‘War Comes to Union’

Event Offers Unique Volunteer Opportunities

June 24, 2016. August 27th, 2016 is the date for the Monroe County Heritage Days Living History event: War Comes to Union! The organizers are looking for people interested in portraying local citizens of Union, West Virginia, during the 1860’s. The event seeks to recreate that time in 1864 when our town was visited by the Federal Army and occupied for five days. Citizens of the area were Southern Secessionist, Unionist and pacifist. Many were local farmers, laborers, blacksmiths, wheelwrights, teamsters, etc. We are seeking men, women, and children to bring that time ‘alive’. This unique volunteer opportunity is your chance to “step back in time” and live for a day as our ancestors did during that defining moment in American History. In May of 1864, Union General George Crook led his force through Union on a Sunday morning after his victory at Cloyd’s Mountain, VA. The 10,000 men, 200 wagons, 35 ambulances, 213 prisoners, and over 100 negroes of Crook’s army took six and a half hours to march through town and spread out for miles to camp and forage. The population of Monroe County was nearly doubled by the size of the army that occupied Union. The Monroe County Heritage Days organizers are seeking volunteers, reenactors, and living historians to bring this history alive. This living history event will attempt to portray the 1864 Federal occupation of Union’s historic district and surroundings. There will be an encampment in the fields surrounding the town’s Confederate Memorial. There will be drills, demonstrations throughout the encampment. In Union and the vicinity there are several historic structures (log cabins, homes, churches, and the stately Elmwood mansion), which will serve as scenes for scenarios of events that happened (documented, first person accounts). We would like to have civilian (local ‘southerners) impressions to portray the townsfolk and how they will be ‘dealing with the Yankee troop’s ‘foragers’ as they occupy the town. There will be an initial ‘skirmish’ with local Home Guard by the forward skirmishers of the Federal’s leading element. Friday will be arrivals and set-up of participants. Saturday, August 27th is the ‘main event’, that evening we will host a period dance. Sunday we are planning a period ‘church service’. Please join us!

For more information about the event and volunteering visit our web site:MCHDWV.COM and contact Chris Johnson at [email protected], or call (304)772-4712.

WBOY Channel 12 recently published a story about the WV Historic Theatre Trail expansion. It can be viewed here. To learn more about the trail, visit http://wvhistorictheaters.com/.

PAWV is pleased to announce that it is expanding its heritage tourism initiative, the West Virginia Historic Theatre Trail.  In addition to having just added 6 significant theaters to the Trail, PAWV’s recent receipt of a $1000 mini-grant from the West Virginia Humanities Council will allow the organization to further promote the Trail.

The West Virginia Historic Theatre Trail is a statewide thematic tour of operational, historic theaters, encompassing both cinemas and live performance venues.  All of the Trail’s theaters are listed in, or have been officially determined eligible for, the National Register of Historic Places – the official list of the nation’s historic places deemed worthy of preservation by the National Park Service. The Trail promotes the rehabilitation and sustainable operation of our state’s historic theaters for the enjoyment of the public.

The Trail was born in 2010 following a 2007 Preserve America grant award to the West Virginia Division of Culture and History’s State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), in partnership with PAWV, to develop statewide thematic tours to encourage heritage tourism in communities throughout the state. When it started, the Trail included 26 theaters across the state. By 2015, however, 4 Trail theaters had closed, and staff at various other historic theaters in West Virginia had been asking PAWV about how to be added to the Trail. During 2015 and early 2016, PAWV requested and received applications from additional historic theaters across the state. After using state heritage trail criteria to decide which to accept or reject, PAWV recently added 6 theaters to the Trail. The new members include:

• the Alban Arts and Conference Center (in St. Albans, Kanawha County);
• the Lincoln Theater (in New Martinsville, Wetzel County);
• the McCoy’s Grand Theatre (in Moorefield, Hardy County);
• the Strand Theatre (in Moundsville, Marshall County);
• the Ritz Theatre (in Hinton, Summers County);
• the Summit Players Theatre (in Bluefield, Mercer County)

The Trail now encompasses 28 members, spanning 21 of West Virginia’s 55 counties.  For quotes from several of the organizations and agencies that operate or utilize the Trail’s new members, please see the end of this press release.

