Institution

The Charleston Light Opera Guild is located in what used to
be the Weekley Memorial Methodist Church. The Guild was created in 1949 by vocal teachers and
performers who wanted somewhere to showcase their talents. The organization was formed under the leadership of&nbsp;Leonard Stocker, a professional singer and
actor who come to Charleston in 1948 to teach. Stocker was joined
by Annie Laurie Leonard, Margaret Hope Samms and Marguerite Palmer, also music
teachers. The first production, HMS Pinafore, was exceptionally
successful.&nbsp;

In the past decades, the Guild has done more than simply survive, they have grown from an informal group that&nbsp;rehearsed in homes and&nbsp;churches to a professional organization with their own theater.&nbsp;In the mid-1960s, the Guild&nbsp;bought a workshop in
the East End of Charleston for rehearsals and to store supplies.&nbsp; The roof collapsed in the late ‘60s and they
lost costumes and sets.&nbsp; They offered
some shows at Pipestem to help offset some of the expenses they had
incurred.&nbsp; In 1970 the Civic Center
Little Theatre saw the production of Showboat and the Guild was back in
business.&nbsp; 

In
1995, the Guild purchased the Weekley Memorial Methodist Church and in 1999, celebrated
its golden anniversary year.&nbsp; In 2003 the
Guild became the first group to perform at Charleston’s Clay Center with a
production of The Music Man. The
Guild has presented over 200 shows to date and can be seen at venues throughout the city as well as the&nbsp;Charleston Light Opera Guild Theatre.

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The Charleston Light Opera Guild is a community performance group founded in 1949 on Charleston's West Side. The group has weathered hard times but has gone on to thrive.   It has performed over 200 shows.  The Guild performs in the Civic Center, Clay Center and their own theater, which seats 225 and is located in the former home of Weekly Memorial Church. 

Charleston Light Opera Guild Theatre

This short drive or virtual tour explores current and former hotels and theaters in West Virginia's capital city. The tour begins with the Charleston Light Opera Guild Theatre and moves on the Municipal Auditorium and the Capitol Center Theater and then takes visitors to the site of several former historic hotels before concluding with the Art Deco landmark, the Old State Theater.  

Historic Hotels and Theaters of Charleston West Virginia

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The Charleston Civic Center originally opened in 1959 near the intersection of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers just outside downtown Charleston. The original structure cost $3 million dollars to build, though it would see upgrades and expansions in nearly every decade . The arena originally seated about 6000 people and a theater in the center seated about 750. Owing to its size the&nbsp;Charleston Civic Center has often been at the center of large scale events, some of which took on national proportions in the history of sports, civil rights or politics. In 1959, NBA Rookie of the Year Elgin Baylor, star player of the Minneapolis Lakers, refused to play against the Cincinnati Royals due to the racial discrimination the team experienced at a Charleston hotel. When a number of Black teammates were unable to register at a local hotel, Baylor stuck to a statement he'd made when experiencing discrimination the previous year in Charlotte, North Carolina:&nbsp; "I'm no dog; if this ever happens again, I won't play," Baylor exclaimed in response to his experience in Charlotte.&nbsp; True to his word, Baylor moved to the nearby Daniel Boone Hotel and sat out the game. The Lakers lost to the Royals by a mere few points, an outcome widely projected to have been reversed if Baylor had taken his place on the court. All too often, this form of protest was the only recourse available to many athletes and performers wishing to speak out against segregation. The Civic Center witnessed activity of a different sort the following year as Presidential hopeful John F. Kennedy campaigned relentlessly to secure the Democratic nomination over rival Hubert Humphrey during the West Virginia State Primary in 1960. Kennedy made 96 campaign stops in the state before votes were tallied, to speak nothing of separate appearances by his brother Robert and wife Jacqueline.&nbsp; Kennedy's campaign was an uphill battle. Early West Virginia polls heavily favored Humphrey, objecting to the New Englander's youth and wealth. Religion, too, played a large role--West Virginians were overwhelmingly Protestant, and took issue with Kennedy's Catholic faith. The Kennedy family devoted such energy and resources to the campaign, however, including events at the Civic Center, that by May 10, 1960, he had clinched the Democratic nomination in the state. Another sports highlight occurred in 1966, when Wilt Chamberlain, then&nbsp;of the Philadelphia Warriors, broke the NBA all- time scoring record in the Charleston Civic Center.&nbsp;Two years later 2,800 more seats were added to the arena, along with air conditioning and an ice-skating rink. This addition would prove fortuitous in 1975-1976 when Elvis came to town and gave a series of five sold-out shows. The city was energized for days, and guests even included then-State Senator J.R. Rogers and his wife, who simply had to see the "living legend." In 1978, ground was broken on yet another expansion--this time a 13,500-seat coliseum that eventually replaced the original arena. The arena underwent renovation in 1982 to become the present-day convention center. In 2000, more renovations expanded the Great Hall. Though the Kennedy presidential campaign has come and gone, the Civic Center's days in the political spotlight are not yet done. In May 2016 President Donald Trump, at the time merely a candidate, gave a campaign rally and received a coal association endorsement at the site.&nbsp; Currently the Civic Center is proposing several dramatic upgrades and additions to the building, the newest renovations since 2000. They include renovations done to the lobby and exhibit hall, an addition of a ballroom and a complete exterior makeover. These additions are expected to be completed in 2017 and will cost over $75 million.

