The 37^th annual Father’s Day car show, hosted by Mountain State Cruisers in Berkeley Springs State Park and along West Fairfax Street, spread color and shine on a sunny Saturday, June 20.

Weather was ideal for the popular car show, featuring 97 original and custom cars and trucks gleaming in the sun.

Trophies were awarded, including a Mayor’s Choice award bestowed by Town of Bath Mayor Greg Schene. A listing of the winners was not available at press time.

Barbecue was on the menu for all the dads, with both Mountain State Cruisers and a food truck vendor selling sandwich platters.

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Drawn from the museum’s collection of more than 148 million artifacts and specimens, the 5,000-square-foot exhibition explores the people, landscapes, discoveries, traditions, and defining moments that have shaped the United States across millions of years of natural and cultural history. Many of the objects on display have rarely or never before been exhibited publicly.

Sea star

Representing West Virginia in the exhibition is a fossil sea star, one of nine objects from the state featured in the “From These Lands” exhibition.

The lands known as the United States were not always land. Continents took billions of years to move into their current positions.

This fossil sea star (Devonaster sp.), discovered in West Virginia,  lived between 419 and 359 million years ago, when warm, shallow seas covered much of the continents.

Sea stars first evolved about 480 million years ago and today inhabit every ocean basin, rocky tidepools, sandy seafloors and abyssal muck. But they cannot be found in West Virginia anymore.

The exhibition highlights the unique natural, cultural, scientific, and historical contributions connected to West Virginia and is expected to be viewed by millions of visitors from around the world during its multi-year engagement in Washington, D.C.

“This exhibition brings the entire country into one gallery,” said Kirk Johnson, Sant Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. “As the country marks its 250th anniversary, ‘From These Lands’ presents an opportunity to celebrate the diversity of our landscapes, the depth of our history and the connections that link people and the natural world across borders.”

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The picnic bring together residents and visitors for a day filled with music, activities, local vendors, food, and fun in the heart of downtown Berkeley Springs.

Held in one of West Virginia’s most beloved state parks, the annual picnic has become a signature summer tradition that celebrates community connection, inclusivity, and the welcoming spirit of Berkeley Springs.

Berkeley Springs Pride is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building community, promoting inclusion, and creating welcoming opportunities for residents and visitors throughout Morgan County and the surrounding region through educational, social, and cultural programming.

“We have given over $35,000 to community initiatives scholarships for children to go to college,” said Ben Fox of Berkeley Springs Pride.

The picnic is part of Berkeley Springs Pride’s ongoing mission to foster community engagement, create welcoming spaces, and support educational and cultural opportunities throughout the region.

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“The event was cut short by a storm but nevertheless it was still a success,” said organizers.

The Pleasant View Community has served the community as a location to rent for parties and events.  Members of the facility have gathered over the years to make some delicious apple butter.  The center has worked with the Morgan County Senior Center to provide meals to the public as well as working together on other projects.  The former Pleasant View Elementary  has been used by churches, the Boy Scouts, 4-H groups, just to name a few.  The center is also a Business Partner with the elementary school as well as an emergency evacuation center.

Following the success of the Cruise-In, a free to the public ice cream social and live outside music will follow in August.  The goal is to provide the community with monthly events to bring local people together.

More information on rentals can be obtained by calling 304-258-3601 or through their Facebook page at Pleasant View Community Center.

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At 12 p.m., local Berkeley Springs author Shelly Wheeler will read from her book, “I’m not Bossy, I’m a Leader”.

At 12:30 p.m., children can play “I Spy,” hear a story and get a chance to win prizes.

From 1 to 2 p.m., a Bubble Party with music will be going on.

During the entire event, there will be crafts, games and a balloon artist on hand. Each child can receive one complimentary balloon.

The event is sponsored by Timeless Baby Boutique with support from Whole Latte Love Coffee House,  Shuggie Macs,  Lavender Bliss Boutique,  The Succulent Garden & The Artisan Cottage.

