The Three Economic Lives of Hancock County

At the very tippy-top of West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle is Hancock County. While many think of West Virginia as the transition area between the cultural north and south in the United States, Hancock County reaches further north than Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Columbus, Ohio. With that in mind, the history of the region has much less to do with coal and much more to do with industrial manufacturing, especially steel. Dedicated to preserving the history and culture of this part of West Virginia is the Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center, which features an array of exhibits detailing the history of the region and ongoing events that bring visitors closer to the unique history and culture of this region. In support of the museum and cultural center’s mission, Dr. Lou Martin, Associate Professor of History at nearby Chatham University, presented Hancock County: From Pre-Industrial to Post Industrial on February 20, 2022 to an audience of folks invested in the history and future of the Northern Panhandle.

Lou Martin is a steady voice for West Virginia’s industrial and labor history. In addition to his role at Chatham University, he is also a founding board member of the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum in Matewan, which is about as far as you can get from Hancock County without entering Kentucky. Lou is also the author of Smokestacks in the Hills: Rural-Industrial Workers in West Virginia, which highlights the unique combination of industrialization and the preservation of rural habits and culture in areas like Hancock County.

His lecture on February 20 spanned the commercial and industrial history of the region from the late 1700s to the present, detailing the transition from an agriculturally driven economy to one firmly rooted in producing pottery and steel and finally on to the present, post-industrial era brought on by the proliferation of neoliberalism in state and federal government. As emphasized in the talk, neoliberalism has less to do with “liberals” and more to do with market-oriented reform policies like deregulation, incentivizing free trade, and privatization. Indeed, one of the strongest proponents of neoliberal trade policies is Ronald Reagan. That there should very clearly communicate the relationship between neoliberal trade policies to “the liberals.” Indeed, no one person or company is responsible for the shuttering of factories and mills, but rather it comes a consequence of a shift in global economic policy. Of course, it can be frustrating and confusing when major economic shifts occur and there is no one, clear individual or entity to blame.

Lou Martin, Ph.D. discussing the development of the potteries of the East Liverpool region, which includes Hancock County and Weirton.

Both Morgantown, West Virginia and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania are examples of thriving communities with knowledge-based economies emerging after the fall of heavy industry. The term “meds and eds” is commonly applied to Pittsburgh, which has doubled-down on world-class institutions of higher education and medical facilities over the past five decades to great success. Within West Virginia, Morgantown is home to the largest institution of higher education in the state, West Virginia University. Each year more and more people flock to Morgantown to start careers at West Virginia University, WVU Medicine, and an increasing number of professional services and tech companies founded or branching out into the state to take advantage of the growing brain trust in the area. I relate strongly to this because, well, I am part of that movement!

The talk revealed that opportunities can spring up anywhere and that there are individuals and organizations interested in helping preserve and develop communities like Weirton. However, it can be difficult to connect communities in need with the resources available. Groups and individuals often do not know what they do not know.

With so much food-for-thought, it seemed like it was time for actual food. On the recommendation of West Virginia food blogger (and Northern Panhandle native), Candace Nelson, I stopped at Drover’s Inn to try out their legendary wings. Not your typical wing joint, Drover’s dates back to 1848 as a tavern and inn on the Washington Pike a few miles east of central Wellsburg, West Virginia. Each dining room (and the tavern) maintains the character of a bygone era and features extensive collections of local artifacts with an emphasis on glass produced in the area. Indeed, staff even urge guests to walk around and take in the accumulated history of hospitality.

The Bituminous Coal Heritage Foundation Museum

Coal was first discovered in Appalachia in what is now Boone County, West Virginia in 1742. Since that time, men have gone deep into (or, in more recent years, blown the tops off) mountains in pursuit of this dark matter. To recognize the legacy of coal in Boone County and West Virginia, the Bituminous Coal Heritage Museum was established and opened to the public in the mid-1990s, chock full of memorabilia, historical information, and interactive exhibits.

The Museum is on Main Street in Madison, the seat of Boone County. The entrance to the museum is unassuming and, at first, especially as this once-bustling main drag through downtown is a bit sleepier than it probably was 50 years ago. However, once you enter, it is not unlike mining itself, as there are treasures that tell the stories of the thousands of men (and a few women) who went underground to power a nation. In some spots, the sheer amount of stuff can feel overwhelming, but to take a few minutes to take it in and the story unfolds before your eyes.

