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Jenkins Plantation Museum to host free Civil War Day on May 17 The historic Jenkins Plantation Museum, located in the Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area of Cabell County, will host a Civil War Day on Saturday, May 17, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The living history program is free and the public is invited to attend. Spectators at the outdoor event will see reenactors in period costume, including the Levisa Artillery, a Confederate cannon company from Louisa, Ky. The group will give demonstrations of camp life and conduct live cannon-firing demonstrations of a Civil War-era artillery unit. Katherine Ferris of Charleston, will portray the living history character Mary Anna Morrison Jackson, wife of Confederate General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson. Mary returned to her native North Carolina after Jackson’s death and organized and became the first president of Stonewall Jackson Chapter #220 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in Charlotte. Special hands-on activities will help children explore Civil War life. Grace Nida, a tour guide for the Capitol Complex, will lead kids in wheat weaving to create “love” knots, which date back to ancient Scotland. The historic Jenkins family home will be open for self-guided tours, and visitors can enjoy hot dogs, chips and drinks. The Jenkins Plantation Museum is located on West Virginia Route 2 between Huntington and Point Pleasant. A facility of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, the museum is the former home of Confederate Brigadier General Albert Gallatin Jenkins and also interprets the large slave plantation operated by the Jenkins family. The 1835 home, built in the tradition of Tidewater, Va., is noteworthy for its architecture and was built by slaves between 1830 and 1835 for Jenkins’ father, William. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and on the Civil War Discovery Trail. The museum’s regular hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Cultural Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. - 30

West Virginia Independence Hall Museum to announce $1-million restoration project West Virginia Independence Hall Museum (WVIH) in downtown Wheeling will hold a press conference on Monday, May 12, at 5 p.m., to announce a $1-million restoration project for the historic facility. Governor Joe Manchin, Cabinet Secretary Kay Goodwin for the Department of Education and the Arts and Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History are scheduled to attend the announcement. The $1-million project, with funding provided by the West Virginia State Legislature, will be used to replace the roof, restore or replace all the windows, restore the interior plaster, and paint the interior, including restoring the trompe l’oeil effects in the historic third floor courtroom. In addition, the building will be repointed, which is the process of renewing mortar joints, and several rooms will be refurbished to accommodate new and expanded exhibits. For more information about the press conference or restoration project, contact Jacqueline Proctor, deputy commissioner for the Division, at (304) 558-0220. West Virginia Independence Hall, originally built as a federal custom house in 1859, served as the home of the pro-Union state conventions of Virginia during the spring and summer of 1861 and as the capitol of loyal Virginia from June 1861 to June 1863. It also was the site of the first constitutional convention for West Virginia. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1988, the museum is maintained and operated by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, with the cooperation and assistance of the West Virginia Independence Hall Foundation. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the exception of major holidays. The museum is located on the corner of 16th and Market Streets in Wheeling. The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Cultural Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. - 30 -

West Virginia’s state winner of Poetry Out Loud contest among top 12 in final competition The West Virginia Division of Culture and History and the West Virginia Commission on the Arts are announcing that Carolyn Rose Garcia, a senior at Notre Dame High School in Clarksburg, Harrison County, who was the state’s Poetry Out Loud winner, advanced to compete in the final round of the National Poetry Out Loud Competition in Washington, D.C. Garcia was one of 12 finalists selected from 52 national champions who participated in the third annual poetry recitation contest sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation. Garcia and the other 11 finalists received a $1,000 scholarship and each student’s school received $500 to purchase poetry books. In March, Garcia competed in the state finals held at the Norman L. Fagan West Virginia State Theater at the Cultural Center in Charleston. For that win, Garcia received $200 plus an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the finals April 27 - 29. Three semi-final rounds were held on Monday, April 28 and the final round on Tuesday, April 29. More than 200,000 high school students from 1,500 schools nationwide participated in the competition. The winner, 16-year-old Shawntay A. Henry from St. Thomas, Virginia Islands, captured the title of 2008 Poetry Old Loud National Champion. Along with her title, Henry won a $20,000 scholarship and her school won a $500 stipend to purchase poetry books. Special guest judges presided over the competition, including Garrison Keillor, host of the radio show “A Prairie Home Companion;” Pulitzer-Prize-winning poet Natasha Trethewey; novelist and journalist Leslie Schwartz; Poetry Daily editor Don Selby; 2007 Poetry Old Loud National Champion Amanda Fernandez; and memoirist, activist, and poet Luis Rodriguez. Poetry Out Loud is a program designed to encourage high school-age students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance and competition. John Barr, president of the Poetry Foundation, says “The public recitation of great poetry is a way to honor the speaker, the poem, and the audience all at once.” For more information about the Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest, contect Jeff Pierson, director of the arts section for the Division, at (304) 558-0240, ext. 717. The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Cultural Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. - 30 -

Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex in Moundsville to hold grand opening for new research wing on May 12 Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex in Moundsville will have a grand opening for its new one-story research center which will house West Virginia’s archaeological collection on Monday, May 12, from 1 - 2 p.m. A reception with light refreshments will follow the ceremony. The event is free and the public is invited to attend. Reservations are requested. Governor Joe Manchin III, Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Susan Pierce, director of the State Historic Preservation Office and other dignitaries are scheduled to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The John Marshall High School Monarch Chorus from Glen Dale, W.Va. will perform for the activities. The 9,600-square-foot wing has been added to the northeast corner of the complex’s museum. In addition to a state-of-the-art collections storage area, the wing features a conservation laboratory for curators, study area for researchers, library, and an observation area where the public can view the activity in the lab. The new addition was built to house archaeological collections that are currently stored at various other sites, some of which are out of state. It also has ample room for more than 25 years of expansion to the entire collection. West Virginia did not have a suitable state or federal repository for storing archaeological materials until this wing was built. “This new wing at Grave Creek will provide a centralized location for the state’s archaeological collections,” said Reid-Smith. “We are excited to see the culmination of planning for the new addition which will accommodate both the current collection and its anticipated growth. Grave Creek will be the center of archaeological studies in West Virginia as well as the state’s premiere archaeological museum and tourist destination. It is already the envy of the archaeological nation,” he added. The new wing was a $3.1-million project, funded by the West Virginia Legislature and a Save America’s Treasures grant supported by Senator Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va. Walters Construction Inc. of Wheeling performed the actual construction, and Lisa Dall’Olio of Grove and Dall’Olio Architects in Martinsburg was the architect and project manager. The concept of a new building began in 1996 when the state’s archaeological collection was transferred to Grave Creek. The project was publicly announced in September 2004. For more information about the grand opening ceremony or to make a reservation, contact Susan Yoho, site manager of Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex, at (304) 843-4128. Operated by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex features one of the largest and most famous burial mounds built by the prehistoric Adena people. A massive undertaking, construction of the mound took place in successive stages from about 250-150 B.C., and required the movement of more than 60,000 tons of earth. Exhibits and displays in the complex’s museum interpret what is known about the lives of these prehistoric people and the construction of the mound. The Museum in located at 801 Jefferson Ave., in Moundsville. It is open to the public Monday - Saturday from 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., and Sunday from 1 - 5 p.m. The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Cultural Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. - 30 -

State Historic Preservation Office to award scholarships to National Alliance of Preservation Commissions Forum 2008 The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History is accepting applications for scholarships, offering up to $900 for individuals to attend the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions (NAPC) Forum 2008 in New Orleans, La., from July 10-13. The scholarship funding is available to support registration, plane transportation and/or lodging expenses for the conference. Members of historic landmark commissions with Certified Local Government status will be considered first, but all individuals, community leaders, elected officials, planning staff, Main Street program volunteers, other organizations involved in historic preservation efforts and owners or developers of historic properties in West Virginia also are encouraged to apply for the scholarships. The scholarship program provides individuals an opportunity to study historic preservation issues by attending the conference, learning from examples, and networking with other people. Applications will be awarded on a competitive basis. Eligible applicants must be West Virginia residents who can demonstrate an interest in historic preservation by at least one of the following criteria: volunteering on preservation related projects; holding a membership on a local preservation commission, planning board, Main Street organization, or other preservation related organization; holding an elected office or being employed by a government in a planning/preservation capacity; or owning or developing historic properties in West Virginia. In addition, applicants must demonstrate how they will be able to develop historic preservation in their community, agree to attend educational sessions at the conference and provide a brief cover letter describing sessions that were attended and thoughts regarding the conference. Applications to attend the NAPC Forum 2008 in New Orleans must be received by mail or fax by the end of the business day, Wednesday, May 21. Applications should be mailed to West Virginia Division of Culture and History, SHPO Scholarships for NAPC Forum 2008, The Cultural Center, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Charleston, W.Va. 25305-0300 or faxed to Bryan Ward at (304) 558-3560. For more information about the scholarships or to receive an application visit our website at bryan.ward@wvculture.org. For more information about the NAPC Forum 2008, call (706) 542-4731 or visit the website www.sed.uga.edu/pso/programs/napc/forum2008.htm. The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Cultural Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. - 30 -

