The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia (PAWV), the state’s leading grassroots nonprofit group dedicated to protecting West Virginia’s irreplaceable historic places, regrettably has decided to place the Downtown Charles Town National Register Historic District in Jefferson County on its Most Endangered Historic Properties List.  

This decision is made after closely monitoring the Jefferson County Commission’s efforts to move county offices and courts to buildings it is in the process of purchasing on the American Public University System campus while openly disrespecting the concerns expressed by the City and the nonprofit Main Street group Charles Town Now (CTN) about the future redevelopment of the 10 historic buildings to be vacated downtown. Those buildings include the Jefferson County Courthouse, a National Historic Landmark, a designation that indicates its significant importance to the nation’s history.

Charles Town, without doubt one of the most historic towns in West Virginia, has invested smartly in economic development efforts that have strengthened the business environment of its historic buildings which in turn helps to protect those buildings and the historic character of the downtown for future generations.   The departure of county government from downtown without beginning aggressive planning and thoughtful coordination now between Jefferson County and Charles Town could have a devastating impact on the Downtown Charles Town National Register Historic District.   The creation and execution of redevelopment plans can take years to fully realize.  

The City and CTN have worked with a nationally qualified planning firm to create a proposed redevelopment study that they are committed to funding without County assistance.  This study will take up to six months to execute. In advance of the May 15 and June 5 Commission meetings, the City and Charles Town Now requested a formal place on the agenda to discuss this proposed study and how to move forward with the collaboration of the County. Unfortunately, the County disregarded their requests and instead announced a loosely defined community discussion on July 17.  

“PAWV has communicated to the Jefferson County Commission that it has an important stewardship responsibility in preserving the historic character of the Charles Town Downtown National Register Historic District and the economic success of downtown. The City and Charles Town Now are offering to create a partnership with the County to smartly plan for the redevelopment of historic buildings that the County will vacate.   PAWV wrote to the County Commissioners in early April to urge them to begin communications with the City and Charles Town Now.  Our staff and statewide Board are deeply distressed that the County has disregarded our request and the plans for collaboration on redevelopment plans offered by the City and Charles Town Now.   The future of the Charles Town Downtown National Register Historic District deserves much better and it is for that reason that we are placing the district on the West Virginia Most Endangered Historic Properties List.   Our hope is that this listing will resonate with the County and the residents of Jefferson County that collaboration and coordination are needed to ensure a smooth transition for the district,” commented PAWV Executive Director Danielle Parker.    

The West Virginia Historic Preservation Conference will take place in Wheeling, West Virginia, from May 1 to May 3, 2025. The conference will feature an exciting lineup of educational sessions, tours, and hands-on demonstrations designed to engage preservation professionals, historic home-owners, historians, and community leaders alike. Experts in topics ranging from historic rehabilitation tax credits and small-scale development to architectural salvage and the preservation of historic cemeteries will speak at the conference. Attendees will hear from industry leaders,  including the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Main Street America, and discover practical strategies for revitalizing historic buildings and homes. The event will also offer valuable opportunities to network with fellow preservationists and building experts while learning from successful preservation projects across the state and nation.

In addition to the educational sessions, there will be unique experiences such as Thursday's activities that include a tour of historic sites in Marshall County and a hands-on stucco demonstration led by experts, Adventures in Elegance, a Wheeling-based general contracting business specializing in plaster, stucco, terra cotta, and masonry restoration. An opening reception and one-of-a-kind lime burn bonfire on Thursday evening will provide perfect opportunities to make new connections and spark ideas before the sessions begin the following day. For those wanting to explore Wheeling’s amazing architecture, sign up for a variety of focused tours that will take you to Wheeling Island, North and East Wheeling, West Virginia Independence Hall, and Mt. Wood Cemetery.  On Saturday, the conference will be at the Scottish Rite with historic preservation exhibitor spaces and live demonstrations showcasing hands-on preservation trades.

On Friday evening, the annual West Virginia Historic Preservation Awards Banquet will be held at Glessner Auditorium at Oglebay Resort. This special event is a time to celebrate and recognize outstanding preservation projects and advocates across the state. The keynote speaker, Dr. Matthew Wagner, Chief Innovation Officer for Main Street America, will share insights from his work supporting community revitalization efforts across the country.

PAWV members will enjoy exclusive benefits at the event, including discounted entry of $200 for all 3 days including the awards banquet. For PAWV members unable to attend the entire event, there will be several free activities throughout the conference that they can attend. Space is limited and registration is required to gain free entry into:

• ​Marshall County Historic Sites Driving Tour (Thursday)
• Opening Reception at Wheeling Heritage (Thursday)
• ​Lime Burn & Bonfire (Thursday) - Must be 21+
• Exhibitor Space & Outside Demonstrations (Saturday)
• Guided Tours (Saturday)

PAWV membership options are affordable, with individual memberships available for $25 and student memberships for just $10. New and renewing members will be entered into a raffle from now until mid-April to win free conference registration, which totals $225 for non-members! Raffle winners will be announced on April 16, 2025.

For those who may need financial assistance, volunteering at the conference is a great way to earn discounted registration of $150 for the full event, including the awards banquet, or $40 to participate in each individual day (does not include the awards banquet).

The West Virginia Historic Preservation Conference is more than just an event—it’s a powerful opportunity to explore how preserving our state’s rich historic heritage can drive community revitalization and economic growth. By bringing people together to connect, learn, and collaborate, the conference highlights how historic preservation strengthens local identity, attracts investment, supports small businesses, and creates vibrant, thriving communities.

​To learn more about becoming a member or volunteering, contact [email protected]. 

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE!

