OLD MONROE: Spring Historic Home Tour, Lectures, Art Show
The Historic Home Tour includes homes with log cabin structural components and/or a connection to our town's African American history. The tour also includes special access to Elmwood on Thursday and Friday evenings, May 3rd and 4th from 6pm-10pm, to enjoy several fascinating frontier history presentations along with an art show all catering to this year's theme. Proceeds from the tour will be used to carry out repairs and build a four board fence around the Historic African American Cemetery. The Spring Historical Homes Tour will take place on Saturday, May 5th, 2018. Tickets are $20 and they may be purchased at Tomlinson’s Union Country Store. Tickets may also be purchased by out of the area folks using a credit card by phoning Tomlinson’s Store at 304-772-5205. These tickets will be available at the ‘Will Call’ station at Elmwood (property 2) on the day of the event. For more detailed information, download a copy of tour brochure at MCHDWV.COM, and/or email: info@mchdwv.com.
OLD MONROE: Recollections of a Frontier Past 1770-1820
Join us in recalling Monroe County's frontier past. between the years of 1770 to 1820. Learn about our frontier forts and the use of long rifles on the frontier. Join living historians as they portray frontier men/women, militia, hunters/trappers, Native Americans and founders of the town of Union, at the living history encampment on Pump Street on Friday and Saturday, May 4th & 5th. Also, enjoy Native American family story telling on Saturday from 1pm-5 pm at Ames Claire Hall in town. These activities will be concurrent with our Spring Historic Home Tour on May 5th noted separately, as well as the special frontier history presentations and African American Arts show to be hosted at the beautifully restored Elmwood Plantation House on May 3rd & 4th from 6pm-10pm.
Peterstown Heritage Festival
This community event celebrates our Appalachian heritage. Vendors, music, food, quilt show, photography contest, Civil War reenactors, educators, and much more.
Alderson Riverside Concert Series Presents “A Tribute to Bricktop”
Alderson Riverside Summer Events will present "A Tribute to Bricktop" featuring The Robinson-Kenga Trio on Sunday, August 28 from 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Bring your chair and come out to hear Bricktop's music and times brought to life at this special musical event. "An Alderson Original, Ada Beatrice Queen Victoria Louise Virginia Smith, a.k.a. "BRICKTOP" Smith was a 1920-50's singer, dancer and Paris Club owner. She was called Bricktop because of her auburn hair and a face full of freckles. After the death of her father, the family moved to Chicago where Ada discovered her talent for entertaining and hosting. When she moved to Paris in the early 1920s, she decided to open her own club called Chez Bricktop. Cole Porter was a fan and after hearing Bricktop talk about a lynching, wrote a song for her based on a comment she made (this song will be performed by Suzanna Robinson-Kenga). Ada used to say that the success of a night at her club was based on the number of Kings in attendance. The most was 5.....not counting the Prince of Wales. Bricktop was always proud of her West Virginia heritage. She would tell interviewers that she was born in "West, by God, Virginia". Her very interesting life has been depicted on stage and in books. A food vendor will be on hand selling drinks and snacks.