Title:  Preserving Our Mountaineer Heritage into the 21st Century: West Virginia Statewide Historic Preservation Plan

West Virginia Preservation Plan

Number of Pages: 35
Approval Date: January 14, 2002
Planning Cycle: 5 years

Contact Information:
      Lora Lamarre
      Planning and Education Coordinator
      State Historic Preservation Office
      WV Div. of Culture and History
      The Cultural Center
      1900 Kanawha Blvd. East
      Charleston, West Virginia 25305-0300
      (304) 558-0240; fax (304) 558-2779
      E-mail: lora.lamarrel@wvculture.org
      Web: www.wvculture.org/shpo/fiveyearplan/index.html

Mission/Vision Statement:
Mission:
The mission of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, State Historic Preservation Office is to encourage, inform, support, and participate in the efforts of the people of West Virginia to identify, recognize, preserve, and protect West Virginia's prehistoric and historic structures, objects, sites and landscapes.

Vision:
West Virginia has a wealth of prehistoric and historic properties that embody our state's culture and history and represent our shared heritage. Their value, however, goes beyond this because, if preserved, they can stabilize neighborhoods, stimulate private investment, provide affordable housing, revitalize downtown activities, attract tourists, and enhance community pride.

Civic pride and citizen involvement will be found in any community that protects and appreciates its historic resources. It is time to rediscover and strengthen the sense of place that makes each community unique. The people of West Virginia will benefit immeasurably from a greater awareness of and involvement in the preservation of the cultural environment that connects us to our historic past.

Table of Contents:

Introduction

About the West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office
Mission Statement
A Vision for West Virginia in the 21st Century
Goals for 2001-2006
About this Revision
Plan's Time Frame

West Virginia's Historic Resources
The Planning Process
West Virginia's Partners in Preservation
Issues and Opportunities
Accomplishments
West Virginia Historic Preservation Goals and Objectives
     for 2001-2006
Bibliography
Appendix 1: Suggested Action Items to Achieve Goals
     and Objectives
Appendix 2: Current List of Certified Local Governments

PLAN DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES Public Participation Strategies:

• Announced intent to revise Plan in SHPO Newsletter and on web site;
• Statewide planning workshop facilitated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and attended by stakeholders and interested citizens;
• Questionnaire sent to 5000 West Virginia residents;
• Questionnaire responses used to generate proposed goals;
• 11 public meetings held across the state to discuss goals.

• Staff planning meetings and retreats;
• Staff evaluated previous preservation efforts;
• Staff refined goals and generated objectives.

HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES
Sites, buildings, structures, cemeteries, landscapes, and objects that serve as a record of past human activities; prehistoric Indian villages; site of John Brown's uprising; homes of West Virginia's early coal miners; historic agricultural fields and urban centers; town and community character; historic sites and places such as Grave Creek Mound in Moundsville, West Virginia Independence Hall in Wheeling, Harpers Ferry, Rich Mountain Battlefield, and cultural resources on Blennerhassett Island; prehistoric and historic archaeological sites; frontier forts; historic cemeteries and prehistoric burial mounds; industrial resources including iron furnaces, factories, mills, and supporting structures; mining resources including coke ovens, portals, headhouses, fan houses, and tipples; railroad resources; farm houses and outbuildings; historic churches; schools; bridges, canals, locks, and dams; commercial structures; objects; landscapes.

ISSUES, THREATS, & OPPORTUNITIES

• Reclamation or demolition of historic mine properties;
• Damage brought about by active mining, logging, and quarrying;
• Development of large-scale housing tracts;
• Urban and rural renewal and redevelopment projects;
• Vandalism of historic sites and properties;
• Uncontrolled archaeological excavation, vandalism, looting, and theft, coupled with unwillingness of law enforcement to get involved & attorneys to prosecute;
• Demolition of historic rural properties;
• Vandalism and arson compound the effects of neglect that threaten buildings and sites;
• The number of recorded archaeological sites varies from county to county;
• Little is known about the Paleo-Indian period in West Virginia;
• Limited success in development historic contexts, and more are needed to support National Register nominations and planning;
• Education continues to be a pressing issue for historic preservation;
• Constituents feel that children are not being adequately educated regarding their heritage;
• Public officials needs to be better informed about resource value and benefits of historic preservation to communities;
• Lack in-state university programs in historic preservation;
• Need to incorporate historic preservation into economic development efforts;
• Lack of planning and un-managed development and growth;
• Perceived negative attitude toward zoning and design review, and in some communities design review is out-of-date or applied inappropriately;
• General neglect of historic properties across the state, due to poverty, decreasing and aging population, and depressed economy;
• West Virginians need and want help locally through networks and coalitions;
• Local communities and historic landmark commissions receive validation from SHPO support and assistance;
• Increasing need for volunteers in preservation projects;
• Lack of adequate funding for preservation programs and projects;
• Local communities find it difficult to provide the matching funds for federal grant awards;
• An increase in legislative support in FY 2000 enabled SHPO to assist in more rehabilitation projects.

1. Educate West Virginians about the wealth and value of our state's heritage, the resources that embody it, and the opportunities that historic preservation offers our communities.
2. Promote historic preservation as an economic development tool, and create economic incentives to further preservation efforts.
3. Encourage and support efforts to identify, evaluate, study, and designate significant historic and archaeological resources.
4. Identify, increase and provide financial resources to assist preservation efforts.
5. Support and strengthen preservation activities of Federal and State agencies, local governments and community organizations, and encourage the inclusion of historic preservation in planning efforts.
6. Encourage protection through appropriate management and treatment of historic resources.

1. Historic Preservation Education.
   • Emphasize heritage and historic resources in the classroom;
   • Impart the importance of preservation to the general public;
   • Educate elected and appointed officials;
   • Use a variety of media to foster a positive image of preservation.
2. Historic Preservation as an Economic Development Tool.
   • Foster a preservation friendly environment for development projects;
   • Establish and promote incentives such as tax abatements and easement programs;
   • Promote existing incentives such as federal and state income tax credits and preservation easements.
3. Resource Identification, Evaluation, and Designation.
   • Nominate properties to the NR;
   • Continue survey efforts;
   • Identify survey strategies for areas lacking local institutional support;
   • Develop historic context statements;
   • Create a State Archaeologist position;
   • Create a State Register of Historic Places;
   • Increase archaeological survey efforts.
4. Financial Resources.
   • Provide monies to support preservation activities;
   • Provide technical assistance about grant programs;
   • Support efforts by state agencies to protect resources in their ownership;
   • Expand funding sources and publicize their availability.
5. Inter-Institutional and Inter-Governmental Cooperation.
   • Support Certified Local Governments;
   • Carry out Section 106 responsibilities, and maintain good relationships with agencies and CRM professionals;
   • Increase community involvement;
   • Strengthen preservation network;
   • Include historic preservation in planning efforts of federal, state and local agencies;
   • Provide survey and planning grants to support preservation activities.
6. Appropriate Management and Treatment of Historic Resources.
   • Assist federal, state, and local agencies in becoming responsible stewards of resources;
   • Promote the use of the Secretary's Treatment Standards and Guidelines;
   • Promote imaginative solutions to protect abandoned or underused historic resources;
   • Provide development grant money for historic property rehabilitation;
   • Build solid relationships with other organizations;
   • Promote individual responsibility for archaeological resource protection.