Historic Shepherdstown – West Virginia Association of Museums’ Institution of the Year
Bee Line March Commemoration events
Historic Shepherdstown was recognized recently by the West Virginia Association of Museums for its participation in activities related to the Bee Line March 250th Anniversary celebrations last spring and summer. The award for Institution of the Year 2026 was announced at the association’s Annual Conference held in Wheeling in April. It was a unanimous decision on the part of the judges, according to Katie Thompson, president of the Association.
Historic Shepherdstown co-chaired a countywide committee that brought together local civic and historical organizations, museums, fraternal groups, businesses, and schools to plan events, ceremonies, and presentations. In partnership with the Kentucky Rifle Foundation, the museum mounted an exhibit of locally made 18th-century rifles. Brochures, posters, and other displays highlighted the story of the Shepherdstown men who marched to Massachusetts to support Gen. George Washington. The museum also worked with the county GIS (Geographic Information Systems) staff to create an interactive Bee Line March map featured in the July 2025 issue of Smithsonian Magazine.
In addition, Historic Shepherdstown’s Donna Bertazzoni and the late Peter Smith of the Shepherdstown Rotary Club were also recognized by the Archives and History Division of the West Virginia Department of Tourism for their leadership roles in carrying out the Bee Line March Anniversary activities. They were both recognized as West Virginia History Heroes in an award ceremony held June 3rd in Charleston.
Donna Bertazzoni was nominated by Historic Shepherdstown for the award. She organized three seminars about the Bee Line March and organized other events, ceremonies, reenactments and the GIS interactive map. She is a past President of Historic Shepherdstown and has been active as a docent since 2017. The late Peter Smith, who was nominated by the Rotary Club of Shepherdstown, organized and chaired Shepherdstown’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Bee Line March, which included coordinating with numerous federal, state, county and local entities. He was similarly active as a leader in the year-long 250th anniversary of Shepherdstown celebration in 2012. Smith worked diligently over the past three decades to celebrate the history of Shepherdstown.
“Each of us working in support of Historic Shepherdstown is proud of what we accomplished in 2025 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Bee Line March. To receive the Institution of the Year Award means that museum and history leaders throughout West Virginia recognized the importance of this celebration and what we were able to accomplish in partnership with others in Shepherdstown. And we are so proud to know that the Tourism Department recognized Donna Bertazzoni and the late Peter Smith as History Heroes. We’ve known for some time that they are heroes in preserving and celebrating the town’s history,” remarked Stephanie Unger, President of Historic Shepherdstown.
