Buckhannon. Named for chief of Delaware Indians. John Jackson settled near in 1769. John Bush built a fort which was destroyed by Indians, 1782. A settlement which grew up there became the county seat of Harrison. W. Va. Wesleyan College is . . . — — Map (db m14417) HM
In 1872 George H. Clark opened his saddler shop at this location. However in 1984, a fire swept through this block of Main Street, destroying most of the buildings including the one that stood here. Following the fire, C.E. Mylius built the . . . — — Map (db m178947) HM
Prior to 1892, a two story wood frame house stood here which was the residence of Gideon and Barbara Heavner. In 1892, the Heavner's sold the home and it was converted into a grocery store which was initially operated by J. Frank Latham and P.H. . . . — — Map (db m179014) HM
Charley Harper was born in neighboring Frenchton, Upshur County, West Virginia on August 4, 1922, the son of Orval Cecil Harper (1888-1958) & Ulna N. Harper (1889-1977). He was one of three children, who with sisters, Ruth & Reta, grew up on the . . . — — Map (db m178942) HM
Half this block was originally owned by Leonard S. Farnsworth, grandson of Daniel Farnsworth. This was the site of his home and store until 1890, when he sold this property to John A. Crislip (born September 1849). In 1893, Crislip sold a half . . . — — Map (db m179011) HM
Daniel Duane Tompkins Farnsworth
was born in New York in 1819 and
later moved to Buckhannon. Member
of second Wheeling convention and
Reorganized Government of Virginia.
He was President of West Virginia
Senate in 1869 when resignation . . . — — Map (db m173465) HM
Dairy Queen
Buckhannon's Oldest Fast Foodery
The city's first introduction to a fast food franchise came with the 1954 opening of the Dairy Queen at 58 East Main Street, only fourteen years after the franchise began. The . . . — — Map (db m178971) HM
Confederate Gen. Albert G. Jenkins led 550 cavalrymen on a 500-mile raid from Salt Sulphur Springs, Aug. 22-Sept. 12, 1862, attacking Federal forces and destroying military stores. He captured and paroled 300 Union soldiers, killed or . . . — — Map (db m58723) HM
Explorations of West Blue Ridge
It is impossible to say when and where the first European settlers set foot on the soil of what is now West Virginia. In all probability no record was ever made of the first visit. It is well known that . . . — — Map (db m179016) HM
Settled by colonists from New England. French Creek Academy was important early school. Asa Brooks started religious services here, 1816, from which grew the Presbyterian Church. Here, 1828, was formed early total abstinence society. — — Map (db m178895) HM
G.C. Murphy Company
Commonly known as the "Five and Dime," this former landmark business opened its doors in the early 1920s and moved to the location of present day Main Street Antiques in the 1930s. This novelty store offered a variety of . . . — — Map (db m178980) HM
Born March 9, 1832, Latham opened a law office in Grafton, where he
recruited a company of Union troops
for his command in 1861. A delegate
to the first Wheeling convention,
he served as a U.S. congressman,
1865-67, and consul to . . . — — Map (db m173464) HM
On May 2, 1925, in Riffle, West Virginia, located in neighboring Braxton County, was born one of the most prolific science fiction & supernatural authors in American history. Gray Barker graduated from Glenville State College, later teaching . . . — — Map (db m178909) HM
In 1784, Harrison County was formed
from Monongalia by an Act of General
Assembly. Commissioners who were to
be members of the first county court
met, as directed by the Assembly, at
the home of George Jackson (an uncle
of Stonewall Jackson) . . . — — Map (db m173488) HM
In memory of
Upshur County Dead
World War.
