PAWV
  • AmeriCorps
    • About Preserve WV
    • Current Preserve WV Members
    • Join Preserve WV AmeriCorps
    • Preserve WV Stories
    • Sponsor a Member
  • Programs
    • Advocacy >
      • Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits
    • Annual Awards
    • Blair Footsteps Interpretive Trail
    • Historic Masonry Workshop
    • Historic Wood Window Preservation Workshop
    • West Virginia Endangered Properties >
      • West Virginia Endangered Properties List >
        • Endangered Properties Blog
        • Saved Sites
        • Lost or Archived Sites
    • West Virginia Historic Preservation Conference
    • Webinars >
      • Webinar Archive
    • West Virginia Historic Theatre Trail >
      • Movie Theatres of West Virginia
    • WV New Deal Trail
  • Resources
    • Fund Your Preservation Project >
      • Historic Preservation Loan Fund
      • Saving Historic Places Grant
    • Consultants and Contractors
    • Preservation Techniques >
      • Historic Building Assessment
      • How to Recycle Asbestos
      • Mothballing Property
      • Window Rehabilitation
    • Frances Benjamin Johnston: A West Virginia Icon >
      • Selected Photos
      • Behind the Lens Activity
    • Historic Preservation Degrees
  • News
    • Preservation Spotlights
    • Monthly E-newsletter
  • Contact
    • About Us >
      • Our Team
      • Our Story
  • Give
    • Become a Member of PAWV
    • Give Online
    • Ways to Give to PAWV
    • #GivingTuesday
    • Volunteer

Preservation Alliance of West Virginia Announces “Saving Historical Places Grant” Recipients

3/3/2021

0 Comments

 
Wyoming Hotel, Mullens (Wyoming County)
Wyoming Hotel, Mullens (Wyoming County)
Pence Hotel, Bramwell (Mercer County), WV
Pence Hotel, Bramwell (Mercer County)
The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia announced that the Pence Hotel, in Mercer County, and the Wyoming Hotel, in Wyoming County, are this year’s first recipients of its Saving Historical Places Grants. The program is the Alliance’s initiative to save historical places in the Mountain State by funding emergency stabilization work and jump-starting building preservation projects with pre-development funds. 
​

 The Pence Hotel, a contributing structure to the Bramwell Historic District and independently listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is one of the first buildings visitors see when entering Bramwell. It will receive Saving Historical Places Grant funds for much needed emergency stabilization work including wall stabilization; the first of four planned phases to restore the building. “Once restored, the hotel will host a Company Store on the ground level, and provide an economic boost to the town and region” explained Gene Buckner, President of the Mercer County Commission.

The second structure to receive assistance from the Saving Historical Places Grant is the Wyoming Hotel in Mullens, built in 1918 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Funds will be used by nonprofit organization Peacework Development Fund to save the building from imminent danger of collapse by removing a fire escape. Future redevelopment plans for the hotel building are mixed-use for commercial/residential purposes to cater to outdoor recreation tourists and serve as a nod to the building’s history. “The Wyoming Hotel was a source of community pride and community history. Through the years many people stayed in the hotel, including JFK running for president in 1960, Franklin Roosevelt, Jr., rumors of Babe Ruth to everyday people coming to Mullens for work or to attend ball games or participate in horse shows. Saving it would again lift community spirits and potentially be a centerpiece for rural economic redevelopment,” said Samuel E. Webster, the owner of the building. 

“The Saving Historical Places Grant funds are being used to save these buildings from collapse. We are delighted to be able to help save these important historical resources that tell the story of our coal heritage, and we are excited that there are active community efforts to rehabilitate these buildings. However, we know that there is a long road ahead for these buildings to be fully functioning as we hope. We urge anyone who is interested in saving these buildings to consider donating to these projects as well,” said Danielle Parker, Executive Director of the Alliance.

