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The Despard Building was constructed in 1877 and originally hosted the Wells & Haymaker Drug Store. Funding for the building came from the Despard family in Clarksburg. Colonel Burton Despard was instrumental in Clarksburg’s economic development in the mid to late nineteenth century. Colonel Despard maintained a law practice with Edwin Maxwell, and also owned a number of early coal mines in the area. The Despard family continued to develop land and businesses after the colonel’s death in 1874. In contrast to some other Italianate buildings in the district, the Despard Building focuses on horizontality rather than verticality. Six bays of windows grace the façade of the structure, though these days the building has been separated into a two-bay and a four-bay storefront. Both sections of windows have the same elongated form and Victorian decorative molding. The left storefront features a dentilled cornice, while the right storefront has an unornamented cornice. The first-floors of the building have been completely reimagined and the second floor has been repainted, each storefront with a different color. Though the building has been somewhat fractured due to the disparate sections, the basic form remains intact.

Despard Building

This short walking tour takes visitors to downtown Clarksburg on a journey through the city’s past. From late nineteenth century banks, to the historic Waldomore house, to the more modern Marcel Breuer designed Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library, there's a little bit of everything to see! Learn more about the people and places that shaped Clarksburg in one of West Virginia’s most historic cities. Be sure to stop by the Clarksburg Visitors’ Bureau for more information or other resources.

The Traders Building occupied this site before the Union National Bank did. The Traders Building was designed by Columbus, Ohio based architects Yost and Packard, and built from 1894-1895. The Traders Building was the focus of downtown Clarksburg’s social scene in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It housed the Traders Hotel, a bank, eight stores, three lodges, an opera house, and several offices. The building is almost better categorized as a complex, and was a precursor to the more modern shopping mall. It is frequently characterized as the grandest building ever to grace Clarksburg. Tragically , the Traders Building was short lived, as it burned down in 1911, just a little over fifteen years after opening its doors. Due to the wood frame structure of the building and gas lighting that was prone to fire, the building was easily flammable. Early in the evening on January 20th, 1911, the Clarksburg fire department responded to a fire on the north side of town. At 6:15 that evening, flames were discovered on the Third Street side of the Traders Building. Due to the fire department responding to the first fire, the fire at the Traders Building quickly engulfed the structure. Firefighters fought throughout the night to extinguish the flames, but were unsuccessful and the building burned to the ground.The fire at the Trader Building was not Clarksburg’s first calamitous fire. In 1851, the city had two separate fires that destroyed nearly all of Downtown. On May 10th, all of the buildings on the north side of Main Street from Third Street to Fourth Street burned, and on November 12th, most of the buildings on the south side of the street from Second Street to the courthouse were destroyed as well. The cause of these fires were arson committed by three young men belonging to prominent families in the community. They used balls of tow soaked in turpentine and tossed them onto the roofs of the buildings they destroyed. A Frenchman was initially charged with planning the fires based solely on the fact that he was French. The Harrison County Court released this man several months later because they had no evidence to convict him.Following the loss of the Traders Building, the Union National Bank purchased the lot with the intention of creating a new building. The Union National Bank had previously occupied the Traders Building after buying out the People’s and Traders Bank in 1905. Bank president W. Brent Maxwell decided to immediately construct another building in the Traders Building’s place. The Baltimore based firm Wyatt and Nolting were contracted to design the structure. The ten-story Union National Bank building was completed in 1912, a remarkable turn-around time considering the scale of the project and recency of the Traders Building’s destruction.At ten-stories high, the Union National Bank remains Clarksburg’s tallest structure. Despite the height, the building is relatively thin. This was a conscious choice by the architects, who designed the building to resemble a Greek Doric column. This was accomplished through a hefty base, unadorned middle section, and modillioned cornice. A mezzanine and penthouse atop the building bring it to an honorary eleven floors. The building is supported by a steel frame, though the exterior brick, limestone, and terracotta certainly do not betray this fact. The interior lobby is sumptuously decorated with marble. The Union National Bank occupied the bottom two floors for lobby operations. The upper floors were all rented as office space, though the bank likely also utilized them itself. The Union National Bank merged with One Bank in the latter half of the twentieth century, which in turn merged with Chase Bank. The Union National Bank continues to be used as a banking location, as well as office space for local businesses.

