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<div>The Wetzel County Historical Society ceased operations in 2009 with the passing of Fitzsimmons. The building and its collections were acquired by the Wetzel County Conventions and Visitors Bureau. The local CVB worked to create exhibits and a local history museum with these items that would serve as a place where the history of the area could be safely stored and appreciated. Thanks to the hard work of the CVB these goals have been realized. Extensive renovations were made to the building and many of its original features were restored including its hardwood floor and tin ceiling. The building is dedicated to Jim Fitzsimmons.&nbsp; </div>

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The building that houses the museum began as the Wells Hardware Company, which was owned and operated by Friend Cox Wells (1848-1939). Wells’ daughter, Sara Wells Eakin (1882-1961) and her husband, J.O. Eakins (1883-1958) joined the store as partners and transformed the shop into the Wells Hardware and Furniture Company. Wells Hardware remained in operation until Friend’s grandson, J. Wells Eakin, retired in 1997. The building then housed the newly formed Wetzel County Historical Society which was spearheaded by Jim Fitzsimmons (1924-2009). The Historical Society operated with the purpose of displaying historical objects, old photographs, and telling stories of Wetzel County’s fascinating past. 

Wetzel County Museum

This driving tour begins and ends at historic hotels and includes stops along the Ohio River between the cities of Parkersburg and Wheeling, West Virginia. Spanning over six counties in West Virginia, this tour takes you to two dozen museums and landmarks all within a two-hour drive. The tour begins at Parkersburg's Blennerhassett Hotel and concludes at the historic Oglebay Resort which includes two museums and a zoo within the resort complex. 

The Mid-Ohio Valley of West Virginia Driving Tour

This five-stop walking tour explores the history of New Martinsville and Wetzel County, West Virginia. First settled in the late 1700s, the town of Martinsville (later New Martinsville) was established in 1848 and serves as the county seat. This short tour begins at the Wetzel County Museum, a great place to learn more about local history. The next two stops— the Adena Burial Mound Historical Marker and Levi Morgan Monument—explore the area’s rich pre-Columbian and colonial history. The fourth stop takes visitors to the Lincoln Theater, a cultural centerpiece of New Martinsville. The final stop is the Wetzel County War Memorial Building, which serves as a living monument to local citizens who’ve served in 20th century conflicts.

New Martinsville Downtown Walking Tour

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The Adena was a prehistoric, mound-building culture shared among a variety of peoples in the wider Ohio River Valley, including its tributaries in western West Virginia. The Adena culture dominated the region from approximately 1000 to 200 BCE (an archeological era known as the Woodland Period). The Adena were ultimately eclipsed by the Hopewell culture, who continued the mound-building tradition of the Adena. With no written legacy, our fragmentary and limited knowledge of the Adena comes from archeological record. The Adena were primarily hunter-gatherers, although they practiced limited agriculture as well. Their villages usually centered on flat areas near major rivers, and they moved their villages every few years. They enjoyed wide-ranging trade networks across the eastern half of North America, including copper from the Upper Midwest, mica and ceramics from Appalachia, and shells from the Gulf Coast. The most notable features of the Adena culture, however, were their mounds. The Adena built large burial (or mortuary) mounds for prominent men and women, which often contained multiple chambers. They also built geometric earthworks that may have served ceremonial purposes. The Adena were prolific mound-builders, with dozens of mounds stretched across Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Several prominent Adena mounds dot the northwestern counties of West Virginia. Most notable is the Grave Creek Mound in Moundsville, West Virginia (the town's name derives from the mound), one of the largest extant Adena mounds. But also north of New Martinsville in Marshall County were the Cresap, Natrium, and Welcome Mounds, which stood about 10-15 feet high. These mounds were unfortunately destroyed during 20th century agricultural and industrial projects. In recent years, local citizen Denise Nielson Tackett determined that an Adena mound similar to the Cresap, Natrium, and Welcome Mounds lay submerged under the waters of the Ohio River flowing aside New Martinsville. The flooded mound lies under the river near North and McEldowney Streets. In July 2011, a new state historic marker was dedicated to the Adena mound in downtown New Martinsville. As Denise Tackett noted, "The great mound building cultures of the U.S. are hardly known outside of academic and archeology circles. As the center of Adena Culture, this area should identify sites of interest and make efforts to introduce them to and inform the public about them."