The Tiny Shoppe Village Carriage House Boutiques is located on Petal Way behind Whole Latte Love Coffee House at 99 N Washington Street Berkeley Springs.

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The West Virginia Department of Tourism recognized this year’s recipients of the prestigious History Heroes Awards, honoring individuals whose dedication, leadership, and service have made a lasting impact on the preservation and promotion of local history.

Paw Paw’s longtime residents Barbara and James Brown Norton are recipients of the 2026 History Hero designation.

The award has long been given out by the West Virginia Department of Culture & History. That department has now been absorbed by the state’s Department of Tourism.

“Museums and historical societies across the state depend on the efforts of volunteers to steward their important collections and share our history with the next generation,” said West Virginia Department of Tourism Deputy Secretary Ennis Smith. “These awards are one way we can help recognize the tremendous amount of time and talents that volunteers at these organizations contribute every day.”

The History Heroes Awards celebrate individuals who go beyond the call of duty to ensure the success of local history, genealogy, preservation, and museum organizations. Recipients are recognized for years of dedicated behind-the-scenes service or for significant contributions that help preserve and share history for future generations.

Sharing Paw Paw’s rich history

Morgan County is home to several History Heroes, and the latest to be recognized are Barbara and Brown Norton of Paw Paw.

They were nominated for the award by the Town of Paw Paw in recognition of their personal investment in the preservation of Paw Paw’s history, and assisting others in learning the story of the town’s development and her people.

“Since before the creation of the Morgan County Historical and Genealogical Society in 1977, of which they were founding members, Barbara and J. Brown Norton have been actively engaged in researching, documenting, and sharing Paw Paw’s rich history for current and future generations,” the town wrote in their nomination.

“The information they have gathered has been shared in books and videos to which they have contributed to directly, as well as walking tours and presentations based on their research. Their historical knowledge was also integral to the recent listing of several historic buildings in Paw Paw on the National Register of Historic Places. With Barbara’s interest in history and J. Brown’s intimate knowledge of local history, their willingness to share what they have learned through a variety of mediums has helped ensure that Paw Paw’s history is not forgotten,” said their nomination document.

In a letter of support for the nomination, Mary Hott wrote of the Nortons, “Whenever there have been questions about people, events, or physical structures of the past we have always been able to depend on them for sharing their knowledge. I believe it is safe to say they are recognized by townspeople as our local historians.”

Brown Norton served as a Morgan County Commissioner and his family has deep roots in the Paw Paw area, reportedly reaching back to the town’s founding fathers.

When consulted on matters of Paw Paw history, Barbara Norton has been known to brush aside a recognition of her expertise, saying she’s not even from the area, but just married into it. Nevertheless, the Norton’s are the go-to for historical records and photos about Paw Paw as the town and citizens work to preserve its economic and cultural history for future generations to appreciate, understand and build on.

In his supporting letter for their inclusion in the league of History Heroes, David Abruzzi wrote, “Over the years the Nortons have assembled an archive of documents from the Apple Orchard Companies, the Tannery, one-room schools, and local stores that provide a written record of Paw Paw’s past that is made available to researchers.” Abruzzi said their work made it possible for him to pursue the listing of several Paw Paw structures on the National Register of Historic Places, which are now in place.

Other West Virginia’s 2026 History Hero Award recipients are:

Robert Ayersman II — Preston County

Donna Bertazzoni — Jefferson County

Tina Conner — Marshall County

Janice Cooley — Greenbrier County

Dorothy “Bibbee” Enoch — Wood County

Wayne Farley — Ohio County

William “Bill” Graley — Kanawha County

Debbie Griffin — Ohio County

Fred Harmon — Wood County

Terry Lowry — Kanawha County

Ruth Ellen D. Ferry Mooney — Statewide

Earl Parsons and Zach Parsons — Tyler County

Mary Ellen Reid — Wayne County

Peter Smith — Jefferson County

George S. Swann — Cabell County

Betsy Sweeny — Statewide

Mary West — Preston County

Melanie Wray — Cabell County

Bonnie Young — Summers County

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For the 39^th year, Saturday Concerts in the Park are coming to Berkeley Springs State Park this summer.

