WEST Union FEST 127...

The Town of West Union, West Virginia was 125 years old in July 2006   ...   and Counting!!

 Join Us for future Fests: Be a Vendor ~ Entertainer ~ Exhibitor

Special Parking Spaces for Busses - contact info@WestUnionFest.org

News Clippings ~ Press Releases ~  Souvenirs ~ Lodging ~ Accessibility ~ Programs ~ Contests ~ Walking Tour ~ Guinness Attempt

 Walking Tour of West Union, WV ~ click here to see Brochure

The option of a guided Walking Tour is - so far - only during the Fest.  We would love to expand it - at least for other holidays.  During the Fest we have arranged tours inside some of the buildings too. Many are working buildings, many are residences, so some may be available and others not.

But you can take the walking tour - self-guided - at any time! Just stop by the Town Hall at 300 Court Street, and pick up a brochure.  It has photos and a mini-history of each building (In fact, the brochure is beautiful! I have one framed on my wall) We are encouraging residents to keep one in their house for when they have company to show around :)

We are working like crazy to get a CD ready of the Walking Tour. One where you can play it on your DVD on the TV or put it on your computer and save or print any of the photos. We have the external photos and one-by-one are trying to get internal ones with a narrative :)

Historic West Union Walking Tours led by Swiger Run History Museum / Library costumed Docents during WestUnionFest:  11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 4:30 PM Beginning at J & J's Florist on Main Street.  J & J will have their own Open House - see that first!!  :) 

All the Hard Work on this was done by Angela Trammell of Kybare Studios and Gifts

The Town of West Union was predominately built during the Victorian era in the U.S. (roughly 1860-1900). When Coal was King, there was money for the finer things in life, and no expense was spared in the erection and furnishing of some of these buildings. ARCHITECTURAL STYLES displayed are predominately Second Empire (1860-1885) This style was named for Napoleon III, whose major building campaign transformed Paris with its grand boulevards and monumental buildings. The Second Empire style was copied throughout Europe and North America. In America, it was sometimes called the "General Grant style" as it was used during the Grant administration for public buildings. Napoleon's enlargement of the Louvre (1852-1857), reintroduced the Mansard roof, originally developed in the Renaissance by Francois Mansart (c 1600). There are additionally excellent examples of the Federal style.  Federal is essentially a Georgian style with Adamesque enhancements. The main identifying feature is typically the fanlight entryway with classical (Greek) detailing and common palladian windows. IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Second Empire: Italianate style/forms with Mansard roof!! Dormer windows, often a square tower, decorative brackets, molded cornice, almost Italianate detail on windows, and doors; outward projection of a building's center or side. Federal: fanlight entryways, classical (Greek) detailing, palladian windows. Click on any of the below for a larger photo and more details
1 ~ Old Stage Coach Stop on Main Street ~ 1845	9 ~ The Opera House on Court Street ~ 1899
2 ~ The Herald Record on Main Street ~ 1950	10 ~ The Silas P Smith House on Court Street ~ Circa 1903
3 ~ Charter Lathrop home on High Street ~	11 ~ The Kirkwood Home on Court Street ~ 1858
4 ~ The Levine home on High Street ~ Circa 1906	12 ~ West Union Town Hall on Court Street ~ 1893
5 ~ The Stuart Mansion on Chancery Street ~ betw 1904 - 1906	13 ~ First National Bank on Main Street ~ 1904
6 ~ The Old Jail ~ 1937	14 ~ West Union Bank on Main Street ~ 1892
7 ~ The Wall of Honor - Court Square ~ Circa 1944	15 ~ Michels Pharmacy on Main Street ~ 1916
8 ~ The Doddridge County Courthouse - Court Square ~ between 1899 and 1903	16 ~ McCormick Hardware on Main Street~ 1899
This year's Tour is only a small section of the Town of West Union.  Over 30% of our Town of West Union is actually historic.  Other sites of interest should be included on future Tours; in the meantime - when you pass these, take a look.  :) G.W. Twyford General Store and residence (now T & J's Restaurant and a private home) All of  Church Street   Our Churches   All of Court Street  Wish we had more research on this beauty - on Main Street - In fact, our entire Downtown Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Districts in 2003 - District - #03000458) Roughly bounded by B&O RR, Court St, and Cottage St., West Union Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering Architect, builder, or engineer: multiple Architectural Style: Queen Anne, Italianate Area of Significance: Architecture, Politics/Government, Commerce, Community Planning And Development Period of Significance: 1825-1849, 1850-1874, 1875-1899, 1900-1924, 1925-1949 Owner: Private , Local Gov't Historic Function: Domestic, Government, Recreation And Culture Historic Sub-function: Business, Correctional Facility, Courthouse, Music Facility, Single Dwelling Current Function: Commerce/Trade, Domestic, Education, Government, Recreation And Culture Current Sub-function: Business, Courthouse, Library, Museum, Single Dwelling   - feel free to explore - :)