Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg, WV
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Named for the philanthropic steel tycoon, Andrew Carnegie, the Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg, WV is one of only four Carnegie Halls still in continuous use in the world.
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Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
In the early 1900s, Andrew Carnegie, the world renowned steel magnate, was approached by James Laing, who was a Lewisburg resident and fellow Scotsman, to build a replacement structure for a building that had burned down on the Lewisburg Female Institute campus.Known for his philanthropic efforts in his later life, Carnegie agreed to donate $30,000 (about $800,000 in today's money) for the project. The Lewisburg Female Institute, which later became the Greenbrier College for Women, closed its doors in 1972, and many in the community questioned what would happen to the now-abandoned, Georgian Revival-style hall.
After the closure of the Greenbrier College for Women, Carnegie Hall became part of the Greenbrier Center, a state-run institution for those suffering from mental and emotional disturbances; the Hall remained in operation under the Greenbrier Center organization for a decade before being abandoned once again. Rumors in the Lewisburg community swirled in the early 1980s with many stating that the building was going to be condemned and torn down. Realizing the historical significance of the building, several residents of Lewisburg founded the Carnegie Hall, Inc. The public was offered free performances in the historic building in order to renew a sense of interest in culture and history within southern West Virginia. The building was partially destroyed by a fire on Christmas Eve, 1996, and the Carnegie Hall, Inc. undertook a massive renovation to restore the building to its former prominence--a project that took nearly a year.
Today, artists from all over the world perform in the Hall. Notable performers include Grammy Award-winning artists such as Taj Mahal, Wynton Marsalis, and West Virginia native, Kathy Mattea. Still committed to providing the community with culture and history, the Carnegie Hall, Inc., mission statement is: "[the organization is] dedicated to the preservation of the structure is: "Carnegie Hall, Inc. is committed to cultivating an appreciation for creativity and excellence in the arts. In partnership with the community, our mission is to present and promote quality artistic performances and exhibitions; educate the community in and about the arts; encourage active community participation to appeal to a broad audience while preserving the historic significance of the Hall."
The name "Carnegie Hall" is synonymous with excellence, and although the world-famous Carnegie Hall is in New York City, the Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg, WV strives for that same excellence. Starting as a building on a college campus, Carnegie Hall brings art, culture, and history to a little town nestled in the heart of the Allegheny Mountains.
After the closure of the Greenbrier College for Women, Carnegie Hall became part of the Greenbrier Center, a state-run institution for those suffering from mental and emotional disturbances; the Hall remained in operation under the Greenbrier Center organization for a decade before being abandoned once again. Rumors in the Lewisburg community swirled in the early 1980s with many stating that the building was going to be condemned and torn down. Realizing the historical significance of the building, several residents of Lewisburg founded the Carnegie Hall, Inc. The public was offered free performances in the historic building in order to renew a sense of interest in culture and history within southern West Virginia. The building was partially destroyed by a fire on Christmas Eve, 1996, and the Carnegie Hall, Inc. undertook a massive renovation to restore the building to its former prominence--a project that took nearly a year.
Today, artists from all over the world perform in the Hall. Notable performers include Grammy Award-winning artists such as Taj Mahal, Wynton Marsalis, and West Virginia native, Kathy Mattea. Still committed to providing the community with culture and history, the Carnegie Hall, Inc., mission statement is: "[the organization is] dedicated to the preservation of the structure is: "Carnegie Hall, Inc. is committed to cultivating an appreciation for creativity and excellence in the arts. In partnership with the community, our mission is to present and promote quality artistic performances and exhibitions; educate the community in and about the arts; encourage active community participation to appeal to a broad audience while preserving the historic significance of the Hall."
The name "Carnegie Hall" is synonymous with excellence, and although the world-famous Carnegie Hall is in New York City, the Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg, WV strives for that same excellence. Starting as a building on a college campus, Carnegie Hall brings art, culture, and history to a little town nestled in the heart of the Allegheny Mountains.
Sources
http://mountainmusictrail.com/carnegie-hall-lewisburg-wv
http://www.carnegiehallwv.com/about
http://www.westegg.com/inflation/infl.cgi
http://www.carnegiehallwv.org/about/history