Chairman Thomas Bailey called the meeting to order at 9:32 a.m. Voting members present were Daniel Gatts, Matthew McGrew, Laura Carroll, Sandra Scaffidi, J. Gavin Hale, Tracy Burch, Harold "Rob" Petry, and Dr. Melissa Bingmann. Ex officio non-voting members present were Aaron Parsons, director, Archives and History Section; Charles Morris, director, Museums Section; Susan Pierce, director, Historic Preservation Section; Randall Reid-Smith, Cabinet Secretary of the Department of Arts, Culture and History; and Crystal Wimer, West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey. Also present were Historic Preservation staff members S. Cody Straley and Jessica Eichlin, as well as guests Sarah Elswick, F. Mark Schiavone, Charity Moore Norton, David Abruzzi, Kim McBride, Bob Sheets, Jack Ellis, Billy Joe Peyton, and Tom Hypes.
Chairman Bailey asked for a motion on the Spring meeting minutes of June 13, 2024. Mr. Straley noted that additional context needed to be added to the minutes regarding discussion in the previous meeting concerning the nomination of Woodbyrne, Charles Town vicinity, under Criterion A: Ethnic History, Black. A motion to approve the minutes as amended was made by Mr. Gatts with a second by Mr. McGrew. Motion carried.
Chairman Bailey then asked for approval of the agenda. Dr. Bingmann made a motion to approve the agenda, and Mr. Gatts provided a second. Motion carried.
Chairman Bailey called upon Mr. Parsons for the Archives and History report. Mr. Parsons provided Archives and History monthly reports for April through July 2024 ( copies attached to official minutes ) and reviewed section activities, including hosting school tours, administering the History Bowl Championship, hosting students for Ambassadors Camp, attending the INVEST Conference for West Virginia Educators, and hosting students for the Governor's School for Literacy. Mr. Parsons also noted that the shifting of collections continued in an effort to maximize use of space in collection storage areas, that new infographics were created to be added to the Archives webpage and social media, and that two new library assistants were hired and began work in September and October.
Chairman Bailey then called upon Ms. Pierce for the Historic Preservation report. Ms. Pierce provided a written report to members ( copy attached to official minutes ) and reviewed section activities, such as the compilation of information for the department's Annual Report and Budget Book, recent staffing changes, hosting of summer interns, continued work with CLGs, development of a poster on the history of Green Book sites, a new issue of Details magazine, and work on the 2025 SHPO calendar. Ms. Pierce noted working with various universities to provide training and education on documenting historical resources, participating in Ambassadors Camp, and launching an online Section 106 review portal. Ms. Pierce also noted work on future National Register nominations, a Statewide Comprehensive Historic Plan, progress on the Nucor project in Mason County, work on subgrants, covenants and easements, work with the Capitol Building Commission and General Services regarding projects on the Capitol Campus, and offering advice to the West Virginia Semiquincentennial Commission.
Chairman Bailey then called upon Mr. Morris for the Museums report. Mr. Morris provided a written report to members ( copy attached to official minutes ) and reviewed section activities, including the development of more programming on Saturdays, efforts to expand outreach through social media, and the INSPIRED series. Mr. Morris also mentioned the success of the West Virginia String Band Festival, the planting of a second garden at Grave Creek Mound, cleaning of the Francis Pierpont statue and the addition of the Arthur I. Boreman statue at Independence Hall, and arrangements to move a fireless steam-powered locomotive engine to the Capitol grounds to be featured in the new outdoor exhibit.
Chairman Bailey then called on Cabinet Secretary Reid-Smith for the Department of Arts, Culture, and History report. Cabinet Secretary Reid-Smith reviewed department activities, including the development of the new outdoor exhibit entitled “West Virginia: Nature Designs a State that FUELS a Nation,” which is expected to be completed by the middle of January 2025, supplemental appropriations for agencies within the department, and congressional earmarks for archives renovations and to restore the pointing at Independence Hall. He acknowledged Senator Shelley Moore Capito's assistance with receiving the funding to fix the pointings and also noted that Senator Capito had been placed on the National Semiquincentennial Commission and that a National Semiquincentennial Commission meeting will be held in Charleston in April 2025. Cabinet Secretary Reid-Smith also noted work to restore the steps at the Grave Creek Mound, the continuation of the John P. Hale and Virgil A. Lewis Fellowship programs, reworking the Arts Partners grant to make the application process easier, an upcoming budget hearing on October 17, 2024, for the 2026 fiscal year budget, work to fix the signal at Educational Broadcasting, the upcoming marching band competitions, and the upcoming 250th commemoration of the Battle of Point Pleasant. To close his report, Cabinet Secretary Reid-Smith took a moment to thank the staff of the Department of Arts, Culture and History for all their hard work and dedication to the State of West Virginia.
Chairman Bailey addressed the commission and guests to thank Cabinet Secretary Reid-Smith for his hard work and dedication to the state over the years and for his work on the commission.
Chairman Bailey noted that there was no one in attendance to present the Preservation Alliance report.
