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The Gate Post
Spring 2012
A Quarterly Publication of the Pricketts Fort Memorial Foundation
17th Annual School of the Longhunter Offered
For the seventeenth year, the Pricketts Fort Memorial
Foundation is offering a weekend encampment with seminars on
longhunter skills designed for the 18th century interpreter, reenactor, or history enthusiast April 12 to 15, 2012 (Thursday
evening through noon Sunday). As usual, participants will enjoy an
authentic period encampment, informational sessions and activities,
demonstrations, a fort feast, contests, a benefit auction, music by
Morgan’s Glade, Sunday services and more.
This year’s program features presentations on a wide range
th
of 18 century topics including Cooperage, Moccasins, Bags, Dogs,
Rangers, Militia, Indian Riflemen, Art, and Food. The complete
agenda is posted on the website.
School of the Longhunter is limited to the first 100
registrants. Fees are $54 for PFMF members, $60 for non-members,
$20 for campers, and $10 for visitors. (Fees at the door $65) Call
(304) 363-3030 or go to www.prickettsfort.org to register online.
Mon River Big Band Kicks Off the Summer Concerts
On Friday, May 25, 2012 Pricketts Fort will present the Mon River
Big Band in the first of its free summer concerts. This 17 member jazz
ensemble that performs music that became popular during the swing era
from the early 1930s until the late 1940s. The selections will feature solos
from its Fairmont musicians.
The event will be held in the outdoor amphitheater. Permanent
seating is provided. The concert will begin at 7pm and last until 8:30pm.
The 2012 concert series is provided free of charge through the generous support of the
Marion County Commission, the Town of White Hall and the City of Pleasant Valley. The Pricketts
Fort Memorial Foundation appreciates this ongoing support of the performing arts and the
promotion of tourism events in our community. For more information about this and other events
see www.prickettsfort.org or contact (304) 363-3030.
The Gate Post Spring 2012 Page 2
2012 Annual Jones Imboden Raid Civil War Weekend
To commemorate the April 29, 1863 attack on Fairmont, a group of members from the
Jacob’s Meadow Battery along with volunteers from the West Virginia Reenactors Association will
provide historic talks and demonstrations about the Civil War era at Pricketts Fort on Saturday,
April 28 from 10 to 4 and a free lecture on Sunday, April 29 at 2 pm.
Saturday activities will include a School of the Soldier, Artillery and Weapons Firings, Civil
War Clothing, Civil War Music, and require a ticket. Regular admission ($8 for adults, $6 for
seniors, and $4 for children 6-12, Free for members and children 5 and under) applies. While at
Pricketts Fort, ticketed visitors may also tour the Fort and Job Prickett House without additional
charge.
In addition, on Sunday afternoon Dr. Connie Parks Rice will present the first in the new
PRICKETTS FORT LECTURE SERIES, speaking about “West Virginia Women in the Civil War”. Dr.
Rice is a Lecturer at WVU Department of History. She is the Assistant Editor of West Virginia History:
A Journal of Regional Studies and a member of the Governor’s West Virginia Sesquicentennial of the
American Civil War Commission. Dr. Rice has done extensive research on Women and Blacks in
Appalachia, the Border States, and the Upper South. Her lecture is free and open to the public.
Pricketts Fort Presents Free HISTORY ALIVE Program
On Sunday, May 20, 2012 at 2 pm, the public is invited to a free
HISTORY ALIVE program entitled: Harriet Tubman: Behind Enemy
Lines by Ilene Evans. Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in
Maryland but escaped through the Underground Railroad in 1849. She
became the most famous leader of that network, aiding slaves in their
escape to free states and Canada. When the Civil War erupted, her
underground experiences and knowledge of covert operations made
her an invaluable resource to Federal officers. She served as a spy,
nurse, scout, and guide for Union troops and was present at the illfated assault of Fort Wagner by the 54th Massachusetts in South
Carolina. Ms. Tubman will be portrayed by Ilene Evans, a West
Virginia theatrical artist and storyteller. Ms. Evans is co-founder of
Voices from the Earth, a non-profit arts organization. Sponsored by the
West Virginia Humanities Council.
The program is the second in a new LECTURE SERIES offered by the Pricketts Fort
Memorial Foundation. It will take place inside the park’s Visitor Center. For more on this and other
special events see www.prickettsfort.org.
The Gate Post Spring 2012 Page 3
1863 JONES IMBODEN RAID HISTORY
Early on the morning of April 29, 1863, approximately
2,500 Confederate cavalrymen under the command of General
William E. (Grumble) Jones attacked the town of Fairmont and its
small Union garrison. Their main objective was to destroy the B &
O railroad bridge spanning the Monongahela River. This raiding
force had captured a small Union garrison at Greenland Gap,
burned B & O railroad bridges at Oakland, Cranberry (now Terra
Alta), and Independence (near Grafton), and stole numerous cattle
and horses.
After capturing Morgantown on Tuesday, April 28,
Confederate forces crossed over to the West side of the
Monongahela River at Westover and proceeded south toward
General William E. “Grumble” Jones
Fairmont. The Confederates arrived at Fairmont early on the
morning of April 29, 1863, via Barrackville.
