Beverly in Randolph County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
Beverly Public Square
Photographed By Craig Swain, October 11, 2009
1. Beverly Public Square Marker
This lot, originally part of the James Westfall plantation, was used as a public playground prior to the chartering of Beverly in 1790. In 1813, county plans were to use this lot as the site for the new jail. Adam Myers, owner of the Valley House Hotel, situated on the back part of the lot, objected. Mr. Myers then sold the lot adjoining the square's northern boundary to the county for the new jail, with the stipulation that the Square in front of his hotel remain for public use and never be built upon. Following many attempts to use the lot for other purposes, the West Virginia Supreme Court ruled in 1896 that the Square "must perpetually remain for the use of the public."
"Project Town Square" was coordinated by the Beverly Woman's Club, with assistance from many local sources and a grant from the Partners in Community Development. The wrought iron fence surrounding the Square was donated by the Randolph County Historical Society and was originally used in Beverly in the late 1800s.
Erected by Historic Beverly, W.Va. (Marker Number 24.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Places. A significant historical year for this entry is 1790.
Location. 38° 50.449′ N, 79° 52.506′ W. Marker is in Beverly, West Virginia
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Robert Foyles & Family (here, next to this marker); Beverly (a few steps from this marker); Randolph Co Jail - 1813 (a few steps from this marker); Randolph Co. Courthouse (a few steps from this marker); Beverly Bank (a few steps from this marker); Blackman-Bosworth Store (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Beverly (within shouting distance of this marker); The First Campaign (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Beverly.
More about this marker. On the left is a photo showing The 1813 jail, the Beverly Public Square, and the Valley House Hotel, ca. late 1800s. In the lower left is an illustration of the square in 1995 showing the location of the nearby Memorial to the early settlers of the area.
Also see . . . Beverly Square. Page from the Historic Beverly web site. (Submitted on November 15, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
Photographed By Craig Swain
2. Town Square
The state marker for Beverly stands to the left, near the end of the fence. The memorial for the Robert Foyles family (and other events near Beverly) stands in the middle of an opening in the fence. The interpretive marker for the town square is in the middle, behind the memorial.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 27, 2020. It was originally submitted on November 15, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 926 times since then and 32 times this year. Last updated on October 27, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 15, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
