Reverse the clock. Let’s go back in time. Upshur County Historical Society annual journal and newsletter publication is a tangible time machine now available to Upshur County readers and beyond.
For many years, Upshur County Historical Society (UCHS) aim to record, protect and retell the vast history of Upshur County through original artifacts donated to the local repository and hours of deep research.
The UCHS Newsletter and Journal Volume 38 shares historical facts of the Hodgesville community, fabric and textile artifacts in Upshur County, photographer Fred Brooks, local genealogy research, historical society project progress, breathtaking photos of local landmarks and public figures among other intriguing tales that may have otherwise been forgotten.
More than 400 copies have already been mailed across the United States and to local county residents. Get your copy before UCHS sells out!
An excerpt from the journal about our northern Upshur County community, Hodgesville:
“People have passed through the community and eastern area of the Warren District and the village of Pecks Run, Hodgesville, Warren Center for over two hundred years. They were there when the first settlers arrived, when people passed through on the Clarksburg Pike, when the village was just scattered farms, when coal became king, and for many years passed under the coal company trestle [tressel] that crossed over the southern entrance of the village. They saw neatly clustered farmsteads, plowed fields, schools, churches and in more recent years, a railroad siding, and perhaps black coal dust. Through it all, the village survived, became modern with a big new fire department, community center, modern school, updated homes and the church.” (Page 24).
An excerpt from the journal about Upshur County weaving and quilting artifacts:
“The histories of quilt making and waving are tied to identity building, relating women through the 1800s and into the modern day by paying homage to symbols of the past in honoring tradition and customers of their ancestors (Morill 223). Why people in these regions made quilts and coverlets is more nuanced than meets the eye. It was a response to change, an object of warmth, a connection to heritage, a source of income, and a social activity.” (Page 41).
For local residents looking to get their hands on a newsletter, the public may contact Noel Tenney by email at info@upshurcountyhistoricalsociety.com or purchase the Spring 2025 edition on the Upshur County Historical Society website. Past newsletter publications are also available for purchase, if inventory allows.
Visit the Upshur County Historical Society Document Repository and Research Center at 29 West Main Street in Buckhannon. At this time, this location is not open to the public for walk-ins. However, appointments to visit the Repository are welcomed and encouraged. Schedule an appointment by email at info@upshurcountyhistoricalsociety.com.
Learn more about recent publications, the Museum and the Repository at the Upshur County Historical Society website.
Stay tuned for upcoming My Buckhannon articles about the 2025 Summer Exhibit of the Upshur County History Center Museum at 81 West Main Street in Buckhannon.
