by Lisa Schauer
Hundreds of preservationists and other enthusiasts of historic buildings attended the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia’s annual conference last week, held in Morgan County for the first time in the organization’s 44-year history. The conference was headquartered at Cacapon State Park but brought participants into downtown Berkeley Springs for historic tours and workshops over three days.
An underlying theme of the conference was admiration for imperfect beauty, known in Japan as wabi-sabi.
Presenters echoed a growing desire for objects that are flawed and weathered, and environments that are rustic and unpretentious.
Heritage travel and historic districts were hot topics at the conference, in venues spread over the county for three days in May.
Greenway Cemetery in Berkeley Springs was the site for two gravestone restoration workshops and a Civil War history tour.
A log cabin restoration workshop was held near the boat dock shelter at Cacapon State Park, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in Cacapon State Park during the Great Depression.
A guided walking tour of Paw Paw was led by local historian David Abruzzi, who also presented a workshop on the art and science of storytelling.
Town of Bath’s Historic Landmark Commission and Morgan County Historic and Genealogical Society co-presented a video featuring several of the town’s historic buildings.
The video includes vignettes from town luminaries, historians and homeowners. It is posted on Town of Bath website and is accompanied by a printed map with a walking tour of historic Bath.
The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia supports preservation of West Virginia’s historic places. Anyone interested in more information can go to pawv.org.