Before the Union National Bank occupied this site, it was occupied by the Traders Building. This building housed a number of facilities including the Trader Hotel, an opera house, and a number of stores. It was the largest building ever built in the Clarksburg Historic District and resembled a modern shopping centre. However, the Traders Building burnt to the ground in 1911. It was quickly replaced by the Union National Bank building, which still stands today. The ten-story structure was designed to resemble a Doric column. It has remained downtown Clarksburg’s tallest building since its completion in 1911 and has served banking institutions continuously. These days, the building also includes office space for local businesses and organizations.

Union National Bank

This site has a long history of educational use. In 1787, the Randolph Academy was chartered as the first academy west of the Allegheny Mountains. A building to house the school was completed in 1793 before officially opening in 1795. Reverend George Towers, who was a graduate of the University of Oxford, England, served as the school’s first tutor until his death in 1816. Reverend Towers was a Presbyterian minister and advocate for the education of young people. Randolph Academy was the principal regional school from 1795 to 1843. However, the school often had problems finding teachers during this time, and the school’s physical condition was poor as well. By 1841, the condition of the building was so poor that the Board of Education opted to sell the property to the Northwestern Virginia Academy with the condition that the building be demolished. Northwestern Virginia Academy constructed a new building on this site in the early 1840s. Reverend Gordon Battelle, who would later help found West Virginia, presided as principal of the academy from 1843 to 1851. In the spring of 1853, the board of trustees added a female department to the school that was overseen by Reverend Richard A. Arthur. Enrollment for the 1855-1856 term included 130 male students and 99 female students. This was a total of 229 students led by 5 teachers, or a 45 to 1 ratio. During the Civil War, the school was used as a barracks, hospital, and guard house. After the war, the school did not reopen, but offered private schooling. In 1888, Clarksburg High School was founded and used the Northwestern Virginia Academy building until 1894. During this time, two more rooms were added to the western end of the building. In 1894, after fifty years of service, the Northwestern Virginia Academy structure was demolished due to structural safety concerns. A new building, the Towers School, was constructed on the site of the Northwestern Virginia Academy in 1895. The school was named for George Towers, the aforementioned first tutor in Randolph County. The institution served as a Clarksburg public school and was funded with donated materials and money. The total cost of the project was $25,000 — approximately $800,000 adjusted for inflation. The building was designed by M. P. Geisy with John Shrake Company from New Matamoras, Ohio carrying out construction. As a Romanesque-Vicorian building, the school reflected the popular architectural styles of the time. The first floor was equipped with a large hall that separated two classrooms on the left and a room called the chapel on the right. The second floor was divided into five classrooms. As a whole, the two-story brick building was 71 by 44 feet and topped with a cupola.The Tower School’s time as a high school was short-lived. In 1913, the school was converted into an elementary school. It continued to serve this function throughout most of the twentieth century. A historical marker was erected by the West Virginia Department of Culture and History in 1980 in recognition of the school’s contributions to public education in Clarksburg. In the mid 1990s, Towers School was demolished and no new building has been erected at this site.

The Towers School site has been home to several educational institutions. The first school to occupy the site was the Randolph Academy, the first academy west of the Allegheny Mountains. After serving Clarksburg from 1795 until 1843, it was replaced by the Northwestern Virginia Academy. During the Civil War, the academy’s building was utilized as a barracks, military prison, and a hospital because Clarksburg was home to hundreds of troops from 1861 through 1865. The Northwestern Virginia Academy did not reopen after the war and its building was re-adapted for public school use. A new building, the Towers School, was established in 1895 and served the Clarksburg community for nearly 100 years. A historical plaque commemorates the site’s contributions to education in Clarksburg. Towers School was demolished in the mid-1990s.

Towers School

The Clarksburg Publishing Company was formed in 1927 from the merging of two newspapers: The Telegram and The Exponent. The former paper was a Unionist Republican weekly started in 1861, while the latter was more focused on non-partisan breaking news and began in 1910. Following the merger, the Clarksburg Publishing Company began creating three publications. In the morning, the Democratic Clarksburg Exponent included local news and opinions; in the evening, the Clarksburg Telegram included news stories from a broader scale; and on Sundays, the Exponent Telegram included in-depth stories from around the world. The Clarksburg Publishing Company has ties to several famous Clarksburg citizens — Virgil Highland was instrumental in the creation of the company and Nathan Goff served as an editor for the publications. The Clarksburg Publishing Company building predates the company itself by three years, having been completed in 1924. The two-story Classical Revival structure features large fitted stone blocks. Six bays of windows meet at a recessed porch on the first level, which is supported by two Ionic columns. Some stone fleur-de-lis ornamentation is present below a dentilled cornice. The exterior of the building has been altered extremely little in the past century.

