Projects

The Old Brick Church

This former Baptist church in Union, of the Jeffersonian Classical Revival style, dates from 1845 and is one of Monroe County's premier landmarks. Its magnificent interior has been in largely original condition, but storm damage and the ravages of time have taken their toll on the exterior and required extensive repairs. We are grateful for private contributions as well as grants from the National Park Service and West Virginia Division of Culture and History for helping with urgent repairs to the structure.

We have a brochure (PDF, 376kB) giving further information about this historic treasure and our campaign to save it.

Recently Completed Projects

• Our Carriage House Museum, on the same block as our Museum and log houses, is a wonderful showcase for our omnibus, a rare example of a historic treasure in nearly original condition. The museum also exhibits smaller vehicles and accessories. We are grateful to everyone who has contributed and helped. To celebrate its opening, we have published a new book, Carriages of Monroe County.
• The Owen Neel House, dating from the early days of pioneer settlement, was generously donated by the Hansbarger family. With help from a grant by the West Virginia Division of Highways, it has been relocated to our museum complex, restored, and now accompanies the Clark-Wiseman house in presenting exhibits of pioneer life.
• Upgrades to Ames Clair Hall have improved the building's comfort and attractiveness for community events.

Ongoing Projects

• Our primary ongoing activity is the operation of the museum during the summer months. Please help us by remembering that this occurs through 100% volunteer effort, and all contributions of time are gratefully accepted.
• Museum Inventory
• Maintenance of historic buildings is a complex and never-ending task. Volunteer time and monetary contributions are both needed.
• Although we do not have any active genealogy projects, we have launched an expanded genealogy section of this website, to assist with sharing of information about Monroe County families.