State Historic Preservation Office to present historic landmark commission training session on May 17 The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, in collaboration with the Shepherdstown Historic Landmark Commission, is offering a historic landmark commission training session on Saturday, May 17. The free session will be held at the Shepherdstown Men’s Club, 102 East German St., from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Members of historic landmark commissions, interested government officials and the general public are encouraged to attend. Susan West Montgomery, former president of Preservation Action, the national grassroots lobbying network based in Washington, DC, will join SHPO staff as a workshop leader in Shepherdstown. “I am pleased that Ms. Montgomery is joining us for the workshop,” states Susan M. Pierce, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer. “Her refreshing approach toward working with government officials will be helpful to our local historic landmark commissions.” Montgomery received her master’s degree in American Studies, Historic Preservation Program, from George Washington University. The training session also will explore how cities and counties can encourage preservation in their communities through historic landmark commissions. Topics of discussion will include certified local government designation, meeting procedures, roles and responsibilities of historic landmark commissions, financial incentives, National Register of Historic Places, local historic district designations, design review, and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards. Seating is limited and registration is required by Monday, May 12, for the Shepherdstown session. To register, contact Amy Boyd with the City of Shepherdstown at (304) 876-2398, or by e-mail at clerk@shepherdstown.us. This training session is the third of several regional workshops for historic landmark commissions throughout the state. Anyone interested in sponsoring a workshop should contact Chris Knorr, certified local government coordinator for the SHPO, at (304) 558-0240, or by e-mail at chris.knorr@wvculture.org. The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Cultural Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. - 30 -

Cultural Center unveils exhibit of The Greenbrier Resort’s artist-in residence The West Virginia Division of Culture and History has unveiled a new exhibit, William Wolk: Dance Series, in the Balcony Gallery of the Cultural Center, State Capitol Complex in Charleston. The free exhibit will remain on display through June 1. The public is invited to attend. Wolk has been The Greenbrier Resort’s artist-in-residence since 1984. His gallery there, The William Wolk Gallery of Fine Art, exclusively features his realistic paintings and drawings. Ananda Hill in Ronceverte is the artist’s home and working studio. Wolk is a native of Miami, Fla., who exhibited a fascination for drawing at a very early age. By age eight, he was drawing charcoal portraits free hand and at nine, he had acquired his first oil painting set and easel. His first professional exhibit was at age 16 in the first annual Coconut Grove Art Festival where, from his street display, he sold his first nine paintings. When he was 17, Wolk spent one year studying drawing at the Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Fla. He met his mentor there, Fiore Custode, who told him in 1969 to leave America and go to Florence, Italy, to study painting. It was Custode’s opinion that the American art scene of 1970 would not nurture a realistic artist, whereas Florence had become a haven for young American and European artists wanting to learn classical realism painting techniques. Wolk spent a year in Florence in self-study, surrounded and inspired by the public statuary, architectural friezes, frescos, murals and paintings which have made the city famous. When he returned to the United States, he had his first one-man show in Coral Gables, Fla. at the age of 19. Since then, Wolk has had one-man shows at the Lincoln Center Gallery at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York City; Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts, Pittsburgh, Pa.; The Harkness House Gallery, New York City; The Tatem Gallery, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; The David Gary Gallery, Short Hills, N.J.; The RJK Gallery, Atlanta, Ga.; and the Collectors Cove Gallery, Atlanta, Ga., among others. Two books about him and his work have been published, William Wolk: Paintings, by Jamal Press in 1994 and William Wolk: Fine Art at The Greenbrier by Ananda Hill Press in 2006. The show consists of 11 paintings from Wolk’s dance series. In William Wolk: Fine Art at The Greenbrier, Wolk says “Dancers are wonderful to portray in action, full of strength. In repose they are graceful and elegant. What more could a figure painter want?” The show was timed to coincide with the Division’s West Virginia Dance Festival which will take place April 25 - 27. For more information about the William Wolk exhibit, contact Jacqueline Proctor, deputy commissioner for the Division, at (304) 558-0220. The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Cultural Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. - 30 – Media Note: William Wolk can be reach

Jenkins Plantation Museum to host free Civil War Day on May 17 The historic Jenkins Plantation Museum, located in the Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area of Cabell County, will host a Civil War Day on Saturday, May 17, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The living history program is free and the public is invited to attend.

