Wetzel County Museum

Wetzel County Museum ADMISSION IS FREE! Groups are welcome! Our mission is to preserve, educate, and promote the history

Mission:
Our mission is to preserve the history and culture of Wetzel County by fostering understanding and appreciation of its contribution to local, state, and national history for a broad public audience. Vision:
We strive to preserve the heritage of Wetzel County by collecting, interpreting, and maintaining artifacts relevant to our mission, thereby promoting heritage tourism and good stewardship of our resources for the benefit of all.

A second book has arrived from Gary Kappel, featuring the 82nd Airborne and the fearless heroism of New Martinsville nat...
05/28/2026

A second book has arrived from Gary Kappel, featuring the 82nd Airborne and the fearless heroism of New Martinsville native Captain Carl Kappel. He is mentioned on 7 pages of this book. One of the pages has a Sergeant Albert Tarbell saying, after witnessing Kappel's lifesaving feat, saying he believed that Kappel was "just about the bravest man that ever was."

It was nice to get a visit from Gary Kappel, retired Professor of History Emeritus at Bethany College, and native of New...
05/27/2026

It was nice to get a visit from Gary Kappel, retired Professor of History Emeritus at Bethany College, and native of New Martinsville. Gary shared some of his Kappel family heritage with us, including remembrance of his uncle Captain Carl Kappel, whose WWII parachute from Operation Market Garden, fashioned into a wedding dress for his youngest sister Fritzie in 1948, is on display in our museum.
Gary gifted this copy of The Battle of the Bridges to the museum. His uncle Carl is mentioned on 23 pages in the book. Another item to put in cabinet with the parachute.
Gary also provided a photo of the 10 Kappel siblings. Captain Carl served in the 82nd Airborne, brothers Herb and Jack served in the Army, while brother Henry served in the Coast Guard.

Such an incredible donation we received today from our friend Samuel Winer. The original 1911 hand painted sign from Win...
05/26/2026

Such an incredible donation we received today from our friend Samuel Winer. The original 1911 hand painted sign from Winer's Department Store on Main Street New Martinsville.

From Sam
Winner's Department Store opened on August 28, 1911 on Main Street in New Martinsville.
Harry Winer had immigrated to the United States around 1890 from Grinkiskis, Lithuania. He started out as a peddler roaming the ridges of Wetzel County and later had a store and livery stable in Littleton. The family lost everything in the great fire of 1906. After a short stint in Wheeling, they came to New Martinsville and opened their store. When Harry passed away in 1936, his oldest son, Lyle Winer managed the store for 30 years. All of the sisters and brothers (6) worked in the store. They finally sold it to Carl Shouldis in 1966.

Purchased an interesting Region 1 map from 1954 last night at auction. Lowest population, but largest land coverage in...
05/22/2026

Purchased an interesting Region 1 map from 1954 last night at auction.
Lowest population, but largest land coverage in the region.

We are very thankful to Wesbanco for donating this important part of our local history. Wesbanco on Main Street in New M...
05/14/2026

We are very thankful to Wesbanco for donating this important part of our local history. Wesbanco on Main Street in New Martinsville is the former New Martinsville Bank. The original location was a building that sat south of the Eakin Hotel. A fire destroyed the Eakin Hotel in 1965.
The layout for the former bank building had a staircase that took you up a level into the bank. Another staircase took you downstairs to Tom Croston's Barber Shop.
Incredible that the bank had his door stored upstairs in the bank all these years.
Included in the photos are renderings of the proposed new New Martinsville Bank building by local artist Glen Barnes.

Who remembers listening to 104 WKGI? Pirate ballgames, 104cast for weather updates, George Eubanks news breaks. It was o...
05/06/2026

Who remembers listening to 104 WKGI? Pirate ballgames, 104cast for weather updates, George Eubanks news breaks. It was one of the first computer run automated broadcasts. The computer that ran the show took up an entire side of a room. Music, weather, and commercials were loaded onto carts of tape and then programmed to start one after the other when the main computer told them to play.

Photo received this morning. Identifies Mary Louise Thomas (Loehr), Lemoyne Coffield, and Kendall Hill (Dad in top row)....
05/04/2026

Photo received this morning. Identifies Mary Louise Thomas (Loehr), Lemoyne Coffield, and Kendall Hill (Dad in top row). Can anyone identify anyone else?

Going to update our entertainment center at the museum today with this vintage late 40's to early 50's Admiral system.
05/03/2026

Going to update our entertainment center at the museum today with this vintage late 40's to early 50's Admiral system.

A sign of the times. My, how our world has changed. What are some other things we may never see again?
05/01/2026

A sign of the times. My, how our world has changed. What are some other things we may never see again?

Our beautiful rhododendron is flourishing after removing a couple of vines that were strangling it. You can see why thi...
04/27/2026

Our beautiful rhododendron is flourishing after removing a couple of vines that were strangling it. You can see why this is the official flower...so pretty.
Lots of exciting things happening at the museum.
Come join us for our monthly meeting of the Wetzel County Historical Society at 6:00 this evening.

Address

136 Main Street
New Martinsville, WV
26155

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+13043984910

Website

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