Historic Shepherdstown Commission & Museum
Spring Bulletin – April 2024
Our 2024 membership drive is ongoing – Join or renew today! Thank you to those who have already signed up this year. For additional information or questions regarding any of the following activities, or if you would like to volunteer and/or serve on a Committee, please contact us at 304.876.0910 or email to hsc1786@gmail.com.
Activities at the Museum
Spring Opening Reception Friday, April 19, 5-7 pm – Members only
Historic Museum opens Saturday, April 20 – beginning our fifth decade!
We have a wonderful new Volunteer Manual, with extensive information about the displays in the Museum, as well as guidance for docents and other volunteers (created and published through a grant from Volunteer West Virginia)
This season again features our wonderful Historic Maps of Jefferson County display
Newly acquired objects include the Samuel Humrickhouse baptismal font from the Christ Reformed Church of Christ, the sword carried by Col. John Francis Hamtramck in the Mexican-American War, and an 1830s German-made doll given to Virginia Helen Blackford when she was a child.
In addition to regular weekend hours, we continue to offer requested tours of the Museum, including planned tours this spring for 3rd graders from Shepherdstown Elementary School and 8th graders from Shepherdstown Middle School.
The 2025 Season will feature an exciting major exhibit (already in planning) of Sheetz rifles, presented in partnership with the Kentucky Rifle Foundation. The Sheetz rifle exhibit will be a part of Shepherdstown’s celebration for the 150th anniversary of the Beeline March.
Speaker Series & Additional Events
2024 HSC Speaker Series:
Coming this spring:
April 17 – Addison Reese, Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commissioner, will present “Black Burial Grounds of Jefferson County: Restoring Lost History through Cemetery Preservation”
May 15 – Dr. Carole Nash, James Madison University, archaeologist, principal investigator Shenandoah National Park will present “Where the Rivers Join: Native American Cultures of the Potomac and Shenandoah Valleys”
September 4 – Tiffany Ahalt, National Road Heritage Foundation, will give a presentation on the National Road
October 16 – Keith Alexander and Tom Mayes, both members of the Shepherdstown Historic Landmarks Commission, will discuss the architectural features of the Shepherdstown Historic District, 1850 to present
Recently co-sponsored an April 5 talk by author Tom McGrath, “Bay State Blood and Valor: Massachusetts at the Battle of Shepherdstown.” The presentation was organized by the Shepherdstown Battlefield Preservation Association. Historic Shepherdstown assisted in the creation of a new brochure for touring the battlefield.
Co-sponsoring an April 18 talk by Dr. Keith Alexander, “Town Run’s Story.” This presentation about the crucial freshwater stream flowing through Shepherdstown has been organized by a new non-profit, the Town Run Watershed group.
Visit HSC’s booth at the Earth Day Celebration at Morgan’s Grove Park April 27, 12-6 pm
Entler Building
Working with the Shenandoah Garden Club to refurbish the Entler garden
Replacing ultraviolet protective covering on Museum windows (expensive!)
Currently upgrading the building complex electrical systems
Currently upgrading the building complex Wi-Fi
Tenant offices remain fully occupied with a waiting list
Historic Shepherdstown members work hard, contributing many volunteer hours to preserve and maintain this vitally important historic property on German Street
Historic Shepherdstown Newsletter – April 2024
Historic Shepherdstown Commission & Museum
Spring Bulletin – April 2024
Our 2024 membership drive is ongoing – Join or renew today! Thank you to those who have already signed up this year. For additional information or questions regarding any of the following activities, or if you would like to volunteer and/or serve on a Committee, please contact us at 304.876.0910 or email to hsc1786@gmail.com.
Activities at the Museum
Spring Opening Reception Friday, April 19, 5-7 pm – Members only
Historic Museum opens Saturday, April 20 – beginning our fifth decade!
We have a wonderful new Volunteer Manual, with extensive information about the displays in the Museum, as well as guidance for docents and other volunteers (created and published through a grant from Volunteer West Virginia)
This season again features our wonderful Historic Maps of Jefferson County display
Newly acquired objects include the Samuel Humrickhouse baptismal font from the Christ Reformed Church of Christ, the sword carried by Col. John Francis Hamtramck in the Mexican-American War, and an 1830s German-made doll given to Virginia Helen Blackford when she was a child.
In addition to regular weekend hours, we continue to offer requested tours of the Museum, including planned tours this spring for 3rd graders from Shepherdstown Elementary School and 8th graders from Shepherdstown Middle School.
The 2025 Season will feature an exciting major exhibit (already in planning) of Sheetz rifles, presented in partnership with the Kentucky Rifle Foundation. The Sheetz rifle exhibit will be a part of Shepherdstown’s celebration for the 150th anniversary of the Beeline March.
Speaker Series & Additional Events
2024 HSC Speaker Series:
Coming this spring:
April 17 – Addison Reese, Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commissioner, will present “Black Burial Grounds of Jefferson County: Restoring Lost History through Cemetery Preservation”
May 15 – Dr. Carole Nash, James Madison University, archaeologist, principal investigator Shenandoah National Park will present “Where the Rivers Join: Native American Cultures of the Potomac and Shenandoah Valleys”
September 4 – Tiffany Ahalt, National Road Heritage Foundation, will give a presentation on the National Road
October 16 – Keith Alexander and Tom Mayes, both members of the Shepherdstown Historic Landmarks Commission, will discuss the architectural features of the Shepherdstown Historic District, 1850 to present
Recently co-sponsored an April 5 talk by author Tom McGrath, “Bay State Blood and Valor: Massachusetts at the Battle of Shepherdstown.” The presentation was organized by the Shepherdstown Battlefield Preservation Association. Historic Shepherdstown assisted in the creation of a new brochure for touring the battlefield.
