Museum Memo

Hello from the Great Bend Museum in Ravenswood! We were founded in 1972 by the Jackson County Historical Society to share the history of our county and the Ohio River’s Great Bend region with objects, photographs, and archives.

In 2020, the Historical Society gave the museum and collection to the City of Ravenswood to carry on its mission of preserving and promoting county history.

In February, we revealed the finished products of recent conservation work, including our 1796 map of early land grants in the county, an 1830s map of Ripley, and a new David Homer McFarland painting. Our conservator (“art doctor”) presented how she repairs and preserves badly damaged items. Then, we were off to the State Capitol for History Day, where we talked with legislators about the importance of supporting museums around the state and joined other statewide organizations in sharing our love of West Virginia history. We also began a Facebook serial tracking the Civil War diary entries of Henrietta Fitzhugh Barr, daughter of Ravenswood’s town founders. If you want to follow Henrietta’s experiences throughout the War, follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/greatbendmuseum.

On Saturday, March 9 at 10 AM, we’re hosting an Oral History Training at the Ravenswood Annex, 600 Mulberry St. If you know people with remarkable stories that you think should be preserved for posterity, join us at this training to learn how to record them like a pro! We’ll even have a limited number of free Oral History Kits, first come, first served.

On Saturday, March 30, from 12-4 PM, we’re hosting a Photo Scanning Day at the Museum. If you have historic photos of our community that you want to share but don’t want to part with, bring them to the museum, and we’ll scan them for free.

On Saturday, April 6 at 5 PM, join us at Ripley’s Historic Alpine Theatre for a History Alive! Performance featuring Frances Perkins. Perkins was the first female Cabinet secretary, the longest-serving Secretary of Labor, and an essential member of FDR’s administration during the Great Depression. Hear her speak about her experiences advocating for workers’ rights and join the conversation with the character and actress to learn more about this remarkable historical figure.

Thank you to everyone who donated items to the museum last month!

Debbie Holmes gave a pair of her 1969 Drum Majorette boots from the Ravenswood High School Band.

Betty Jean Fourney gave a notebook of Clara Weisheit’s handmade greeting cards.

Marsha Engle gave a 1911 Silverton School card listing the current teachers and students, and a photo of Bob Staats in his Korean War uniform.

The Ravenswood High School gave six of Charlie Fast’s scrapbooks.

Also, Norse Angus gave a photo of the Ritchie Bridge taken by West Virginia Department of Highways photographer David Bowen.

In addition, Al Toothman also gave us a Centennial stamp with the Trenle Blake logo and some Trenle Blake china. If you have anything you’d like to donate, reach out! We collect all kinds of things — objects, photos, and archives — from all over Jackson County.

We are seeking archives relating to Kaiser Aluminum for a documentary about Kaiser’s impact and legacy here. We are also seeking items, photos, or memories of Clara Weisheit (1885-1965). She lived on Race Street in Ravenswood, worked at a bank here, and was an avid photographer. We own about half of her photography collection, taken between 1919 and the 1930s, which meticulously documents Clara’s activities, community, and extensive travels.

Her photos offer wonderful insights into Ravenswood at that time, and we are planning an exhibit about her extraordinary life. But we need your help to make it happen! Please reach out if you have anything to share.

Our object of the month is a photo of the steamboat “Virginia” stuck in the cornfield at Willow Grove. During a March 6, 1910 flood, this steamboat, carrying 500 tons of cargo and 50 passengers, became stranded 600 feet from the river on a Native American mound in a Willow Grove cornfield. She remained there until April 21, when the Eichleay Junior Company from Pittsburgh arrived to refloat her. On June 20, after three months of effort, the 235-foot ship was finally back in the river. The recovery cost $2900 for the movers and $500 for using the cornfield (about $100,000 today), ultimately bankrupting her company. However, the “Virginia” remained in service until 1929.

We hope this column has inspired you to explore, learn, and appreciate the beauty of our museum’s offerings.

We are a museum for all of Jackson County. Please share your experiences with us, bring your friends, and help us spread the magic of our history.

Located at 220 Riverfront Park, the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Follow on Facebook, visit www.cityofravenswood/museum, call 304-273-1999, or email museum@cityofravenswood.com.