Next Regular Meeting - Sepember 9 (2 pm) - Check out the Historical Society program this Sunday, September 9 (2 pm) - Kyle Warmack of the South Charleston Interpretive Center will be making a presentation about the history of the Naval Ordnance Plant and Ordnance Park. The meeting is at the Historical Society Building at 404 Fourth Ave., adjacent to the C&O Depot. Everyone welcome. Followed by Q&A and refreshments.
Morgan's Kitchen - open Sunday 2 to 4 p.m. Last Sunday is August 26th (NOW CLOSED FOR THE SUMMER)
History Wednesday - 2018
The 3rd Annual History Wednesday has concluded that ran from June 20 - July 25, 2018. Held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
www.stmarks-stalbans.com
THE PROGRAM SCHEDULE WAS:
Characters from the WV History Alive Series (WV Humanities Council) will re-enact in several of these programs. One evening presentation will be made on Wednesday, July 18 at 6:30 pm
WEEK ONE: JUNE 20, 2018 - Nellie Bly (American Journalist)
WEEK TWO: June 27, 2018 - Grace O’Malley (An Irish Legend)
WEEK THREE: July 11, 2018 - Sacajawea (Native American guide for Lewis and Clark)
WEEK FOUR: JULY 18, 2018 - Jemima Boone (Daniel Boone’s pioneer daughter) Also presented that evening at 6:00 pm
WEEK FIVE: JULY 25, 2018 - Euell Gibbons (Doug Wood) (Outdoorsman and proponent of eating wild foods)
Weimer Elem. Field Trip - The St. Historical Society took the 4th grade Weimer students (30) on a field trip April 27 to Teays Hill Cemetery, Historical Society Building and Morgan's Kitchen..... where they did a scavenger hunt to find several items. They also had a scavenger hunt sheet on the school bus to locate historical markers along the way . They had a great time. This wraps up our local history teaching we started in September for two separate 4th grade and finished this week. Thanks to Ellen Pauley, Denise Ash and Brenda Thacker for their assistance !
Founders Day - The 13th Annual St. Albans Founders Day was held on Main Street, Saturday, May 12, 2018. Perfect weather and large crowds. Sponsored by the St. Albans Founder's Day Committee and the St. Albans Historical Society, this event brings people to Main Street for food, arts & crafts, plenty of entertainment and concerts and helps to celebrate the history of St. Albans, as well as to promote the downtown businesses.
This year the old Herbert’s Music Company Building, at 63 Old Main Plaza, owned by Frank McCormick, was used for art displays and to show vintage St. Albans videos throughout the day and bands played music from their front porch until 8 pm. The new city restrooms were opeded for the first time.
See "Founders Day" page for more information.
2018 Up-coming Events:
June – August (Sunday - 2-4 pm) Morgan's Kitchen Museum will be open every Sunday this summer on Sundays from 2-4 pm. Located on MacCorkle Ave. near Pfaff Street, it was built in 1846 as a plantation kitchen and moved here in 1972. It contains numerous kitchen utensils and furnishings form the 1800's. No admission charge. It is operated by the St. Albans Historical Society.
October 13 (Sat. 10-4 pm) The 15th Annual Morgan’s Kitchen Fall Festival will be Saturday, October 13, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at historic Morgan’s Kitchen, located along MacCorkle Ave. in St. Albans. Activities will include apple butter making, cabin tours, pioneer re-enactors, arts and crafts, hit-miss engines, old time music and antique wood crafter tool exhibit. Baked goods, drinks and hot dogs are also available by the St. Albans Ladies Club. Apple butter is available for purchase. There is no charge for this event and plenty of parking is available.
October 27 (Sat. 5-8 pm) First annual Fall Homes/Mystery Tour. Beginning at the Loop and going down historic Main St. and Eighth Ave. and ending at the Chilton House/Angela’s for refreshments. A sidewalk tour with actors along the way to point out historic events and mystery.