The Trail’s main public presence is a website run by PAWV (https://wvhistorictheaters.com/). It contains informational pages on each member theater; overarching Google Maps and theater trip itineraries, broken up by region of the state; historic theater resources (such as books, articles, and related organizations); links to the Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) for each theater’s area, etc. The Trail’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/wvhistorictheaters/) is where PAWV staff share member theaters’ events and post relevant news articles, press releases about the Trail, etc. PAWV also promotes the Trail and its member theaters through rack cards distributed to member theaters and their CVBs. Another marketing tool has been Trail interpretive signage, which PAWV presented to each original member theater to display inside. Those signs contain site-specific historical and architectural information, as well as information about the Trail itself.

Having added the 6 new member theaters, PAWV plans to launch a major promotional campaign for the Trail, utilizing the $1000 WV Humanities Council mini-grant funds. PAWV has already purchased a short, memorable URL and has updated the existing Trail website to include the new members throughout. Next, PAWV will design and print various promotional materials. Those will include interpretive signage for each new member, updated rack cards, and a portable, retractable banner showcasing the Trail.

Overall, these new promotional materials will serve as a valuable outreach tool – educating the public (both locals and tourists) about the Trail and its member theaters.  Specifically, the rack cards will alert people that the member theaters exist and are open for visiting, offering entertainment in their communities. The interpretive signs and the banner will go more in-depth, helping to inform and educate viewers about the history, sociocultural importance, architectural significance, and historic preservation of the state’s operational, historic theaters (not only individually but as a group). Additionally, since many of the Trail’s theaters have been reopened after periods of closure or are adaptive reuses of other building types (such as historic churches), these promotional efforts will help demonstrate how historic preservation has been a successful revitalization and economic development tool in West Virginia.

To learn more about the West Virginia Historic Theatre Trail, visit https://wvhistorictheaters.com/ or email PAWV’s Preserve WV AmeriCorps member, Kelli Shapiro, PhD, at [email protected].

By Brenna, Preserve WV AmeriCorps

​Big Things are Happening in Fairmont – An Update on the Spadafore Building

In my short stint as an AmeriCorps member I have been privy to witness a fantastic boom in historic preservation and reuse in Fairmont, WV. In a little over nine months  I have experienced the opening of six new business, with a seventh to open next month and all within our historic downtown.

To celebrate these wonderful accomplishments Main Street Fairmont is hosting a series of Main Street Mondays, in collaboration with the City of Fairmont, to officially welcome three new restaurants to the historic downtown.

The second Main Street Monday took place Monday, May 16, at Fox’s Pizza Den (previously known as the Spadafore building), 94 Fairmont Ave., Fairmont. Restaurant owner Mark Offut, co-manager Steven Hammond, Fairmont City Council members, Marion County Commission members and members of the Main Street Fairmont Board of Directors were all in attendance. City Manager Robin Gomez presented Fox’s Pizza with a special proclamation in thanks for contributing to downtown Fairmont’s continuing revitalization.

Owner Mike Offutt and his partner Adam Rohaly, formed Fuzzy Mammoth Development LLC  with intentions of purchasing this historic building to breathe new life into a once blighted area. Offutt and Rohaly then bought the Spadafore building together to redevelop into a restaurant and fashionable downtown apartments.  Along with other local businesses, Fox’s hopes to revitalize historic downtown Fairmont.

“I am really excited about what is happening downtown,” Hammond said. “We really wanted to contribute to the revitalization OF downtown. I think that the more people who come here, not just to our restaurant, but to other restaurants around us in the downtown area, the more this is   going to build up. It’s an exciting time right now.”

The Spadafore Building, c.1928, is a three story Art Deco influenced building that was listed on the National Register as a contributing structure in 1995 when Fairmont perused their historic downtown nomination. This building may sound familiar as it was the center of a Historic Preservation Review Commission (HPRC) dispute back in 2012 when the Fairmont Community Development Partnership(FCDP) looked to demolish the building to make way for a parking lot in the interest of another historic structure rehabilitation. For more information check out the PAWV newsletter volume XIX, number 2, Summer 2012.

Other Main Street Mondays are planned during the month of May. The Freight House, location 101 Fairmont Ave., was celebrated with a ribbon cutting Monday, May 9th. The Downtown Grill, 323 Adams St., will be celebrated with a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. Monday, May 23.

