​Preservation Alliance of West Virginia introduces the Buildings At Risk Register (BARR). This new program will allow PAWV to better examine preservation needs statewide.  Too often buildings are razed because threats go unreported, and PAWV is striving to minimize the loss of West Virginia’s heritage. There is a need to create a preservation network to prevent such easily avoidable losses in the future. PAWV can utilize its full arsenal – assistance with identifying and applying for grant funding; preservation skill seminars; and local, state, and national publicity to assist in re-using historic sites.  

This goal of PAWV can be accomplished with three easy steps: See. Speak. Save. If you see a property at risk, speak to PAWV, and we will do our best to work with the community to save it.

How does the Buildings At Risk Register work?  When you see an at risk property, you should contact PAWV.  This can be done by submitting an online form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1eLl_Md038tM91rOyL-Z-xL8gmywwCWGC9Q0Ymoz1FNY/viewform.

Ideally, you will provide the address of the property and the reason(s) why this property should be considered at risk. Furthermore, any additional information such as former use, last known date occupied, current condition, owner etc. is greatly appreciated. As PAWV collects submissions, we can create a Buildings At Risk Register.  Each submission will be reviewed by a PAWV committee and determined eligible for this register.

Some cases may be eligible for PAWV’s Endangered Properties List, which requires significant community engagement, but gains more PAWV support in return. For more information, please refer to the BARR vs. Endangered Properties List guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lkKwpUhiAcSa7_nporaim-4vLdDH3Wd7FtcShYx3w1o/edit?usp=sharing.

Preservation Alliance of West Virginia (PAWV) is seeking an AmeriCorps VISTA to begin in July 2015.  The VISTA  will assist with research, grants writing, educational activities, and communication.  Preservation Alliance of WV is the statewide, grassroots organization for the Mountain State, in addition to being the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program administrator and statewide partner for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. VISTA oversight is provided through the National Coal Heritage Area Authority VISTA program. Applicant should be self-directed and have degree or background in public history, public administration, marketing, or related field. For more information about VISTA http://www.americorps.gov/for_individuals/choose/vista.asp. For information about Preservation Alliance of WV, visit www.pawv.org. VISTA will serve at the Darden House in Elkins, West Virginia.  The position is for one year with renewal possibility for one additional term. Responsibilities will include:

• Build organizational capacity for PAWV by assisting with fundraising efforts, event planning, and program development
• Offer, promote, and organize educational workshops about economic incentives, resources, and programs for historic preservation and economic development
• Manage and expand the Buildings At Risk Register (BARR)
• Assist with membership outreach
• Plan and organize workshops and fundraising events
• Provide technical and review assistance for the submission of grant applications and tax credit applications for preservation projects
• Recruit, coordinate and organize volunteers

​To Apply: Application will consist of resume and cover letter expressing why you think you are right for this position. You will also submit an AmeriCorps VISTA application to the National Coal Heritage Area via the My AmeriCorps portal.  Visit http://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps/join-americorps and search “West Virginia”.  Applications should be submitted for CHHA – Preservation Alliance. Applications will be reviewed as received and will be accepted until position is filled. Resume and cover letter materials can be delivered in any one of these ways:

• Emailed to [email protected] (preferred)
• Mailed to Preservation Alliance of WV, 421 Davis Ave. #4, Elkins,WV 26241

The Morgantown History Museum has been selected to participate in the Museum Assessment Program (MAP).  Through guided self-study and on-site consultation with a museum professional, participation in MAP will empower the Morgantown History Museum to provide better services to the citizens of Morgantown. This will help the museum to meet and exceed the highest professional standards.

The program is funded by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and throughout its 30 years has been administered by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). As part of the IMLS National Leadership program, MAP advances best practices and fosters improvement in museums.  MAP is a self-motivated program; application to and participation in MAP is initiated by each local institution, and those accepted invest considerable human and institutional resources into the assessment.

The Morgantown History Museum is excited to grow and expand from within in order to better serve the needs of the community. Coordinator, Pamela Ball expressed her gratitude and comments, “We have progressed quite a bit in the last three years in particular. The change from the tiny operating space upstairs and our current facility has made all the difference!” Our commission, staff, friends of the Morgantown History Museum, and volunteers will work together to strengthen the museum in order to have a brighter and more successful future.

MAP is a confidential process of self-study, peer review and implementation.  Museums use the assessment process to strengthen operations, build capacity, and enhance communication throughout the organization and in response to community needs. Participant museums choose one of three categories for its assessment: Collections Stewardship Organizational, Community Engagement. The Morgantown History Museum will take part in the organizational assessment process.  Small and mid-sized museums of all types, including art, history, science and technology, children’s, natural history, historic houses, nature centers, botanical gardens, and zoos participate in the program.

“Choosing to be part of the MAP program is indicative of the commitment to civic involvement, public service and overall excellence on the part of the Morgantown History Museum,” said Ford W. Bell, president of AAM. “Studies have shown America’s museums to be among the country’s most trusted and valued institutions. MAP is designed to make them even better.”