Co-sponsoring an April 18 talk by Dr. Keith Alexander, “Town Run’s Story.” This presentation about the crucial freshwater stream flowing through Shepherdstown has been organized by a new non-profit, the Town Run Watershed group.
Visit HSC’s booth at the Earth Day Celebration at Morgan’s Grove Park April 27, 12-6 pm
Entler Building
Working with the Shenandoah Garden Club to refurbish the Entler garden
Replacing ultraviolet protective covering on Museum windows (expensive!)
Currently upgrading the building complex electrical systems
Currently upgrading the building complex Wi-Fi
Tenant offices remain fully occupied with a waiting list
Historic Shepherdstown members work hard, contributing many volunteer hours to preserve and maintain this vitally important historic property on German Street
Speaker Series – “Black Burial Grounds of Jefferson County, West Virginia: Restoring Lost History through Cemetery Preservation”, Addison Reese, Byrd Center, April 17, 2024
Historic Shepherdstown is pleased to announce the first talk in its 2024 Speaker Series.
Addison Reese, cemetery caretaker, advocate, local historian, and educator, will present “Black Burial Grounds of Jefferson County, West Virginia: Restoring Lost History through Cemetery Preservation.” Ms. Reese’s talk will be held on Wednesday, April 17 at 7pm at the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education at Shepherd University.
Addison Reese currently works at the Shepherdstown Public Library where she has conducted genealogy and local history research workshops. She served on the Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission for the past three years with a focus on cemetery preservation, documentation, and restoration.
Museum reopening April 20, 2024
The Museum will open on April 20. Hours through October will be Saturdays 11 – 5 and Sunday 1-4. Come visit our three floors of history and items crafted by or owned by the people of Shepherdstown, from samplers to Sheetz rifles. The Entler Hotel is a fitting location for the museum. In 1786 Philip Adam Entler, Jr. built a residence on the west side of the property. In following years, others built substantial brick buildings on the lot extending eastward from Entler’s residence to Princess Street. By 1809 Daniel Bedinger owned all of the property that became the Entler Hotel and leased it to others. For more than a century the Entler thrived. In 1912, the Entler residence on the west side of the property burned. During the 20th century the Entler briefly took the name Rumsey Hotel and then became Rumsey Hall, a college dormitory. It housed students, World War II Navy and Air Force cadets, and college faculty. This is now the 40th year of the building being the location of the Historic Shepherdstown museum.
Shepherdstown history available 24/7
The museum may be closed until spring, but you can learn about the town from this website. Check Digital exhibits for Artifacts, Books, Events, Landmarks, Maps and People, watch the recordings of the previous speaker series at Speaker Series, learn important dates at Shepherdstown Town Documents and for a unique view of the Who’s Who of the town, Shepherdstown 250 Parade
Recording of John Allen’s talk about Shepherdstown architecture now available
Recording – 18th and 19th Century Architectural Features of the Shepherdstown Historic District”, John Allen, Byrd Center, November 29, 2023
Speaker Series – “18th and 19th Century Architectural Features of the Shepherdstown Historic District”, John Allen, Byrd Center, November 29, 2023
2023 Holiday Ornament available
Historic Shepherdstown Commission’s annual holiday ornament is now on sale. The 2023 ornament features Christ Reformed Church. It is available by mail at the Museum Shop or in person at the office in the Entler Hotel or the Christmas in Shepherdstown markets, also at the Entler Hotel.
Christ Reformed Church initially opened in Shepherdstown in 1747, and celebrated its 275th anniversary in October 2022. Its final service was held in January 2023. The 1798 stone belltower holds the oldest bells in Shepherdstown. The brick building, which housed the congregation until recently, was built in 1839 and expanded in 1881. Its graveyard features the graves of 11 Revolutionary War soldiers and patriots. The building will have a new life as a performance space for the Contemporary American Theater Festival.
Shepherdstown’s BooFest and the Historic Shepherdstown Museum Ghost Tours
Halloween is coming and that means it’s time for Shepherdstown’s BooFest and the Historic Shepherdstown Museum Ghost Tours. Here, at the most haunted building in the most haunted town in America, you will hear about some of our most prominent spirits — the lady in white, the amorous Frenchman, Civil War soldiers, and the unlucky duelist. Don’t miss the Traveler’s Room that according to some, is the most haunted room in the building. This year, tours will be offered on Saturday, October 28, and Sunday, October 29, every half hour from 1:00 to 3:30 PM.
Halloween Tour and Investigation at the historic Entler Hotel
WHEN: 8 pm through 9:30 pm, October 21st and October 28th
ADMISSION: FREE, WITH DONATIONS APPRECIATED!
Speaker series, 2023 – Dr Benjamin Bankhurst, Loyalist rising and conspiracy in the Potomac borderlands before Yorktown
Historic Shepherdstown Commission’s September Speaker Series will be held on Wednesday, September 6, at the Erma Ora Byrd Auditorium on the Shepherd University campus. Dr. Benjamin Bankhurst of Shepherd University will be the featured speaker. His talk is entitled Loyalist rising and conspiracy in the Potomac borderlands before Yorktown.
Bankhurst is the Ray and Madeline Johnston Chair in American History and Associate Professor of History at Shepherd University. He completed his graduate studies at King’s College London. His research focuses on migration to the Appalachian frontier in the colonial and revolutionary periods. Bankhurst is the co-director, alongside Dr. Kyle Roberts of the Congregational Library and Archives in Boston, of the Maryland Loyalism Project, a public archive and database documenting the experiences of Chesapeake loyalists in the era of the American Revolution.
Historic Shepherdstown Speaker Series talk, September 2023, by Dr. Benjamin Bankhurst