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 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:
In addition, consultant shall:
Qualified individuals (or teams) selected for this project will:
Proposals should include
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:
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:
Program Associate will be expected to assist the Executive Director with the following PAWV organizational activities:
To apply, please submit by email:
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:
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 This is a reminder that proposals for the PAWV 2016 Conference are due April 25. Here is the full request for proposals.
Preservation Alliance of West Virginia is currently accepting proposals for its next statewide historic preservation conference, scheduled for September 22-24, 2016. It will be held primarily in Beverly, with some opportunity for programming in the immediate Randolph County vicinity (Elkins, etc.). This year’s conference theme will be This Place Matters: Connecting with Historic Places. Conference proposals should relate to the theme and fit into at least one of three tracks:
This is a request for knowledgeable professionals willing to lead one or more of the following: Keynote speeches Plenary speeches Half- or full-day workshops Educational walking or driving tours Educational sessions Round-table discussions Panel presentations Student/AmeriCorps poster session For more information on each of these positions, necessary qualifications, and applications, please see the guidelines below. Here is a downloadable version of the PAWV conference RFP 2016 Submit proposals via email to [email protected] by April 25, 2016. For more information, please contact PAWV’s Executive Director, Danielle LaPresta Parker, at [email protected] or 304-345-6005. This RFP does not indicate any promise to follow through and implement any proposals. We reserve the right to select different trainers for workshops, sessions, etc. We reserve the right to accept late proposals if insufficient or inadequate proposals for all slots are not received by the deadline. We may suggest revisions to your proposals for your consideration. PAWV staff will organize and direct all events and will have final approval of content. This conference will be funded in part with federal funds from the National Park Service, Department of the Interior and the WV Division of Culture & History, State Historic Preservation Office. Regulations of the U.S. Department of the Interior strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination in departmental Federally Assisted Programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, age or handicap. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility operated by a recipient of Federal assistance should write to: Office of Equal Opportunity, National Park Service, 1201 Eye Street, NW (2740), Washington, DC 20005. Proposal Application Requirements: Professionals interested in providing preservation training for any of the above formats — speeches, workshops, keynote speakers, educational sessions, roundtables, panel discussions, poster sessions, and/or educational tours — should submit a proposal including:
Presenters will be offered free admission to the conference for the day (excluding banquet) of their presentation, plus the volunteer-discount rate to attend the rest of the conference. Presenter fees, when paid, will be negotiated on a case by case basis. Presenter fees may be offered to major speakers, with smaller amounts offered to panel participants and additional presenters if funds are available. No separate travel expenses will be paid. Positions Available: Plenary and keynote speakers We are seeking one plenary speaker and two keynote speakers for the following: A 15-30 minute plenary speech on local history or preservation – or on one of the conference themes/tracks – for an opening session directly following Friday’s lunch; A 30-45 minute keynote speech related to the conference theme or one of the conference theme/tracks for the awards banquet on Friday evening; A 30-45 minute keynote speech related to the conference theme or one of the conference theme/tracks for the luncheon on Saturday afternoon. Workshop leader Trades workshops are best held at a historic property, with hands-on work performed on the property as part of the workshop. Some workshops may include a classroom component or may be intensive training on a focused topic. Occasionally, other formats – such as a longer training period, or combining multiple skills in one workshop – may be offered. These workshops can be either a half or a full day. Trainers should have extensive experience in the specific skill, thorough familiarity with historic preservation issues regarding that skill, and experience in teaching the skill. Trainers are encouraged to bring additional hand tools for students’ use for hands-on practice. Seminar, panel, or round-table type workshops related to one of the tracks could also be considered for workshop topics or presentations more appropriate to a longer format than the 75 minute educational sessions. Educational speakers Educational speakers will lead 75 minute sessions related to one of the tracks. Each session will most likely be held in an educational breakout room at a specific site. Conference participants will have the option of attending various sessions throughout the three-day period. Speakers should have extensive experience in the specific topic, thorough familiarity with historic preservation issues regarding that topic, and/or experience in teaching the topic. Round-table leaders The round-table discussions, which should be related to one of the tracks, will be 75 minutes long and will be located in a specific educational breakout room. Leaders of round-table discussions must have widespread knowledge and experience working with the specific topic. Leaders will be available to discuss and answer questions asked by conference participants regarding the discussion topic, as well as to encourage constructive input and sharing of experiences by the participants. Panel presenters and moderators The leaders/moderators of panels related to one of the tracks will assemble 2 or 3 panel presenters to each give a short presentation related to the same theme, followed by discussion led by the moderator. The names, contact information, and qualifications of each panel participant should be included in the proposal. Panels last 75 minutes and will be held in a specific educational breakout room. Tour guides (walking or driving) Walking tours generally run from 1 ½ to 3 hours. Driving tours may be a half-day or longer. Guides must have pervasive knowledge of the historic structures and properties described on the tour. PAWV requests that tour guides be knowledgeable not only in the historic uses of the buildings, but also in the methods, strategies, and/or technologies used during the preservation, adaptive reuse, etc., of the structures/sites. The primary focus of the tour should be related to historic preservation, the conference theme, and/or one of the conference tracks; however, PAWV encourages tours to also share aspects of local history. Poster session The poster session will include the presentation of research or a historic preservation project by an individual (typically a student or AmeriCorps member) or by representatives of a project team. Posters will be displayed in an exhibitor hall, and presenters will accompany their posters – illustrating their research methods or project scope and outcomes. The posters will be displayed during the entire conference, but the poster presentation session will be held over a period of one hour on Friday or Saturday of the conference. Three Conference Tracks: Conference attendees can choose to attend workshops and educational sessions related to three conference tracks, which focus on specific themes common in historic preservation projects and development. By featuring three different tracks, conference attendees can choose the topic that best reflects their interests and gain the most from their experience. Attendees will have the choice of Thursday workshops and tours reflective of track themes, as well as Friday and Saturday concurrent educational sessions. Proposals should be related to one of the following tracks.
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