at Clendenin School was the fusion of multiple complex federal programs in order to bring life back to Clendenin, WV. 25045 A New Clendenin Inc., is a private nonprofit organization that sought the most innovative group of housing and economic development professionals to support the adaptive reuse of the historic former Clendenin Middle School building as a mixed-use facility that will provide much needed health care to the region and safe, quality, affordable housing for independent seniors in the area. While the project was complex, the goals were not. The two projects were physically intertwined but financially separate. By combining Federal Stimulus money and USDA funds aimed at improving the quality of Community Health Clinics and also using NSP funds aimed at revitalizing areas hard hit by vacancy, delinquency and foreclosure, Riverview at Clendenin School maximized the leverage of the community and its funding dollars. Most significantly, by flowing all of these funds through a taxable entity, Federal and State Historic Tax Credits can be generated that pay for 20% of the project in the form of equity while allowing the grand, historic building to be resurrected as a cornerstone of the community. Historic Landscape Restoration – New River Gorge National River, Richard Segars This colliery and settlement of Nuttalburg was established by John Nuttall, an Englishman who first shipped coal out of the gorge in 1873. The first two years, 17 two-family dwellings and 80 one-family residences were erected. By 1880 the Nuttallburg Coal Company was the largest producer in the New River field; it remained under control of the Nuttall family until 1908. Nuttallburg had one of the earliest union organizations in the gorge. The Knights of Labor, National Trade Assembly 135 had a local there during the 1880s. The strength of the union may account for the visit of “Coxey’s Army” in 1894. On their march to Washington, Jacob Coxey’s army of unemployed workers slept in the coke ovens at Nuttallburg. In 1920 Henry Ford purchased the lease and equipment of the Nuttallburg Smokeless Fuel Company to provide coal for his Michigan auto plant. Ford modernized the colliery with a state-of-the-art steel tipple, a new steel head house and retarding or “button and rope” conveyor. Ford’s venture proved short-lived, however, and the company sold the lease in 1928. The community of Nuttallburg had a population of 335 in 1920. It was linked to South Nuttall on the opposite side of the New River by a suspension bridge, built by the John Roebling and Sons Company, builder of the BrooklynBridge. Nuttallburg continued to be a productive colliery through the 1930s and World War II years, but declined in the late-1940s. The mine was closed for good in 1958. Listed in 2007, Nuttallburg is the only National Register Property in New River Gorge National River with National Level Significance. It is significant for all four criterion: A: Business for its association with the Fordson Coal Company’s innovative system of vertical integration; B: Industry for John Nuttall, coal mining entrepreneur; C: Engineering as a rare surviving example of a state-of-the-art coal mining facility with remarkable integrity – It is one of the most complete coal-related industrial sites in the United States; D: Archaeology for its potential to reveal significant information regarding the town of Nuttallburg. Initial funding for Nuttallburg was from a Congressional Earmark sponsored by Senator Byrd. Funding to complete the work was from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 sponsored by Congressman Rahall. Most Significant Save of an Endangered Site – Quarrier Diner The Quarrier Diner opened in 1946 as a family friendly eatery for downtown Charleston.; in 2010 it was listed on the PAWV Endangered Site list. Later that year it was purchased by the Pollitt family with the intent to return this art-deco darling to its former use identity as a family owned and operated establishment to be managed by their son, Timothy; as an authentic part of the community. Anna credits foremost, the dedication and professionalism of David Marshall, Architect for his vision, direction, planning and continuous support. He was an integral part of the project, designing and revising plans for complete rehabilitation of the building while maintaining its historical significance. David Kingry and his crew, handled so capably all the many different construction issues from plumbing to electricity, from windows to refrigeration, from destruction to recreation and beyond. He has been an amazing contractor. After the death of Timothy Pollitt, Ashley Smoak, became the our Chief Chef and General Manager of this endeavor. As an accomplished chef with many years of experience Ashley has without hesitation jumped right in with the spirit of making the Diner the best place to dine and unwind in Charleston, WV. Most Significant Save of an Endangered Site – Kanawha Trestle Trail, Friends of the Kanawha