News and Notes

West Virginia Historic Preservation Conference Returns to Wheeling, May 1-3

3/20/2025

Discounted entry for PAWV members and volunteers! Become a PAWV member and automatically be entered into a raffle to win free conference registration.

Tour at previous PAWV Conference in Parkersburg.

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!

Two Sites Added to West Virginia Endangered Properties List

3/11/2025

The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia has added two significant historic sites to its Endangered Properties List: Mannington Middle School and the Roane County Courthouse Annex. These two sites join the Middleway National Historic District in Jefferson County as the Alliance’s 2025 priority Endangered Properties. These historic sites face various threats, and their inclusion on the list aims to raise awareness and galvanize support for their preservation.

The newly listed properties are:

Mannington Middle School (Mannington, Marion County): This impressive structure, with its unique Victorian Romanesque architectural style, is a significant part of Mannington and the state’s history. It is one of the oldest functional public schools in the state, still owned and operated by the Board of Education (BOE). The firm Franzheim, Giesey and Faris, based in Wheeling, designed the school and, in fact, these three men are responsible for the designs of a majority of Mannington’s historic buildings (as well as West Virginia University’s Woodburn Hall). Millard F. Giesey is often solely credited for the Mannington Public School and was nearing retirement, when construction finished on the school in 1925. While still functional, the BOE, stretched thin, hopes its inclusion on this list will help with the preservation efforts for this outstanding building (pictured below).

Roane County Courthouse Annex (Spencer, Roane County): Built in 1917-1918 originally for the county jail and jailor’s residence, the Roane County Courthouse Annex (pictured below) was designed by Theodore Sansbury, Parkersburg-based architect who also designed the Calhoun County Courthouse, Parkersburg High School, Parkersburg Masonic Temple, and many residences in the Julia-Ann Square Historic District, also in Parkersburg. Now known as the Annex, it has stood for over 100 years and served a variety of purposes for the county, including as a fire house in the 1950s. Now, it is underutilized and faces potential demolition. Its preservation and reuse would contribute to the revitalization of the downtown, commercial area of Spencer.

“These sites represent the rich architecture and diverse history of West Virginia’s public buildings, both being designed by West Virginia’s own architects. Their inclusion on the Endangered Properties List underscores the urgent need to protect these irreplaceable landmarks for future generations. We are committed to working with local communities and stakeholders to find solutions that ensure their preservation,” Danielle Parker, executive director for the Alliance.

Mannington Middle School and the Roane County Courthouse Annex join the Middleway National Historic District as the 2025 West Virginia Endangered Properties. In January, the Alliance added the Middleway National Historic District in Jefferson County to the Endangered Properties List. This remarkably intact rural village, with structures dating back to the 1700s and 1800s, is threatened by a proposed large-scale water bottling facility. The development poses risks to the district's historical, cultural, and environmental integrity. The Jefferson County Commission is scheduled to make a decision on the proposed project on March 11, 2025.

The Endangered Properties List is a powerful tool used by PAWV to raise awareness about threatened historic sites across the state. Inclusion on the list provides these properties with increased visibility, advocacy support, and access to resources to aid in their preservation.

PAWV encourages the public to learn more about these endangered sites and get involved in local preservation efforts. In 2024, the Alliance added proposed demolition sites in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, Charleston’s Municipal Auditorium, and historic cut stone walls statewide to the list and have been advocating for their preservation through public processes.

West Virginia Historic Preservation Conference Returns to Wheeling, May 1-3

Two Sites Added to West Virginia Endangered Properties List

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