Opposing the Confederates were Union forces, totaling approximately 400 men. These men
managed to remove some of the wooden planks in the bridge after they crossed. They then kept
up a brisk fire on the suspension bridge (currently Palatine Park). Eventually the Union defenders
surrendered and the Confederates rounded up 260 Union prisoners and confined them in the
Court House yard. They then proceeded to destroy the iron railroad bridge, which had cost nearly
$500,000. to build. The rebels also destroyed a sawmill, a gunstock factory, the Fairmont National
newspaper office and Governor Francis H. Pierpont’s library. Gen. Jones and his men resumed
their march late that night after paroling the Union prisoners, ending the Battle of Fairmont, with
a Confederate victory and the disruption of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad.
Union casualties were light despite the disparity in numbers. Confederate casualties in the
battle are the subject of controversy. Different historians put the Confederate casualties from as
many as 60 to as low at 3 or 4. However, according to the historical marker and different stories
from both Union and Confederate eyewitnesses, 39 Confederates were apparently buried in a
horseshoe shaped mass grave on the East Side of the river.
There are four Civil War Trails markers in the area that relate to the Jones Imboden Raid.
These markers are part of a nationwide commemoration the 150th anniversary of the Civil War
(2011-2015). For more on the markers see:
http://www.marionhistorical.org/pages/trailmarkers.php
The Gate Post Spring 2012 Page 4
Spring Historic Arts Workshops
www.prickettsfort.org
April 21-22
May 5
May 19-20
June 1-3
June 9-10
June 16 and 23
Bobbin Lace with Kimberlee Miller
Chocolate Swirl Bread Basket with Helen Efaw
Tatting with Kimberlee Miller
Horn Building & Scrimshaw with “Wild Willy” Frankfort
Tatting with Kimberlee Miller
An Introduction to Spinning with Judy Wilson
Join DNR Biologists for 2012 Annual Spring Bird Walks
In an annual celebration of spring, DNR biologists Jim Evans and
Susan Olcott will be conducting free Saturday morning bird walks on
April 21, 28, and May 5 from 8 -10 am at Pricketts Fort State Park. The
group will depart from the Visitor Center parking lot. Migrating
songbirds are the primary attraction, but participants will also likely see
shorebirds, waterfowl and hawks. Sturdy walking shoes are
recommended. Bring binoculars is you have them, but a few will be
available. This event is free and open to the public.
Traditional Music Day: Performances, Jamming & Workshops!
Musicians will fill the park for Traditional Music Day to be held on Saturday, May 12, 2012
at Prickett’s Fort State Park. This year’s activities include: scheduled performances, jamming, and
workshops! Individuals and families are invited to come out and enjoy a full day of music from
some of the most talented old time traditional musicians in the area. There is no charge for
daytime entertainment or activities. Tours of the Fort and Job Prickett House require a ticket.
Performances will take place inside the Visitor Center from 10 to 4. Jamming will take place
outside throughout the park . Bring your guitars, dulcimers, banjos, mandolins, jaw harps, nose
harps, jugs, autoharps and everything not mentioned. Sit down to play and listen. For more
information about this or other events visit www.prickettsfort.org or contact (304) 363-3030.
The Gate Post Spring 2012 Page 5
Original Memorial Day Play to be Performed
in the Cemetery at Prickett’s Fort State Park
On Sunday and Monday May 27 and 28, 2012 ticketed
guests will have a unique opportunity to hear the voices of those
who lived and died on the frontier through an historically based
performance.
The show, entitled, Whispers in the Wind was written by
FSU students under Dr. Fran Kirk’s direction with special
consultation provided by Seven Stories Theater. This original
work will be performed by actors from Town and Gown theater
company. Attendees will begin by gathering at the park’s Visitor Center and will be guided on a
walking path to the cemetery for the one-hour production. There will be seats provided in the
cemetery but walking is required. Tickets are $4 per person and seating is limited to 50 per show.
Purchase tickets on-line www.prickettsfort.org/shop or by calling the foundation office.
The cemetery was established in 1774, or earlier, as a private burial ground and is still in
use. It contains numerous unmarked graves, as well as graves of American Indians, settlers, and
veterans of numerous wars including the Revolutionary and Civil War.
Sheep to Shawl Weekend Demonstrates Fiber Arts
Join Prickett’s Fort historical interpreters on Friday and Saturday, June 1 and 2, 2012 from
10 am – 4 pm for demonstrations of shearing, washing, drying, picking, carding, spinning, plying,
and weaving. A shawl created during the event will be auctioned off on West Virginia Day, June 20,
2012. Raffle tickets will be available at the Visitor Center for $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00.
There is no additional charge for the event, but regular park
admission is required. Tickets must be purchased at the Visitor Center
and includes a tour of the Fort and Job Prickett House in addition to all
special activities listed. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, and $4
for children ages 6 – 12 (Children under 6 and members of the
Pricketts Fort Memorial Foundation are FREE). For more information
about this or other events visit www.prickettsfort.org or contact (304)
363-3030.