Trestle Trail The Friends of the Kanawha Trestle Trail have worked since 2003, and have raised over $3.4million to create a trail system of accessible and safe routes for bikes and pedestrians. This rail trail system will preserve and restore two historic and unique rail structures that are eligible to be listed on the National Historic Register. The Whipple bridge was built in the heyday of the Industrial Revolution as part of an ever expanding national rail network. At 20 year old is was obsolete and after a new RR bridge was built beside it. Then the Whipple began a new life carrying passengers on the Charleston Inter-Urban Trolley system. Service stopped during the great depression and the dissolution of the trolley company gave all trackage to the city of Charleston. The WhippleBridge is an important link across the Elk River for the proposed trail system. The structure is one of the few surviving examples designed and patented by Squire Whipple of New York, notable in that his bridges were the first bridge engineering guidelines arrived at by mathematical formulae. Charleston is blessed with having not one but 2 unused rail bridges. Built in 1907, the Kanawha Trestle is an impressive and highly visible span connecting Charleston to her sister-city South Charleston. It functioned as a multi-purpose link purpose for many years since a wooden structure cantilevered over the side served as a pedestrian and automobile bridge. Parts of this structure still remain. The plans of the Friends of Kanawha Trestle Trail are to incorporate these historic structures into a multi-use non-motorized recreational trail from the Mound in South Charleston to the State Capitol. Preservation Achievement Award – Senator Brooks McCabe As the guiding force behind McCabe-Henley and the McCabe Land Company, Brooks McCabe has been credited by some to be the impetus behind redevelopment of the downtown Charleston Historic Village District. Over the years, the firms have completed nearly one dozen projects in downtown Charleston. When older stock could not be adaptively re-used, new buildings were designed to compliment and confirm to Historic District standards. A 39,000 square foot Class A office building in the center of the Charleston Business District. Summers Square was constructed in 1994. This project was a major redevelopment of the Summers Street section of downtown Charleston. It replaced seriously deteriorated, marginal-use structures with a Class A office building constructed with a facade designed to be architecturally compatible with the Historic Village District buildings in the immediate area. Downtown area residences have also benefited form the historic preservation ethic of Senator Brooks McCabe, who identified apartment buildings on Charleston’s residential east end that were in poor condition, had a high-crime rate, and were a detriment to the entire east end neighborhood. The properties are part of a condominium referred to as Maple Terrace Condominium. Imperia lTower is a 121 unit, 18 story, high-rise apartment building. McCabe-Henley organized a partnership to purchase and convert it to condominiums catering to professionals and retirees. In less than 12 months, McCabe-Henley negotiated the sale of all units and completed the conversion process. Lifetime Achievement Award – Dr. Emory Kemp Dr. Emory L. Kemp is an internationally accomplished structural engineer, a historian of technology and an industrial archaeologist who is best described as a modern-day “Renaissance Man.” His amazing career, which spans 50 years—and still going strong, began at the University of Illinois, where he graduated summa cum laude in civil engineering in 1952. Following military service, he did postgraduate study at Imperial College, University of London. While in London, Kemp joined leading consulting firms to work on engineering projects in Britain and overseas, including the landmark Sydney (Australia) Opera House. After receiving his Ph.D. in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from the University of Illinois in 1962, Dr. Kemp came to West Virginia University to develop a program in structural engineering. He taught for many years in the College of Engineering at WVU and served as chair of the Civil Engineering Department. Kemp went on to establish the Program in the History of Science and Technology at WVU in 1976, and then founded the Institute for the History of Technology & Industrial Archaeology in 1989. Fostering the use of material culture for the study of our industrial past, he has researched and preserved historic industrial sites around the globe. Whether in the classroom or out in the field, Dr. Kemp has always stressed the importance of interpreting the artifact for the public. Now retired from the academy as Professor Emeritus of History, he remains actively engaged in writing and consulting on historic structures. Dr. Kemp is a founding member and past president of the Society for Industrial Archeology, and past