Spectators at the outdoor event will see reenactors in period costume, including the Levisa Artillery, a Confederate cannon company from Louisa, Ky. The group will give demonstrations of camp life and conduct live cannon-firing demonstrations of a Civil War-era artillery unit.

Katherine Ferris of Charleston, will portray the living history character Mary Anna Morrison Jackson, wife of Confederate General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson. Mary returned to her native North Carolina after Jackson’s death and organized and became the first president of Stonewall Jackson Chapter #220 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in Charlotte.

Special hands-on activities will help children explore Civil War life. Grace Nida, a tour guide for the Capitol Complex, will lead kids in wheat weaving to create “love” knots, which date back to ancient Scotland.

The historic Jenkins family home will be open for self-guided tours, and visitors can enjoy hot dogs, chips and drinks.

The Jenkins Plantation Museum is located on West Virginia Route 2 between Huntington and Point Pleasant. A facility of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, the museum is the former home of Confederate Brigadier General Albert Gallatin Jenkins and also interprets the large slave plantation operated by the Jenkins family. The 1835 home, built in the tradition of Tidewater, Va., is noteworthy for its architecture and was built by slaves between 1830 and 1835 for Jenkins’ father, William. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and on the Civil War Discovery Trail. The museum’s regular hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Cultural Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

- 30

West Virginia Independence Hall Museum to announce $1-million restoration project West Virginia Independence Hall Museum (WVIH) in downtown Wheeling will hold a press conference on Monday, May 12, at 5 p.m., to announce a $1-million restoration project for the historic facility. Governor Joe Manchin, Cabinet Secretary Kay Goodwin for the Department of Education and the Arts and Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History are scheduled to attend the announcement.

The $1-million project, with funding provided by the West Virginia State Legislature, will be used to replace the roof, restore or replace all the windows, restore the interior plaster, and paint the interior, including restoring the trompe l’oeil effects in the historic third floor courtroom. In addition, the building will be repointed, which is the process of renewing mortar joints, and several rooms will be refurbished to accommodate new and expanded exhibits.

For more information about the press conference or restoration project, contact Jacqueline Proctor, deputy commissioner for the Division, at (304) 558-0220.

West Virginia Independence Hall, originally built as a federal custom house in 1859, served as the home of the pro-Union state conventions of Virginia during the spring and summer of 1861 and as the capitol of loyal Virginia from June 1861 to June 1863. It also was the site of the first constitutional convention for West Virginia. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1988, the museum is maintained and operated by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, with the cooperation and assistance of the West Virginia Independence Hall Foundation. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the exception of major holidays. The museum is located on the corner of 16th and Market Streets in Wheeling.

- 30 -

West Virginia’s state winner of Poetry Out Loud contest among top 12 in final competition The West Virginia Division of Culture and History and the West Virginia Commission on the Arts are announcing that Carolyn Rose Garcia, a senior at Notre Dame High School in Clarksburg, Harrison County, who was the state’s Poetry Out Loud winner, advanced to compete in the final round of the National Poetry Out Loud Competition in Washington, D.C. Garcia was one of 12 finalists selected from 52 national champions who participated in the third annual poetry recitation contest sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation.

Garcia and the other 11 finalists received a $1,000 scholarship and each student’s school received $500 to purchase poetry books.

In March, Garcia competed in the state finals held at the Norman L. Fagan West Virginia State Theater at the Cultural Center in Charleston. For that win, Garcia received $200 plus an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the finals April 27 - 29. Three semi-final rounds were held on Monday, April 28 and the final round on Tuesday, April 29.

More than 200,000 high school students from 1,500 schools nationwide participated in the competition. The winner, 16-year-old Shawntay A. Henry from St. Thomas, Virginia Islands, captured the title of 2008 Poetry Old Loud National Champion. Along with her title, Henry won a $20,000 scholarship and her school won a $500 stipend to purchase poetry books.

Special guest judges presided over the competition, including Garrison Keillor, host of the radio show “A Prairie Home Companion;” Pulitzer-Prize-winning poet Natasha Trethewey; novelist and journalist Leslie Schwartz; Poetry Daily editor Don Selby; 2007 Poetry Old Loud National Champion Amanda Fernandez; and memoirist, activist, and poet Luis Rodriguez.