Clarksburg Publishing Company

Major Nathan Goff Jr. was the third child of Waldo P. Goff and Harriet Louise Moore Goff. Goff was discharged from the United States military in September of 1864 and then began law school at the Cooper Institute that October. However, he left in December of the same year without graduating. The Circuit Court of Harrison County approved Goff’s admission to the bar, and Goff started practicing law in Harrison and the adjoining counties in 1865. In his first years of practice, Goff gained clients and experience thanks to his family’s popularity in the community. On November 7th, 1865, Nathan Goff Jr. married Laura E. Despard, who welcomed their first child in September of the following year.Goff joined his father in law’s practice soon after his marriage to Laura, and attempted to gain public office in August of 1866. The Harrison County Union Republican convention chose Goff and Solomon S. Fleming as candidates for the West Virginia House of Delegates. Goff, along with the rest of the Union ticket, won on October 25, 1866, and was in Wheeling for the opening of the legislature on January 15, 1867; Goff was the youngest delegate in attendance. Goff was appointed as the United States District Attorney for West Virginia by President Andrew Johnson in November of 1868, and was reappointed in 1872, 1876, and 1880, while continuing to run his private law firm in Clarksburg.When the Waldo Hotel opened in 1904, the ballroom on the seventh floor was illuminated by gaslights with large decorated shades, and a string orchestra played while guests waltzed. Patronesses for the First Assembly Ball were Mrs. Nathan Goff Jr., Mrs. Mord Lewis, Mrs. John J. Duncan, Mrs. Fleming Howell, Mrs. R.T. Lowndes, and Mrs. John Bassel. The Waldo would continue to hold similar events like that of opening night for prominent visitors of Clarksburg, such as John W. Davis, who lost the Democratic nomination for President of the United States after refusing to comply with the Ku Klux Klan. The grand seven-story building was built in a Romanesque Revival style reminiscent of Moorish structures in southern Spain. The Waldo hotel dominated the small local businesses that surrounded it, such as Hursey’s Harness Shop and Dudley’s Floral. The women’s entrance to the hotel was near the corners of Fourth and Pike Streets. The Waldo was equipped with a steam-operated elevator adorned with an open wire cage that opened into the lobby. There was also a narrow stairway made of marble steps and wrought iron railing decorated with gold accents that led to the parlor on the second floor. The main entrance along Fourth Street led to the hotel’s bar, a room with 31-foot high ceilings. The hotel’s dining room along the first floor mezzanine was furnished with tables for two, benches, and large chairs where guests could sit and view the comings and goings of the hotel. The wait-staff of the Waldo wore mistletoe green uniforms with a gold monogramed “W” along with white gloves. The main lobby of the Waldo was 60 feet long, 56 feet wide, and 31 feet high. Ten marble columns adorned with ivory and gold supported the luxurious lobby. The hotel opened with a private water filtration system, an ice plant that produced 1,000 pounds of ice daily, and an electric generator.In 1964, the hotel was sold to Salem College to be used as dormitories. The college occupied the building until 1969. Two years later, the rooms were repurposed into apartments while the ground floor hosted business offices. By the late 1990s, the Waldo no longer met fire code standards. The owner was unable to afford to bring the building up to code, so it was boarded up by the fire marshal. Since then, the Waldo Hotel’s fate has been invariably uncertain. Numerous fundraising efforts and campaigns have promised to restore the building but fallen short on funding or ability at the last minute. The current owners, Vandalia Heritage Foundation, have made some efforts to stall the building’s active deterioration. Proponents of demolishing the structure point to falling bricks and glass as evidence that the Waldo Hotel is irredeemable. Once the most luxurious building in the city, the future of the decrepit Waldo Hotel is now a topic of frequent debate and discussion among Clarksburg representatives.