Very unexpected from a small museum like this was all of the interactive exhibits. One interactive exhibit takes guests into the darkness of a mine and guests can actually handle the same type of equipment that used to mine coal before the era of the continuous miner (though they have one of those, too!). Another interactive exhibit allows guests to step into the locker rooms where miners would put their clothes in a basket and raise it up to the ceiling to keep their street clothes relatively clean as they donned their overalls.

Also somewhat unexpected is that, despite how quiet Madison feels today, in the United States, West Virginia is only second to Wyoming in terms of production of coal. Side note, I think that is interesting (or coincidental?) because there is a Wyoming County, West Virginia, also in the Southern Coalfields region. Automation in the coalmines means that production is up but employment in the mines is down. Therefore, while these areas are still quite productive in terms of coal output, they do not require the manpower of mines 100 or even only 50 years ago. Mountaintop removal mining requires even fewer men (at the expense of West Virginia’s stunning mountains).

What I think I liked most is that the Bituminous Coal Heritage Foundation Museum tells the human story of mining. The exhibits do not exalt Frances Peabody, Don Blankenship, or Robert E. Murray. Comparatively, it is easy to run the company, but underground danger and even death are omnipresent. It takes a special kind of person (or, some would argue, desperation) to spend your days in a mountain. Now, excuse me, I think I need to watch Harlan County, U.S.A. again.

The Museum is located at 347 Main Street in Madison, WV. The Museum is open from 12:00pm to 5:00pm on Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. And, while you’re there, stroll around Main Street a bit and check out some of the small businesses.

 

Flatwoods Monster Museum

West Virginia seems to attract cryptids (a.k.a. mythical creatures whose existence or survival is disputed, unsubstantiated, and/or controversial). It is famous for a number of them, including the Mothman, Mamie Thurman, and the Flatwoods Monster (a.k.a. Braxxie or the Green Monster). The Flatwoods Monster is celebrated in its Braxton County home at the Flatwoods Monster Museum on Main Street in Sutton.

The most recent reported sighting was on September 12, 1952 and, while it just seems like an interesting piece of trivia now, History.com explains how this mythical creature terrified the residents of Flatwoods and the surrounding Braxton County communities for over six decades.

The Flatwoods Monster Museum presents a collection of artifacts and pop-culture interpretations of the monster’s likeness. They have also amassed all kinds of media that has focused on the Monster, including a How it’s Made segment about making novelty ceramic lanterns (yes, I bought one at the museum).

The museum is about a five-minute drive off I-79 (WV Exit 62) and worth a brief stop to learn more about this unique bit of West Virginia folklore in an adorable small-town setting.

The Bodice Project

Stereotypes about West Virginia are often frustrating to those of us who live here. Stereotypes about lower than average intelligence, increased impulsivity, laziness, lack of education, and poor oral health make us all cringe. Furthermore, if folks are so concerned about the poor dental health in West Virginia, perhaps they should donate some money to local dentists or the West Virginia University School of Dentistry to reach more people. West Virginia has a number of vibrant communities with cultural gems, including Huntington’s Huntington Museum of Art.

Tucked in the picturesque hills south of town and surrounded by beautiful (though steep in many places) walking and hiking trails, the Huntington Museum of Art punches above its weight. The museum brings artistic traditions spanning time and cultures to this pocket of Appalachia. Permanent exhibitions include antique firearms, Middle Eastern artifacts, and a small conservatory punctuated by a breathtaking Dale Chihuly glass sculpture.

Admission to the museum is free for all, though memberships are for sale for those who want to have a greater involvement in and express gratitude for this resource, helping ensure admission remains free and the museum accessible to those of all socioeconomic means.

The Huntington Museum of Art usually has two or three temporary exhibits to punctuate their permanent collection. Currently, these temporary exhibitions include the Bodice Project. The Bodice Project is a traveling sculpture exhibition that asks breast cancer survives to answer the question, “who am I now?”

On one hand, I am glad that breast cancer is something so many people are aware of in the mainstream. It is a devastating condition. However, I also worry that many of the campaigns that companies and aggressive non-profits run, effectively “pink washing” everything they touch, might diminish the stories of those living with breast cancer. The Bodice Project is none of this. The Bodice Project is survivors expressing their experience, their hopes, and their realities on their own terms.

The Bodice Project remains at the Huntington Museum of Art until July 25, 2021. Many of the bodices included in the exhibit are included on the Bodice Project’s main website, here. The project has already made stops in Winchester, Virginia, Frederick, Maryland, and Morgantown, West Virginia. If it visits your town, I recommend a visit to immerse yourself in what breast cancer really means to those living with the condition. Pink optional.

