Celebrate southern West Virginia’s hidden and not-so-hidden history at this weekend’s Seventh Annual Hidden History Weekend, September 25-27, 2015. This annual event celebrates the wonders of Appalachian heritage, the rich sites and stories of our area’s diverse history. This weekend’s public programs will take place at New River Gorge National River, the National Coal Heritage Area, Tamarack, and the West Virginia state parks of Babcock, Pipestem Resort, and Twin Falls Resort.
This year’s celebration features African-American culture, including stories from the Civil War, the area’s booming industrial years, and the rich traditions of religion and gospel music. Step back in time with living history performances by West Virginia Humanities Council’s History Alive! performers and let music move you at a gospel sing. You can even help preserve a bit of history by teaming with other park volunteers to clean up a historic African-American church in Quinnimont. Advance signup is required for this service project, so see the details below for this Saturday program.
Also explore sites where history happened on tours in Bramwell, Hinton, Nuttallburg, and Thurmond. See the inner workings of historic structures at Babcock’s grist mill and Jordan’s Chapel near Pipestem. Stretch your legs on a trail and let the stories of Appalachian traditions and lore enrich these adventures in the Bluestone River Gorge and on a night hike near Thurmond. Evening talks at Twin Falls and Burnwood also celebrate the tradition of storytelling ‘round the campfire.
The arts also come alive this weekend with demonstrations by artists using traditional materials at Tamarack, plus see more of southern West Virginia’s heritage at the Hidden History Photo Contest exhibit. Step into the past through modern technology; challenge yourself with a digital scavenger hunt on a smart device to reveal stories of the past.
Every Hidden History Weekend program celebrates Appalachian history. All programs are FREE unless otherwise noted. Wear comfortable shoes for all guided hikes. Water, snacks and a camera are other useful tools to bring along. Here is the detailed program schedule for 2015 Hidden History Weekend. This schedule is also available online at http://www.nps.gov/neri/
Friday, September 25, 2015
Artists in Action
10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Tamarack, Beckley. Visit with wood carver David Bragg and jeweler Mary Redman. See how each have mastered their art forms using traditional materials. Also see the 2015 Hidden History Photo Contest exhibit at Tamarack too.
River History Trek
2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Pipestem Resort State Park’s Canyon Rim Center (top of the tram), Pipestem. 3.5 mile hike. Meet at the top of the tram and walk the old Bench Road and several park trails to look for clues of community life in Pipestem and Lerona. Pass old home sites and a cemetery. Be prepared for some moderate terrain, plus bring an extra pair of wading shoes to ford the Bluestone River. $2 for return tram ride.
Hinton History Walking Tour
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Meet at the parking lot behind the post office in Hinton. Explore the historic district of Hinton to discover the rich railroad heritage of this town. See historic homes, freight and train depots, the Campbell-Flannagan-Murrell House Museum, and the Railroad Museum.
Lore of Appalachia Night Hike
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. 2.0 miles. Meet at the Rend Trail parking area on Route 25 near Thurmond. 2.0 mile walk. Appalachia is filled with legends and superstitions. Go on a night walk filled with stories. This program is not recommended for children under 9 years of age. Bring a flashlight.
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Quinnimont Church Service Project
9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Meet at Grandview Visitor Center to take a bus to the site, Grandview. Lend a hand to help preserve this historic church that will be included in a future African-American Heritage Driving Tour of the park. Volunteer spaces are limited, to reservations are required. Call 304-465-2634 or email adrienne_jenkins@nps.gov.
Bluestone Walk
10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Bottom of Pipestem Resort State Park’s tramway, Pipestem. 2.0 mile walk. $2 for return tram ride. See signs of the area’s earliest settlers and how they made a life in the Bluestone River gorge. Wear hiking boots.
Artists in Action
10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Tamarack, Beckley. See program description on Friday, September 25.
Extended Historic Thurmond Tour
11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Thurmond Depot Visitor Center, Thurmond. 1.0 mile walk. Tour the historic district of this once bustling railroad town in the New River Gorge.