Appalachian Forest Heritage Area
Thematic Tour Map Project Request for Proposals

Appalachian Forest Heritage Area has been working since 2001 in 16 counties of the highlands of West Virginia plus 2 counties of western Maryland on conservation, and community and heritage tourism development to benefit our forest communities. One of AFHA’s primary goals is to develop thematic tours that network and link sites across our region in order to increase tourism. Primary funding for this project is from ARC FlexEGrant through the West Virginia Development Office.

AFHA is seeking proposals from qualified individuals to execute the following scope of work for our organization.

The distinct products to be produced will be:

• AFHA tourism plan identifying the framework for development of multiple thematic tour maps for AFHA
  • Help facilitate development of a tourism plan for AFHA 16 county region in West Virginia. AFHA staff and volunteer project team will provide substantial support and decision making and be responsible for compiling the plan, with the consultant providing advice and participating as part of the planning team.
  • Working from the thematic framework already developed by AFHA, the tourism plan will determine functional sub-theme groupings upon which to base on-line thematic tours across our region.
  • Discussion will include scope of proposed “tours” including practical number of sites within each sub-group, inter-relationship between themes and geographic areas, and feasibility of user-choice site listings compared to suggested itineraries.
  • The consultant will identify and work with project team to determine the best appropriate online platform for AFHA thematic tour maps, to be recommended in the plan. The development platform selected should be useful, expandable, and easily accessible for generating the thematic maps into a content rich, user friendly environment that may be deployed on multiple platforms and media. The selected platform needs to also be affordable and feasible for future development and updating of tour maps by AFHA staff beyond the timeline of this project. Currently AFHA is working with Arc GIS Story Maps software, and has done a previous tour using basic google maps, but other platforms may be considered.
  • Written plan will be drafted by AFHA project team by November 1, 2016, for review and comment. Final version agreed and complete by January 15, 2017.
• Asset mapping, including networking and building partnerships, with heritage, cultural, natural, and community asset sites
  • Identify a process and platform for asset mapping database that is functional for developing the on-line tour map projects as well as sortable for multiple purposes.
  • With AFHA project team, identify criteria and categories of information to be collected.
  • AFHA project team will have primary responsibility for partnering with sites and generating content, with assistance from consultant on networking and identifying gaps.
  • Sites may include trails, landmarks, festivals, historic sites, and outdoor recreation opportunities, as appropriate for each sub-theme grouping.
  • Facilitate asset mapping including design and implementation of database. Ensure data entry is complete for prototype project sites.

• Increase in capacity for AFHA organization to conduct asset mapping and update and develop the tour maps
  • Work with and train the AFHA project team staff in use of database so they can have capacity for future responsibility for maintaining database and for expansion to future projects.
  • Train AFHA project team staff on development and maintenance of tour maps using selected tour map platform. Trained individuals should have capacity to build future tour maps for the remaining identified sub-themes.
• One completed thematic tour map prototype, posted and available for tourist use on AFHA website.
  • Develop and implement one prototype themed tour using selected platform. Project team will select the topic for the prototype tour from the planning discussion.
  • Working with AFHA project team determine aesthetic components and overview context text and images for the tour map
  • Working with AFHA project team and database content, identify and select images and text to be included in tour map for each included site
  • Complete prototype for review no later than December 1, 2016. Following review and comment by AFHA project team, make revisions for final version posting by January 15, 2017.

In addition, consultant shall:

• Maintain communication with AFHA project team throughout the project to insure accurate exchange of information and deadline goals.
• Be available for periodic meetings in person and online/telephonically to discuss project and progress.
• Be available for occasional possible public meetings to facilitate planning, discuss project and perform outreach.
• Complete project by January 15, 2017

Qualified individuals (or teams) selected for this project will:

• Have appropriate experience and/or education suitable for this scope of work. A minimum of bachelor’s degree in a related field is preferred.
• Be able to demonstrate previous success with at least one digital online mapping platform, and preferably multiple platforms.
• Present a portfolio of related projects with their resume.
• Have or gain familiarity with AFHA and its assets.
• Be able and willing to work with multiple stakeholders in a collaborative process.
• Demonstrate impeccable communication skills.
• Be able to complete described project by deadline of January 15, 2017

Proposals should include

• cover letter with cost bid, itemization by task is preferred.
• project proposal outlining proposed process and benchmarks for completion of above products
• resume for individual and/or team members
• examples of previous work

Please send proposals by email to: [email protected]

Any attachments not suitable for email may be submitted by weblink, dropbox, or google drive. Please contact us to ensure communication of these documents.