Located in downtown Charleston, West Virginia, the Charleston Civic Center has hosted hundreds of events in sports, music and more.  It has provided an important entertainment venue for the community of Charleston since its construction. Originally opened in 1959, the Civic Center was renovated in the late 1980s and continues to host events to this day. 

Charleston Civic Center

Throughout the 1920s, as the population of Charleston grew so did the desire for a premiere city auditorium for hosting touring shows and cultural events. Community organizations such as the Charleston Community Music Association and the Chamber Music Society, along with the Kanawha Players were created to explore ways that the city might create a grand civic venue to accommodate these events and the larger crowds that would come to the state capitol from surrounding communities.&nbsp;Larry Silverstein served as chairman of the citizen’s advisory committee. Under his leadership, the city applied for a $412,000 Public Works Administration (PWA) grant in 1936. This request was denied owing to a present lack of funds, but local citizens and government leaders persevered. Through a combination of efforts that included a bond referendum in December of 1936,&nbsp;the group was awarded an additional $212,000 for the project. With these funds secured, the group was also able to secure&nbsp;$250,000 from the Public Works Administration.&nbsp;With the funding secured, the next hurdle was selecting the site for the building.&nbsp; On January 20, 1938, Larry Silverstein moved the first shovel at the groundbreaking ceremony which was attended by most of the city’s leaders, as well as the project architect Alphonso Wysong of Charleston.&nbsp;



Although the project was scheduled for a 208-day timeline, construction moved slowly and the completed building was not dedicated until November 9, 1939. A crowd of nearly 5,000 dignitaries and leaders of the state and community celebrated the new building and its classic Art Deco style, which was prominent in the 1920s and 30s.&nbsp; The building is constructed with a steel joist frame resting on concrete pilings that anchor the building’s foundations as well as concrete floors and roof, metal lath and plaster ceilings, concrete and cinder block brick-faced curtain walls, and a stylistic concrete façade.&nbsp;



Some of the key elements on the exterior include the curved façade that extend away from the center block which features stair-like design at the top with a combination of rounded and linear ends.&nbsp; There are two smaller towers at the front corners of the building.&nbsp; The effect of the design is to draw the eye to the center tower. The auditorium boasts the largest seating capacity of any theatre in the state of West Virginia with a little less than 3,500 seats (3,483 – 2,377 in the lower Orchestra level and an additional 1106 on the Balcony level above). The ticket booths, interior lobby, and main auditorium feature similar styles of rounded edges, graceful curves, with sharp lines as well, much of which remains today.



