After more than a decade of work, the Beverly Heritage Center is celebrating completion of a unique museum complex. The museum and visitor center combines four historic buildings to tell the history of Randolph County’s first county seat, the Battle of Rich Mountain, and the heritage of Randolph County.
An open house reception will celebrate the facility in conjunction with a ribbon cutting by the Elkins / Randolph County Chamber of Commerce. The event will run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 14. The public is invited including friends and supporters of the Beverly Heritage Center, as well as those who have not previously visited.
“The reconstruction of the Courthouse Cupola, and laying the sidewalks and patio around the entrance, are the final major projects and the opportunity for this ribbon cutting,” explained Phyllis Baxter, President of Historic Beverly Preservation, one of the operating partners of the Beverly Heritage Center. “Because we remained open throughout the years of construction it’s hard to say when an ambitious project like this is finished, especially since we expect to always be improving!”
The Beverly Heritage Center museum and visitor center combine four adjoining buildings in the heart of historic Beverly, West Virginia, the original county seat of Randolph County. The historically significant 1808 Randolph County Courthouse, the 1856 Bushrod Crawford store which served as Gen. McClellan’s headquarters, the1900 Beverly Bank building, and the 1912 Hill building have all been carefully rehabilitated and connected. They are linked by a new, enclosed, porch-like entrance gallery on what was originally the rear of the buildings, providing unity for the complex with space for modern visitor services and handicapped accessibility without modifying the historic facades.
The Beverly Heritage Center grew out of an extensive planning process to develop a major attraction to serve as museum and visitor center for Rich Mountain Battlefield, Historic Beverly, and the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike National Scenic Byway. Architect Victor Greco of Wheeling, now with the Mills Group, shepherded the multi-phase project to completion. Construction started in 2004 with Allegheny Restoration as the major contractor. Grant funding from WV Division of Culture and History, WV Department of Transportation, National Park Service, and Institute for Museum and Library Services was matched by generous private donations and hard working volunteers to build the Center and develop the museum.
The many contributors to the construction, museum development, and funding for the project will be honored at the Celebration reception. In addition to the ribbon-cutting about 5:30 p.m., the event will feature a slideshow of the evolution of the Beverly Heritage Center, live heritage music by Mountain Winds woodwind ensemble, and hearty hors d’oeuvres. The Beverly Heritage Center museum, including the new seasonal exhibit “Beverly’s Memories”, will be available for viewing free during the reception.
The Beverly Heritage Center is a partnership effort of Historic Beverly Preservation and Rich Mountain Battlefield Foundation, with support from Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike Alliance along with other community and regional heritage groups. It is located in the center of Beverly, 6 miles south of Elkins on US 219 / 250 at Files Creek Road. In addition to the May 14 Celebration, the Beverly Heritage Center is open 7 days a week year round, except for major holidays. For more information see www.beverlyheritagecenter.org, email info@beverlyheritagecenter.org, or call 304-637-7424.