Poetry Out Loud is a program designed to encourage high school-age students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance and competition. John Barr, president of the Poetry Foundation, says “The public recitation of great poetry is a way to honor the speaker, the poem, and the audience all at once.”

For more information about the Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest, contect Jeff Pierson, director of the arts section for the Division, at (304) 558-0240, ext. 717.

- 30 -

Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex in Moundsville to hold grand opening for new research wing on May 12 Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex in Moundsville will have a grand opening for its new one-story research center which will house West Virginia’s archaeological collection on Monday, May 12, from 1 - 2 p.m. A reception with light refreshments will follow the ceremony. The event is free and the public is invited to attend. Reservations are requested.

Governor Joe Manchin III, Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Susan Pierce, director of the State Historic Preservation Office and other dignitaries are scheduled to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The John Marshall High School Monarch Chorus from Glen Dale, W.Va. will perform for the activities.

The 9,600-square-foot wing has been added to the northeast corner of the complex’s museum. In addition to a state-of-the-art collections storage area, the wing features a conservation laboratory for curators, study area for researchers, library, and an observation area where the public can view the activity in the lab.

The new addition was built to house archaeological collections that are currently stored at various other sites, some of which are out of state. It also has ample room for more than 25 years of expansion to the entire collection. West Virginia did not have a suitable state or federal repository for storing archaeological materials until this wing was built.

“This new wing at Grave Creek will provide a centralized location for the state’s archaeological collections,” said Reid-Smith. “We are excited to see the culmination of planning for the new addition which will accommodate both the current collection and its anticipated growth. Grave Creek will be the center of archaeological studies in West Virginia as well as the state’s premiere archaeological museum and tourist destination. It is already the envy of the archaeological nation,” he added.

The new wing was a $3.1-million project, funded by the West Virginia Legislature and a Save America’s Treasures grant supported by Senator Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va. Walters Construction Inc. of Wheeling performed the actual construction, and Lisa Dall’Olio of Grove and Dall’Olio Architects in Martinsburg was the architect and project manager.

The concept of a new building began in 1996 when the state’s archaeological collection was transferred to Grave Creek. The project was publicly announced in September 2004.

For more information about the grand opening ceremony or to make a reservation, contact Susan Yoho, site manager of Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex, at (304) 843-4128.

Operated by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex features one of the largest and most famous burial mounds built by the prehistoric Adena people. A massive undertaking, construction of the mound took place in successive stages from about 250-150 B.C., and required the movement of more than 60,000 tons of earth. Exhibits and displays in the complex’s museum interpret what is known about the lives of these prehistoric people and the construction of the mound. The Museum in located at 801 Jefferson Ave., in Moundsville. It is open to the public Monday - Saturday from 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., and Sunday from 1 - 5 p.m.

- 30 -

State Historic Preservation Office to award scholarships to National Alliance of Preservation Commissions Forum 2008 The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History is accepting applications for scholarships, offering up to $900 for individuals to attend the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions (NAPC) Forum 2008 in New Orleans, La., from July 10-13. The scholarship funding is available to support registration, plane transportation and/or lodging expenses for the conference.

Members of historic landmark commissions with Certified Local Government status will be considered first, but all individuals, community leaders, elected officials, planning staff, Main Street program volunteers, other organizations involved in historic preservation efforts and owners or developers of historic properties in West Virginia also are encouraged to apply for the scholarships.

The scholarship program provides individuals an opportunity to study historic preservation issues by attending the conference, learning from examples, and networking with other people. Applications will be awarded on a competitive basis.

Eligible applicants must be West Virginia residents who can demonstrate an interest in historic preservation by at least one of the following criteria: volunteering on preservation related projects; holding a membership on a local preservation commission, planning board, Main Street organization, or other preservation related organization; holding an elected office or being employed by a government in a planning/preservation capacity; or owning or developing historic properties in West Virginia. In addition, applicants must demonstrate how they will be able to develop historic preservation in their community, agree to attend educational sessions at the conference and provide a brief cover letter describing sessions that were attended and thoughts regarding the conference.

Applications to attend the NAPC Forum 2008 in New Orleans must be received by mail or fax by the end of the business day, Wednesday, May 21. Applications should be mailed to West Virginia Division of Culture and History, SHPO Scholarships for NAPC Forum 2008, The Cultural Center, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Charleston, W.Va. 25305-0300 or faxed to Bryan Ward at (304) 558-3560. For more information about the scholarships or to receive an application visit our website at bryan.ward@wvculture.org.