The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia is the statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to historic preservation. The Alliance continues to fundraise for its Saving Historical Places Grant program and is accepting donations for this program. Donations of $500 or more may be eligible for Neighborhood Investment Program tax credits. Donate here! For more information,  call 304-345-6005.
0 Comments

Historic buildings available in Downtown Lewisburg

1/7/2021

0 Comments

 
​Three interesting historic properties have become available in Lewisburg’s Downtown Historic District. A Sears kit house that has been on PAWV’s endangered list for several years, is available for free to someone who will move or disassemble it. Built in the early 1920s, it is an early version of The Westly, one of Sears most popular homes. A professional house mover has checked out the house and is confident it can be readily moved.
Picture
Sears House
​Across the street from New River Community and Technical College and next to the Old Stone Church is McElhenney Lodge. It provided a dormitory, faculty housing, offices and a recreation center for Greenbrier College. The oldest part of the complex is a 19th century brick house with cement block additions.
Picture
McElhenney Lodge
​The third offering is the old Greenbrier Dairy building that housed a True Value hardware store for many years. The property includes a large lot and a warehouse in central Lewisburg. 
Picture
True Value Hardware Store
​Each of these properties should qualify for historic preservation tax credits. The Lewisburg Historic Landmarks Commission is involved in efforts to save and restore these buildings. More information is available by contacting Commissioner Skip Deegans at 304-646-8475 or wedeegans@mac.com.
0 Comments

Historic Coal Company Office Building in Thomas WV Placed on the West Virginia Endangered Properties List

9/19/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia has announced that the Davis Coal and Coke Company Administrative Building just south of the historic River Street District of Thomas has been recognized as a significant endangered historic building for 2019.

It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011 because of its importance as the Tucker County headquarters of the company founded by legendary railroad and coal magnate Senator Henry Gassaway Davis from 1900 until 1950. The Alliance is adding it to the West Virginia Endangered Properties List because it has been sitting vacant since the 1980s and is structurally failing.

In 1995, the City of Thomas assumed the building and has been able to maintain the exterior walls and roof but not the structural problems inside the building. The Friends of Blackwater took an interest in the building and has partnered with the City of Thomas and Vandalia Heritage Foundation to seek additional funding. The future is looking bright. In July 2019, the West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office granted $29,100 to Vandalia Heritage to replace joists on the first floor and repair a structural wall in the building.

There are still many unknowns, and the Friends of Blackwater are looking to bring more attention to this important project by nominating it to the West Virginia Endangered Properties List. The current plan is for the City to enter into a long term lease with the Vandalia Heritage Foundation to redevelop the building, but no actuals plans are in place, making this project still unsecure. The Friends of Blackwater initiated this endangered properties recognition process on behalf of the City of Thomas and has solicited the assistance of the Preservation Alliance for historic preservation technical assistance, as well as applied for grant funding to develop an adaptive reuse plan for the building. The mostly likely redevelopment path for the building would be to have retail space on the main floor, with offices or residential space on the second floor and in the attic. You can donate to this project by visiting, https://saveblackwater.org/donate/.
 
The West Virginia Endangered Properties List is a collection of historical resources in danger of being lost. The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia is the statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to historic preservation in our Mountain State. It maintains the West Virginia Endangered Properties List and administers the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program. For more information contact Danielle LaPresta Parker, 304-345-6005  dlapresta@pawv.org  
0 Comments

Endangered Property Spotlight: Homestead SChool

7/2/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
GIVE TO THE HOMESTEAD COMMUNITY CENTER
We very seldom ask you to support a particular historic preservation effort, as there are so many worthwhile and deserving projects in West Virginia, but we’re making an exception with this message for an Endangered Property. For 80 years the Homestead School and community center has been the beating heart of the Tygart Valley Homestead community in Randolph County, WV. Created by Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal program to provide housing and work for unemployed coal miners and others who lost their jobs in the great Depression, the community helped people gain home ownership through sweat equity. Descendents of many of the original Homesteaders still live in the community today, and have for years supported the school through our Tygart Valley Homestead Association. The unique architecture and historic importance of the community led to its being listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 as “Tygart Valley Homesteads Historic District.”

Declining enrollment and budgetary problems resulted in deferring much needed upkeep, and eventually led to the County Board of Education placing the Homestead School on its closure list. The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia in 2016 named the school a significant Endangered Property .A determined community effort led by the Tygart Valley Homestead Association convinced the Board of Education to rescind the closure decision, but shortly after this victory a freak windstorm damaged the school building to the point that the school system determined it was no longer safe for student occupancy. 

