Buckhannon in Upshur County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
Strawberry Festival / Tillotson Janney House
Strawberry Festival. In May, 1936 a small group of individuals interested in economic development met at a Lions Club gathering in the old Valley Hotel (site of present day Chase Bank) on Main Street to discuss ways of increasing the production of strawberries. Just three weeks later, the first WV Strawberry Festival was held with a King and Queen, horse drawn floats, and lots of berries. During WWII, the festival was discontinued for five years. The Festival continues as a week-long celebration today.
Tillotson Janney House. This lovely ante-bellum home stood on Main Street for 125 years before it fell to "progress." It was the family dwelling of Tillotson and May Elizabeth Janney from 1850 to 1893. They had fled south at the beginning of the Civil War by dark of night, taking only essentials. Spending the war years in Charlottesville, VA, the couple returned to their Buckhannon home to find that it had quartered both northern and southern soldiers during the conflict. Some of their furniture had been saved by townspeople and it was returned to them. Looking down Spring Street to Madison, one can view what became the Col. George Latham home, which was also commandeered as a troop headquarters.
Erected by Buckhannon Historic Landmarks Commission; Upshur County
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce • Notable Events • War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1936.
Location. 38° 59.637′ N, 80° 13.793′ W. Marker is in Buckhannon, West Virginia, in Upshur County. Marker is on East Main Street (County Road 151) just east of South Kanawha Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 32 E Main St, Buckhannon WV 26201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Reger Building 1900 (here, next to this marker); G.C. Murphy Company / G.O. Young Drug Store (a few steps from this marker); Stockert Building 1904 (a few steps from this marker); The Lurch Bench (a few steps from this marker); Shinn Building 1892 (a few steps from this marker); Crislip & Simpson Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Carpenter Building 1923 (within shouting distance of this marker); Kiddy Building 1932 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Buckhannon.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), August 1, 2021
2. Tillotson Janney House side of the marker
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), August 1, 2021
3. Strawberry Festival / Tillotson Janney House Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on August 6, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 6, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 137 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 6, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