​“With this listing, our chief goal is to ensure that public officials and citizens of West Virginia recognize Middleway as a rare historic treasure, not only for the state but also nationally, and to understand the threats posed by this proposed development,” remarked Executive Director Danielle Parker.   “Middleway is an intact example of a historic rural village, featuring homes and buildings from the 1700s and 1800s.   The proposed water bottling facility risks the historic, cultural and environmental significance of a community that has existed for nearly three centuries.  There is simply no other place like Middleway in West Virginia.  It deserves to be protected, cherished, celebrated and supported.”

Sidewinder Enterprises, LLC has submitted a concept plan to the Jefferson County Planning Commission to construct a one million square foot bottling facility in two stages on a remediated brownfield industrial site bordering the village that was formerly owned by 3M/Kodak.   Once completed, this would become one of the largest such facilities in the United States.  The concept plan indicates that the facility would depend on the daily extraction of over 1.2 million gallons of water from the local aquifer that feeds Lake Louise, located just outside Middleway. This extraction volume is the equivalent of servicing water to over 4,000 homes.  Sidewinder proposes to install a pipeline to transport the water over two miles to the facility crossing through the village with its significant historic and archeological resources.  The final facility plan includes parking for 406 tractor trailers, which would necessitate driving through Middleway’s narrow historic streets.  The proposal will be reviewed at a public meeting of the Jefferson County Planning Commission on February 11.  

Middleway Conservancy President Jessie Norris expressed gratitude for the Preservation Alliance’s recognition, stating, “We are deeply grateful to the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia for acknowledging Middleway and the critical need to preserve this rare and authentic glimpse into our past.  The challenges facing Middleway undeniably warrant its inclusion on the Endangered Properties List. The additional heavy truck traffic on our narrow historic roads could cause significant damage to the stone-stacked foundations and increase the risk of collision as the streets are not wide enough to accommodate semi-trucks.  Moreover, the remediated 3M/Kodak site contains two toxic chemicals in a plume of contaminated groundwater which hydrological experts fear could be disrupted by the significant amount of water being moved by the plant, threatening hundreds of residential wells in the village and surrounding areas.  While we are not against all industrial development, the scale and design of this proposed plant and the pipeline will cause irreparable damage to our historic village. We hope Middleway's placement on the Endangered Properties List, along with the support of our allies, will encourage decision-makers to consider what is best for the invaluable treasure that is Middleway and Jefferson County.”  

Danielle Parker added, “Preservation leaders throughout the state are deeply concerned by the threat this proposed development poses to the Middleway Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.  A groundswell of citizen support has also emerged, including a newly formed advocacy group called Protect Middleway, dedicated to safeguarding the village’s water, ecology and safety.  We call upon Jefferson County authorities to reconsider the scale and direction of this proposal.  Given the risks it presents to a historic village of statewide and national significance, we urge the county to reject this development. The Middleway Historic District and its residents deserve protection.”
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Since 1999, the West Virginia Endangered Properties List has become one of the most useful and powerful tools of the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia for raising awareness and garnering support for the preservation of threatened landmarks and landscapes across the state.   In 2024, the Preservation Alliance announced three additional endangered property listings -- West Virginia’s historic hand-cut stone walls, Charleston’s magnificent Art Deco Municipal Auditorium and 35 historic structures of importance to the state’s history within the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve proposed for demolition by the National Park Service.  

Advocacy Gathering in Support of the Middleway Historic District will be held at 5 pm on Friday, January 31 at Grace Episcopal Church in Middleway, followed by light refreshments at the nearby Union Church.  This event, cosponsored by the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia and the Middleway Conservancy, offers an opportunity for the community to come together and hear from partner organizations and stakeholders committed to preserving and protecting the historic district and its residents.  Attendees will also have the chance to explore the Middleway Historic Archives and view relics uncovered in Middleway, as well as learn about the untold stories and artifacts that remain to be discovered.  Representatives from the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia will be present to discuss the significance of the West Virginia Endangered Properties listing and its implications for Middleway’s future.    

Tams, WVa. – West Virginians are celebrating the addition of the historically-significant New Salem Baptist Church to the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2024 – an annual program that raises awareness about the threats facing some of the nation’s greatest treasures. The New Salem Baptist Church in Tams (Raleigh County) serves as a physical reminder of the important contributions of Black coal miners to the coal industry in the United States and is one of the last remnants of the coal company town of Tams, as well as one of few remaining buildings tied specifically to the history of Black coal miners in West Virginia. It is only the second site in West Virginia to be added to the prestigious 11 Most Endangered List, now in its 37th year, which has recognized over 350 other sites since 1988. 

The New Salem Baptist Church is part of the culturally-diverse Tams mining camp constructed beginning in 1909 to house Gulf Smokeless Coal Company workers. Coal companies often intentionally recruited a diverse workforce to minimize labor organizing, including European immigrants, local farmers, and Black Americans moving north in search of employment, and Tams was no different.  At the height of coal mining efforts in the 1920s, Tams had a population of around 1,250, and during a time of segregation, the Gothic Revival Church was constructed in 1921 after the Black Baptist congregation under the pastorate of Rev. Burton Linwood Ziegler asked coal company owner, William Purviance Tams to build a church for them. Typically coal companies controlled the land and all buildings in the coal camp, so the congregation had to rely upon the coal company owner to the build them a church.  Membership at the church peaked at 350 members and has dwindled since the coal mines closed in the 1960s and the last residents left Tams in the 1980s. 

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, by 1920, over 26% of all mine workers in central Appalachia were Black, however, their story is underrepresented in national historic preservation efforts. Sherrie Hunter, the Director of Marketing & Education for Raleigh County Solid Waste Authority and whose father was the milkman for Tams, teamed up with the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, the statewide nonprofit dedicated to historic preservation, to change that by nominating the property to the 11 Most Endangered List after their success in having the Church nominated to the National Register of Historic Places in 2023.