Moundsville Historical Walking Tour - Clio

Entries on This Tour

1. Fostoria Glass Museum

This museum offers exhibits of the glassware produced by the Fostoria Glass Company during the factory's nearly 100 years of operation in Moundsville. The company began operations in Fostoria, Ohio, on December 15, 1887. In 1891, it moved its operations to Moundsville due to the abundance of natural gas and coal and the centrality of these resources to the production of glassware. The company first created a line of fine quality hand-blown stemware and later produced their first complete crystal dinner service. Fostoria remained one of the key businesses in Moundsville until the factory closed in 1986. At its height of production (late 1940s), Fostoria employed 1000 workers, mostly from Moundsville and nearby Glen Dale, and became the largest manufacturer of handmade glass in the United States.

2. Site of the first cabin in Moundsville (Joseph Tomlinson)

This stone marker designates the location where Joseph Tomlinson and his brothers Samuel and James became the first settlers of European descent to build a cabin in present-day Moundsville. The family was originally from Maryland and came to the Virginia frontier in search of land in 1771. The original cabin burned in 1809 and a two-story structure was built in its place. The second structure remained until 1917, when the land was purchased and cleared to make room for Moundsville High School. The school served the community as a high school from 1919 to 1968. In 1968, a new high school opened and the building became Moundsville Junior High and served grades 7-9 until the school closed in 2001 due to concerns about the building's structural integrity. The new Moundsville Middle School, just north on Tomlinson, opened in 2001 and continues to serve Moundsville and the surrounding area for grades 6-8.

3. The Grisell House Center for the Arts

This cultural center is located in the former Elwood Grisell home which was built in 1936. The property was donated by Mr. Grisell's son, Sidney, to the Strand Preservation Society to support their efforts to create and maintain a cultural center for the citizens of Marshall County. In 2015, the house reopened as "The Grisell House Center for the Arts" and now offers art classes for both youth and adult, beginners and advanced. It also serves as a hospitality center for performers at the Strand Theater, displays the artwork of local artists, and is available as a rental space to local organizations looking for meeting rooms. The Center has a growing collection of pieces from artists with a tie to Marshall County, including acclaimed artist Joseph Hughes.

4. Strand Theatre

When local entrepreneur Merton Sybert opened this Vaudeville theater in 1920, The Strand was the first steel-framed building in Moundsville. The theater began with stage attractions but like most other theaters during the 1920s, the Strand also offered screenings of silent movies that were often accompanied by live musicians who played the theater organ to match the mood of the film. The Strand soon followed the movie industry through the transition to "talkies" during the 1930s and showed first-run Hollywood movies until 1968 when the theater closed for eight years. The Strand reopened in 1976 and once again played Hollywood films until the theater closed in 1996. In 2000, the Strand Preservation Society was organized by local residents who led fundraising efforts to bring the old theater back to its original glory. By 2012, the theater was ready to reopen. Thanks to the efforts of preservationists and local citizens, the Strand once again offers film screenings and also hosts live-performances and musical events. As of 2018, nearly all of the theater has been completely renovated and the eighteen year effort to restore the theater is nearly complete. Moundsville was home to two other theaters, The Grand on Seventh Street and The Park on North Jefferson, but only the Strand has survived, thanks in part to the efforts of local preservationists.

5. Kirkside - Home of the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce

This historic home was constructed in 1877 and now serves as the home of the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce. Richard Ferrell constructed the two-story Italianate style home which is known as Kirkside and the Ferrell-Holt House owing to two families who lived here (the Richard Ferrell family and the J. Howard Holt family). The home was later purchased by the nearby Methodist church as a location for community youth activities. The painted brick home features a hip roof and two corbeled chimneys and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 27, 1987.

6. West Virginia State Penitentiary

After West Virginia seceded from Virginia during the Civil War in 1863, the state began searching for a location for a state penitentiary. Leaders in Moundsville lobbied on behalf of their city as the site of the penitentiary and the prison operated in this city from 1876 to 1995. The city chose the prison over other options, including the possibility of a university, because city leaders felt the prison would be more profitable for the city. The prison is a leading tourist destination today as it offers a magnificent example of Gothic architecture complete with turrets and battlements. This former prison is popular with those who are fascinated with rumors of paranormal activity. While some travelers value the prison for its architecture and window into understanding 19th and 20th century prisons, others visit this location for the popular ghost tours that are offered throughout the year.

7. Grave Creek Mound Archaelogical Complex

The Grave Creek Mound in Moundsville, WV is the largest Adena conical burial mound in North America. The major West Virginia landmark is currently 62 feet high and 240 feet in diameter and is estimated to contain 57,000 tons of earth. Archaeologists believe that the mound was constructed sometime during the Early Woodland period in successive stages during 250-150 B.C. The mound once had a three-story observatory and Civil War artillery on its summit. Horse races were often run around the base. Today the Grave Creek mound is owned and operated by the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History as part of the Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex. The Complex includes the Delf Norona Museum and the state's repository for West Virginia's archaeological collections.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Moundsville Historical Walking Tour

Created by Susan Jones on June 24th 2018, 6:28:49 pm.

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Description

This tour takes in Moundsville's Fostoria Glass Museum, the site of Moundsville's first settlement, local art at the Grisell House, the renovated Vaudeville Strand Theatre, the Kirkside Home, the Grave Creek Mound and Archaeological Center and the former WV Penitentiary. Please note that while the address for the Penitentiary is 8th Street, the building covers three blocks and the entry for the public tours of the penitentiary is located at 10th and Jefferson. The Grave Creek Mound will actually appear before the penitentiary, not after as suggested by the pins. Other historic points of interest within a longer walk or short drive include Mt. Rose and First Street historic cemeteries, the Moundsville Historic Museum (13th Street), and the Cockayne House in neighboring Glen Dale. Drive north between 2nd and 5th streets for unique shopping on Jefferson Avenue or take a 25 minute drive to Prabhupada's Palace of Gold in New Vrindaban, WV for a unique cultural experience. This walking tour is .6 miles/10 minutes from start to completion on flat terrain. Recommended visiting times: Fostoria (30 min), Grisell House and Strand (30 min), Kirkside (10-15 min), Mound Complex (30-60 min), Prison Tour (90 min) Total recommended time allowance: 3 to 3.5 hours

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