A large-scale restoration project occurred during the 1960s to update and repair numerous aspects of the theatre, however, the essential aesthetic of the theatre remained unaltered.&nbsp; Referred to as the “Art Deco Grande Dame” the Municipal Auditorium has lived up to the hopes of the citizens of Charleston whose efforts brought about its construction.&nbsp; Over the years the large stage which measures 65 x 85 ½ feet, numerous performances of all sorts (including Bob Hope, Billy Joel, and Ray Charles to name a few), graduation ceremonies, recitals, fashion shows, and even for a brief period a basketball court.&nbsp; Without question, the Municipal Auditorium influence on Charleston culture and the arts is unquestioned.&nbsp; The Municipal was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.&nbsp; The building itself remains a staple in the community and a large and fascinating part of Charleston's cultural history.

Dedicated in 1939, Municipal Auditorium serves as a prime example of Art Deco design. The building was the result of over a decade of organization and planning and made possible by a combination of city and federal funds through the Works Progress Administration. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999, significant for its contribution to entertainment/recreation and performing arts as well as its classic Art Deco design.  

Municipal Auditorium 

Designed by architect P. Norwood Higgins, the WVSU Capitol Center opened as the Plaza Theatre in 1912, to serve primarily a vaudeville venue.&nbsp; By 1919, new owners had purchased the property and undertook a remodeling of the theatre to add such features as a Wurlitzer pipe organ and projector room to the interior, and a new marquee and large sign outside.&nbsp; They also rebranded the theatre when it was reopened with an elaborate ceremony in 1921, which included the governor Ephraim Morgan who viewed the first film screened in the theatre, “The Old Nest." For a few years, there was a coexistence of Vaudeville and film, but after a fire in 1923 caused the roof to collapse, the decision was made to focus solely on film.&nbsp; In the late 1920s sound was added to the theatre to meet the new trend of talking pictures.&nbsp;Through the years, the Capitol Theatre was a nexus of entertainment and culture in Charleston. In 1956, another major remodel project updated the interior and exterior of the theatre and added elements of the Art Deco style to the mostly Classical Revival style. The theatre continued to operate until 1981 when it succumbed to competition from chain theatres and multiplexes. In 1983, a nearby theatre (the Kearse Theater – built in 1922) was demolished to make room for a parking lot. In response, many local residents became concerned that the remaining historic downtown theater might suffer the same fate. In response, local preservationists and a group of 28 investors pooled their resources to form the “Capitol Renaissance ’84-1 Ltd.” to purchase the vacant property in 1984. The organization renovated and reopened the building the following year, primarily as a performing arts center. The theater became the home of Mountain Stage and other local productions and was celebrated as an adaptive reuse projection that would help revitalize the old business district in downtown Charleston.



The theatre building itself is three stories tall and is nestled between two adjoining buildings on either side.&nbsp; The exterior façade is divided into three segments with 4 brick pilasters (a rectangular columnn that projects from a wall).&nbsp; There are three large windows on the second and third floors.&nbsp; The color scheme is mostly green and beige.&nbsp; There is a parapet that adorns the upper part of the building that contains decorative ornamentation.&nbsp; At the center is a triangular pediment containing artistic decorations.&nbsp; The street level was significantly altered in 1956 when much of the theatre was remodeled.&nbsp; An Art Deco ticket booth was installed on the right side of the building near a pair of doors in the center of the building where the lobby is accessed from the street. There is a large marquee that overhangs the ticket booth and entry doors.



Inside, the lobby features similar Art Deco style to the ticket booth, including artwork and decorations. The main auditorium is 110 feet deep and 53 feet wide and features a floor that slopes toward the stage and orchestra pit.&nbsp; There are two aisles in between the rows of chairs.&nbsp; There is also a substantial balcony that extends over two-thirds of the main floor.&nbsp; In addition to the stage, there is a single screen and about 800 total in the theatre.&nbsp; In 1991 the theatre was donated to West Virginia State College (now University).&nbsp; The venue is part of the university and includes five classrooms and computer lab. The main auditorium hosts university productions and the&nbsp;West Virginia International Film Festival.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Completed in 1912 and located in the heart of downtown Charleston, The Capitol Center Theater is now part operated by West Virginia State University. The historic building held vaudeville productions in the early 20th century when it was known as the Plaza Theater, and later held movies and other events before closing in the 1980s. After a neighboring historic theater was demolished, preservationists and investors worked with government officials to save, restore, and preserve the historic downtown theater. 