Nathan Goff Jr. hired architect Harrison Albright to design the Waldo Hotel in 1901, and when the Waldo opened in 1904 it was one of the most luxurious hotels in West Virginia. The Waldo Hotel was named after Nathan Goff Jr.’s father, whose home sits beside the hotel. The Waldo was built with the intent to entertain prominent guests in Clarksburg, and became the hub of social and political life. After serving as a hotel for many decades, the Waldo was converted into dormitories for Salem College and later, apartments. The building currently sits vacant and is uninhabitable. Debate over whether the hotel should be restored or demolished is a common topic in Clarksburg, and the building’s future is uncertain.

 Waldo Hotel 

Waldomore is a two-story Neo-Classical Revival brick mansion with relatively spacious grounds. Waldo P. Goff had the building constructed in 1839 as a home for himself and his family. The front facade features seven bays of windows and a columned porch. One would be right to notice strong parallels between the White House and Waldomore — though the White House was not the direct inspiration for Waldomore, the two buildings are firmly rooted in the same architectural canon. During the Goffs’ ownership, the home underwent one major renovation. This renovation took place in the early 1900s and created more space for the family through the addition of two wings on the rear of the house, giving the building an H-shape. The original structure of Waldomore was built in 1842 by Clarksburg resident, businessman, and leader Waldo P. Goff and his wife Harriet Moore Goff. The home was meant to serve as a family residence for the couple and their nine children. The most famous child of Waldo and Harriet was Nathan Goff, who was born in Waldomore. Nathan Goff served as Secretary of the Navy under President Rutherford B. Hayes. Nathan Goff also served six years in the United States Congress, ran for West Virginia governor twice, was a US Circuit Judge, and served a term in the US Senate. Another important figure in the history of Waldomore is May Goff Lowndes. Lowndes was a daughter of Waldo and Harriet Goff and came to be the last Goff owner of Waldomore.In 1931, Lowndes bequeathed Waldomore to the city of Clarksburg on the condition that it be used “as a public library and museum and for no other purpose.”1 The Clarksburg Public Library had been moving from building to building for several years, so was thrilled to be gifted a permanent location. The city renovated the home by removing walls on the main floor to make the space larger for a reading room. This was also when the name “Waldomore” was developed. Lowndes decided to use a combination of her father's first name and her mother's maiden name as a way to honor them and their ownership of the home. John W. Davis, a Clarksburg native and the Democratic presidential nominee in 1924, presided over the Waldomore’s dedication ceremony in 1931. Davis wrote a short message commemorating Lowndes’ gift, which was placed on a bronze plaque in the building’s vestibule. Waldomore served as the primary site of Clarksburg’s library until 1976. At this time, the city built a larger structure next door to Waldomore to serve as the main city library. Waldomore was maintained for private events and as the home of the West Virginia collection of the library. Two years later, in October of 1978, Waldomore was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. A double-sided historical marker — one face discussing Waldomore and the other discussing Nathan Goff — was added in 2016. In 2017, a major renovation updated the building’s electrical system, repaired the roof, replaced the carpet and flooring, and added wireless internet access. These changes were made with the intent to maintain Waldomore’s historic integrity to the fullest possible extent.Today, Waldomore continues to serve as a public meeting and event space, the home of the West Virginia collection of the Clarksburg Public Library, and the location of the Gray Barker UFO Collection. Visitors have the opportunity to explore the mansion and meet with Waldomore staff to learn more about the history of the structure. Other appointments can be made to access the special collections. Thanks to preservation commitment by the City of Clarksburg, the home’s historical value, and the active function in library operations, Waldomore will remain part of Clarksburg’s history for years to come.

Waldomore began as a family home for Clarksburg resident Waldo P. Goff, but later evolved into a well-known local landmark. The two-story Neo-Classical Revival brick house was constructed in 1839 and expanded ca. 1900. It is an emblematic representative of the Neo-Classical Revival style. The name Waldomore was derived by combining the names of the original owners, Waldo P. Goff, and his wife Harriet Moore. May Goff Lowndes, daughter of Goff and Moore, donated Waldomore to the city of Clarksburg in 1931, on the condition that it be used as a library or museum. The city accepted and Waldomore remains a part of the Clarksburg Public Library today. It primarily holds special collections, such as the Local History & Genealogy Collection, the West Virginia Collection, and the Grey Barker UFO Collection. 