Produced by Morgan Arts Council, the summer music series has become a staple of the season.

“This is our gift to the community,” said Jordan Warren, Executive Director of Morgan Arts Council, in an interview with The Morgan Messenger.

An Independence Day concert in the park will be sponsored by Town of Bath on Saturday, July 4. The Nighthawks will headline.

Local songstress Regina AaMacha will perform the national anthem.

Don’t miss hometown favorites The Weber Brothers, coming on Saturday, July 11 to Berkeley Springs State Park.

The series concludes on Saturday, August 29 with an annual performance by The Flashbacks, benefitting Berkeley Springs Park Foundation.

Saturday Concerts in the Park start at 5:30 p.m. Performances are free and open to the public

Friday concerts at the Ice House

Now in its fourth year, Friday Concerts on the Charlotte’s Café Garden Stage are underway at the Ice House.

“It’s a fun way to come together and meet your neighbors,” said Warren.

Friday concerts at the Ice House also feature food and beverages for sale, as well as activities for the young and the young-at-heart.

New this year, Berkeley Springs resident Michael Gregg and his rock band, Rusted Blue, will perform on Friday, July 11.

Wrapping up the Friday concert series on August 28, Jessie Milnes Band from Randolph County will perform Appalachian music.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 7 p.m. at the Ice House.

New funding realities

Paying for summer programming got tougher this year as public support for the arts council has shifted.

Funding for the arts has been cut at both the state and local levels this year, Warren said.

She noted a $30,000 reduction in funding from Charleston, and no funding this year from Town of Bath’s hotel-motel tax fund.

Warren said she is looking at tuition for some offerings as a way to replace the lost funding in the operating budget.

Anyone who would like membership information, or a complete schedule of MAC 2026 summer concerts can go to macicehouse.org.

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After the Civil War ended, the United States military entered numerous skirmishes and battles out west with various Indian/Native American. One is more well-known than the others.

That was the Battle of Little Big Horn, also known as Custer’s Last Stand.

The battle, which took place in June of 1876 in Montana, was between the U.S. government and the Lakota Sioux who, under the leadership of chief Sitting Bull, refuse to return to the reservation the government created for Indian tribes. The U.S. would recruit other Indian tribes who were traditional enemies of the Lakota to assist in the campaign. Lakota are assisted by allied tribe Cheyenne.

On Thursday, June 25, 150 years after the famous battle, local historian Steve French will be presenting a free, illustrated talk about the battle at the Berkeley Springs Church of Christ located at 290 S. Green Street, at 7 p.m.

This talk rounds up a lifelong interest in the famous 1876 battle in Montana.

French’s interest in the Battle of Little Big Horn goes back to when he was 9 years old and living in Michigan in the 1960s.

He said there was a store there that had an old Budweiser print of the battle. After moving to the Cherry Run area a year later, he received his first book about the battle.

French said Viola Weigel gave him the book The Day Custer Fell as a present for his tenth birthday.

The book tells the story of the battle from the Indian point of view, he said, adding he still has that book all these years later.

Over the years, French has spoken about the battle on many occasions at different events.

Since it’s the 150^th anniversary of the battel, French thought it would be the right time to have it.

“It’ll be the only one in West Virginia, I’m sure,” French said.

The program itself, French said, would run about 45 minutes and then as much time as allowed for questions.

He’ll be going over the main participants from the calvary, such as George A. Custer, and from the Indian side; the campaign itself, which French said was a three-prong campaign; and then the battle itself for about 15 minutes; and finish up with the aftermath.

