CHARLESTON. W.Va. — Two-thousand-twenty-four has proven record-breaking for historic preservation in West Virginia. Twenty sites, buildings, and districts were nominated to the National Register of Historic Places—the highest number in 18 years.
The listings cover a wide range of historic resources in the state—from farms and cemeteries to monuments and African American sites.
According to data from the West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office, the last time listings reached this range was in 2006 when 23 nominations were approved.
The numbers dropped to the single digits for much of the 2010s, reaching lows of just three in 2016 and 2018, respectively. They have gradually been rising in the 2020s. In 2022, 10 National Register nominations were approved; in 2023, they climbed to 17.
There are multiple explanations for this recent trend.
- Legislation passed in 2022 reformed the state’s historic rehabilitation tax credit program and expanded its use. Many businesses and organizations have taken advantage of the credits to rehabilitate historic buildings, such as schools and factories, and convert them into apartments or commercial spaces. However, the tax credits can only be utilized if the properties in question are listed on the national register.
- The Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission has produced nominations for several large historic farms in recent years. Its members hope to raise awareness of the need to preserve these agricultural lands as they are threatened by widespread residential development across the county.
- Additionally, David Abruzzi of Cacapon Preservation Solutions has written multiple nominations on his own for properties in the Town of Paw Paw. He hopes to encourage the preservation of the town’s remaining historical resources while utilizing the tax credits to rehabilitate properties for commercial use.
It is too early to tell if this spike in nominations is a temporary anomaly or the beginning of a long-term upward trend. Regardless, this year has brought clear, positive developments for the state of historic preservation in West Virginia.
Rees-Daniel Farm
Also known as Fairview, the Rees-Daniel Farm in Jefferson County dates to at least the 1760s. It features several architecturally significant buildings, including a 1780s Georgian-style house and a rare stone barn from the 1860s. A log kitchen on the property is believed to be one of the oldest surviving buildings in the entire county.
Frederick Rosenberger Farm
This 272-acre farm in Jefferson County has maintained its boundaries without alteration since the early 1800s, a rarity for any West Virginia property. It remains an active farm, with a beautiful stone house built circa 1815.
Amos Farmstead
This multigenerational family farm in rural Marion County was once part of a series of farms that supplied crops and beef to industrialized communities such as Fairview, Barrackville, and Grant Town in the early to mid-1900s. Today, the Amos Farm is one of the last farms left in the area. It is also the only one to retain its original farmhouse and barn, each constructed around 1900.
Saint Charles Catholic Mission Church
This modest, wood-frame Gothic Revival church was constructed in Paw Paw in 1876. It provided a spiritual lifeline to the community’s Irish Catholic minority, many of whom migrated there in the 1800s to work in the railroad and tanning industries. From the 1870s until its closure in 1994, the church provided Catholics with Mass and other critical religious services. David Abruzzi and Cacapon Preservation Solutions use historic rehabilitation tax credits to convert the church into a new restaurant, Mountain Life Kitchen.
Wayne County World War I Memorial
Standing on the grounds of the county courthouse, the Wayne County World War I Memorial was part of a wave of post-war monuments that increased throughout the United States in the 1920s. This memorial includes a granite statue of a doughboy soldier, as opposed to the more common bronze doughboy statues. The dedication ceremony on May 30, 1923, was said to have been the largest gathering of people ever in the Town of Wayne.
Wright-Hunter Cemetery
When Black residents of Beckley were denied the right to be buried in local cemeteries used by white people, community leaders organized to create their own burial grounds. For six decades, the city’s Black population used the Wright-Hunter Cemetery for most burials until desegregation allowed them to go to other places. The Wright-Hunter Cemetery is believed to be the first Black cemetery listed individually on the National Register in West Virginia.
Maplewood Cemetery
Maplewood has been the principal public cemetery in Elkins since its establishment in the 1880s. Still in operation today, the cemetery displays many gravestones and mausoleums with historically significant artistic designs. Prominent locals buried here include Senators Steven B. Elkins, Henry Gassaway Davis, and Governor William Wallace Barron.
"Cap" Hatfield Gravesite
Located a short drive from the main Hatfield Family Cemetery in rural Logan County, this gravesite in a private family cemetery is the final resting place of William Anderson “Cap” Hatfield II (1864-1930). Cap, the son of “Devil Anse” Hatfield, was one of the most notable participants in the infamous Hatfield-McCoy Feud. Individual gravesites are very rarely eligible for the National Register. In this instance, Cap Hatfield’s grave qualified because no other sites associated with his life (such as his house) still exist.