president of the Public Works Historical Society. As a “founding father” of Preservation Alliance of WV, he was present at the creation of this organization in 1981. He served as a fellow at the American Council of Learned Societies at Imperial College in London; as a Regents Fellow at the Smithsonian Institution, where he researched the history of suspension bridges; and as a Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. In 2000, West Virginia University bestowed on him its highest honor for outstanding service, the Order of Vandalia. The American Society of Civil Engineers bestowed its most prestigious designation, Honorary Member, on Dr. Kemp in 2004. As of September 2011, only 615 professionals have earned this distinguished honor out of a membership of 137,000. Dr. Kemp specializes in the history and preservation of historic bridges. He has been involved in dozens of projects to document, restore and interpret historic iron & steel truss bridges, wooden covered bridges, cable suspension bridges, stone arch bridges, and more. A much abbreviated list of his numerous bridge projects includes: the(National Historic Landmark) 1849 Wheeling Suspension Bridge, Philippi Covered Bridge, Barrackville Covered Bridge, Milton Covered Bridge, Humpback Bridge (in VA), Duck Run Cable Suspension Bridge, and the Glenville Truss Bridge. In addition to hands-on bridge preservation activities, Kemp has also authored numerous books and articles on the topic, including Wheeling Suspension Bridge (co-authored with Beverly Fluty) in 1999, Proceedings of an International Bridge Conference to Celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge in 1999, and American Bridge Patents: 1790-1890 in 2005, as well as dozens of journal articles. By Danielle In 2010, the awards banquet was held during the biennial historic preservation conference. Preservation Alliance was in Fairmont that year, and it was wonderful to be there because Main Street Fairmont had recently received the Great American Main Street Award as one of the most outstanding Main Street programs in the United States. Naturally Fairmont was the focus of this awards banquet, as there were so many notable projects. We had the banquet at High Gate Carriage House, which was a real treat and was built in 1910 for James Edwin Watson, the son of James Otis Watson who was the founder of the American Coal Company (Consol). Horace Trumbauer of Philadelphia designed the house in the Elizabethan half-timber style. Browse the gallery for photos of the award winning projects and scroll down to read about the dynamic honorees. Most Significant Endangered Property Save – Marion County Jail, City of Fairmont Historic Landmark Commission, Jo Ann Lough and Randy Elliott, for restoration efforts of the jail and combining it with the Marion County Historical Society’s Museum Complex.
Community Preservation Award – Main Street Fairmont for outstanding community preservation efforts. Vera Sansalone and Sandra Scaffidi tirelessly worked at Main Street Fairmont to rejuvenate the downtown area, as well as preserve the town’s historic treasures. Preservation Achievement Award – Former Congressman Alan Mollohan for his lifelong efforts in preservation-based economic development. Mollohan played a pivotal role in the preservation of the 1921 bridge that connects East and West Fairmont. He strongly supported historic preservation as an economic development tool, and the High Gate Carriage House was another project to which he provided funding. To register for this year’s awards banquet, visit http://www.pawv.org By Danielle Since 2009, PAWV has annually honored notable historic preservation projects and dynamic preservationists at the Historic Preservation Awards Banquet. We at PAWV are gearing up for this year’s awards banquet. It will be on Friday, September 28th, in the ballroom at the Quality Hotel & Conference Center in Harpers Ferry. Instead of revealing the 2012 award winners in this post, I thought it would be fun to spend this weekend recognizing some of our past honorees again. Today’s post will be all about the year 2009 when the PAWV banquet was held at the Keith-Albee Theate in Huntington. This was the year when PAWV honored a property that is located in Jefferson County; the same county where we are having our conference this year. We also honored Greg Coble, formerly with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, with a Preservation Achievement award for his work as a lifelong preservationist and friend of West Virginia. He championed the listing of the Blair Mountain Battlefield among the 2006 America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places and the listing of Lewisburg as one of the National Trust’s 2004 Dozen Distinctive Destinations, while similarly promoting the 2007 listing of Morgantown. Greg continues to be an ally in West Virginia’s historic preservation development. There is much more to read and see about the 2009 awardees. Browse through the