Historic Renovation in Morgantown Completed at President’s House

AJ Hammond and Dylan Sheldon, DBA Historic Morgantown, recently completed the historic renovation of the home of former WVU President Daniel Boardman Purinton. The home at 76 Grandview Ave. in South Park, had fallen into a state of disrepair and sat vacant for over a year. However, recognizing the historic significance of the property, Sheldon and Hammond spent the last 18 months renovating the stately home to its original grandeur.

“The completion of this project has been incredibly rewarding,” said AJ Hammond, who is a Relationship Banker at Citizens Bank of Morgantown, and the current President of Main Street Morgantown. “The beautiful architecture, the stories behind these properties in South Park and Downtown are what sets this neighborhood apart! Our mission is to preserve these buildings, and share this important history in order to build a more vibrant community and improve the quality of life in Morgantown!”

President D.B. Purinton was not the only famed resident of this property. John Alden Purinton, named after his direct descendant John Alden a crew member of the Mayflower, was a son of the President and served as the first Basketball Coach at West Virginia University in 1904. Additionally, Edward Earle Purinton, who was an internationally renowned author and health expert, called this property home. The author’s most popular book selling over 700,000 copies, “Triumph of a Man who Acts,” was distributed to more than 50,000 Officers of the English Army in 1919.

“This property was the crown jewel of the neighborhood,” said Dylan Sheldon, a Project Manager at Inneraction Media. “Being a part of the team who brought it back to life, has been an honor.” This project was not Sheldon’s first historic renovation, he also restored an abandoned property on Park Street built in 1926 by carpenter, D.B. Biser. “South Park is a special neighborhood, with important properties,” said Sheldon, “in order to be good stewards of what we’ve been given, it’s important to restore these homes for future generations.”

Built in 1907, the Victorian home on Grandview Ave. served as a retirement property for the Purintons. Prior to moving to South Park, the family lived on the campus of WVU in the President’s Mansion. “The Purinton House,” as it is named today, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and houses the offices of International Students and Scholar Services.

The historic renovation features approximately 3,000 square feet of living space, all new electrical, plumbing, roof and windows. This home has been upgraded with modern amenities while preserving the original trim, pocket doors and built-in cabinets. The four bedroom, three bath house will hit the market next week through Nancy Hillegas of Landmark Realty Services. 

AJ Hammond

This story is a special feature submitted by AJ Hammond of Historic Morgantown. He and Dylan Sheldon are pictured to the right with their families. Historic Morgantown is a historic preservation partnership dedicated to uncovering the forgotten history of the University City. The partnership has been recognized by Brickstory.com for its work preserving the history of Morgantown, WV. In addition to this project, Historic Morgantown and Main Street Morgantown partnered to honor West Virginia Governor William E. Glasscock with an electrical box wrap on the corner of High and Walnut Street Downtown Morgantown. ​