Grafton was a key transportation hub in Western Virginia. The Northwestern Virginia Railroad went to Parkersburg nearly 100 miles west. At Grafton, the Northwestern Virginia Railroad joined the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O). On the B&O, the . . . — — Map (db m305981) HM
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad reached Grafton on January 11, 1852 and thus a railroad town was born. During the Civil War, Grafton's importance on the supply line made it a target for Confederate troops although they were never able to hold it. . . . — — Map (db m180674) HM
In 1911, the Baltimore firm of JD Walsh and Son was contracted to build a new Baltimore & Ohio Passenger Station on land donated by Colonel John T. McGraw
The station was dedicated on August 22, 1911 with a large crowd in attendance. . . . — — Map (db m176346) HM
Dominic and Columbia Bonafede lived in and ran an Italian fruit market and grocery store in this building, constructed adjacent to her family's properties in
1926. They were known for selling excellent Italian bread made in Clarksburg, West . . . — — Map (db m176940) HM
The Brinkman Block is a set of three Italianate buildings built between 1876 and 1879 by George Brinkman.
The German immigrant arrived in the United States penniless and speaking no English but in 1858 he established one of the most . . . — — Map (db m178024) HM
Joseph Cohen purchased this
section of the Luzadder plat
from Thomas J. McAvay on
July 12, 1922 for $30,000. What
was once the site of Grafton's
first financial institution, the
1870 Citizens Savings Bank, became a branch of the . . . — — Map (db m176216) HM
Henry Clay Colerider came to Grafton in
1875 and opened a shoe shop. He further
expanded into the leather and finding
business with partners Messrs. Duncan
and McClean in 1885 and in 1888
continued the enterprise alone after buying
their . . . — — Map (db m176669) HM
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks formed Lodge No. 308 in Grafton on June 29, 1895. This building, erected on the former site of George and Charles R. Lilley's shoe shop, was built in 1913. A fine social affair was held on March 25, . . . — — Map (db m176166) HM
Presbyterians first began meeting in the homes of members in Fetterman in 1855. The Presbyterian Church of Fetterman was officially organized through the Presbytery of Redstone on July 27, 1856.
In 1864 it was reorganized and renamed the First . . . — — Map (db m180938) HM
This and the two buildings to the right were built by the Forcellas, a family of Italian immigrants, in 1914. In Italy their marriages were traditionally arranged;
in the United States Columbia Forcella's union was also arranged. She married . . . — — Map (db m177195) HM
In earlier days, this was the site of the mayor's office, city council chambers and Edward Berbig's cobbler shop. Berbig connected Grafton to another
significant moment in history, having served in the French army under Napoleon in his youth. . . . — — Map (db m176389) HM
The Grafton Post Office was established on April 1, 1854 and was initially located in the Old Powell Tavern on Latrobe Street with William Powell as the first postmaster. The property for this building was ceded to the federal government via a . . . — — Map (db m177268) HM
George Jolliffe was just 21 when he opened his first store, the American Bazaar, on the ground floor of the Blen Avon Hotel in 1895. He built this establishment on the site of George Brinkman's first bakery in 1899. After the move, the store was . . . — — Map (db m176488) HM
In the early days of Grafton, Latrobe Street was one of the main business thoroughfares. It first developed in the 1850s with the coming of the railroad and was, appropriately, named for Benjamin Latrobe the Baltimore & Ohio engineer who plotted . . . — — Map (db m177421) HM
William R. Loar was a topographical
photographer for the United States
government working primarily in the West when he retired to Grafton in 1891 to open a photography business. In 1896, he purchased the old Henry O'Leary property and used it . . . — — Map (db m176630) HM
The Merchants & Mechanics Bank was organized on May 21, 1891 and opened its doors for business on June 28, 1891. This building, which sits on the former site of early Grafton settler Eugene McClain's house and livery barn, was built in 1894. It . . . — — Map (db m177576) HM
St. Augustine was the first church built in Grafton,
to serve the many Irish Catholics who had come
to work on the railroad. The first church building
was built in 1857 on land donated by the heirs of
Wilford Fetterman. Reverend Father James . . . — — Map (db m176856) HM
The seat of Taylor County was moved
from Pruntytown to Grafton in 1878
whereupon construction began on this
courthouse built on property purchased
from the heirs of early Grafton settler
Michael Boland. While construction
was in progress, . . . — — Map (db m176122) HM
In 1911, Colonel John T. McGraw contracted JD Walsh and Son to build a modern hotel adjacent to the passenger station being built by the same company. His promise to erect the hotel, along with the donation of the land for the station, was . . . — — Map (db m177574) HM
Col. Benjamin F. Kelley
Kelley, a railroad agent in Philadelphia and former resident of Wheeling, was called back to command the First Virginia (Union) Infantry--the first Union regiment raised in the South. He planned and led the attack on . . . — — Map (db m308160) 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
In honor of the men and women of Taylor County, West Virginia who served in the World War
1917 - 1919
And in memory of those who gave their lives for the cause of democracy
Floyd Barker · Earl W. Brown · Harry E. Cooper · Celba Bryan . . . — — Map (db m164882) WM
Time Capsule
Encased December 31, 1976
To be opened July 4, 2076
Taylor County
Bicentennial Committee
Grafton West Virginia USA
Ellen Jane Wiseman Co-Chairman
Ken Godwin Co-Chairman
Alice Compton Secretary
Tom . . . — — Map (db m306090) HM
Taylor County Points of Interest
International Mother's Day Shrine
On May 10, 1908, the first official Mother's Day service was held at the Andrews Methodist Church, now known as the International Mother's Day Shrine. Anna Jarvis . . . — — Map (db m176695) HM
Clair Taylor and Lula Mabel (Phillips) Woodyard were married 29 Dec 1923. They raised nine children in Taylor County, West Virginia.
Six of those children celebrated their diamond wedding anniversaries (being married for over 60 years). . . . — — Map (db m306000) HM
Barbour County
Attractions
Alderson-Broaddus College. This private coeducational college is situated on a beautiful 170-acre campus overlooking Philippi, site of the first land battle of the Civil War. Its excellent performing arts . . . — — Map (db m239336) HM
Thin black lines indicate changes in relevance. Between each pair of lines entries are ordered geographically but all have the same relevance.
* Inflectional forms of words are their plurals, singulars, and possessives as well as gramatical tenses and similar variations.