Capitol Center Theater

The Charleston Arcade Building was established in 1895 by John T. Cotton and E.W.&nbsp;Wilson, who was the seventh governor of West Virginia. Cotton was a local businessman and pharmacist who had established numerous businesses along Capitol Street prior to the Arcade, including the Cotton Opera House. Wilson married Cotton's daughter, Henrietta, in 1874 prior to his term as governor which began in 1884. The Arcade was an open two-story structure with a iron framed glass atrium. Some of the popular businesses remembered from the Arcade were Gibbs Barbershop, Arcade News Agency, The Arcadia, and the Corey's Arcade Fruit Company. &nbsp;The Arcade continued to be prosperous until the late 1900s. When the Arcade was demolished, the iron structure and glass paneling from the roof were salvaged and to be repurposed in the restored Hotel Kanawha, however that project was never finished.&nbsp;Prior to the existence of the Hotel Kanawha, the Charleston Institute for Women was housed on this site until 1869. The Hotel Kanawha was constructed from 1902 to 1903, and was 96,000 square feet upon completion. The eight story structure expanded and added a wing in 1906, and again in 1917. When the Daniel Boone Hotel opened in 1929, it replaced the Hotel Kanawha as the premier hotel in Charleston. Prior to the existence of the Daniel Boone Hotel, the Hotel Kanawha was where local, state, and federal politicians resided during their stay in Charleston, WV.When John F. Kennedy ran against Hubert H. Humphrey in the 1960 Democratic primaries, it was more than just a political battle: it was a battle of denominations. To ensure victory in the southern West Virginia coalfields that were primarily protestant, Catholic candidate John F. Kennedy made countless visits and sent his brothers to speak on his behalf. A Lou Harris poll three days prior to the election showed Kennedy long to Humphrey despite Kennedy’s popularity. After Kennedy heard of the results, he made an unforgettable speech during a telecast where he put the religion debate to rest. Upon Kennedy’s win over Humphrey, he thanked West Virginia during his speech and said that he would not have won if it weren’t for the Mountain State.In 1965, the installation of newer hotels in Downtown Charleston outweighed Hotel Kanawha’s popularity, and the building was sold and then utilized as the West Virginia Job Corps office until 1997. The Job Corps was dedicated to training underprivileged young women for the work force, and was installed by the Kennedy administration. Restoration efforts began in the late 1990s, and continued into the early 2000s. These plans included the razing of the arcade to provide parking for both the Hotel Kanawha and the Kanawha Bank and Trust Building, the renovation of the Hotel Kanawha to make more rooms and add a ballroom, and create a tower that connected the Hotel Kanawha and a restored Kanawha Bank and Trust Building. To fund this project, the Hotel Kanawha needed to be added to the National Register of Historic Places to acquire federal and state historic preservation income tax credits. The Arcade was demolished in 1998, and in 1999 the project managers asked for a $7.7 million loan. A $6.6 million loan was allotted by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and approval from the Charleston Urban Renewal Authority shortly followed. The cost of the project skyrocketed as issues and problems arose, and the project developers secured only a fraction of the costs. Not enough investors donated money, and soon the city started pulling their money from the project. The Hotel Kanawha was demolished in May of 2003, and a four story building replaced it in 2004.

The Hotel Kanawha was established in 1903 and was a premier hotel in Charleston, WV until 1965. When West Virginia was a battleground state during the Democratic primaries of the 1960 presidential election, the Hotel Kanawha was campaign headquarters for President John F. Kennedy. The Arcade Building was established in 1895 by a former state governor, and was demolished during the efforts to restore the Hotel Kanawha. Despite its historical significance and tremendous efforts to restore the Hotel Kanawha, the building was demolished and a bank now stands in its place. There were many fights to save the hotel, but the project was too expensive and there were multiple problems with loans.