For more information about the NAPC Forum 2008, call (706) 542-4731 or visit the website www.sed.uga.edu/pso/programs/napc/forum2008.htm.

- 30 -

State Historic Preservation Office to present historic landmark commission training session on May 17 The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, in collaboration with the Shepherdstown Historic Landmark Commission, is offering a historic landmark commission training session on Saturday, May 17. The free session will be held at the Shepherdstown Men’s Club, 102 East German St., from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Members of historic landmark commissions, interested government officials and the general public are encouraged to attend.

Susan West Montgomery, former president of Preservation Action, the national grassroots lobbying network based in Washington, DC, will join SHPO staff as a workshop leader in Shepherdstown. “I am pleased that Ms. Montgomery is joining us for the workshop,” states Susan M. Pierce, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer. “Her refreshing approach toward working with government officials will be helpful to our local historic landmark commissions.” Montgomery received her master’s degree in American Studies, Historic Preservation Program, from George Washington University.

The training session also will explore how cities and counties can encourage preservation in their communities through historic landmark commissions. Topics of discussion will include certified local government designation, meeting procedures, roles and responsibilities of historic landmark commissions, financial incentives, National Register of Historic Places, local historic district designations, design review, and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards.

Seating is limited and registration is required by Monday, May 12, for the Shepherdstown session. To register, contact Amy Boyd with the City of Shepherdstown at (304) 876-2398, or by e-mail at clerk@shepherdstown.us.

This training session is the third of several regional workshops for historic landmark commissions throughout the state. Anyone interested in sponsoring a workshop should contact Chris Knorr, certified local government coordinator for the SHPO, at (304) 558-0240, or by e-mail at chris.knorr@wvculture.org.

- 30 -

Cultural Center unveils exhibit of The Greenbrier Resort’s artist-in residence The West Virginia Division of Culture and History has unveiled a new exhibit, William Wolk: Dance Series, in the Balcony Gallery of the Cultural Center, State Capitol Complex in Charleston. The free exhibit will remain on display through June 1. The public is invited to attend.

Wolk has been The Greenbrier Resort’s artist-in-residence since 1984. His gallery there, The William Wolk Gallery of Fine Art, exclusively features his realistic paintings and drawings. Ananda Hill in Ronceverte is the artist’s home and working studio.

Wolk is a native of Miami, Fla., who exhibited a fascination for drawing at a very early age. By age eight, he was drawing charcoal portraits free hand and at nine, he had acquired his first oil painting set and easel. His first professional exhibit was at age 16 in the first annual Coconut Grove Art Festival where, from his street display, he sold his first nine paintings.

When he was 17, Wolk spent one year studying drawing at the Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Fla. He met his mentor there, Fiore Custode, who told him in 1969 to leave America and go to Florence, Italy, to study painting.

It was Custode’s opinion that the American art scene of 1970 would not nurture a realistic artist, whereas Florence had become a haven for young American and European artists wanting to learn classical realism painting techniques. Wolk spent a year in Florence in self-study, surrounded and inspired by the public statuary, architectural friezes, frescos, murals and paintings which have made the city famous. When he returned to the United States, he had his first one-man show in Coral Gables, Fla. at the age of 19.

Since then, Wolk has had one-man shows at the Lincoln Center Gallery at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York City; Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts, Pittsburgh, Pa.; The Harkness House Gallery, New York City; The Tatem Gallery, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; The David Gary Gallery, Short Hills, N.J.; The RJK Gallery, Atlanta, Ga.; and the Collectors Cove Gallery, Atlanta, Ga., among others. Two books about him and his work have been published, William Wolk: Paintings, by Jamal Press in 1994 and William Wolk: Fine Art at The Greenbrier by Ananda Hill Press in 2006.

The show consists of 11 paintings from Wolk’s dance series. In William Wolk: Fine Art at The Greenbrier, Wolk says “Dancers are wonderful to portray in action, full of strength. In repose they are graceful and elegant. What more could a figure painter want?” The show was timed to coincide with the Division’s West Virginia Dance Festival which will take place April 25 - 27.

For more information about the William Wolk exhibit, contact Jacqueline Proctor, deputy commissioner for the Division, at (304) 558-0220.

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Media Note: William Wolk can be reach