HOW ARE THEY NOW? HAPPY RETREAT

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.
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Happy Retreat will be a Preserve WV AmeriCorps site beginning in 2017.  Look for recruitment information coming soon!