Since its creation in 1981, the MAP program has served over 4,300 museums. MAP is supported through a cooperative agreement with IMLS. For more information, including a complete list of museums participating in MAP, please visit www.aam-us.org/map, call 202/289-9118 or e-mail [email protected].

AAM is the only organization representing the nation’s entire museum community and has been dedicated to promoting excellence within the museum field for over 100 years. For more information about AAM, visit www.aam-us.org. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. To learn more about the Institute, please visit: http://www.imls.gov.

The Morgantown History Museum is located at 175 Kirk Street in Morgantown, West Virginia. The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum features collections that take visitors through the history of Morgantown. The museum also features special temporary exhibits focusing on particular aspects of local history.  For any further questions visit our website morgantownhistorymuseum.org or call at (304) 319-1800.

Make your way to Helvetia to experience this historic, cultural, and fun West Virginia festival!

See http://helvetiawv.com/Events/Fasnacht/Fasnacht.htm for more information.

The Helen Boarding House has been an eyesore to the members of the community for years after falling into disrepair. It was being processed through the Abandoned and Dilapidated Properties Program. The eight-apartment structure has been stripped of copper pipes; the windows busted and anything of value has literally been torn from the building. Lynn Stasick completed a building needs assessment and concluded that the building is architecturally intact and savable. A Historic Property Inventory Form has been completed and The Boarding House is a potential candidate to be put on the National Register of Historic Buildings. WeGROw recognized the buildings potential and stepped up to save it.

The Boarding House had been auctioned off earlier in the year to a third party because of back taxes owed on the property. If the taxes and fees were not paid by the current property owner by March of 2015 then the third party would take over ownership of the property. WeGROw’s President Tracy Lewis, with support from her board, stepped into action and got in contact with the current property owner. They worked out an agreement to allow WeGROw to pay the $2000 required to take over ownership of the property. With the support of Raleigh County’s Extension Agent David Rotenizer, WeGROw asked The Raleigh County Commission for a $3000 grant to cover the cost and to secure the building and was approved.

WeGROw is currently exploring funding options to help cover the costs to protect it from further damage and do much needed repairs. With the aid of The AmeriCorps we hope to organize a volunteer clean-up day at The Boarding House to get rid of the garbage that has piled up over the years. The building will be mothballed to prevent mold and mildew from forming and keep vandals out. The roof will need replacement and the windows will need to be repaired. A wooden window restoration workshop will be scheduled to save and restore the original windows that are left. The porches need stabilization as well.

Once the repairs are done WeGROw can decided how they want to use the building. Some uses that have been proposed are to make it the new office space for WeGROw, turning it into a convenience store; which would not only benefit Helen but also the neighboring communities of Amigo and Rhodell. It could also be used as a vacation rental for people hunting and fishing in the area. It absolutely has the potential to do all three of these proposed functions.

By Crystal, Preserve WV AmeriCorps

As I have learned through my AmeriCorps training, there are a variety of reasons why someone serves as a volunteer. Some volunteer because they are passionate about an organization’s cause. Others volunteer because they are required to fulfill a community service requirement. Then, there are those people who volunteer because they are a caregiver for an ailing family member, and they are searching for an opportunity that allows them to do something enjoyable for a few hours a week. This type of volunteer cherishes these few hours as a much needed respite from the stresses of caregiving. The Harrison County Historical Society has such a volunteer named Carol Bennett.

I recruited Carol Bennett as an archive volunteer while the Harrison County Historical Society was promoting its re-published local history books at a craft fair in November. She expressed an interest in historic photographs and documents, and she really liked the she could set her own volunteer hours at our archive. At first, she found the archival training and handling procedures slightly intimidating, but she always maintained her willingness to learn. Accessioning photographs and documents is tedious, but every once in a while, Carol and I discover something unique in the archives that makes us excited. Once, we found a late nineteenth century wedding album which included the wedding guest list and gifts given to the couple. But, what made this find special were the pieces of the wedding dress and other swatches of fabric from the bride’s trousseau attached to the album. Carol and I were amazed at the colors of the fabric the bride choose for her dresses. The vibrant purples, greens, and yellows used contrasted with our preconceived notion that people from the Victorian era dressed mainly in drab colors. We were so fascinated by this album that it was all we could talk about when people came into the archives that day. Every time Carol or I find something interesting, we turn it into a small show-and-tell which helps lighten our work day. Moments like these make the work fun and has shown Carol that accessioning isn’t always tedious or intimidating.

Since that initial training, Carol has been my most regular volunteer at the archives, and that dependability has certainly helped me get things accomplished. She volunteers approximately six hours a week on average because she is the primary caregiver to her elderly parents. Having a mother with multiple sclerosis and cancer, I personally know how having an outside activity is beneficial to your emotional well-being when you are a caregiver. I am glad the Harrison County Historical Society’s archive provides that outlet for Carol Bennett, and we, in turn, are grateful for her service and dedication.