This was a major setback, but we of the Tygart Valley Homestead Association didn’t give up, and convinced the powers that be to turn the building over to us for a token payment. We managed to raise enough money to get the roof fixed, and have done major upgrades to the school’s electrical system, but now we are faced with a daunting project: bringing the school building back up to standard so it can continue to serve as a community center.
The number one item on our priority list is to bring the restrooms up to modern standards – some of the 80 year old original fixtures are still in place. Donate at gofundme.com/homesteadcommunitycenter
0 Comments

West Virginia Endangered Property Nominations Open for 2018

1/30/2018

0 Comments

 
PAWV is accepting nominations for the 2018 West Virginia Endangered Properties List.  Nomination forms are available here (MSWord). Nominations are due at 5pm on Friday, March 16, 2018, to info@pawv.org. 

Guidelines for the nomination process include the following:
​
Criteria
1)There must be a degree of endangerment from one or more of the following:
  • Neglect
  • Proposed demolition
  • Rezoning or redevelopment
  • Other human or environmental factors, such as recent storm, fire, or flood damage
 
2)      The property must be listed in, or be eligible for, the National Register of Historic Places.
•    Properties not listed in the National Register of Historic Places (as either an individual site or a contributing structure in a historic district) must submit a completed Historic Property Inventory Form to the WV State Historic Preservation Office to determine eligibility. The form is available at: http://www.wvculture.org/shpo/forms.html
•    Once the property is deemed eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, please submit both the Historic Property Inventory Form and the documentation of eligibility as part of your Endangered Properties Nomination.
 
3)There must be evidence of significant local support for preservation of the property, including three (3) letters of support.
 
Process
  • A separate nomination form must be submitted for each nomination, but organizations or individuals may submit more than one nomination per year.
  • Selections will be determined by the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia based on historic, cultural, and/or architectural factors - as well as preservation feasibility, degree of local support, and risk of loss.
 
Timeline
March 16 - Application deadline at 5:00pm to info@pawv.org
March 23 - If you have not received a confirmation from our office that your application has arrived, call 304-345-6005 to inquire.
March 30 - PAWV Endangered Properties committee meets to review nominations- You may be contacted by PAWV staff to schedule an initial site visit as part of the review process, or to request clarifications or additional materials. Please make sure there is someone at your contact number/email to receive and answer questions or provide materials, if necessary.  
April 27 - Applicants will be notified of their status in regard to the nomination.
May - Special announcement and press conference for the West Virginia Endangered Properties List at a date and location to be determined.

​The West Virginia Endangered Properties List is a collection of historic resources that are in danger of being lost, although they are good re-use candidates for their communities. The goal of this program is to encourage property owners to rehabilitate their properties while preserving our shared heritage.

The alliance revived its endangered list program in 2009 with a competitive nomination process and with technical assistance provided to the stewards of the selected properties. Technical assistance includes on-site visits from experts, guidance in preservation projects and assistance in organizing clean-up days, hands-on workshops, or other skilled preservation activities.

Learn more about the properties that were formerly on the endangered list but have graduated to saved at http://www.pawv.org/endanger/category/status-saved. To talk more about this program, contact Anna Lynn Stasick at annalynn@pawv.org or by calling 304-685-8119.
0 Comments

​HOW ARE THEY NOW? WV ENDANGERED PROPERTIES, PART 2

2/3/2017

 
Updates compiled by Mercy Klein, Preserve WV AmeriCorps

Each year, PAWV announces the West Virginia Endangered Properties List – a collection of historic resources at risk of being lost to neglect, demolition, and other human and environmental factors.  PAWV works with stewards of each property to help improve and save the property so it can be reused. Preservation projects usually take several years to complete, and they need continued support after the initial listing.  In the spirit of “Where are they now” updates, PAWV is doing a post about how the endangered properties’ projects are progressing.  Projects featured in this post (listed alphabetically) include Blue Sulphur Springs Pavilion, Homestead School, the historic Jenkins House, Old Esso Station, and Old Fayetteville High School.
Blue Sulphur Springs Pavilion, Alderson, Greenbrier County – 2013 List
​