Proposals should be received by 5 pm on June 20, 2016.

AFHA reserves the right to extend deadline if sufficient acceptable proposals are not received. AFHA reserves the right to reject any proposals for any reason.

For questions call Phyllis Baxter at 304-642-7427 or Logan Smith at 304-636-6182.

Education Coordinator Position Available

Spark! Imagination and Science Center in Morgantown, West Virginia is seeking a part-time, salaried Education Coordinator. Under the supervision of the Executive Director, the Education Coordinator will be responsible for the development and implementation of hands-on, interactive educational programs for students, families and life-long learners.

Duties Include:

• Implementing outreach and field trip programs
• Developing/Implementing/overseeing on-site education programs such as maker’s programs and the Hands-on Science Area
• Marketing the outreach and field trip programs
• Scheduling education programs
• Maintaining program records regarding budget, supplies, attendance, evaluations

The Education Coordinator will work approximately 20 hours per week. Hours will be flexible, but will include many Saturdays and some evenings. This position requires driving in a personal vehicle, mileage will be reimbursed. The salary will start at $18,000-$22,000 depending on experience.

A bachelor’s degree is required. An M.A. in Education, Museum Studies, Public History, and other related fields or 3 years of museum experience is preferred.

Cover letter, resume and three references should be emailed to Julie at [email protected] by June 30, 2016.

For more information about Spark! visit sparkwv.org

Preservation Alliance of West Virginia (PAWV), the statewide nonprofit dedicated to historic preservation, is seeking a full-time (estimated approximately 40 hours per week) Program Associate to help with implementation and administration of the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program, and to assist with other PAWV activities and projects.  Salary is negotiable for successful candidate, but is likely to be in the $25,000 to $28,000 range.

Position will begin full-time in late August 2016, and if possible, the successful candidate will attend an AmeriCorps training in Charleston July 7-8 with the program director.  This position has a three-year expectation, hopefully renewable long term.

Qualifications:
Successful candidate MUST be organized and meticulous with paperwork, a self-starter, and computer literate with comfort in Word, Excel, email, and social media.

Candidate should have training (college degree expected, advanced degree preferred) and background in one or more of the Preserve WV AmeriCorps focus areas of public history, historic preservation, tourism, community development, cultural resource management, or public administration.

Previous AmeriCorps experience and/or previous involvement with PAWV will be a plus.

Successful candidate must work closely with a wide variety of people, including community members, site supervisors, representatives of partner organizations, AmeriCorps members, other staff, and organization Board members. Good written and verbal communication skills, positive attitude, professionalism, calm demeanor in response to stress or conflict, and comfort with speaking in groups will all be needed.

Associate will work primarily out of the PAWV office in Elkins, WV located at the 421 Davis Avenue, but remote work from a home office is negotiable for the right candidate (this candidate will be required to report to the Elkins office on some occasions). Schedule may be flexible other than required meetings, activities, and deadlines.  Moderate reimbursed travel will be required.

Duties will include:Program associate will be directly supervised by, and report, to Danielle LaPresta (PAWV Executive Director). Associate will also work with Lynn Stasick (PAWV Field Services Representative), and with PAWV assigned AmeriCorps members, in a small team environment.

Program Associate will assist Executive Director with duties for Preserve WV AmeriCorps program that include, but are not limited to:

• Reviewing member timesheets monthly and recording data for program use;
• Member records, calendar, etc. in OnCorps system;
• Recruiting and interviewing new members;
• Planning and conducting trainings and quarterly meetings;
• Overseeing member and site performance, including participating in some member-planned events, conducting site monitoring visits, and helping to resolve issues and conflicts;
• Facilitating team building, service projects, and new member familiarization with the area;
• Communicating with state Program Officers and attending periodic Program Director meetings; and
• Supporting the Program Director to create and implement new Preserve WV AmeriCorps Evaluation Plan.