The Hotel Kanawha/Arcade Building

The Charleston House Holiday Inn was located on
Kanawha Boulevard between Laidley and Summers Streets. The site is one of the
oldest developed areas in the city, directly across from the boat landing (levee)&nbsp;that propelled
the young city’s growth. 

By the 1960s, the area had become rundown as growth
spread to other city sectors. An almost three-block area that encompassed this
site was demolished in the city’s first phase of Urban Renewal. A single
structure, Charleston National Bank, the Charleston House, and Shanklin Parking
Garage would dominate each of the three blocks. 

The Charleston House opened in 1966. The city’s better
hotels dated from prior decades, so business gravitated to the Charleston
House. It featured large banquet rooms and a 12th story
restaurant overlooking the river and the city. The Charleston House, prior to
the Marriott opening in 1983, was the hotel of choice during the state legislative
session, basketball tournaments, and local conferences and concerts.

The hotel was always associated with the Sternwheel
Regatta and events held at Haddad Riverfront Park. Many visitors enjoyed
renting rooms on the riverside and watching the shows unfold from their
balconies.

Over time, the property began to decline without
major renovations. In October of 2010, the Holiday Inn sign came down and the
property reopened as a Ramada in September of 2011. A three-year multi-million
dollar update followed, and the property opened as a Four Points by Sheraton in
January of 2014. Soon after, it was announced that the two top floors, the 11th
and 12th, would be subdivided into eight luxury condominiums.

In November, 2015, Marriott announced it would be
buying the property. &nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Charleston House Holiday Inn opened in 1966 on Kanawha Boulevard East overlooking the Kanawha River. It is open as a Four Points Sheraton as of May 2016.

Charleston House Holiday Inn (Four Points Sheraton)

Dr. John P. Hale was a leading entrepreneur in Charleston's early years. He practiced medicine for four years before investing in the area's first extraction industry, the salt mining business. His capacity to secure credit allowed him to leverage his existing wealth and invest in real estate and salt mining. Hale helped form the Bank of the West and he also owned the first gas company in Charleston. At one time, he also controlled all the ferries in the city.1 Hale spearheaded the effort to move the state capital from Wheeling to Charleston. He also assisted in securing the finances for the project. Shortly after being elected Mayor of Charleston in 1871, Hale began construction of the Hale House. The Hale House was meant to be a grand hotel that would house state legislators during their stay in the capital. The hotel was the most expensive lodging area in the city at the time. It cost approximately $150,000 to build and opened in January, 1872. It boasted: <blockquote>"100 bedrooms fitted up with elegance, a splendid office, bar and billiard room, barber shop and bathroom."2</blockquote> After the hotel burned down in 1885, a new hotel was built on the site, owned by A.L. and Meredith Ruffner, who operated it until 1900. The new hotel was larger, containing at least 180 rooms.3 It was the largest building in Charleston aside from the capitol complex. The Ruffner Hotel featured a spire on one corner and a portico that faced Kanawha Street. The South Side Bridge was built in 1891. It was the first bridge constructed across the Kanawha River. The downtown-Charleston entrance was located right at the hotel. The Ruffner had easy access to the C&amp;O Railroad depot. It became an ideal spot for travelers to stay at. As an operational hotel until 1970, the Ruffner Hotel played witness to many key events of the last century. In 1913, for example, in the midst of the West Virginia Mine Wars, the famed union organizer "Mother" Mary Jones was arrested in Charleston and held in the Ruffner Hotel before being put on a train taking her into military custody.4 The Ruffner's restaurant was noted for its fine dining in the 1950's. However, the hotel could no longer compete with extravagant hotels that had been built in the city during the late 1920's. The Ruffner Hotel was torn down in 1970 to make room for the present parking lot.