In August of 2016, Friends of the Blue and the Greenbrier Historical Society (GHS) started the first phase of the enormous restoration project at the Blue Sulphur Springs Pavilion.  The Mills Group and Allegheny Restoration were contracted to perform the work.  By mid-December 2016, the following restoration work was completed:
Picture
Photo Credit: Blue Sulphur Springs Facebook page, April 2016
  • The spring box was repaired and made water tight.
  • The brick columns were stabilized (with a stucco base coat having been applied, followed by Sika wrap to strengthen the columns, and then that having been overlaid with a final coat of stucco).
  • The one leaning column was straightened and standing on its own.
  • The interior of the pavilion was excavated and leveled.
  • A new drainage system was installed to drain the spring into the nearby Kitchen Creek.
  • A back flow drain was installed to prevent muddied waters from flowing back to the spring box in the event of rising water from Kitchen Creek.

The engineering design for the new drainage system was approved by the Army Corps of Engineers and the WV Division of Natural Resources.   All the excavation work conducted in the interior pavilion and for the drainage system was overseen by an archaeologist. During the interior pavilion excavation, the original wood floor of the pavilion was located – as well as what is believed to be the original spring drain.  However, the wood floor was left covered as it was below the level of the planned excavation.

Fundraising for the next phase of restoration will begin in 2017.  The next phase will include repairing and waterproofing the foundation, installing a new floor and a roof, and other finishing touches.  There are also hopes to get the community, politicians, and organizations involved in developing a “springs trail” in the area.
Friends of the Blue and GHS have worked tirelessly at making this restoration project possible, and their efforts were recognized in September 2016 by the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia with its annual Preservation Persistence Award.

https://www.facebook.com/BlueSulphurSprings
Homestead School, Dailey, Randolph County – 2016 List

In May of 2016, Homestead School was one of two schools under consideration for closure by the Randolph County Board of Education (BOE) – due to financial constraints, several failed school levies, a decrease in student enrollment, and costly structural and maintenance issues.   During numerous BOE meetings and public hearings, many community members urged the Board to reconsider the Homestead School closure because of the building’s historical value, as well as its value as a community centerpiece.   Finally, in December, after a four-hour session with community members and school employees (which included reviewing materials and answering questions presented by the Superintendent of Schools and BOE staff), the BOE unanimously voted to keep Homestead School open.
Now that the school is no longer pending closure, it can qualify for grants to help fund much-needed structural and maintenance repairs and replacements – such as for the roof and for new electrical and plumbing systems, as well as other modern upgrades. (In January 2017, the roof began leaking in several places.)
Picture
Homestead School
General Albert Gallatin Jenkins House/Plantation, Lesage, Cabell County – 2012 List 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed restoration work on the building. They are still actively searching for a tenant for the building.  In the meantime, the building remains vacant and the Army Corps continues to maintain the building and the surrounding property.
Picture
Photo credit: Robert Wolfe
Old Esso Service Station, Fayetteville, Fayette County – 2015 List

The Old Esso Service Station’s owners submitted a National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) nomination for the building in November 2016.  The status of the nomination (which was researched and written by PAWV’s Preserve WV AmeriCorps member at National Coal Heritage Area) is currently pending.  If an NHRP listing is awarded, the owners will apply for a Historic Preservation Development Grant through the WV Division of Culture and History. If they receive the grant, they plan to utilize the funds to replace the roof; they have already obtained estimates for its replacement.
Previously in 2016, a temporary roof patch was applied to protect the building until funding could be obtained to replace it.  Additionally, the owners removed and replaced the large, broken front window, secured the remaining windows, and removed large trees, brush, and debris from around the building.
Picture
Esso Station in Fayetteville.
Old Fayetteville High School, Fayetteville, Fayette County – 2014 List

​The school building’s extensive mold problem was treated in July 2016, and the building has been sealed.  It will remain sealed until March or April of 2017.  At that time, Preservation Alliance of West Virginia’s Statewide Field Services Representative, Lynn Stasick, intends to perform a room-by-room, prioritized needs assessment.   That will assist with bid specifications for restoration contractors, who will then submit bid proposals for the complete restoration of the school building.  The plan is to begin restoration work in June 2017.
Picture
Old Fayetteville High School