Custer’s wife Elizabeth “Libby” Custer, brought his reputation up as she would write books and defend her husband’s name.

There will also be discussion about the battle and George Custer in pop culture like prints and how they influenced things, movies, and differences between those made in the 1940s and 1950s and those made more recently, and of course all the books written on the battle and Custer.

The reason this particular battle stands out in American history is because of the characters involved in the battle.

Of course, there was Custer himself who had been at several Civil War battles including Gettysburg. His brothers Thomas and Boston, Marcus Reno, James Calhoun, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Rain in the Face were all key figures in the historic event.

French said there were a number of soldiers and officers who had been in the Civil War, some even serving alongside Custer, who were also part of the Battle of Little Big Horn.

“You got some of these larger-than-life characters in there,” French said.

French said he hasn’t been to Little Bighorn yet, but he would like to get there.

“If I go there, I’m going first class, though!” he said with a laugh.

French said he has prints of the battle, including the one from Budweiser, and 30 or more books about the battle, most of which are primary sources from those who were serving at the battle as well as Indian accounts of the clash.

French said he would like to encourage people to bring their kids, especially if they’re interested in history as there will be people who will know this battle up and down.

French’s 150^th anniversary remembrance of the Battle of Little Bighorn is free and will be held Thursday, June 25, at the Berkeley Springs Church of Christ located at 290 S. Green Street in Berkeley Springs.

French will also have his Civil War books available for sale at the event as well.

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After weeks of rain, the sun shone on the Town of Bath’s first Founding Flavors food truck festival on Friday, May 29.

Around a dozen vendors were set up on Fairfax Street next to Berkeley Springs State Park, where people waded into the famed warm springs, ate on benches and found grassy spots to sit.

A bounce house and live band provided entertainment. Chairs and tables were set up to add to seating options in the park.

Lines lengthened as the festival progressed, with diners willing to wait for either homespun or exotic food creations, including gourmet macaroni and cheese, Thai food, barbecue, unique flatbreads, handmade lemonade and refreshers and more.

Founding Flavors food truck festival was produced by Town of Bath On Trac, formerly known as Bath Development Authority. Many local shops stayed open later on Friday to serve visitors downtown.

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Sponsored by SC Studios, the contest was open to participants of all ages, with artists encouraged to submit as many entries as they wished. After receiving a wide range of creative and inspiring designs, a panel of professional artists carefully reviewed the submissions and selected the final four. The winning design will now be chosen by public vote, which is open online through Friday, June 12.

“We were so impressed with the entries. It was incredibly hard to narrow it to just the final four, but these are all so unique and absolutely beautiful. We can’t wait to see who wins! We’ve already seen more than 500 votes come in during the first few days, which just shows how excited people are about this,” said Chamber Executive Director Happy Rone.

Rone added, “We want to extend a big thank you to everyone who entered the contest and shared their art with us. It takes time, talent, and heart to put your creativity out into the world, and we’re grateful for each and every submission. Your work helps celebrate what makes this community so special!”

The Chamber also noted that, based on the information available, every effort has been made to select designs that appear to be created by human artists. As technology continues to evolve, it can be increasingly difficult to distinguish between AI-generated and hand-created work, and not everything that may appear AI-generated necessarily is. In several cases, original sketches and elements of the creative process were shared, offering a clearer picture of the artist’s work behind the final design. The Chamber approached this process with care and consideration, while also recognizing the limitations of what can be verified. Clearer guidelines regarding AI-generated artwork will be established for future contests to ensure transparency for both artists and voters.

Prizes for the contest include $300 for first place, $150 for second place, and $75 for third place. The winning logo will be featured on official Apple Butter Festival merchandise, including t-shirts.

Voting is available online at: BerkeleySpringsChamber.com

The 51st Annual Berkeley Springs Apple Butter Festival will take place October 10 & 11, 2026.  For more information, visit berkeleyspringschamber.com or follow the Apple Butter Festival, WV Facebook page.

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