A Wonder of Natural Resources: West Virginia at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair
When Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion first enter Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz, they are awestruck by the wonders that fill the city. The scene is based on author L. Frank Baum’s memory of how he felt when he visited the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. The first World’s Fair featured innovations like the Ferris wheel, alternating current electricity, the first commercial movie theater, and a moving sidewalk. Attendees were also introduced to the hootchy-kootchy dance and a new-fangled clothing option: the zipper. Planned as a celebration of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the New World, the fair became an exploration of the American Spirit throughout history and into the future. Chicago won the right to host the first World’s Fair, besting New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St. Louis. New Read more…
Romney WV, celebrates a quarter millennium
Romney, WV, celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2012, which makes it the oldest incorporated city in West Virginia … by just a few hours. “Shepherdstown claims to be the oldest, too, but the Virginia House of Burgesses created Romney in the morning. Then they went to lunch and when they came back is when they created Shepherdstown,” said Romney Mayor Daniel Hileman. To announce this grand news, a town crier dressed in period clothing began making appearances throughout the city in November 2010 to let people know about the year-long celebration the city was having for itself in honor of hitting the quarter-millennium mark. Everyone has a role to play in the events from individuals to historical groups, churches, businesses, schools and the town government. The focus of the events will be during the week of June 17, which was a Read more…
Romney, WV, in the Civil War
To live in Romney during the Civil War was to wonder each morning which state and even which country you lived in. Virginia or West Virginia? The United States of America or the Confederate States of America? It’s not that the 450 residents were confused. They considered themselves Virginians in the Confederate States of America. However, what they believed mattered little when political shenanigans or military might were involved. Here’s a story that ran in Wonderful West Virginia about the small town of Romney. Only Winchester, VA, is said to have changed hands more times between Union and Confederate control during the Civil War. The most-commonly cited number is that Romney changed hands 56 times during the war. Add to that, Romney was also in a state that broke off of a Confederate state to form a Union one, and Read more…
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