HONORING HISTORY
Enriching Ravenswood ’ s Future
A popular destination in Ravenswood — the Great Bend Museum — was recently honored by the West Virginia Association of Museums as the 2023 Institution of the Year . This award reflects the museum ’ s dedication to preserving the city ’ s history and its efforts to showcase interesting , educational and accurate exhibits .
Faith Walker , museum director , says the honor would not have been possible without the support of the local community .
“ Dozens of volunteers have contributed thousands of hours cataloging the collection , welcoming visitors , moving furniture , hosting events and more ,” she says , “ Additionally , hundreds of individuals have donated artifacts , photos and funds to help preserve Jackson County ’ s rich history .”
Josh Miller , mayor of Ravenswood , emphasizes the museum ’ s importance both in preserving the past and navigating the future .
“ I ’ m a firm believer that if you do not understand and learn from your past , you will simply repeat it ,” he says . “ Understanding the past allows us more information to make crucial decisions about our future .”
The museum does more than just provide exhibits — it hosts events at the museum and throughout Jackson County to provide residents with interactive experiences to help them learn about the city ’ s past . Some examples include an annual ice-cream churning day , an Appalachian spooky story event and a Mother ’ s Day tea party inspired by 1890s fashion .
In 2024 , the museum updated its exhibit showcasing local service men and women by including artifacts they collected themselves and telling each of their stories . Walker says the museum is also hosting a social media series titled The Civil War Diary of Henrietta Fitzhaugh Barr that includes diary entries of a Ravenswood resident who lived through the Civil War .
Walker says there are more updates to come , namely , an exciting new exhibit .
“ We ’ re thrilled to announce our upcoming exhibit , Behind Clara ’ s Lens : The Life and Photography of Clara Weisheit , opening in May 2025 ,” she says . “ Clara , a remarkable yet enigmatic Ravenswood resident , used her camera to capture the intimate details of women ’ s lives in small-town America and her adventures across the country between 1918 and 1937 .”
Miller gives credit to the City of Ravenswood f or helping the museum move forward with the renovations , saying it has provided most of the funding for the upgrades .
“ As we continue toward projects that connect our beautiful Washington ’ s Riverfront Park with downtown Ravenswood , this will connect the park not only to travelers crossing the William Ritchie Bridge but also our downtown commercial district ,” Miller says .
220 Riverfront Pk , Ravenswood , WV 26164 | cityofravenswood . com | ( 304 ) 273-1999 |