Sgt. Frank B. Bartlett •
Cpl. Arden A. Andrew •
Pvt. Bryan L. Bennett •
Cpl. Arthur D. Brady •
Pvt. Oakey L. Bragg •
Pvt. Andrew Buchanan •
Pvt. Lloyd W. Carpenter •
Pvt. Amon . . . — — Map (db m178952) WM
Founded in 1924 to memorialize a new building constructed on this site in the year of 1950 dedicated to serve the community of Buckhannon for 57 years until the year of 2007. the Board of Directors of Progressive Bank N.A. and all their local . . . — — Map (db m178949) HM
J.A. Davis Ice Cream Parlor. J.A. Davis, a shoemaker from Albemarle, VA and his wife Anna were African American storeowners on Main Street, Buckhannon. Their business was established prior to 1893 and was located across from the courthouse. . . . — — Map (db m179017) HM
(Preface): Confederate Gen. Albert G. Jenkins led 550 cavalrymen on a 500-mile raid from Salt Sulphur Springs, Aug. 22-Sept. 12, 1862, attacking Federal forces and destroying military stores. He captured and paroled 300 Union soldiers, . . . — — Map (db m58725) HM
Mrs. Joyce E. Sullivan Stockert was born in Charlottesville, Virginia, on September 11, 1914, her parent being Leonard & Mary Ogden Turpin Sullivan. She later married Thomas L. Stockert, Jr., of Buckhannon. Mrs. Stockert once worked as a . . . — — Map (db m178898) HM
Prior to the construction of the building you see here today, this was the site of Levi Leonard's home. built around 1879 this 2-story wood frame structure (right hand side of top left picture) was situated prominently on the corner of . . . — — Map (db m178958) HM
On December 11, 1905, in Clarksburg, West Virginia, was born one of the most acclaimed documentarians in American history. Pare Lorentz attended West Virginia Wesleyan College & resided here in Buckhannon during most of his childhood. He later . . . — — Map (db m178913) HM
(Preface): In the spring of 1861, Union forces rushed into northwestern Virginia to secure the vital Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, protect important turnpikes, and support Unionists against Confederates. The two sides fought numerous . . . — — Map (db m58724) HM
To the east (1˝ miles), at
the mouth of Turkey Run,
stood the famous Pringle
Tree, so-called because
in the cavity of this old
sycamore, John and Samuel
Pringle, who had fled from
Fort Pitt, lived two years. — — Map (db m173426) HM
This hollow sycamore is the third generation tree that provided a home for the first settlers in this area of West Virginia. John and Samuel Pringle, after fleeing from Fort Pitt, lived here 1764–1767. — — Map (db m179506) HM
This hollow sycamore is the third generation tree that provided a home for the first settlers in this area of West Virginia. John and Samuel Pringle, after fleeing from Fort Pitt, lived here 1764–1767. — — Map (db m184510) HM
The Reger Building was constructed about 1900 by Dr. Robert A. Reger and Margaret Maggie Tilloston Janney Reger. The land was originally owned by A.R. Ireland who in his will had it sold to Maggie's father, Tillitson Janney, since the property . . . — — Map (db m178961) HM
Heavner Cemetery is the final resting place of many notable West Virginians, including Daniel D. T. Farnsworth, West Virginia’s second governor; George R. Latham, Union Colonel and statesman; and Laura Jackson Arnold, revered Civil War nurse and . . . — — Map (db m173429) HM
This is one of the oldest buildings in the Downtown Historic District. Luther P. Shinn purchased this land from Leonard S. Farnsworth in 1891 and completed the construction of this building in 1892. During a recent restoration, a brick with 1892 . . . — — Map (db m179009) HM
Stockert Building
The largest commercial building on Main Street was built in 1908 for T.L. Stockert and was home to many businesses starting with The New Arlington Hotel, 1908-1910; People's Grocery, 1910-1973; Shinn & Sexton Department . . . — — Map (db m178969) HM
Trading much of the southern portion of Staten Island for 3,500 acres of land in western Virginia, Daniel Farnsworth moved west and in the summer of 1821 settled on the banks of the Buckhannon River with his wife and five sons. Leonard Farnsworth, . . . — — Map (db m179007) HM
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 . . . — — Map (db m178963) HM
On April 20, 1863, Confederate Gens. William E. “Grumble” Jones and John D. Imboden began a raid from Virginia through present-day West Virginia against the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Taking separate routes, they later reported . . . — — Map (db m58722) HM
The sycamore tree is very significant to Buckhannon-Upshur lore. School children here early on in their studies come to learn about—and our community’s residents are nearly universally familiar with—the legend of John & Samuel Pringle living in the . . . — — Map (db m179573) HM
81 West Main Street, The History Center, est. 1983, by The Upshur County Historical Society, built, 1853 as the Southern Methodist Church Building.