This was the location of the Hale House from 1872 until it was destroyed in an 1885 fire. The Hale House was one of the leading hotels in the area, and it was replaced by the Ruffner Hotel was in 1885. The Hale House, which was the brainchild of then-Mayor of Charleston, Dr. John P. Hale, was envisioned as a prestigious hotel to accommodate travelers to the city. The Hale House became the preferred hotel of state legislators after Charleston became the permanent capital city of West Virginia in 1877. The hotel's successor, the Ruffner Hotel, stood at the northwest corner of Hale Street and Kanawha Boulevard until 1970 and was a leadingCharleston institution until it ceased operation. It was torn down in 1970 to make room for a surface parking lot. 

Site of the Hale House and Ruffner Hotel (1872-1970)

On April 1,&nbsp;1925, D. W. Griffith's controversial film,&nbsp;Birth of a Nation, was scheduled to open at the Rialto Theatre in Charleston. In late March, several African-American leaders protested showing of the film on the grounds it violated a 1919 state law prohibiting any entertainment which demeaned another race. Mayor W. W. Wertz and the West Virginia Supreme Court supported their argument and prevented the showing of the film. The movie was supposed to be a three-day engagement at the Rialto Theater. Upon hearing this, attorney T.G. Nutter, along with other activists, vowed to block the film from being shown. They argued that the film not only showed African Americans in a bad light but also glorified the Ku Klux Klan. Nutter took his fight to the mayor of Charleston at the time, W.W. Wertz, and he did not go alone. Nutter was joined by the state supervisor for Black schools, W.W. Saunders, and G.E. Ferguson, operator of the Ferguson Hotel. They plead that not only did this film go against the 1919 state law in which a race or class of people is demeaned in a form of entertainment, but it also&nbsp;violated the city statute that stated that it was forbidden&nbsp;to show any film that was judged to be immoral or indecent. The&nbsp;mayor heard their case and sided with Nutter&nbsp;and the other protesters. He not just banned the film, but let the theater staff know that he would arrest them if the film was shown. When hearing this, Rialto management&nbsp;was not pleased and decided to take the case to court. They ended up obtaining an injunction to Mayor Wertz's ruling. As a result, the movie was shown twice on April 1. The Kanawha County Circuit Court decided to dissolve the injunction and banned any further showings. From there, the Rialto Theater took the case to the West Virginia Supreme Court for an appeal. The West Virginia Supreme Court backed the 1919 law and the circuit court rulings and did not allow the movie to be shown ever again. This is the first major civil rights victory of many for T.G. Nutter. Nutter went on to lead the Charleston and state chapters of the N.A.A.C.P. The Rialto Theater was demolished decades ago. The&nbsp;site is now a parking garage.&nbsp;

This location, which is now a parking garage, was the site of the Rialto Theater. The theater was built in 1917. This theater differed from other theaters in Charleston at that time because patrons entered the theater "sideways." Instead of walking forward to the counter and the movie screens, moviegoers had to turn left to get to the movie screens and right to go to the balcony which was set up in tiers. The Rialto is significant as the site where African Americans protested the 1925 opening of a controversial movie.

Rialto Theatre Site

The A.G. Higginbotham Company of Charleston hired New York City architect, W.L. Stoddard to build the Daniel Boone Hotel in 1929. Prior to housing the Daniel Boone Hotel, this piece of property was home to the “Pasteboard Capitol” that was destroyed by fire in 1927. The Daniel Boone Hotel was one of the premiere hotels in the region when it opened in 1929. The ten-story luxury hotel featured the classical revival style with its blond brick exterior and stone terra cotta. Even after the capitol moved from this section of downtown to the east end, the hotel remained the center of political life and hosted legislators and federal officials traveling on government business. It also hosted dignitaries and celebrities from Presidents Hoover and Truman and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to Bob Hope, Jack Dempsey, and Gene Autry. Elvis and President John F. Kennedy also stayed in the historic hotel. The Cardinal Room was the Daniel Boone’s fine dining space where many of these politicians would dine during their stay.Despite the nationwide depression, the hotel expanded in 1936. World War II and the post-war period saw a period of sustained economic growth in the region. Union workers in coal and other industries enjoyed middle-class standards of living and Charleston experienced population growth throughout the decade. In 1949, the hotel expanded once again, providing an ornate ballroom, meeting rooms, and 465 guest rooms. However, the region's growth did not continue as central Appalachia suffered industrial decline in subsequent decades-a phenomenon that was similar to the famous "Rust Belt" cities of the upper Midwest. The hotel closed in 1981. Three years later, the former hotel reopened as a downtown office building and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. Today many local businesses and firms are located in 405 Capitol Street.

