Near Morgantown in Monongalia County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
Building the Basin
The Story of the Tibbs Run Reservoir
| — | West Virginia Botanic Garden at Tibbs Run Preserve | — |
Photographed by Bradley Owen, September 26, 2026
1. Building the Basin Marker
When Men and Horses Built the Bowl
In 1911, this hillside looked very different. Trees and thick brush covered the 28 acres where the reservoir would go. Men swung axes and saws to cut them down while teams of horses and oxen hauled the heavy wood away.
The hardest job came next - pulling out the stumps. Victor Hammel, the crew leader, built a special stump-pulling machine. With two horses, heavy chains, and even the strength of nearby stumps still rooted in the ground, his team pried out one stubborn root after another. Sometimes, when a stump was too tough, men used mattocks, shovels, or even dynamite to finish the job.
Once the ground was cleared, horse-drawn scrapers shaped the land into a broad basin. The soil and gravel they dug up didn't go to waste - it became the material for the dam and embankments. Some was even turned into concrete for the spillway.
The stepped concrete spillway behind you, 30 feet wide, safely returned extra water to Tibbs Run during big storms. A wooden walkway across the top gave the caretaker a dry path from one side to the other.
(Captions):
Horse-drawn teams much like this one were used to move lumber off site.
Stump pulling device as drawn by Victor Hammel, project contractor. The stump to be pulled was attached to one of several hitching chains (A, B) depending on the force needed. The horses were attached at C and moved the lever back and forth between dotted lines as shown.
Erected 2026
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1911.
Location. 39° 37.61′ N, 79° 52.031′ W. Marker 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. The 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: Modernism and Mastery: Lazzell's Paris Influence & the White-Line Woodcut
Photographed by Bradley Owen, September 26, 2026
2. Building the Basin Marker
Other markers no longer nearby. Remnants of the Past: The Dam and Outlet Tower (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Strong Men and Horses Build the Basin (was about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Who Wants Clean Water? (was about 700 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); A Small Dam and a Big "Bowl" Meet the Need for Clean Water (was about 700 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This marker has replaced the linked marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 4, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 4, 2026, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 3 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 4, 2026, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.
