South Charleston Interpretive Center secures West Virginia Humanities Minigrant to revamp Union Carbide historical exhibit

PAWV AmeriCorps member Kyle Warmack, serving with the Clio Foundation, recently co-wrote a successful grant proposal on behalf of the South Charleston Interpretive Center to reinterpret and upgrade its historical exhibit on Union Carbide, the famous chemical corporation whose headquarters in South Charleston was one of West Virginia’s largest employers from the late 1920s through the 1990s. In addition to being a key economic player in the state, the company made huge advancements in synthetic materials, from antifreeze to synthetic rubber, though its policies also resulted in tragedies such as the Hawks Nest Tunnel disaster in the early 1930s.

The new exhibit, entitled “Chemical Valley: Union Carbide and the Shaping of the Kanawha,” is slated to unveil in March 2020. Much of the project’s funding is provided by the West Virginia Humanities Council, which will furnish new display hardware, interpretive signage, and lighting upgrades. Interpretive Center staff will also be conducting audio and video interviews throughout November 2019 with former Union Carbide employees to gain new insights, and a Hawks Nest Remembrance Day is planned to coincide with the exhibit’s opening in March 2020 to commemorate the 90th anniversary of work commencing at Hawks Nest Tunnel.

AmeriCorps member Kyle Warmack became involved with the Interpretive Center while serving with the Clio Foundation in 2017. Originally working in an advisory role on a digital walking tour of historical South Charleston, Warmack began contributing Clio entries on Union Carbide history, the South Charleston Naval Ordnance Plant, and more before being hired to work at the Center part-time. As “Chemical Valley” progresses, further content will be added to Clio.

For more information about the exhibit and upcoming events, contact the Interpretive Center at 304.720.9847 or mound@cityofsouthcharleston.com.

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