gallery for photos of each award winning project and scroll down to read about those dynamic folks behind these successful historic preservation projects. Heritage Tourism Award – Main Street Point Pleasant Main Street Point Pleasant is an energetic and vital part of the Revitalization Program of Point Pleasant. From 2003-2009, the Main Street program brought in more than $7 million in investments to the community. Development of the Point Pleasant Riverfront Park includes a 900 ft. dock, 800 seat amphitheater, a small boat marina, pavilion and walking trail. River history from pre-America through the present day is interpreted with interactive exhibits at the River Museum, which also hosts events. The Mothman Museum explores the story of the Mothman Prophecies with videos and documentaries. In addition to these projects, Main Street helped get the building and the money to renovate the tourism and visitors center. In 2008, Main Street made improvements to the downtown streetscape. Building facades were painted; awnings added; and side streets paved. Main Street Point Pleasant’s record of progress keeps going. For more information, click the link: http://www.pointpleasantwv.org/ Heritage Tourism Award – Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine Visitor Center Since opening for underground tours over 40 years ago, the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine has introduced thousands of visitors and local school children to the important story of how coal built West Virginia and helped industrialize the US. The City of Beckley has been committed to partnering with the Coal Heritage Trail and National Coal Heritage Area to preserve history and make coal-themed heritage tourism a success for southern West Virginia. Beginning in 1961 with an authentic underground tour of the Phillips family drift-mine, the Exhibition Mine complex has grown to include a coal camp house, miner’s shanty, coal camp church, superintendent’s house and a coal camp schoolhouse. The centerpiece of the master plan for development at the mine complex, the 15,000 square foot visitor and interpretive center, themed as a company store, was opened to the public on June 30, 2008. This new center tells the coal heritage story in a thoughtful and compelling manner and complements the re-created coal camp community. Heritage Tourism Award – Sophia Historic District, Winding Gulf Restoration Organization The Winding Gulf area once had as many as 50 coal camps with names such as Hot Coal, Pemberton, Big Stick, and Tams. The declines in the industry left behind many deserted and dying communities that were once home to thousands of coal miners and their families. In 2003 a group of Helen Community members, out of concern for their safety and the well-being of the children living there, came together to form the Winding Gulf Restoration Organization (W. e. G.R.O. w) and began to work on projects to benefit the community. Since then, this dedicated group of volunteers has formed a Community Watch, built a playground, erected a Coal Miner’s Memorial, lobbied successfully for a modern waste water treatment system and completed several community beautification projects. As one of the most intact, remaining coal camps in the region and very proud of their history, WeGrow began to look for ways to preserve their history and share it with others. Working with the Coal Heritage Highway Authority and Karen Vuranch of WV Enterprises and other organizations in the area, WeGROW developed “Journey through the Coalfields,” a guided bus tour of the Winding Gulf Coalfield along a portion of the Coal Heritage Trail. Tour stops included the Winding Gulf Coalfields, Stotesburg Community Church and the Sophia Historic District. Most Significant Endangered Property Save – Jefferson County Jail, Carol Gallant, Kevin Sarring, Jim Whipple, Doug Estepp, Matt Grove, and Tom Michael
The restoration of the Jefferson County Jail followed a six-year legal fight to save it from the wrecker’s ball. This fight was led by a very determined lady, Carol Gallant, who would not give up until she saw the jail restored. Located directly behind the famous courthouse where John Brown was tried for treason, the Jefferson County Jail is listed as a contributing element of the Downtown Charles Town Historic District. That didn’t stop the Jefferson County Commission from voting 5-0 to tear it down in October, 2000. The commission ignored the state law requiring a Section 106 review and approved the demolition contract. The story goes on to include a court battle along with new discoveries of the jail’s historic importance such as its association with the Battle of Blair Mountain. And while local support grew for restoration, the commission continued to fight it. In 2002, the West Virginia Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the jail could not be razed pending the “section 106” review. By 2006, new county commissioners had been voted into office, and they all voted to restore