Waldomore 

The Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library was established in 1907 with just a few hundred books. When Mae Goff Lowndes bequeathed Waldomore to the city of Clarksburg, the home became the new library space. The library continued to expand over the next several decades and by the 1970s, the library had outgrown the house. A new structure was commissioned on an adjacent piece of land and finished in 1975. The structure is one of the most architecturally unique works in Clarksburg. It was designed by Hamilton Smith and famous Bauhaus artist Marcel Breuer. Smith and Breuer took cues from other buildings in town and used brick as the primary building material. Enormous window walls invite viewers into the space while ample light floods through courtyards. These lighter touches are offset by the heavy masses of brick, which were common features of Breuer’s often Brutalist designs. Breuer was also famous for his furniture designs, many of which are still present in the library. The two-story Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library building provides a welcome modern contrast to the concentration of early twentieth century buildings commonly found throughout town.

Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library

On August 3, 1916 Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, delivered an address on equal suffrage at the Masonic Temple in Clarksburg. This speech came directly after Catt had addressed the WV Democratic State Convention at Parkersburg, WV in support of women's suffrage. At the time of Catt's visit, the issue of women’s suffrage was a central issue because of the upcoming public referendum on the topic in November 1916. After several attempts, the West Virginia House and Senate had voted in 1915 to send a women’s suffrage amendment to the state constitution through to a public vote. As a result, suffrage leaders were very active in 1916 campaigning for support at the polls.

The Masonic Temple was built between 1911 and 1914. Masonic presence in the Clarksburg area dates back to 1814, when the original Virginia charter was granted. As Clarksburg became one of the most important and populous cities in western Virginia and later West Virginia, the need for a dedicated Masonic building was apparent. This seven-story Neo-Classical Revival building was designed by E.E. Pruitt of Columbus Ohio. The building was constructed by the Clarksburg Masonic Building Company, a corporation formed of organization members for the sole purpose of funding the structure. The completed building lives up to its temple title. The bottom two stories serve as a colossal base for four attached Doric columns, which stretch another three floors. The columns support a classical pediment which spans the building’s facade. The already unorthodox configuration is further exacerbated by two stories rising above the pediment — they were added in 1928. Though the building continues to serve as the location of Clarksburg’s Masonic Lodge, it also contains space for commercial offices.

  Masonic Temple

The Robinson Grand Theater first opened its doors to the public on February 7, 1913. It was built by the Clarksburg Amusement Company, which was formed in the previous year by Robert Lafferty, Claude Robinson, Charles Alexander, and Reuben Robinson. The original 1913 theater structure sat back from the street 72 feet and had a covered entry way. One of the few photographs of the early theater illustrates the substantial entryway opening onto the street from the covered walkway. The entrance was a segmental arch with globe lights and was flanked by a structure containing a ticket booth and a wall that contained areas to display movie posters. Hailing from Louisville, Kentucky, the Robinson brothers, Claude and Reuben, were very familiar with the theater business. Claude began selling programs throughout Kentucky and later in New Orleans very early on in his life. He would later become a treasurer and a manager for theaters across the country. Despite being responsible for the creation of the Robinson Grand Theater, historians do not know much about Reuben's life besides the fact that he worked many years as a manager at the Grand Opera House in Clarksburg, West Virginia, which burnt down in 1910. The loss of this establishment caused the area to no longer have a venue for shows and entertainment. Reuben noticed the show-hungry community and was determined to fix the issue. After convincing his brother Claude to relocate to West Virginia, the Robinson Grand Theater became a work in progress."The Case of Becky" starring Frances Starr was the first show to appear within the theater on opening night. This new theater happened to be a part of the Keith-Albee vaudeville circuit. To this day the Keith Albee in Huntington, West Virginia, is still active and open to the public. Some of the famous traveling acts which were hosted by the grand theater were Edgar Bergen along with Charlie and Jack Benny. The theater would also later show blockbuster film hits like Jaws and Star Wars in the 1980s.After being open for fourteen years, the Robinson Grand Theater underwent a remodel in 1927 in hopes of being more appealing to the public. The building was extended onto the street, making more room inside, and increasing the seating capacity from 1,000 to 1,500. The exterior structure is known for being Neo-Gothic with prominent Gothic windows. On the ground level, the main entrance is marked by a Tudor arch and elaborate decorative terracotta details. It is said these renovations reflected the contemporary designs of its time.Unfortunately, tragedy struck the Robinson Grand Theater on May 31, 1939, when the torch of an air conditioner repairman set the structure ablaze, destroying much of the stage and house. Luckily, the front part of the building was still intact despite the damages caused to the structure. After Claude Robinson promised the residents of the Clarksburg area the theater would be rebuilt, the town held a grand reopening on December 24, 1939, which was less than seven months after the heartbreaking event.Still to this day the 1939 structure stands with the original 1927 facade, but contains a new house and stage within. The Robinson Grand Theater was active and open to the public through the 1980s, where plays, concerts, and dance recitals were often hosted. Residents still fondly recall memories of times spent at the theater. As modern times began to arrive and the increase of demand for suburban multiplexes, the Robinson Grand Theater was frequented less and less by the public, causing it to shut down.The City of Clarksburg acquired the building in 2014 and the capital campaign began its public phrase in 2017 to raise money for the $15 million multi-use facility in the North Central area of West Virginia. According to the Clarksburg City Manager, Martin Howe, a recent economic study done within the city expresses that the renovation and restoration project for the former theater will have nearly a $32 million impact over the first five years of its operation. A soft re-opening of the theater was held on August 24th, 2018. The theater is now fully operational, with frequent showings and events.

