The WVU Art Movement is a student organization at West Virginia University dedicated to supporting, promoting, and creating public art for the WVU and Morgantown community. They created the PRT Mural under the WVU Beechurst PRT station in the fall of 2015 using WVU blue and golds and river iconography to reflect the location.
West Virginia University’s Elizabeth Moore Hall has served as a women’s physical education facility, women’s graduate student dormitory, office of the dean of women, and home of numerous campus organizations. The three-story, red brick, Georgian Revival structure was built between 1926 and 1928 to house the university’s physical education program. In 1938, the dean of women’s office was relocated to the building. A 1962 addition added extra gymnasium and classroom space. The building was listed on the National Register in 1985.
The West Virginia Mountaineer in the official mascot of West Virginia University (WVU). Selected annually since the 1930s from the university’s student body, the mascot is a popular tradition of the school. There is a bronze Mountaineer statue in front of the Mountainlair, WVU’s student center, which was dedicated in 1971.
The Mountainlair, also known as "The Lair" is the student union building at West Virginia University. It was built in the 1960s to replace the 1948 student union building. The Lair serves as a hub that combines the educational, social, recreational, and cultural needs of West Virginia University's diverse student body. It provides a large variety of services and programs, including ATMs/banking, copy centers, email/print stations, lockers, lounges, parking, a food court/cafeteria, games areas, a post office, a movie theater, and more. In addition to recreational facilities and student services, the Mountainlair also contains a large events ballroom, various meeting and conference rooms, and many administrative offices of the University. The campus bookstore (stocked by Barnes & Noble), Starbucks, and university shop are also adjoined to the Mountainlair.
Stewart Hall was built between 1900 and 1902 to replace the second floor of Martin Hall as West Virginia University’s library. When the Wise Library was completed in 1931, Stewart Hall became the administrative offices for the university, a role it still serves today. Originally known as University Library, the building was renamed to Stewart Hall in 1972 after Irvin Stewart, a successful and longtime WVU president. Its architecture is an emblematic representative of the Romanesque Revival style. Many consider Stewart Hall to be one of the finest and most authentic Romanesque Revival buildings in West Virginia.
The Charles C. Wise Library is located on the downtown campus of West Virginia University. The library gets its name from Charles Wise Jr., a lawyer and former WVU student body president who donated 4.260 acres of land to the WVU Foundation. Today, the Wise Library is connected to the newer Downtown Campus Library. It houses art, historical archives, and rare book collections. Many of the newer exhibits in Wise are affiliated with West Virginia culture, and each room has an Appalachian flavor.
Located on the sixth floor of West Virginia University's Wise Library, the West Virginia and Regional History Center offers the largest collection of materials related to the history of West Virginia and central Appalachia. The center is open to the public and offers a library, manuscript collection, collects, preserves, and provides public access to materials that show the history and culture of West Virginia and the central Appalachian region.
Serving as a backdrop of White Hall's G-21 lecture room, you will find a beautiful mural that was produced from 1940-42, for the then Mineral Industries Building. Robert Lewis Lepper, prominent artist, designer, and sculptor from Pennslyvania, created “Study for the Mural at Mineral Industries Building, West Virginia University,” which abstractly highlights American industry. The mural incorporates Lepper's unique artistic approach while complementing the modern style of works created during the New Deal.
As an introduction to the brand, the Coca-Cola Company began painting murals across buildings in America in 1914. Today these murals represent not only the unique advertising history of Coca-Cola, but also the history of the communities these murals were placed in. Local Coca-Cola employee, John D. “Jack” Courtney, painted this mural along Morgantown’s High Street in 1953. The mural was covered up and forgotten for many years by a building placed next to what once was Comuntzis' Downtown restaurant. This ghost sign saw light again just a few years ago when the adjoining building was torn down, and successful efforts were made to restore the mural in 2015.
Mural created in the 1970s, sponsored by Mainstreet Morgantown.
Dedicated in 2016, this statue commemorates the life and career of Don Knotts, an actor and comedian from Morgantown. Knotts is best known for his portrayal of Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show from 1960-1968. Knotts also starred in films like "The Ghost" and "Mr. Chicken and The Shakiest Gun in the West." His career and legacy influenced many other comedians and he was a beloved figure among his fellow West Virginians for both his success in Hollywood and the way that success did not change the kind and open person who was raised here.