the structure to meet county needs. Architect Matt Grove of Grove Dall’Olio was selected to oversee the work. Best Historic Preservation Tax Credit Project – Bennett Square, formerly Wheeling Public Library, McKinley Associates and Walters Construction Local residents remember it as the Wheeling Public Library or perhaps as the location of a special event, but the building which served the public for more than 90 years has been restored for a new purpose. In 2007, David H. McKinley, managing director of McKinley Carter Wealth Services, purchased the former library. McKinley has restored the building following the Secretary of Interior Standards for Rehabilitation. He renamed it Bennett Square after his great-, great-grandmother, Sally Maxwell Bennett, who had given the library a collection of books from her travels. The total renovation project included architectural elements as well as major electrical and mechanical systems design. The project created high quality office space in this historic facility which is now home to the financial services firm, McKinley Carter Wealth Services, in addition to being the Wheeling office of Dinsmore & Shohl Attorneys. Historic Preservation Lifetime Achievement Award – The Keith-Albee Theatre, the Hyman Family In 2009, PAWV and the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center Co-Presidents, Senator Bob Plymale and David Tyson, presented the Hyman Family with a Lifetime Achievement Award for the Keith-Albee Theatre. The award was presented to Derek Hyman in honor of Abe B. and Sol J. Hyman, who had the vision and fortitude to build such a grand theatre for the people of Huntington. Abe’s sons, Jack S. and Edwin D. Hyman, whose love and respect for their father and uncle led them to preserve the Keith-Albee Theatre, keeping it operational for decades. Because of this legacy, Derek and his family donated the Keith-Albee Theatre to the people of Huntington, and it now functions as the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center for Marshall University. By Amanda Whitmore, Preservation Alliance of West Virginia VISTA PAWV’s 2012 conference will be in Jefferson County September 27-29, and there will be a walking tour on Thursday evening of historic Shepherdstown. I am a native of Shepherdstown, born and raised, and have seen many changes in this little town. I recently was pushing my son in his stroller through Shepherdstown and really began to see this town with new eyes. I will not have you read through my own personal walking tour of Shepherdstown, you can experience the town your own way, but I would like to share a few of the buildings and sites in which I have a renewed interest. First is the Tobacco Warehouse, circa 1788, which has changed a lot in the past few years. Growing up, it was always the vacant stone building by the river, barely noticeable with all the overgrowth surrounding it.. A variety of groups would scheme about potential uses but nothing came to fruition. The Warehouse is the only standing commercial structure on the riverfront and worthy of saving to help tell the history of the Potomac River. A group formed in the early 2000’s, the Friends of the Shepherdstown Riverfront, to do just this thing. They successfully stabilized the warehouse, repointed the exterior masonry, cleared the debris, and nearly gutted the entire inside of old water and sewer equipment to ready the building for an eventual new use.
The block of East German Street, between the railroad tracks and the Yellow Brick Bank Restaurant, contains the grandest homes of Shepherdstown; however this is not the streetscape I want to describe. My favorite street is New Street. It is a quiet, well preserved street with a great collection of colonial style houses, ranging from brick to wood siding and detached to row houses. Just one block off the main street of Shepherdstown, it includes worn brick sidewalks, large trees, an old cemetery enclosed by a tall stone wall, wrought iron fences, and even a babbling brook, well not a brook, but the Town Run. The Town Run flows through several backyards on New Street before heading to German Street. Lastly, I want to take you to two of my favorite downtown establishments, Mellow Moods and the Mecklenburg Inn. Yes, they provide great refreshments, but I enjoy these businesses for their history and character-defining building elements. Mellow Moods is a newer business that opened in a building that had sat vacant for many years. It was once a dry goods store, and a portion of the old counter is still in use. The wood floors and old tin ceiling were also maintained in the renovation of the building. The Mecklenburg Inn, affectionately called “the Meck,” was at one time the post office for Shepherdstown. The bathrooms are now located where the tellers used to sit and distribute mail. Tin covers the walls and ceilings, and the floors and fire places are original. I love sitting in these places and imagining the many people who have come into