  
The Daniel Boone Hotel was built in 1929 by a group of Charleston citizens known as the Community Hotel Corporation to provide an elegant place for politicians and visiting dignitaries to stay in the capital city. This elegant hotel served as a base for most state legislators during the 60-day legislative sessions. Many laws were conceived, discussed, or modified in the smoke-filled rooms of the hotel, and most of Charleston’s major meetings, banquets, and conventions were held here as well. This piece of property has held a long standing with state government, as it housed the “Pasteboard Capitol” prior to housing the political guests of the Daniel Boone Hotel.  Some notable patrons of the Daniel Boone Hotel were John F. Kennedy, Debbie Reynolds, Bette Davis, and Elvis Presley.

Daniel Boone Hotel, 1929-1981

Gurnett Edinburg Ferguson was born in Edgewater, WV in 1888, and spent most of his childhood in Charleston. Attending public school in Charleston, he graduated from West Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute in 1922. Ferguson volunteered for service in WWI. He would train at Fort Des Moines, Iowa (the only exclusively African-American Officer School) and would attain a commission with the rank&nbsp;of Captain.&nbsp;Ferguson's state-side service earned him recognition and he was later&nbsp;transferred to Europe. While in Europe he became the only African American officer to command a transport ship during WWI.&nbsp; After his military service Capt. Ferguson returned to West Virginia and became a teacher. Ferguson was also a businessman. His biggest venture would be The Ferguson Hotel. Today, The Ferguson would best be described as a business destination. It was a first class hotel which also featured a pool room, barber shop, movie theater, cafe, and convention hall.2 As part of "The Block", Charleston's African-American neighborhood,&nbsp;The Ferguson would serve that community for many&nbsp;years.&nbsp; The Ferguson Hotel was designed by architect John C. Norman, Sr., one of West Virginia's first African-American architects. Norman taught&nbsp;at West Virginia State and designed numerous buildings and remodels of existing buildings throughout the city, including Faulkner Hardware, the garage and showroom for Capitol Motor Sales, Washington&nbsp;Manor, Simmons High School in London WV, and faculty housing at West Virginia State. Ferguson was involved in civics. He served in the West Virginia delegation to the Republican National Convention,&nbsp;as an alternate delegate, in both 1940 and in 1948. Ferguson was a Freemason and a Shriner. He was also a member of the Baptist Church. "Cap" Ferguson died on December 26, 1982.

The Ferguson Hotel was the dream of Gurnett E. Ferguson and included a retail and business complex in addition to a 72-room hotel. It featured a cafe, a pool room, barber shop, movie theater, and convention hall. Part of the downtown area referred by its inhabitants as "The Block", the Ferguson Hotel served Charleston's African-American community. The building was designed by John C. Norman, the first African American to become a registered architect in Charleston. 

The Ferguson Hotel

This building was built in 1939 as the State Theater, and served the community of Charleston until its closing in 1982. The property was vacant for nearly thirty years and suffered much damage, including a partially collapsed roof. It was a sad sight until the West Virginia Secondary Schools Personal Association (WVSSPA) undertook a restoration effort for the theater in 2005. The theater originally had an unpainted red brick facade, but the restoration included a pale yellow paint scheme. There was also major renovations done to the interior once the roof had been repaired.&nbsp; Windows were replaced with salvaged Vitrolite glass panels and a reproduction Art Deco main door, which adds to the overall period appearance of the building.1

This charming Art Deco building sits on Washington Street in the East End of Charleston, West Virginia. Built in 1939, this theater entertained the citizens of Charleston until its closing in 1982. The building was vacant for many years and was in a state of disrepair when, in 2005, the WVSSPA restored it for office use.     

Historic Hotels and Theaters of Charleston West Virginia

Charleston Light Opera Guild Theatre

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information