PAWV ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR 2017 ENDANGERED PROPERTIES LIST

1/17/2017

 
​The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia is currently accepting nominations for the 2017 West Virginia Endangered Properties List. Nominations are due February 15, 2017, and the alliance plans to make the announcement for the 2017 Listing near the beginning of May 2017 in celebration of National Historic Preservation Month.
There is special criteria to be identified as a WV Endangered Property. Each property must be listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; suffer from a demonstrable preservation emergency; and maintain owner and local support for the re-use of the property in the respective community.  Owner support is necessary because it’s the first step to ensuring the preservation process begins.  It is PAWV’s goal to encourage owners to turn these properties into viable contributors to WV’s economy.  Properties that were formerly on the endangered list but have graduated to saved include the First Ward School in Elkins and the Quarrier Diner in Charleston.

We hope you will take a look around your community for an historic building that is in need of attention, rehabilitation, speaks to the history of the community, has great potential to be re-purposed to serve community needs, and is of more value saved than destroyed.  If you know of such a building, please consider taking the time to submit a nomination for the property.

Nominations forms and additional information on Endangered Properties nominations can be found here.

For more information on West Virginia Endangered Properties and a list of current Endangered Properties in West Virginia, please visit http://www.pawv.org/endanger.htm or contact PAWV’s Preserve WV AmeriCorps member, Mercy Klein, at pawvamericorps@gmail.com.
The WV Endangered Properties List is a collection of historic resources identified annually as the historic assets in the Mountain State most in jeopardy of being demolished or destroyed. These properties are also good candidates for re-use in their communities. The alliance revived its endangered list program in 2009 with a competitive application process and with technical assistance provided to the stewards of the selected properties. Technical assistance includes on-site visits from staff and Preserve WV AmeriCorps members, guidance in preservation projects and assistance in organizing clean-up days, hands-on workshops, or other skilled preservation activities.
Picture
Blue Sulphur Springs Pavilion, a 2013 Endangered Property, has been undergoing a major restoration.

HOW ARE THEY NOW? HAPPY RETREAT

1/11/2017

 
Happy Retreat was named a West Virginia Endangered Property in 2010 after being threatened by demolition due to development pressures in the area. PAWV is excited to share the tremendous progress the Friends of Happy Retreat has made in the last year.  It was listed as West Virginia’s first National Treasure under the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  The National Treasures “program demonstrates the value of preservation by taking direct action to protect cherished places and promote their history and significance.” Fewer than 75 places in this nation have been selected as National Treasures. Other National Treasures include Nashville’s Music Row, Theodore Roosevelt’s Elkhorn Ranch, the Houston Astrodome, the Grand Canyon, the historic Woodlawn estate adjacent to Mount Vernon, and The National Cathedral in Washington, DC.

Happy Retreat also demonstrated its value as a community resource this year as volunteers came together to host a highly-successful craft beer and music festival. Over 1,500 people braved the 94 degree heat to enjoy the day’s events.  Happy Retreat is planning to host the same event in 2017.
Read all about the great things happening at Happy Retreat at its recent newsletter, available in .pdf here: Happy Retreat Newsletter, Rising Sun.  In the newsletter, you’ll also learn how you can receive your own newsletter.
​
Happy Retreat will be a Preserve WV AmeriCorps site beginning in 2017.  Look for recruitment information coming soon!
Picture

HOW ARE THEY NOW? WV ENDANGERED PROPERTIES

1/7/2017

 
Updates compiled by Mercy Klein, Preserve WV AmeriCorps

Each year, PAWV announces the West Virginia Endangered Properties List – a collection of historic resources at risk of being lost to neglect, demolition, and other human and environmental factors.  PAWV works with stewards of each property to help improve and save the property so it can be reused.  Preservation projects usually take several years to complete, and they need continued support after the initial listing.  In the spirit of “Where are they now” updates, PAWV is doing a post about how the endangered properties’ projects are progressing.  Projects featured in this post (listed alphabetically) include the Ananias Pitsenbarger Farm, Wheeling’s Blue Church, Feagans Mill, 1400 Block of Wheeling’s Market Street, Margaret Manson Weir Memorial Pool, Staats Hospital, and the Tyler County “Poor Farm” Home.
Feagans’ Mill, Kabletown, Jefferson County – 2014 List

