Final plans made for Wild, Wonderful Woods celebration at Kump House in Elkins

News Release
June 20, 2023

ELKINS – The Kump House exterior is getting a fresh coat of paint, interior plaster walls repaired, and arboretum tags installed, all in preparation for the Kump Education Center’s Wild, Wonderful Woods celebration this Saturday, June 24, from noon until 5 p.m. at the historic Gov. Kump House in Elkins. The afternoon-long event will feature public tours of the home, live music, a pie auction, kids’ activities, craft vendors and an Eleanor Roosevelt reenactor visit.

According to event organizers, the theme of forest heritage was a natural way to honor West Virginia’s 160th birthday and celebrate the rich, unique woods. New interpretive displays feature the historic Seneca Trail and how the forests shape the economy, tourism and the environment. Several areas of the home will be open for the first time, including the third-floor bedrooms and the original barn in the back.

Painter Eli Hathaway puts some finishing touches on the back of the Kump House.

The barn will feature members of the local Mountain Weavers Guild demonstrating spinning and weaving and upstairs rooms will highlight the local craftsmen and wood which created beautiful, glowing birdseye maple furniture and trim.

Also, new to visitors will be a tree walk on the house grounds and tree-related craft activities in the Optimum Learning Lab. A highlight of those activities will be the opportunity to make Christmas ornaments for the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree provided by the Monongahela National Forest. The decorations made at the Wild, Wonderful Woods celebration will be combined with thousands of others made by the people of West Virginia.

Musical performances begin with Appalachian dulcimer players at 12:15, followed by musician Katy McClane playing traditional Native American wood flute music. The Augusta Community Choir starts its performance at 3 p.m. after the 2 p.m. Pie Auction. Open Mic will round out the afternoon’s performance.

Food vendors for the event include Derrick Helzer’s Pig Pen Catering and Chef Kevin from the Delmonte. Among the craft vendors are Tygart Wood Craft, Leonard Whritenour, Bare Branches Jewelry and Randall Arbogast.

The Wild, Wonderful Woods celebration has been made possible in part by a grant from the West Virginia Humanities Council.

The Gov. Kump House is located on Randolph Ave., Elkins, across from Krogers. Visitors should access parking areas off Seneca Road. The event is free, but donations are encouraged. For more information, email kumpec@gmail.com or visit kumpeducationcenter.org.