The Robinson Grand Theater opened its doors in 1913 with the help of its founders William Lafferty, Charles Alexander and Reuben Robinson of the Clarksburg Amusement Company. It was later renovated and enlarged in 1927 to appeal to contemporary designs and society of its time. Unfortunately, tragedy struck in May of 1939 when an air conditioner caught on fire destroying most of the stage and theater house. Luckily, it was able to be rebuilt by December of the same year. This was the place where many locals first saw classics like Jaws, Star Wars and the Sound of Music. The theater continued to show movies and host local events through the 1980s but later shut down due to other popular suburban multiplexes within the area. Thanks to the hardworking people of Clarksburg, the Robinson Grand Theater was completely remodeled.

Robinson Grand Theater

The Highland family was one of Clarksburg’s first recorded settlers in 1802. In 1863, the State Legislature appointed commissioners to divide their counties into townships, name each township, map out the boundaries, and file them with the recorder of the county. The commissioners named in the act for Harrison County were Jacob Highland, Luther Haymond, Sidney Haymond, and John W. Boggess. The Union District was named by Jacob Highland in efforts to state his opposition to the secession of Virginia from the Union. John Edgar Highland attended the Northwest Academy in Clarksburg, and was a soldier for the Union Army during the Civil War. After moving to Weston for a short period of time, John Highland moved his family to the Highland homestead near West Milford in 1875. John and his wife Lucinda raised six children on the homestead, and all were influential in the development of Harrison County and the city of Clarksburg.Virgil L. Highland worked on his father’s farm growing up, and went to school in the winter. Eventually, he became a teacher and attended college in Scio, Ohio with the money he had earned. Highland studied business and took courses in commercial work, penmanship, and banking. After graduating, Highland was employed by R.T Lowndes, and in 1896 Highland was put in charge of the Lowndes interests, which included the store, an electric light company, an artificial gas plant, a flower mill, and other businesses. Highland stayed in this position of power with Lowndes for seven years. He also served as the County Clerk of Harrison County from 1896-1902. Highland was responsible for establishing or conducting other businesses in Clarksburg such as the Clarksburg Telegram Company, the Union Gas and Carbon Company, the West Chevy Chase Land Company, the Valley Coal and Coke Company, the Monongahela Valley Traction Company, the Elkhorn Coal Corporation, the West Virginia Metal Products Company, Merchants National Bank, the Southern States Mutual Life Insurance Company, the Hutchinson Coal Company, the Clarksburg Lumber and Planning Mill, the Penfield Coal and Coke Company, the West Virginia Fair Association, and the Tuna Glass Company. Virgil Highland was locally known as Harrison County’s “Silent Man” for his dedication to politics and his work ethic.Highland was highly instrumental in organizing the Empire National Bank in 1903 and served as the bank’s president from 1903 to 1930. After losing an election for circuit clerk in 1902, Highland set his sights on organizing a bank. The Empire National Bank opened its doors on October 3rd, 1903 in the Oak Hall Building. On February 14, 1907, the bank moved to a new building, which now bears its name. The Empire Building Company was established at the same time as the bank, and razed the Oliver Boughner General Store to construct the $100,000 Empire Building. The structure was seven stories high, and constructed of steel, brownstone, and brick. The bank’s main doors were bronze, while the interior was richly furnished with marble, bronze, and mahogany.On November 12th, 1902, the Clarksburg Telegram appointed Virgil Highland, S.C. Denham, and C.W. Lynch to purchase the Clarksburg Daily Telegram and move the paper from a room on West Main Street to the Post publishing plant. They also changed the paper from a weekly publication to a daily publication, and installed a Sunday edition in 1914. The Telegram was printed in the basement of the Empire Bank Building, while the editorial offices were on Fourth Street.