Located within the Morgantown Public Library, this ceramic mural was created by artist Josephine Mather Aull in 1965. It was commissioned by the Service League of Morgantown, a nonprofit that supports local charities. The mural depicts fanciful characters from timeless children's books.
The Colonel Zackquill Morgan statue erected on Spruce Street in Morgantown in 2016 was cast by Vandalia Bronze after five years of planning, design, and construction. Founded by Jamie Lester, Vandalia Bronze created the piece in part from Greek bronze dated to 7,000 B.C. The statue commemorates the role of Colonel Morgan in the foundation of his namesake town after receiving a charter from the Virginia Assembly in 1785. Morgan was influential in regional affairs long before that, however, and in fact played a pivotal role in the events of the American War for Independence in the area. The statue is accessible at all hours, every day of the year.
The Appalachian Gallery is an art gallery, gift shop, and framing studio that promotes the work of West Virginia artists. Opened in 1987, the Appalachian Gallery features a variety of arts, crafts, and gift items. The gallery is located in the historic W.E. Price house, designed by famed Morgantown architect Elmer Jacobs.
Morgantown Art Party is a non-profit art gallery, music venue, and artist's workshop.
Just outside of the Monongalia County Courthouse lies the Monongalia Courthouse Plaza which features memorial plaques, a glass outline of the Monongahela River, and other features design to showcase the local history and beauty of the area in an outdoor and accessible location. It also fountains a restored historic fountain, Planned by Mills Group, a West Virginia based architecture, planning, and preservation firm, after the Monongalia County Commission sought to improve the existing courthouse square, this site was rededicated in May of 2018 after approval in 2016. The site is open to the public and is ADA accessible.
Arts Monongahela is a nonprofit arts organization serving the greater Morgantown area. Developed by the Morgantown Area Chamber of Commerce in 1999, Arts Monongahela has since become the city’s first official Arts Council. The organization engages local citizens with the visual, literary, and performing arts, actively promotes the work of local professional and amateur artists, and encourages economic and community development. In addition to programs across the area, Arts Monongahela hosts events and exhibits at their gallery located in Morgantown’s downtown business district.
The Monongalia Arts Center, or MAC, is located in Morgantown, West Virginia near the campus of West Virginia University. The MAC opened to the public in 1978 as a non-profit arts and culture center to showcase local artists and performers. The MAC's mission is to provide the materials needed to build interest in the arts through ongoing educational programs. Located in a former post office building, the MAC has two galleries, a theatre for the performing arts, and is undergoing production on other projects including an internet radio station and the establishment of the Tanner Theatre as a regular venue for touring bands.
The Morgantown History Museum is a city-sponsored museum of history that collects, preserves, and interprets the history of the city and region. The museum offers a permanent exhibit which includes historic artifacts and displays about prominent residents and institutions within Morgantown and the surrounding area. The museum also sponsors a variety of traveling and temporary exhibits dedicated to a more in-depth look at certain topics related to local history. Although they are not affiliated, the Morgantown History Museum is located directly behind the Morgantown Arts Center.
This mosaic created by local children and artist Debora Palmer depicts a variety of downtown scenes. It is located along the Caperton Trail restroom building, in between the amphitheater in Hazel Ruby McQuain Park and the roundabout before the footbridge across Deckers Creek.
The Friends of Deckers Creek mural showcases the beauty of Deckers Creek, a tributary of the Monongahela River, and the efforts of local conservationists to protect this natural resource. The mural was designed by artist and former biologist Michael McDevitt and about 70 volunteers helped it become a reality. The mural is 12 feet by 89 feet and located on the Deckers Creek Rail Trail at mile 0 under the Don Knotts Boulevard bridge and near Hazel Ruby McQuain Park.
This intricate mosaic along the Caperton Trail was the collaborative effort of over 300 participants, along with WVU Hospitals and the Morgantown Board of Parks and Recreation. Designed as a flourishing tree, each leaf is unique and represents the variety of people who call Morgantown home. This four-paneled Mosaic is located behind the WVU Visitors Resource Center (1 Waterfront Place # 7).
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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From outdoor sculptures and murals to indoor galleries and venues, Morgantown offers many opportunities for experiencing art for free! This Clio tour explores works of art in downtown Morgantown and the oldest campus of West Virginia University. Discover works of art on the streets of Morgantown, within WVU campus buildings, and along the Rail Trails.
Art and History