these buildings over the years to carry out their business. These are just a few of my favorite places in Shepherdstown. I hope many of you reading this blog come to the conference in September and take the tour of Shepherdstown. It is so rich in history and has so many fascinating stories. Preservation Alliance of WV is gearing up to start reviewing nominations to the 2013 West Virginia Endangered Properties List! For those not directly involved in a historic preservation organization, you might be wondering what an endangered list is. Endangered lists are used by preservation organizations to bring attention to the plight of at-risk properties and to provide assistance to the dedicated organizations involved in their preservation. The selected properties contribute to our understanding of our heritage, which will be diminished if they are lost. Types of properties already listed on the PAWV Endangered Properties List include archaeological sites, bridges, county courthouses, churches, hotels, and schools, among other types of structures/landscapes. To be considered an endangered historic resource, these properties must be listed on or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places and meet other criteria such as historic significance, preservation emergency and local support. Local support is essential because we want to work directly with local property stewards or organizations working to save the property. They are the grassroots forces with the ideas for how these historic treasures can be reused to benefit their community, and they are ultimately doing all the major work. Without local support for the preservation of an endangered resource, it is impossible for us to help. So what’s great about this list is that it highlights the efforts of local people. Another key point is that the list helps us to identify local preservation work, and as the statewide nonprofit historic preservation organization, we can provide free technical assistance (grant writing, structural needs assessments, etc.), advocate and market for the group, and bring this project to the forefront of decision makers and preservation professionals in the state. The ultimate goal of the endangered list is to de-list the properties. Preservation successes call for de-listing and, unfortunately, losses do too. But for a success we hope to raise enough support for the local property stewards to rehabilitate, protect, and/or preserve the endangered property. If it is appropriate, another aim we have with this list is to secure another use for the historic resource. Just because something is historic, it does not need to be frozen in time or turned into a museum. Historic preservationists frequently advocate for a new use and reuse of a historic structure all the while preserving the historic details that make this site so significant and memorable. We want to reuse our historic treasures, but we don’t want to forget what made them so important to us to initially. Landscapes and the built environment are physical reminders of our past helps us to plan for our future. Properties are selected through a competitive application process. If you have a property in mind for the 2013 endangered list, click HERE for a nomination form and information on how to apply. Applications are due 15 November 2012. For more information on previous years lists, visit HERE. I am really excited about having some of the conference events at Claymont Court, which was constructed in 1840 in the Georgian style for Bushrod Corbin Washington, a grand-nephew of George Washington. I had the pleasure of staying there last fall while scouting conference locations and enjoyed my over-night stay in the mansion. No ghost encounters for me, fortunately, and when I walked the grounds alone one evening, I felt an overwhelming sense of calm from the site. The historic mansion and grounds are beautifully-preserved, and it’s a very peaceful environment – a great place for learning! From my short stay, I can see why John G. Bennett chose this as the location for his nine-month Fourth Way school back in 1974. Not only is the mansion fabulous, but its location is very quiet, as it is tucked among rolling hills about 4 miles outside of Charles Town. Conference participants are going to learn so much during their time at Claymont Court, and I think it will be relaxing, as well. While at Claymont, you can wander the grounds, visit the new Native American museum, or venture to the grand barn. It is a place for introspection and self-development, as intended by Mr. Bennett, but it is also the perfect setting for spending time with like-minded folks. When you aren’t engulfed in one of the educational sessions, you will have time to share stories with others and learn from sharing these experiences. I hope many people will take advantage of this opportunity and join me in enhancing the historic preservation ethos throughout the mountain state.
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