The Empire National Bank was established by Virgil Highland in 1903. It was originally located in the Oak Hall Building directly across Main Street from the structure on the northwest corner of Main and Fourth Streets. In 1907, the Empire National Bank moved to the Empire Building. The Clarksburg Publishing Company used to print copies of the town’s newspaper in the basement of the Empire National Bank Building. Today, the bank portion of the structure is occupied by MVB Bank, and remains a historic structure of Downtown Clarksburg.

Empire National Bank Building

The A.C. Smith Building was built in 1894 and named after its patron, A.C. Smith. Smith was a local merchant who was well-established in the broader Clarksburg community. From 1895 until the 1930s, the building housed the Smith, Brown, & Company Dry Goods Store. Since then the structure has been rented to a number of local businesses. Architecturally, the A.C. Smith Building is remarkably ornate. Though the palette is confined to a deep muted blue, almost every free inch of the façade is covered in Italianate leaf moldings. Bounded in the top cornice are letters spelling “A.C Smith.” The first-floor storefront has been slightly altered over the years, though the upper floors appear the same as they did in the early twentieth century. 

A.C. Smith Building

Following a meeting at the home of George Jackson on July 20, 1784, Clarksburg was chosen as the seat of Harrison County. Three years later, the first courthouse was built at a cost of five hundred fifty dollars. It was located at the corner of Main Street and 2nd Street, roughly a block from its current location. The building was a simple single-room frame construction resting on stone piers. Citizens often tied their horses to the piers when conducting business in the building. By the early nineteenth century, the need for a more substantial building became pressing, and a new courthouse was erected. Located at Main Street and 3rd Street, the site of the current courthouse, the second courthouse building was a two-story brick building. It cost three thousand seven hundred dollars to build. A large tree behind the structure served as a whipping post.The two-story brick courthouse served Clarksburg for forty-five years. In 1856, it was demolished and another newly expanded building took its place. The third courthouse was also a two-story brick building, though it was larger and featured far more ornamentation, such as a cupola on the roof, wrought-iron balconies, and a bell and clock tower. This courthouse was the site of the Union Meetings, a series of public gatherings to discuss Virginian secession, both before and after this possibility was realized. The most important meeting occurred on April 22, 1861, when 1,200 Clarksburg residents packed the square to discuss Virginia’s act of treason just five days prior. Public opinion was strongly pro-Union, and repeated calls for a pro-Union convention emerged from the meeting. John S. Carlile, a seasoned politician present at the Virginia Secession Convention, also helped organize the Union Meetings. Following the April 22 gathering, he was instrumental in coordinating the First Wheeling Convention, which eventually led to the creation of West Virginia as a state.A fourth courthouse was constructed between 1888 and 1889 at the cost of forty-six thousand dollars. By far the most ornate structure to date, it featured brick construction, three stories, and Romanesque revival architectural touches. The bell and clock tower from the third courthouse were also preserved and reintroduced on the newer structure. Clarksburg continued to boom in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, so plans were made for yet another new courthouse building — the one you see before you today. A special levy in 1928 raised an astounding seven hundred thousand dollars to finance the construction. Clarksburg architect Carlton C. Wood was commissioned to be the supervising architect, while Cleveland, Ohio architects R.L. Walker and H.F. Horne assisted with the plans. The new nine-story courthouse proved to be the pride of Clarksburg. A cornerstone laying ceremony in 1931 attracted thousands of residents, while an equally lavish dedication occurred after its completion in 1932. John W. Davis, Democratic nominee for president in 1924, gave the principal address at the dedication ceremony.The fifth and final Harrison County Courthouse is an excellent example of early Art Moderne architecture. Though it developed out of Art Deco, Art Moderne is also a response to the earlier style. While Art Deco architecture is typically opulent and heavily ornamented, Art Moderne is more sleek and austere. Though the Harrison County Courthouse is certainly an Art Moderne building, it retains several Art Deco aspects rarely found in Art Moderne. It was common for Art Moderne buildings to eschew Art Deco’s sharp points in favor of more curvilinear vertices. However, the Harrison County Courthouse clearly maintains bold edges. Furthermore, Art Moderne architecture typically emphasizes horizontality over the soaring verticality of Art Deco. The Harrison County Courthouse is certainly a vertical structure — perhaps this is a result of the space the architects had available. The limestone building’s two most distinctive features are an illuminated clock at the top of the building, which is crowned by a flagpole.Several monuments, historical plaques, and statues grace the Harrison County Couthouse’s grounds. A historical information plaque provides some information and context on the Union Meetings and John S. Carlile. Near the entrance is a statue of Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson, a Confederate general and Clarksburg’s most famous resident, mounted on a horse. Erected in 1985 as part of a centennial celebration, “Honoring the Immigrants” is a tribute to Clarksburg’s heritage. The bow flag staff of the U.S.S West Virginia, which was sunk at Pearl Harbor, also graces the courtyard. Finally, two memorials honor West Virginia veterans: the Memorial to Those Who Served and the Purple Heart Memorial. For over two centuries, the Harrison County Courthouse has continued to serve as the central gathering point of the county.