In July 2011, a historical marker was dedicated to an Adena mound determined to be submerged under the Ohio River's waters near New Martinsville. The Adena culture existed between approximately 1000-200 BCE in the Ohio Valley region. The Adena were known for their long-range trade networks, large burial mounds, and geometric earthworks. The burial mound under the Ohio River is one of many scattered throughout West Virginia, with several more Adena mounds in Marshall County to the north.

Adena Burial Mound Historical Marker

Born on June 26, 1766, Levi Morgan belonged to the prominent Morgan family of western Virginia. Levi's grandfather Morgan Morgan emigrated to the American colonies from Wales and is thought to be the first white settler to live in what is now West Virginia. Levi's father Colonel Zackquill Morgan established Morgan's Town (now Morgantown) in western Virginia and was an acquaintance of George Washington. From a young age, Levi learned the skills necessary to live in the Virginia backcountry. He likewise grew accustomed to dealing with Native Americans, learning to speak the Algonquian language of the Lenape (or Delaware) tribe. As Levi Morgan grew up, he entered a frontier world fraught with conflict between white settlers pushing ever westward and disparate Native tribes determined to keep white men at bay. Morgan developed a reputation as an Indian fighter, and a number of tales speak to his adventures. In one such story, Morgan encountered several Indians who stole his neighbor's horse. Morgan ambushed them, killing one quickly. Unable to reload his gun, however, Morgan was forced to flee. One Native American took up the pursuit. Losing the footrace, Morgan hoped to distract the Indian by dropping his gun, then shot pouch, then coat. But his pursuer stayed the course and kept gaining on the settler. Reaching a hilltop, Morgan cried out, "Come on, come on; here's one, make haste...Shoot quick, or he will be out of reach." Although no one was nearby to hear Morgan's cries, the ruse worked; the Indian halted his pursuit and fled, thinking Morgan had friends nearby. Although Morgan lost his gun during the chase, he apparently met the same Indian years later and won the gun back in a fair race.[1] Levi Morgan took part in the disastrous 1791 United States expedition against Miami Chief Little Turtle and his Western Indian Confederacy in the Ohio country during the Northwest Indian War. The U.S. sought to force Little Turtle out of the Ohio region, and 1,400 men (including Morgan) were sent west under General Arthur St. Clair to defeat the Native Americans. Instead, on the banks of the Wabash river, the U.S. suffered the worst military defeat ever inflicted by Natives. Over 600 Americans were killed and nearly 300 wounded. Levi Morgan survived the battle. Afterwards, Morgan continued to serve as an officer with a small militia company based along Fishing Creek (near modern New Martinsville, WV). In 1826, Levi Morgan was captured by Native Americans in Kentucky, but managed to escape. Hiding in a hollow tree for several days, he finally froze to death. Levi Morgan's descendant Aaron Morgan played a central role in the establishment of the monument to his frontiersman ancestor. Aaron Morgan served in the West Virginia legislature, and in 1901, helped secure a $3,500 appropriation for a monument to Levi Morgan in New Martinsville, Wetzel County. A popular misconception is that the monument was meant for Morgantown (given the Morgan family's ties to that location), but Wetzel County was the original choice because of Aaron Morgan. The West Virginia Monument Company crafted a monument depicting Levi Morgan standing atop a large stone pillar. Since no portrait of Levi himself existed, Aaron Morgan was used to sculpt Levi's likeness. The monument was dedicated on July 4, 1902, following a parade through downtown New Martinsville.

