New historical society to help conserve New River Gorge region in West Virginia

THURMOND, W.Va. — Historians, history buffs, and preservationists have organized a new historical society in southern West Virginia encompassing the region around the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.

Unlike many such societies established around smaller communities, the New River Gorge Historical Society will emphasize a broader region, which includes parts of Fayette, Raleigh, and Summers counties.

Crafted locally by Sunroad Creations, each society Christmas ornament features the society seal on the front and a special “2025 Founding Supporters Edition” engraving on the back.

Organizer Jennings Berry said the society will serve as an umbrella for a broad number of initiatives, including the conservation of documents and historic landmarks, and will organize events to help increase their visibility.

“Perhaps surprisingly, the gorge is one of the regions that contains much of the forgotten history of our state,” Berry said. “Even the historic sites that we assumed were protected are being threatened with demolition.”

Berry refers to the recent proposal to demolish historic structures in the national park, where officials say a lack of federal funding is forcing the measure. In addition, several city governments in the region have come under fire for failure to preserve national historic landmarks they’d promised to conserve. Beckley’s downtown historic district is now listed as endangered, and stone walls protected on the National Register of Historic Places were recently demolished in Mount Hope.

However, given the increase in tourism in West Virginia, Berry says the effort to preserve and enhance is now more important than ever.

“Heritage tourism is the largest component of the tourism market, so it’s an economic necessity that we here in West Virginia preserve our historic landscape.”

• Protecting and preserving historic structures across the gorge region
• Reclaiming, restoring, and documenting historic cemeteries
• Preserving photographs, family histories, oral traditions, and cultural memorabilia
• Educating the public about the coal, timber, rail, and river industries that shaped its communities
• Supporting community restoration, local storytelling, and pride in place
• Uplifting the voices, labor, and legacies of the people

New River Gorge Historical Society Christmas Fundraiser

The New River Gorge Historical Society launched its first fundraiser with a Christmas ornament initiative and is planning a spring ramp dinner as its second fundraiser for the first year.

The new insignia for the New River Gorge Historical Society features the rail, coal mining, and timber industries, as well as the New River Gorge Bridge.

The limited-edition Christmas ornaments are available on the society’s Facebook page, and the $10 cost supports the organization.

Membership in the historical society is free, though Berry funding-level membership for organizations and individuals is being established.

A native of Layland, West Virginia, Berry holds a master’s degree in science from West Virginia University and is pursuing a Ph.D. in leadership and public administration from the University of the Cumberlands.

Berry said that since the society’s organization was announced on social media, many people have come forward to join and support its efforts.

“The New River Gorge is home to some of West Virginia’s most significant and endangered historical resources—from coal company stores and rail depots to bridges, schools, tipples, miner homes, and the burial grounds where generations of West Virginians are laid to rest,” he said.

“Protecting these places is a vital part of the West Virginia story, and preserving them is at the heart of our work.”

Members of the society’s founding board include Melissa McCune, a member of the Thurmond town council; Keith Lilly, a professor of history at Concord University; Rev. Brad Davis, a Methodist elder and coalfields activist; and David Sibray, a preservation consultant and the publisher of West Virginia Explorer Magazine.

For more information, email newrivergorgehistoricalsociety@gmail.com or visit the society on Facebook at “New River Gorge Historical Society.”