The history of the Harrison County Courthouse stretches back to 1784, when a one-room building was erected for five hundred fifty dollars. Since then, the building has been replaced four times, culminating in the fifth courthouse that is visible today. The current Art Moderne building was constructed between 1931 and 1932 and is architecturally significant. It is also Harrison County’s longest serving courthouse building. A variety of historical plaques, monuments, and memorials are contained in the building’s courtyard. They commemorate the people and events that have shaped Harrison County.

Harrison County Courthouse

J.G. Jackson of Clarksburg, then Virginia, was the attorney for the Muskingum Bank in Zanesville, Ohio in 1814, and also owned stock in the Bank of Marietta in Marietta, Ohio. Jackson was aware that a charter to establish a bank in Clarksburg would be in the files of the assembly in Richmond due to the salt works in the area. The Virginia Saline Bank was established by Benjamin Wilson Jr. and John Webster in a stone building on the south side of West Main Street between Water and Second Streets in Clarksburg in 1812. Jackson joined Wilson and Webster to promote his investment in salt works in Clarksburg, and to strengthen a bank that was three hundred miles away from the state capital. The Virginia Saline Bank served as a wildcat bank, a bank that was chartered by state law without any federal oversight. However, it was eventually sued by the United States because the bank had no funds. When a bank in Wheeling received a charter from the Virginia Assembly, a bank branch was established in Clarksburg in 1860 under the name of Merchants and Mechanics Bank. Nathan Goff served on the Merchants and Mechanics Bank board with Luther Haymond as the cashier. When Clarksburg was threatened with invasion by the Confederate Army during the Civil War, Luther himself carried assets and records of the bank to Grafton for safe-keeping.Merchants Bank has existed on the same block in Clarksburg since its establishment in 1860; the first location of Merchants Bank was in a storeroom in the Despard Block. The Merchants Bank Building was constructed in 1894 on the corner of the Despard Block, at the junction of West Main and Third Streets. Charles L. Hickman, a prominent Clarksburg architect who was a founder of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, designed the building. The three-story structure is built in a Neo-Romanesque Revival style. This style is exemplified by large, rough-cut masonry, rich brick tones, rounded arches, and decorative dentils, all of which can be seen on the Merchants Bank Building. The building’s location on a street corner allows for its unique defining feature, a rounded entryway facade. The Union Bank purchased the assets belonging to Merchants Bank in 1961, and the building was sold to Community Savings and Loan. The Merchants Bank building, now the Community Bank building, has retained an integrity of function as it continues to serve as the home for local Clarksburg banks. In addition to its economic role in Clarkburg’s history, the structure is also an architecturally striking Neo-Romanesque Revival building.

The Merchants and Mechanics Bank was established as a branch of a bank in Wheeling in 1860, and was originally housed in a storefront of the Despard Block. In 1894, the Merchants Bank building was constructed and included three storerooms, all of which are still in their original state today. The Merchants Bank building is a striking New-Romanesque Revival structure, significant for its architectural integrity. In 1961, Merchant Bank’s assets were purchased by Union Bank, and the building was then purchased by its present namesake, Community Savings and Loans.

CVB Downtown Historic Buildings Walking Tour

Despard Building

Introduction

Images

Sources