Program Associate will be expected to assist the Executive Director with the following PAWV organizational activities:

• Attend and participate in PAWV Quarterly Board Meeting and all annual events (i.e. History Day, Endangered Properties Event, Conference, and Awards Banquet);
• Communicate consistently with members and stakeholders through print and e-newsletters, Facebook, blog, etc.;
• Maintain monthly membership and assist with expanding membership base;
• Assist in planning annual events (Endangered Properties Event, Conference (biennial), and awards banquet);
• Increase education and outreach around the state by fundraising for and organizing quarterly training/public events at different locations around the state;
• Write grants for increased development and programming; and
• Participate in some advocacy activities as designated by the Executive Director, such as Abandoned Properties Coalition meetings, state or federal government advocacy meetings, and Section 106 review projects.

To apply, please submit by email:

• Cover letter expressing why you are a good fit for the position and salary requirements. Include the following information:
  • What skills or experience do you have that will make you suitable for the duties of this position?
  • What is your understanding of or background regarding AmeriCorps and National Service?
  • What is your understanding or background of participation in PAWV?
• Resume including contact information for 2 professional/academic references and one personal reference.

Applications will be accepted until Monday, June 20, 2016, or until a suitable candidate is selected. Hiring for this position is dependent upon organization receipt of requested funding.
​
For more information or to submit application:
Danielle LaPresta, Executive Director
[email protected]
304-345-6005

The State, Tribal, Local Plans & Grants Division recently announced  FY16 Underrepresented Community Grant applications are now available on Grants.gov. (Funding Opportunity Announcement #P16AS00184)
Deadline: 11:59 EST on July 15, 2016
​
Eligible applicants: THPOs, Tribes, SHPOs, County/City Governments, & Certified Local Governments [may partner with others including nonprofits, National Heritage Areas]

Eligible Projects: survey, inventory, and designation of historic properties that are associated with communities currently underrepresented in the National Register of Historic Places and among National Historic Landmarks

Project budgets: $15,000 minimum, $50,000 maximum, no match is required.

Questions? [email protected] or (202) 354-2020
Within one year of the completion of the grant, all projects must result in:

• the submission of a new nomination to the National Register/NHL, or
• an amendment to an existing NR/NHL nomination to include underrepresented communities

For more information:  Underrepresented Community Grants
(https://www.nps.gov/preservation-grants/community-grants.html).

Today, the Whipple Company Store houses the Appalachian Heritage Museum where you can visit and experience the history and cultural heritage of West Virginia coal mining families. Tours are held throughout the summer that offer a great opportunity to learn about our West Virginia heritage, coal mining experience, Appalachian culture with a hands on approach.

The Whipple company Store has many exciting events planned so mark your calendar now!

Saturday, May 21st – the Whipple Company Store will be recognizing their 10 year reunion as a museum. This special event will feature the New River Youth Symphony and a tour of the beautiful building from 3-6 pm. Complimentary refreshments will be provided.

Sunday, May 22nd  – A benefit concert featuring both classical and Appalachian music will be held from 3-5 pm. Any and all donations will be accepted. Proceeds will benefit continuing music education for Charlotte Lynn’s trip to Green Mountain Music Camp in Vermont.

Saturday, May 28th – Car show from 9 am – 3pm. For more information about the car show: http://whipplecompanystore.com/2016carshow.html

Friday, June 10th – The Genealogy and Study Room dedication will be held in honor of Shirley Love from 3-6 pm, featuring a performance by Ann Sumpter Arrington and Charlotte Lynn on violin. Refreshments and museum tour will be provided.

Wednesday, June 15th –   Musical performance by Tom Breiding, starting at 5:30 pm.

October, 1st and 2nd from 11 to 6 pm – Whipple Train days featuring train displays of many model trains and set ups. The entire building will be dedicated to trains of the past.

For more information about the Whipple Company Store visit: http://www.whipplecompanystore.com
For more information about the events: http://whipplecompanystore.com/events2016.html
Or call: 304 465-0331

7485 Okey L. Patteson Road
Scarbro, West Virginia 25917

The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia is seeking dynamic individuals to fill vacancies in its board of directors, which is comprised of four officers and three individuals from each of the three Congressional district in the state.  Current vacancies are in the second and third Congressional districts with others expected in 2017.

Directors must live in their respective Congressional district and are expected to attend the organization’s four quarterly meetings statewide, as well as attend its annual events.  Other programming and fundraising responsibilities are asked of directors as they build an understanding of the organization. Directors serve for periods of two or three years with opportunities for renewal for a second term.

​If you are interested in serving on the Board of Directors, please complete the application and return it to [email protected].  The application can be dowloaded as a .doc file: PAWV Board_Application