Feagans’ Mill recently applied for a National Register of Historic Places nomination in September/October of 2016.  The status of their nomination is currently pending.  The owner of the mill, Daniel Lutz, is in the process of preparing for a timber felling project to clear the close growing timber which could threaten the mill in the event of a storm.  His 2017 project fundraising plans include sales of Feagans’ Mill flours, meals, etc, at local events, offering the mill memorabilia (bolo ties, feed sacks, etc.), and creating a “Friends of the Feagans’ Mill at Wheatland Village.”
Picture
Church of God and Saints of Christ Tabernacle – “The Blue Church”, Wheeling, Ohio County – 2010 List

In the past six months, the Wheeling National Heritage Area has completed several structural projects on the Blue Church.  Structural masonry repairs have been done on the exterior of the south elevation at the entablature.  Additionally, loose stucco on the south wall was removed, the wall repointed, and the brick was sealed.  Structural roof repairs have also been completed.  The roof repairs included the roof trusses, box gutters, collection boxes, and the edge of the roof.  Five chimneys were also rebuilt or repaired to prevent water damage from washed out mortar.  At the time of this entry, the roof was being replaced.  Its completion was scheduled for December 15, 2016.

The next project planned for the Blue Church is repairing the proscenium’s structurally unsound arch.  A structural engineer is currently creating drawings to address the situation.

https://www.facebook.com/BlueChurchWhg
http://wheelingheritage.org/milestones/bluechurch/
Picture
Ananias Pitsenbarger Farm, Franklin, Pendleton County – 2013 List

On October 16, 2016, owners, Jeff and Teresa Munn, attended an awards ceremony at the Culture Center in Charleston in which the West Virginia Division of Culture and History (WVDCH) recognized select National Historic Landmarks, individual resources, and historic districts across West Virginia.

Additionally, by the end of this year, they are expecting the dendrochronology results from the November 2015 log dating project conducted by Kristen De Graauw and Shawn Cockrell of WVU.  The owners plan to organize a community meeting/party at the farm to reveal the results.

As far as preservation repairs, there are several buildings suffering from weather deterioration.  Sill beams have fallen to the ground and are now rotting.  Information and estimates are being obtained from contractors on how to repair them.  They hope to start the sill beam repairs in 2017.

http://www.munnwerks.com/index.html
Picture
Picture
Staats Hospital, Charleston, Kanawha County – 2012 List 

Within the last six months, Crawford Holdings, owner of the former Staats Hospital, have primed and painted all the metal work on the front façade.  They have also received a $35,000 matching grant from the West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office which they plan to utilize for the building’s ninety windows.  Crawford Holdings is currently seeking potential tenants to commercially lease their first floor spaces.
Picture
Margaret Mansion Weir Memorial Pool, Weirton, Hancock County – 2014 List

The Marland Heights Community Association has made some necessary repairs to the concession stand and the tennis courts have been resurfaced.  They have also started a brick garden fundraiser whereby bricks can be purchased and engraved for $50.  Engraved bricks have been incorporated into the walkway at the pool’s entrance.  Other items available for purchase include old locker room baskets, and t-shirt and mug memorabilia.   All fundraiser proceeds go directly to pool renovations.  Paint and filtration projects are next on the agenda and they are actively applying for grants to fund them.

http://marlandheightspool.com/
https://www.facebook.com/marlandheights.pool
Picture
The 1400 Block of Market Street, Wheeling, Ohio County – 2016 List 

The City of Wheeling has purchased the last adjacent building in the row of properties on the 1400 Block of Market Street in hopes that ownership of all four buildings would be more attractive for development.  The properties suffer from water damage due to roof leaks and they sit vacant.  The City is applying for survey and planning grants to repair the roof, and they are currently showing the properties so they can be productively repurposed.
Picture
Tyler County Home, Tyler County – 2009 List 