Born in 1766, Levi Morgan hailed from a prominent western Virginia family. Growing up in the Virginia backcountry, Morgan became a skilled frontiersmen and noted Indian fighter. He routinely engaged Native Americans in frontier clashes. Morgan also served in the 1791 expedition against Little Turtle's Western Indian Confederacy in the Ohio country, which ended in disaster at the Battle of the Wabash. He died in Kentucky in 1826. In 1901, Levi's ancestor Aaron Morgan helped secure state funds for a monument to Levi Morgan in New Martinsville. The monument was dedicated to much fanfare in 1902.

Levi Morgan Monument

The Lincoln Theater
opened in downtown New Martinsville in 1920. Since that time, the theater has
played host to numerous films, plays, and community events. Prominent actress,
Gloria Swanson, gave a speech to a packed house in 1925 prior to the screening
of her film, "Manhandled." A comedy film starring Swanson and
directed by Allan Dawn, "Stage Struck," which was filmed on location
in New Martinsville, had its world premiere at the Lincoln Theater in 1925. The
silent film has since been archived and restored by the George Eastman House
and the British Film Institute. In 1927 new sound equipment was added to the
theater and it fully transitioned from silent pictures to “talkies."After closing in 1967, a group of prominent New
Martinsville residents purchased the building and leased it back to the city.
It is now owned by the New Martinsville Parks and Recreation Department and
continues to entertain Wetzel County and its guests and travelers. It is listed
on the National Register of Historic Places.

Standing in New Martinsville, WV since it's opening day in 1920, the Lincoln Theater is a cultural landmark and popular tourist attraction in the local community. Housing a variety of events and shows, including performances by local theater groups, the Lincoln Theater should be a stop for any arts enthusiasts coming to West Virginia, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places. 

Lincoln Theater

During World War I, over 2.3 million Americans served in the United States military. Included among the U.S. ranks were 58,000 West Virginians. Almost 2,000 West Virginians died in service, and several thousand more were wounded. In the years following the war, several monuments sprung up across the state commemorating West Virginians' service. In June 1927, two local New Martinsville organizations began promoting the idea of a monument to Wetzel County's World War I veterans. The New Martinsville Kiwanis Club and local Marne Post 28 of the American Legion sought to create a "living" monument, a building that would honor local veterans while serving as a social and civic hub within the New Martinsville community. The American Legion requested the Wetzel County Court "to assist in the erection of a memorial in memory of those who in the World War and other wars laid down their lives for their country."[2] To make the concept a reality, the county court needed a petition signed by twenty percent of the county's residents to raise a levy for memorial funds. The American Legion took the initiative and circulated the petition, which proved successful. The county levy ultimately raised $18,000. The American Legion contributed another $12,000, as well as two plots of land at the corner of Main and Virginia Streets to serve as the building's site. In 1928, with funds on hand, a Memorial Board was established to oversee construction of the War Memorial Building. The building was designed by Millard F. Giesey, a well-known architect from Wheeling. Built in a Neoclassical style, the cornerstone was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 30, 1929. The first floor, including a large ballroom, served as a civic space for various local groups, including graduating high school classes, Boy Scout troops, sewing circles, and boxing groups. The second floor was primarily utilized by by the local Marne Post 28 of the American Legion and the Ladies Auxiliary. During World War II, various wartime organizations utilized the building, including the Selective Service Board and Red Cross. Local Civil Defense forces kept an eye on the skies from the building's roof in case of invasion. Plaques inside the building honor those who served in both World War I and World War II. Following the Korean War, a monument was placed outside the building honor veterans of that war. An artillery piece also sits in front of the building, which continues to serve the community and Wetzel County today.

In 1927, the local New Martinsville Kiwanis Club and American Legion decided to build a "living" monument commemorating its local World War I veterans. This building is the result. The American Legion spearheaded the initiative, and between a Wetzel County levy and the Legion's fundraising efforts, $30,000 was raised to construct the War Memorial Building at the corner of Main and Virginia Streets. Local citizens and civic groups have utilized the building for nearly a century, including during World War II by both the Red Cross and Civil Defense. Plaques and monuments on the site honor veterans of both World Wars and the Korean War. Nearly 60,000 West Virginians served in World War I, and 5,000 became casualties.

New Martinsville Downtown Walking Tour

Wetzel County Museum

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