Chairman Bailey then called upon Ms. Wimer for the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey (WVGES) report. Ms. Wimer reviewed activities, including the selection of a building to serve as a new core storage facility, work to fill vacancies within WVGES, work being done by an intern working with geothermal projects, outreach through several visiting geologist programs, attendance at various conferences including the GSA Conference in California and the Highway Geology Symposium in Kansas, and the visit of a large group from the Presbyterian Child Development Center. Ms. Wimer also noted several WVGES museum activities, including the development of a new oil and gas display, development of a custom mount for the Megalonyx Jeffersonii skull that is on loan to the museum, and the installation of new signage for the crinoid fossil and Itmann fossil. Ms. Wimer explained that the museum had 134 visitors between mid-June 2024 and mid-September 2024 (43% in-state and 57% out of state).
Cabinet Secretary Reid-Smith asked the commission to take a moment to recognize Ms. Wimer's work developing the West Virginia Association of Museums Conference in Shepherdstown.
Turning to New Business, Chairman Bailey called for the presentation of the National Register nominations.
Frontier Forts of West Virginia (Multiple Property Document-cover document) was presented by Dr. Kim McBride. Mr. Straley explained that the commission was to vote on the cover document before voting on the individual nominations. Dr. Bingmann motioned for approval of the MPD-cover document, and Mr. Petry provided the second. Motion carried.
Arbuckle's Fort, Greenbrier County, nominated under Criterion D: Research Potential, with a period of significance of 1774-1783, was presented by Kim McBride. Following the presentation, Mr. Gatts made a motion for approval of the nomination, and Ms. Carroll. provided the second. Motion carried.
Warwick's Fort, Pocahontas County, nominated under Criterion D, Research Potential, with a period of significance of 1774-1783, was presented by Kim McBride. After the presentation, Mr. Hale made a motion for approval of the nomination, and Ms. Burch provided the second. Motion carried.
Morgantown Green Book Historic District, Monongalia County (Multiple Property Document-cover document), nominated under Criterion A, Commerce and Ethnic History: Black, with an area of significance of 1949-1966, was presented by Sarah Elswick. Ms. Burch made a motion for approval of the MPD-cover document, and Mr. McGrew provided the second. Motion carried.
Capitol Market/Kanawha & Michigan Railway Depot Warehouse, Kanawha County, nominated under Criterion A, Transportation and Commerce, with a period of significance of 1918-1975, was presented by Sarah Elswick. After the presentation, Dr. Bingmann made a motion for approval of the nomination, and Ms. Scaffidi provided the second. Motion carried.
Chairman Bailey had to step away and recused himself from the voting process for the Kelly Miller School. Ms. Burch was appointed to oversee the nominations until his return.
Beni Kedem Shriners Temple, Kanawha County, nominated under Criterion C, Architecture, with a period of significance of 1965, was presented by Dr. Billy Joe Peyton. After the presentation, Mr. Gatts made a motion for approval of the nomination, and Mr. Petry provided the second. Motion carried.
Kelly Miller School, Harrison County, nominated under Criterion A, Education and Ethnic Heritage: Black, with a period of significance of 1902-1957, was presented by Charity Moore Norton. After the presentation, Mr. McGrew made a motion for approval of the nomination, and Ms. Carroll provided the second. Motion carried.
Isaac Clymer Farm, Jefferson County, nominated under Criterion A, Agriculture; Criterion C, Architecture; and Criterion D, Agriculture, with a period of significance of 1835-1958, was presented by Mark Schiavone. After the presentation, Ms. Scaffidi made a motion for approval of the nomination, and Ms. Carroll provided the second. Motion carried.
P. E. Nixon House, Morgan County, nominated under Criterion B, Commerce and Politics/Government, with a period of significance of 1909-1942, was presented by David Abruzzi. After the presentation, Mr. Gatts made a motion for approval of the nomination, and Mr. Hale provided the second. Motion carried.
Z. D. Ramsdell House (Additional Documentation), Wayne County, nominated under Criterion A, Exploration/Settlement; Criterion B, Commerce and Politics/Government; and Criterion C, Architecture, with a period of significance of 1858-1886, was presented by Cody Straley. After the presentation, Dr. Bingmann made a motion for approval of the nomination, and Mr. McGrew provided the second. Motion carried.
Ms. Burch then called on Ms. Scaffidi and Dr. Bingmann for a report from the nominating committee. Dr. Bingmann reported that the committee recommended the election of Ms. Carroll for chairperson and Ms. Burch as vice-chairperson. Chairman Bailey returned to the meeting, and there being no nominations from the floor, Mr. Petry made a motion for the adoption of the committee's recommendation and Mr. McGrew provided the second. Motion carried.
Chairman Bailey then called for a report on National Register nominations previously reviewed by the Archives and History Commission. Mr. Straley noted that the Marshall University Memorial Fountain in Cabell County, 14th Street Historic District in Cabell County, Paw Paw Black School, and Green Book Sites in West Virginia MPD were added to the National Register. Woodbyrne in Jefferson County was returned by the NPS in July but was resubmitted and approved in August. Upcoming nominations include Warwood Historic District in Ohio County, Carter G. Woodson School in Kanawha County, WV-PA Sinclair Cornerstone in Marshall/Wetzel Counties, Moorefield Historic District Boundary Increase in Hardy County, Griffith & Feil Soda Fountain in Wayne County, First National Bank of Kenova in Wayne County, and Spencer Historic District in Roane County.
Chairman Bailey noted that the Winter meeting will be held on March 12, 2025, at the Culture Center in Charleston. The Spring meeting will tentatively be held in Parkersburg at the Blennerhassett Hotel in June 2025.
Respectfully submitted,
Aaron Parsons
Secretary