December 8 (Sat. – 6-9 pm) 26th Christmas Historic Homes Tour. Visit inside several historic homes, churches, and the C&O Railroad Depot. All of the properties will feature Christmas decorations and refreshments. The tour begins at the St. Albans Historical Society building at 404 Fourth Ave., adjacent to the C&O Depot. A shuttle will take visitors to the various properties and make a continuous loop, or you have the option to drive to each. Tickets are $10 for adults; students free.
Year 2017 Accomplishments
- Printed two Newsletters (Spring & Fall)
- Worked with our Founder’s Day Committee to have a great event in May on Main St.
- Greeted over 75 visitors at Morgan’s Kitchen during our Summer Open House on Sundays. (June – August)
- Had over 35 visitors during our Open Houses on the 1st Saturday of each month at the Historical Society Building. Thanks to Kevin Bragg for volunteering to be their every 1st Saturday every month (10-2 pm) !!
- Held the 14th Annual Morgan’s Kitchen Fall Festival. Over 9 vendors, music, re-enactors apple butter making and cabin tours
- Opened Historical Society Building 4 Mornings in October for the New River Fall Train.
- Presented local history to the 4th graders at Weimer Elementary (Fall 2017) and St. Francis - Elementary 4th/5th grade (Jan. - March 2017).
- Continue to maintain a web site (18 pages) (www.stalbanshistory.com) (since 2009).
- Meeting Speakers:
· February – St. Albans Black History (and art) – Cubert and Philander Smith
· April – Craik Patton House Presentation – Paul Zuros
· September – Ft. Scammon history – Dr. Billy Jo Peyton
· November – WWII Experiences – Walter Filipek
· History Day at Capitol – (February) We had a display there & nominated
Patty Swango to be a WV History Hero.
· Received various donations of books, photographs and maps: (www.stalbanshistory.com)
· June 11 - Sunday Picnic, 2 p.m. at Morgan’s Kitchen.
· December 2017 – 25 Annual Christmas Historic Homes Tour. 80 people participated.
· Printed 200 vintage 2018 calendars.
· Printed Folders for Elementary School History Lessons.
· Purchased a sign for Morgan’s Kitchen Fall Festival.
· Sold numerous Historical Society books (12 different books) at the Village Sampler.
· Provided one representation to the St. Albans Convention and Visitors Bureau (ceased meeting 2017), the Downtown Landmarks Commission and History Wednesday.
· Maintain a Facebook page with historical information.
(see: St. Albans Historical Society)
· Held a Business After Hours for the Chamber of Commerce in April at our Bldg.
· Made 40 gallons apple butter for a fund raiser.
· Had a Coal River History display at the Forks of Coal Education Day in September.
· Participated in the Coal River Group Water Festival and demonstrated and displayed the history of the Coal River to 4th and 5th graders. (May)
· Fixed the A.C/Heat at the Historical Society Building. Leaking Freon.
· Worked with the St. Albans Teen Court to provide Community Service hours for 2 teens.
School History Project: Weimer Elem. History Lessons
Our group is currently (Jan. - March 2018) teaching Local History to the 4th grade class at Weimer Elem. Started by Margaret Bassitt in 2011, this is our sixth year with this project. Neil Richardson is presenting the lessons once a week on Thursday. Some topics are: early native peoples, early explorers and settlers, Ft. Tackett, early churches, schools and transportation, Coal River history, old homes in town and Morgan’s Kitchen. We will be doing this again in the spring to the other Weimer 4th grade.
Ellen Mills-Pauley having class make a Morgan Kitchen cabin from construction paper - 2016 (below left). Fall 2016 combined 4-5 graders at St. Francis.(right)
New Shelter Built: The City constructied a new picnic shelter beside the Historical Society Building in October 2017. It can be used by people during the Fall New River Train Days, C&O Depot activities and Historical Society activities...in addition to being used as a picnic shlter and a possible Farmer's market.