African-American Heritage Celebration
1:30 pm to 6:00 pm. Cliffide Amphitheatre, Grandview. Explore the African-American history and traditions of the New River Gorge. See performances and explore history stations.
• History stations and displays: railroading, coal mining, Carter G. Woodson, John Henry, and learn ways to record your family stories. Bring historic photos from the New River Gorge for scanning to help build the park’s historic records.
• 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Meet Martin Delaney, one of the first black commissioned field officers of the Civil War and leader of the Underground Railroad and anti-slavery movement of the mid-1800s. Delaney will be portrayed (first-person living history) by Joseph Bundy of the West Virginia Humanities Council’s History Alive! program.
• 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm. Celebrate the spirit through music performed by the regional gospel singers, including performances by Gospel Reunion, Mount Vernon Ministries Choir (featuring Isaiah and Elijah Thomas), and other gospel singing groups and praise teams.
Main Street Bramwell History Tour
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Coal Heritage Interpretive Center (Depot), Bramwell. 4 block walk. Join Mayor Lou Stoker and hear stories of early coal prospectors and their families on this sidewalk tour of historic downtown Bramwell.
Milling Around at Glade Creek Grist Mill
2:30 pm to 3:30 pm. Babcock State Park’s Glade Creek Grist Mill, Clifftop. See the inner workings of a grist mill and how this tool helped provide a food staple for people’s daily lives.
Jordan’s Chapel Tour
3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Meet in the lobby of McKeever Lodge at Pipestem Resort State Park to car caravan to the site, Pipestem. See this historic Methodist church built in 1852, one of the first frame churches in present-day Summers County.
Campfire Stories: History by the Fire Presented by David “Bugs” Stover
8:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Twin Falls Resort State Park’s campground campfire circle, Mullens. Let stories ‘round the campfire take you away. Hear tales of life and work in the coal mines, plus local ghost stories and songs too.
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Historic Nuttallburg Tour
9:30 am to 12:30 pm. Meet at Canyon Rim Visitor Center in Lansing to car caravan to the site. 1.0 mile walk. Explore one of the largest and longest operating mines of the early 1900s New River Gorge.
Artists in Action
10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Tamarack, Beckley. See program description on Friday, September 25.
Country Roads Walk
10:00 am to 11:30 am. Pipestem Resort State Park’s park headquarters, Pipestem. 1.5 mile walk. Explore Pipestem’s pre-park history, including a former school and residential sites.
Historic Thurmond Tour
11:00 am to 12:00 pm. Thurmond Depot Visitor Center, Thurmond. 0.5 mile walk. Tour the historic district of this once bustling railroad town in the New River Gorge.
Sunday @ Two: Harriet Tubman
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Governor Hulett C. Smith Theater at Tamarack, Beckley. Meet Harriet Tubman, an escaped slave of the mid-1800s who became a leader of the Underground Railroad, aiding slaves in their escape to freedom. Tubman will be portrayed (first-person living history) by Ilene Evans of the West Virginia Humanities Council’s History Alive! program.
Ranger’s Choice: Railroading
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm. Canyon Rim Visitor Center, Lansing. Come and go as you please to this informal talk about the history of railroading and trains in the New River Gorge.
Milling Around at Glade Creek Grist Mill
2:30 pm to 3:30 pm. Babcock State Park’s Glade Creek Grist Mill, Clifftop. See program description on Saturday, September 26.
Fun Around the Campfire
Presented by Youth Arts in the Parks
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Burnwood Day-use Site in Lansing (directly across Route 19 from Canyon Rim Visitor Center, just north of the New River Gorge Bridge). Join rangers and youth leaders for songs, stories, and campfire fun as we explore the history and traditions of camping. Bring a camp chair or blanket and your favorite campfire snack.
Find out more about area heritage sites on the web at www.nps.gov/neri, www.coalheritage.org, www.wvstateparks.com, and www.tamarackwv.com. You can also find updates on the New River Gorge National River’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/
PHOTO CAPTION: Historic photo of railroad workers in the New River Gorge. National Park Service photo.
Date and Time
Friday Sep 25, 2015 Sunday Sep 27, 2015