First in Flight

Almost everyone knows that the Wright Brothers are the fathers of aviation; that these brothers financed their dream of flight with a modest bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio and that their dream came true on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Indeed, both states proclaim their proud relationship to aviation on their license plates. This is just information in our collective consciousness. But there is good reason for the Wright Brothers choice of Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina.

When seeking a locale to test their experimental craft, the Wright Brothers had a few criteria. They required an area with a fairly steady and predictable breeze, wide-open and clear land, and privacy. After writing for advice, Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hill emerged as the ideal locale. At the Wright Brothers National Memorial it is made particularly clear that these characteristics came at a price. Transportation to Kitty Hawk was convoluted involving multiple modes over a lot of time. Then, once arriving, having to set up a primitive camp for shelter.

The monument to the Wright Brothers atop Kill Devil Hill

And since 1903, these conditions have brought millions of people back here to experience what special conditions coupled with the vision of two brothers yielded a transportation breakthrough that we still enjoy so greatly every day. My experience is just one of so many similar.

What is most noticeable really is the breeze. It is persistent and seems to carry some of the humidity away with it. At one point, it even carried off the kite of a little boy. Quick on his feet, Chris darted into the tall grass and retrieved it.

Chris returning the kite to the little boy

That brings me to the next observation: the land. The ground is sandy. The Outer Banks are literally a narrow sandbar just off shore. The only vegetation that seems to grow is grass whether long and wildly in patches or deep and beautifully in finely manicured lawns. Surprisingly, prickly pear cactus was also common. Indeed, a glider or an experimental aircraft could make a softer landing here than on the tougher, harder, working land in Ohio.

The third characteristic of interest is the one now missing: privacy. While the Outer Banks are not settled in the same density as other, similar beach and resort areas you are still surrounded by humanity. No worries though, the National Park Service has enough land that when standing at the sites where the first airplane took off and each of the three flights on December 17, 1903 (each clearly marked) the feeling of wonder is genuine.

The monument viewed from the take off point of the flights of December 17, 1903

The monument at Kill Devil Hills is outstanding, but the legacy of the Wright Brothers is still alive and well in Dayton as well. Dayton is home to the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base which in turn is home of the Museum of the United States Air Force, the subject of an earlier post.

Visit the Wright Brothers National Memorial

Learn more at Ohio History Central and North Carolina History

The National Museum of Dentistry

When visiting a new place it is not only important to get a sense of what makes life in this city unique, but what unique attractions this place has to offer visitors. Virtually every big city has a science center, aquarium, and art museums and while most of these are excellently done attractions, you’ve got to dig deeper! While recently visiting Baltimore, I dug deeper and I discovered the National Museum of Dentistry.

I can’t count how many cities I’ve visited and how many aquariums, art museums, and science centers that I’ve taken in, but I have never heard of a dentistry museum. This moved other more traditional attractions to lower slots on my priority list. I had to see this, and my curiosity was rewarded greatly.

Baltimore is home to the first school of dentistry in the world, and in fact the National Museum of Dentistry is housed in the original building of the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery. The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery through mergers over the years has seen it folded into the University of Maryland, but the history is still there and what a perfect place for the museum for this science. I couldn’t imagine what would be in a museum of dentistry, but I happily turned over a few dollars and jumped in with both feet.

National Museum of Dentistry, Baltimore (Photo by Andrew Horne, featured on Wikipedia)

In the museum there are two distinct types of exhibits: dental history and the modern dental professions. The former exhibits were very visually engaging with a comprehensive collection of dental implants that leave no mystery to me as to why dentists get such a painful reputation. The latter exhibits very clearly demonstrate dentistry as something a lot more comprehensive than just some guy that drills fillings into your teeth.

Prior to visiting this museum I had no particular interest in dentistry, except as an EMT, I once had for a patient someone who had taken a good blow to his jaw, bled like a stuck pig (that’s a technical term!), and remarkably did not lose, break, or chip any of his teeth. Now I feel like I better understand how that could have happened, and can imagine what the outcome could have been like even 100 years ago (though if it were 100 years ago, there’d be no EMT checking him out!).

Though possibly the neatest (and most important) thing exhibited at the museum is how close we are to being able to grow new teeth from stem cells. This is an incredibly interesting scientific development and, while likely expensive when it comes to market, I think signals the coming of even greater science to come in terms of the use of stem cells.

So if you’re in Baltimore and looking for something unique to do, I highly suggest you take 2-3 hours and explore the National Museum of Dentistry. Trust me, you’ll feel better about parting with your money than you will at the aquarium. 

For more info, check out their website.