The Gate Post Spring 2012 Page 6
John Lilly to Perform at Pricketts Fort June 8, 2012
On Friday, June 8, 2012 Pricketts Fort will present
performing songwriter John Lilly in a free summer concert.
John Lilly is a multi-talented acoustic music performer from
Charleston, West Virginia, specializing in Americana, country
roots, and traditional folk music. He writes new songs that
sound as old as the hills, and performs older songs like they
were made yesterday.
Cold Comfort, Lilly’s sixth and most recent cd, was
released in 2011 and immediately achieved #1 on the
FREEFORM AMERICAN ROOTS CHART, #4 on the EURO
AMERICANA CHART and FAR & Away's #2 Album of the
Year. Cold Comfort features 13 original songs by John Lilly,
recorded with a virtual “who’s who” of amazing guest artists,
including Bill Kirchen, Sonny Landreth, Tim O’Brien, Bobby
Flores, Floyd Domino, Kayton Roberts, Johnny Staats,
Brennen Leigh, Tom Lewis, Ric Ramirez, Skip Edwards, and
Tommy Detamore. From the solid Texas shuffle of the title
track, to the swinging acoustic picking of “Short and Sweet” and the Allmann Brothers-inspired
“Come and Go,” this surprising collection adds a full-band sound to great vocals and creative
songwriting.
John Lilly was born in Illinois in 1954 and has traveled and performed widely, including
three tours of Scotland and visits to 48 states. A former member of the Green Grass Cloggers dance
team, he spent years playing traditional string band music with groups including Ralph Blizard
and the New Southern Ramblers. Mr. Lilly is a former a tour guide at the Country Music Hall of
Fame and Museum in Nashville, and is currently editor of West Virginia’s Goldenseal magazine.
More about his music can be found at www.johnlillymusic.com.
The event will be held in the park’s outdoor amphitheater. Permanent seating is provided.
The concert will begin at 7pm and last until about 9 pm.
The 2012 concert series is provided free of charge
through the generous support of the Marion County
Commission, the Town of White Hall and the City of
Pleasant Valley. The Pricketts Fort Memorial Foundation
appreciates this ongoing support of the performing arts
and the promotion of tourism events in our community.
For more information about this and other events see
www.prickettsfort.org or contact (304) 363-3030.
The Gate Post Spring 2012 Page 7
There is Still Time to Enjoy all of the Benefits of Membership
Memberships support important work throughout the year. As a thank you, members receive free
admission to the historic attractions, an invitation to the annual membership dinner, mailings of
the Foundation’s quarterly publication The Gate Post, and a discount in the museum shop. In
addition, guest privileges are offered at varying levels. Corporate memberships are also available
for businesses who want to support the work of the Foundation. Thank you to all active members
for your support of the programs, preservation and outreach yet to be accomplished this coming
year. If you have not sent your renewal, there is still time to take advantage of all of the benefits of
membership. The following individuals and businesses have joined or renewed their
memberships for 2012 between December 15, 2011 and March 1, 2012:
2012 Members:
Sid and Roberta Absher
James and Sondra Durkin
Richard Little
Veronica Schultz
Ralph and Barbara Bean
Helen Efaw
Eric Maxwell
Norma Jean Skriner
Joseph and Jill Brock
Schneider Family
Paul May
Jane Stalnaker
John and Linda Brown
Jay and Drema Ford
Thomas Merz
Samuel Stone
G. Allan Brown
Randy and Karen Frye
Doug and Jana Morgan
Mary West
Mike and Jane Burns
Keith Garbutt
Mark Phillips
Earl F. Weygandt
John Conaway
Dianna Gatz
Robert Portner
Mr Jack C. Wills
Gene Conley
Brenda Giannis
Jennifer Previll
Judy Wilson
Patricia Corbin
Bruce Hall
Jill and Bill Rafter
Maureen Wolfe
Jack and Tonya Daft
Robert Haught
Larry Rector
R. Karl Yagle
Jim Dauthrich
Ryan and Karen Holt
Rick Reese
Dixie Yann
Mary Jett Deem
Vera Hughes
Donald Reinke
Ernest Zimmerman
Karen Diercks
Joe Joplin
Rebecca Prickett Replogle
Hickory Springs Farm
Wayne and Bobbi Dodd
Larry Keeling
Dr. and Mrs. Rayman Richardson
Ford Funeral Home
Richard Doyle
Mary J. Kennedy
Steven and Dana Riedeman
Pricketts Fort Memorial Foundation Membership
Renew on line at www.prickettsfort.org/shop or call (304) 363-3030
The Gate Post
Spring 2012
Melissa May, Editor
Pricketts Fort Memorial Foundation, Inc.
Rt 3 Box 407 Fairmont WV 26554
(304) 363-3030 or 1(800) CALLWVA
www.prickettsfort.org
Half Price Visit for
MOMS and DADS
Celebrate Mother’s Day and
bring Mom to the park for an
historic tour of Pricketts Fort
on Sunday, May 13, 2012 and
receive half off her regular
admission price. Dad’s get a
break too, with half price
admission on Father’s Day
Sunday, June 17, 2012.
Non-Profit
US Postage
PAID
Montana Mines
WV
Permit #3