Near Morgantown in Monongalia County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)

Rooted in Monongalia County: Home as Inspiration

Mountain Modern | The Art of Blanche Lazzell

Photographed by Bradley Owen, September 26, 2026

1. Rooted in Monongalia County: Home as Inspiration Marker

Inscription.
Throughout her life, Lazzell frequently returned to Morgantown to visit family and paint. Her works The Monongahela (1926) and The West Virginia Hills (c. 1930s) reflect her enduring affection for the region's natural beauty. Even in her most abstract pieces, geometric balance and organic patterns echo the contours of the Appalachian landscape she knew so well.

In 1934, Lazzell completed the mural Justice for the Monongalia County Courthouse under the Works Progress Administration, bringing her modernist sensibilities to a symbol of civic life in her home county. Today, her work continues to bridge the worlds of local heritage and international modernism - proof that an artist's roots can shape even the most forward-looking vision.

Erected 2026 by West Virginia Botanic Garden and West Virginia University Art Museum.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Women. In addition, it is included in the Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1934.

Location. 39° 37.728′ N, 79° 51.894′ W. Marker

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is near Morgantown, West Virginia, in Monongalia County. It can be reached from Tyrone Road (County Route 75) 0.1 miles south of Quartz Drive, on the left when traveling south. Marker is located on the Reservoir Loop Trail at the West Virginia Botanic Garden. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1061 Tyrone Road, Morgantown WV 26508, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Central West Virginia.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Clean Water Comes to Morgantown (within shouting distance of this marker); A Small Dam and a Big "Bowl" Meet the Need for Clean Water (within shouting distance of this marker); Prehistoric Garden (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); 351 Commercial Street: Blanche Lazzell's Provincetown Studio

Photographed by Bradley Owen, September 26, 2026

2. Rooted in Monongalia County: Home as Inspiration Marker

(about 500 feet away); Who Wants Clean Water? (about 500 feet away); Strong Men and Horses Build the Basin (about 600 feet away); Modernism and Mastery: Lazzell's Paris Influence & the White-Line Woodcut (approx. ¼ mile away); The Tibbs Run Reservoir: Then a Water Source, Now a Local Treasure (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Morgantown.

Other markers no longer nearby. Clean Water Comes To Morgantown (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named Who Wants Clean Water? (was about 500 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Remnants of the Past: The Dam and Outlet Tower (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Credits. This page was last revised on September 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 29, 2026, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 2 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 29, 2026, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.