October Tombstone Tours

 The Greenbrier Historical Society will host a historic tour of the City of Lewisburg cemeteries on Friday October 11th and Friday October 25^th 2013 at 5:00pm. The tour will discuss a few of the notable individuals buried in the cemetery, as well as our area’s sometimes bloody history. All ages are welcome. Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult. Tours can also be scheduled upon request for a larger group or class.

Tombstone Tours will leave from the North House promptly at 5:00pm. We suggest that you arrive a few minutes early to pick-up your “Pay What You Can” tickets. Contact the Greenbrier Historical Society at 304-645-3398 or info@greenbrierhistorical.org for more information about these and other fun and educational activities.

Item of the Week – The Lewis Theater

Item of the Week – September 27, 2013
This photograph, from the GHS Archives, depicts the four women in front of the Marquee of the Lewis Theater on Court Street in Lewisburg (circa 1950s). The Lewis first opened in 1939 and has operated continuously as a theater ever since. Today, the Lewis is raising money for the necessary switch to digital projectors.
For more information, check out the Lewis Theater Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheLewisTheatre 
Or the fundraising website: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1259264728/help-project-the-lewis-theatre-into-the-future?ref=live 

Haunted History Tours

 

                                  Photo courtesy of Pamela Barry Photography

Join the Greenbrier Historical Society on October’s First Friday in Downtown Lewisburg for a haunted candlelit tour of the North House. For two nights only – Friday October 4th and Friday October 18th, 2013 from 5pm to 7pm – the historical society will open its doors for an evening of thrills, chills, and fall fun. The North House will once again be visited by a number of spirits who are yearning to tell our guests their tragic stories.  Come walk the darkened hallways, listen for unexplained footsteps, and prepare yourself for ghostly images.

Tours will begin every 30 minutes with a limited number of tickets for each tour. The admission fee will be “Pay What You Can” and will go to support the Greenbrier Historical Society and North House Museum.  If you have any questions or require more information, please call 304-645-3398 or email info@greenbrierhistorical.org.

Item of the Week – Omnibus

 

Item of the Week – September 20, 2013

We are going outside our own collection this week to highlight an item owned by the Monroe County Historical Society – a neighbor museum. This Omnibus, circa 1880, was used to transport visitors to the Sweet Chalybeate Spring Resort and Sweet Springs Resort in Monroe County, West Virginia.

The Monroe County Historical Society has begun the construction of a home for their carriage collection in Union.  The idea was inspired by the Wagon House adjacent to North House in Lewisburg, though it will be somewhat larger at 1000 square feet so as to accommodate five horse-drawn vehicles.   The style is Gothic Revival with lots of large windows to permit viewing at all hours.  The site, to the rear of the Monroe County Historical Society museum on Main Street, has been leveled and the concrete floor has been poured.  The substructure is a traditional timber-frame which is being built by Chip Sills of Earthwind Construction in Greenville.

The “flagship” of this museum will be an 1880’s vintage Omnibus (pictured) which was originally used to bring visitors from the Alleghany Station to the resort spas of Sweet Chalybeate and Sweet Springs.  It is unique in being in original condition, with fancy paint-work including scrolls, country scenes and pin striping.  Also MCHS has two mid-sized carriages and a sleigh from the Walnut Grove Estate outside Union and these were donated by the late Nancy White.  Finally, they have just received the gift of a Doctor’s Buggy.

MCHS has already raised $40,000 for this project but their goal is to seek $25,000 more which will cover some carriage restoration work as well as building costs and maintenance.  They are offering an engraved tile for the portico for a donation of $100.  The concept is the based on the patio at Carnegie Hall, so three lines with thirteen characters each can be included on each tile.  If you are interested in supporting the efforts of the Monroe County Historical Society efforts, please send a check to the M.C.H.S. at PO Box 465, Union, WV 24983.  Thank you very much!

Item of the Week – Rainelle High School

Item of the Week – September 13, 2013

Our Item of the Week comes from the Virginia Meadows Collection, which was recently donated to the Greenbrier Historical Society’s Archives and Library. It is a photograph of students in front of the Rainelle High School circa 1956. Can anyone identify any of the individuals in the photo?

GHS Receives Virginia Meadows Collection

The Greenbrier Historical Society was very excited to receive a wonderful collection of photographs this past spring from Mrs. Virginia Meadows and the Rainelle Ranger Alumni Committee. This collection, a much appreciated addition to the Greenbrier Historical Society’s Archives and Library, includes photographs of the Rainelle High School,  the Meadow River Lumber Company, and the Town of Rainelle.

A native of Greenbrier County, Mrs. Meadows taught Math and Physical Education and was the advisor to the Hi-Y, Cheerleading, and Intramural programs at Rainelle High School beginning in 1961.  In 1992, the Rainelle Ranger Alumni Committee organized the first all-school reunion of Rainelle High School. Mrs. Meadows was very involved with the Alumni Committee, actively collecting and copying photographs and memorabilia for commemorative booklets and displays. It is through her hard work and generosity that the collection has been donated to us.

George “Tink” Collins (Rainelle Class of 1964) was instrumental in organizing the collection and labeling all of the photographs before they were given to GHS. Mr. Collins is currently the Director of Museum Studies at Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tennessee.

To view the Virginia Meadow’s Collection, visit the Greenbrier Historical Society’s Archives and Library, located at 301 West Washington Street in Lewisburg, WV. GHS is open to the public free of charge, Monday through Saturday from 10am to 4pm or by appointment. For more information, contact us at 304.645.3398 or archives@greenbrierhistorical.org.

Item of the Week – Small Flax Spinning Wheel

Item of the Week – September 6, 2013
This small flax spinning wheel, currently on display at the North House Museum, was once owned by Elizabeth Coffman Rodgers. Elizabeth was born in 1815 on Davis Stuart Road near Lewisburg, in what was at that time the Commonwealth of Virginia. Elizabeth grew up learning the crafts of spinning, dyeing and weaving from family members. She even made a living selling her distinctive bed coverings long before she married at the age of 29.

Elizabeth was quite a prolific coverlet maker at a time when only men were expected to be professional weavers. Many examples of her work are to be found around the Greenbrier area and the Greenbrier Historical Society has six in its collection.