During the night of August 30, 1862, Civil War action in the form of Jenkins’ . . . — — Map (db m14182) HM
Did you know that Ted Cassidy who played the beloved role of "Lurch" the butler on the classic, cult comedy television show "The Addams Family" that aired from 1964-66, used to walk the streets of our Buckhannon as a West Virginia Wesleyan . . . — — Map (db m178976) HM
Near this spot stands The Pringle Tree named for John and Samuel Pringle, the first settlers of this section of West Virginia who lived in a hollow sycamore tree 1764–1767. — — Map (db m179579) HM
Rooted in the Great Depression, the
first Central Strawberry Festival
was held June 3, 1936, in an effort
to promote growers from central
WV. Organizers hoped to facilitate
networking of farmers with outside
distributors, to encourage . . . — — Map (db m173489) HM
Upshur County Courthouses. Built in 1899, the current courthouse structure replaced the original 1854 structure on the same site. Upshur County was formed in 1851 and Buckhannon was named the County Seat. The first building served as a . . . — — Map (db m178954) HM
Freedom Is Not Free
I saw the flag pass by one day,
It fluttered in the breeze,
A young marine saluted it,
And then he stood at-ease;
I looked at him in uniform,
So young, so tall, so proud;
With hair cut square an eyes alert,
. . . — — Map (db m173472) WM
In September 1863, Confederate Maj. Joseph K. Kesler, 19th Virginia Cavalry, led a raid from Pocahontas County through Upshur County and Centerville (present-day Rock Cave). On September 2, Kesler’s commander, Col. William L. Jackson, ordered him . . . — — Map (db m58726) HM
While at drill here on Sept. 12, 1863, a company of 70 Upshur County militia under Daniel Gould was captured by a force of Confederates under Major J. K. Kesler. Seven escaped, 25 paroled, and 38 died in captivity. — — Map (db m82290) HM
Webster County. Formed in 1860 from Braxton, Nicholas, and Randolph. Named for Daniel Webster. Webster County is noted for its fine mountain scenery. Its forests produced the tree that was the largest hardwood at the Chicago World’s Fair, . . . — — Map (db m179425) HM
It is doubtful that residents of Upshur County that month of September, '63, were paying much attention to events within the legislative halls. The county instead was mourning the greatest calamity that would befall Upshur in the Civil War--a . . . — — Map (db m179020) HM
In God We Trust
All Gave Some - Some Gave All
Dedicated to all men and women who served their country honorably and faithfully in war and peace, united we stand — — Map (db m178892) WM
On July 6, 1861, Union troops on a
scouting mission under Capt. Orris
Lawson of the 3rd Ohio Infantry
encountered Confederate pickets at
Middle Fork Bridge. After a heated
exchange, Lawson’s men fell back.
Federal soldiers returned in . . . — — Map (db m179481) HM
Town named for Jacob Lorentz (1776–1866), who settled here in 1800. Near here in 1795 eighteen members of the Schoolcraft and Bozarth families were killed or taken prisoner during Native American raid. Here were located the first store, first . . . — — Map (db m14297) HM
The population center of the United States was in present West Virginia four times as it moved westward across the nation: near Wardensville in 1820; at Smoke Hole in 1830; west of Buckhannon in 1840; near Burning Springs in 1850. — — Map (db m14416) HM