Paw Paw Black School
This small but visually distinct brick building in Paw Paw served as a segregated school for the town’s Black children. In addition to holding classes, the school also served as the de facto community center for Black residents. It was in operation from 1928 until desegregation in 1954 and was noted for its high standard of academic achievement. Today, the building is a private residence.
14th Street West Historic District
Today, located in Huntington’s West End, the 14th Street West Historic District was once the commercial center of Central City, an industrial community from 1896 until its annexation by Huntington in 1909. While most of its large factories are long gone, 14th Street West retains many of its early twentieth-century commercial buildings. Today, the neighborhood is being revitalized into an arts, culture, and antiques hub.
Marshall University Memorial Fountain
This unique, green copper and bronze fountain was created in 1972 to honor the 1970 Marshall University Plane Crash victims. It was built by famous abstract artist Harry Bertoia, who specialized in producing metal sculptures. The Memorial Fountain sits on the plaza of Marshall University’s student center and is the site of an annual memorial ceremony for the plane crash victims.
Bluefield Green Book Historic District
The smallest historic district in West Virginia consists of just two buildings—The Hotel Thelma and the Traveler’s Inn. Both mid-century hotels were owned and operated by Black businesswomen and featured in the Negro Motorists Green Book. The Green Book was a travel guide published between the 1930s-1960s that advertised Black-friendly hotels and other businesses nationwide. Traveling through unfamiliar places could be dangerous for Black people during the Jim Crow era, so the Green Book provided a critical lifeline.
Woodbyrne
This Jefferson County farm is notable for being the subject of a Supreme Court case in the late 1800s. The case of Opie vs. Castleman was filed by former owners of the farm against the current owners, who paid off their mortgage during the Civil War using Confederate currency. The former claimed that the payments were null and void. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled in 1892 that Confederate dollars were not legal currency but that the statute of limitations for filing suit over the matter had long passed.
Kelly Miller School
The segregated Kelly Miller School in Clarksburg was one of the most successful Black high schools in West Virginia. It had a long reputation for superior academic, musical, and athletic programs, including five state basketball championships. The school was in operation from 1902 until 1957 and later converted into offices for the Harrison County Board of Education. Today, it is a community center affiliated with the West Virginia Black Heritage Festival.
Beni Kedem Shrine Temple
This distinct building in Charleston serves as the headquarters for the Beni Kedem chapter of Shriners International. The Shriners are a fraternal organization dedicated to philanthropic endeavors, especially pediatric care. The Beni Kedem Temple was constructed in 1965 and is noted for being a rare and significant example of New Formalism architecture in Charleston.
Kanawha & Michigan Railway Depot Warehouse
Better known as Capitol Market, this long brick building in Charleston is the last surviving portion of the Kanawha & Michigan Railway Depot. Built in 1918, the warehouse was used to store and move goods brought by train to the depot. The rest of the complex was demolished in 1975 for an interstate ramp. Today, the warehouse is a popular indoor and outdoor marketplace.
Morgantown Green Book Historic District
This small district includes three adjacent bungalows along Cayton Street and College Avenue. Each house was a tourist home advertised in the Green Book, catering to Black travelers in Morgantown. All three houses were owned by members of the Ogden-Slaughter-Parker family and operated variously from 1949 until at least 1966.
Senator P. E. Nixon House
This substantial Queen Anne brick home in Paw Paw was the residence of prominent local businessman and politician Philip Early Nixon (1873-1942). Nixon served a stint in the West Virginia Senate and was one of the few Democratic leaders in what was then predominantly Republican Morgan County. He was instrumental in erecting a bridge across the Potomac River, linking Paw Paw to Maryland. He also owned the town's oldest and most popular general store for many years.
Arbuckle’s Fort and Warwick’s Fort
These archaeological sites were the locations of Fort Arbuckle in Greenbrier County and Fort Warwick in Pocahontas County, respectively. They were part of a more extensive system of log fortifications established across western Virginia between the 1770s and 1780s. Their primary purpose was to provide shelter and protect residents from attacks by Native Americans. As the natives were gradually pushed further west, the forts lost their purpose and were abandoned. Archaeological remnants at these sites provide valuable information about the history of colonial-era frontier life and military defenses.
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