​No progress has been made towards rehabilitating this historic property since its 2009 listing on PAWV’s Endangered Properties list.  Tyler County Home, also known as the “Poor Farm,” is currently owned by the Tyler County Commissioners and the property is leased to the Fair Association.  A group of ten concerned community members who are passionate about preserving this piece of Tyler County history have formed the Tyler County Restoration Committee.  About nine months ago, the group elected Peggy George to be their new committee President.  Within nine months, the group has successfully fundraised $10,000 for the building’s rehabilitation.  The building remains vacant and continues to deteriorate due to frequent vandalism and severe water damage from a leaking roof and box gutters and downspouts that are in desperate need of stabilization and replacement.  The Restoration Committee plans to continue their fundraising efforts in 2017 as well as conduct a survey to assess the community’s interest in preserving and repurposing the County Home.  They will present their fundraising and survey efforts to the County Commissioners in early 2017. The hope is that they will be able to work together with the County Commissioners in obtaining additional funding with historic preservation grants and to get started on the long process of rehabilitating this property.
Picture
Picture

HAPPY RETREAT NAMED A NATIONAL TREASURE

6/20/2016

 
Nation’s largest preservation organization partners with Friends of Happy Retreat to create a new cultural center for Charles Town community.
​

On Saturday, June 18, 2016, the National Trust for Historic Preservation added Happy Retreat to their growing portfolio of National Treasures. The National Trust will work with the City of Charles Town and Friends of Happy Retreat to help create a first class public experience at Happy Retreat that paves the way for it to become an intrinsic part of the Charles Town community.
Picture
Charles Washington’s Happy Retreat was listed on PAWV’s 2010 Endangered Properties List. The threat to Happy Retreat originally arose when the owners expressed the desire to sell the home and its 12.2 developable acres.
​“There is no other region in the country which contains such a wealth of original Washington family homes and history–and Happy Retreat is the crown jewel of them all,” said Robert Nieweg, Senior Field Director and Attorney of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “We couldn’t be happier to work with the Friends to create an experience at such an important site that will draw more people, ensure its story is more broadly told and its long term future secured.”

Located in the Eastern panhandle region of West Virginia, Happy Retreat is the principal estate of the Washington family. Built in 1780 by Charles Washington, George Washington’s youngest brother, Happy Retreat was the foundation for the surrounding city of Charles Town. It is here where George Washington and his lifelong friend Dr. James Craik started their 680-mile trek out to the American west. Joel Achenbach’s 2005 book, The Grand Idea: George Washington’s Potomac and the Race to the West, details this ambitious journey. Happy Retreat is currently one of 40 sites along the 132-mile Washington Heritage Trail, a designated National Scenic Byway which runs from the “Gateway to West Virginia” at Harpers Ferry to points west – all within the national capital region.

“Happy Retreat is a wonderful part of the nation’s history, where George Washington long ago came to launch his grand idea of exploration in a new America.  Today, the Friends of Happy Retreat seek to restore the Happy Retreat mansion and property so that it can be a vibrant center of cultural life and community gatherings linking history, neighborhoods, greenspace, downtown Charles Town, and the broader tourism region,” says Walter Washington, President of the Friends of Happy Retreat.  “We are confident that our partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation will help the national treasure of Happy Retreat again become a place for the grand idea of exploring creative opportunities.”

In 2015, the Friends of Happy Retreat successfully saved Happy Retreat from being divided into 25 residential lots for new construction, and together with the city of Charles Town raised $775,000 towards the acquisition of the property. Although the immediate threat of demolition was avoided, Happy Retreat remains threatened until a sustainable new use is established and underway. The National Trust’s involvement at Happy Retreat provides an opportunity to show how creative, multipurpose uses of historic sites can create a roadmap for the long-term sustainability of these significant places.

As a National Treasure, Happy Retreat will join the ranks of other shared use concepts such as National Trust historic site, Cooper-Molera Adobe in Monterey, California, which is currently being converted to accommodate a museum, a restaurant, and event facilities. In an effort to mitigate the pitfalls of traditional house museums, the National Trust and Friends of Happy Retreat intend for the property to be used continuously by the public as a center for community events, heritage tourism, arts, culture, and scholarship, ultimately becoming a centerpiece for the newly founded Washington Heritage & Cultural District.
To learn more about the Happy Retreat National Treasure, visit www.savingplaces.org/happy-retreat

About the National Treasures Program

The National Trust for Historic Preservation mobilizes its more than 65 years of expertise and resources to protect a growing portfolio of over 80 National Treasures. Among them are threatened buildings; neighborhoods, communities, and landscapes that stand at risk across the country. Our National Treasures program demonstrates the value of preservation by taking direct action to protect cherished places and promote their history and significance. For more information, visit: savingplaces.org/treasures or follow @SavingPlaces and #SavingPlaces for updates.

About the National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded nonprofit organization that works to save America’s historic places. For more information, visit www.preservationnation.org

About the Friends of Happy Retreat

The Friends of Happy Retreat is a nonprofit organization seeking to transform Charles Washington’s home, Happy Retreat, into a vibrant center of community and cultural life, linking neighborhoods, greenspace, and West Virginia’s broader tourism region. For more information, visit www.happyretreat.org
<<Previous

    News and Notes

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    About
    Advocacy
    Awards
    Conferences
    Endangered Properties
    Excuse For An Excursion
    Federal Historic Tax Credit
    For Sale
    Funding
    Heritage Areas
    Heritage Tourism
    Historic Architecture
    Historic Preservation Funding
    Historic Preservation Programs
    Miscellaneous
    Newsletter
    Preservation Legislation
    Preserve WV AmeriCorps
    State Historic Tax Credit
    Trades
    Training
    WV Preservation Spotlight

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    September 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    May 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012


    Subscribe to our mailing list to receive e-news updates on historic preservation news and events in West Virginia.
    Subscribe

Get Involved

  • Give Online
  • ​Volunteer
  • Join AmeriCorps 
  • ​Subscribe 
  • Kroger Community Rewards
  • Shop with Amazon Smile
  • Contact Us

Programs

  • June 2022 E-News
  • Saving Historic Places Grant
  • Preserve WV AmeriCorps
  • Advocacy
  • ​Preservation Awards
  • Endangered Properties List
  • Conferences
  • Historic Preservation Loan Fund
  • WV Historic Theatre Trail
  • WV Historic New Deal Trail


Contact Us

Preservation Alliance of West Virginia
​421 Davis Avenue, #4  |  Elkins, WV 26241
​Email: info@pawv.org
Phone: 304-345-6005
Donate with Crypto

Organizational Partners:
PAWV Logo
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
© COPYRIGHT 2022 - PRESERVATION ALLIANCE OF WEST VIRGINIA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • AmeriCorps
    • About Preserve WV
    • Current Preserve WV Members
    • Join Preserve WV AmeriCorps
    • Preserve WV Stories
    • Sponsor a Member
  • Programs
    • Advocacy >
      • Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits
    • Annual Awards
    • Blair Footsteps Interpretive Trail
    • Historic Masonry Workshop
    • Historic Wood Window Preservation Workshop
    • West Virginia Endangered Properties >
      • West Virginia Endangered Properties List >
        • Endangered Properties Blog
        • Saved Sites
        • Lost or Archived Sites
    • West Virginia Historic Preservation Conference
    • Webinars >
      • Webinar Archive
    • West Virginia Historic Theatre Trail >
      • Movie Theatres of West Virginia
    • WV New Deal Trail
  • Resources
    • Fund Your Preservation Project >
      • Historic Preservation Loan Fund
      • Saving Historic Places Grant
    • Consultants and Contractors
    • Preservation Techniques >
      • Historic Building Assessment
      • How to Recycle Asbestos
      • Mothballing Property
      • Window Rehabilitation
    • Frances Benjamin Johnston: A West Virginia Icon >
      • Selected Photos
      • Behind the Lens Activity
    • Historic Preservation Degrees
  • News
    • Preservation Spotlights
    • Monthly E-newsletter
  • Contact
    • About Us >
      • Our Team
      • Our Story
  • Give
    • Become a Member of PAWV
    • Give Online
    • Ways to Give to PAWV
    • #GivingTuesday
    • Volunteer