AmeriCorps Stories — Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area

Benjamin Duvall-Irwin

Red Spruce Restoration and American Chestnut Planting Projects

Red Spruce Restoration and American Chestnut Planting Projects

The WV Division of Forestry has managed the Red Spruce Restoration project at Kumbrabow State Forest for the past three years. Local 4-H students have been helping them plant roughly 1,000 red spruce saplings each May. This project is part of the Central Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative (CASRI). Red spruce now covers about 178,000 acres at high elevations in the Allegheny Mountains and places on North Fork Mountain.

Read how Kacey is helping to restore Red Spruce and American Chestnut forests!

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Weaving in Arthurdale

Weaving in Arthurdale

When Arthurdale was established in 1934, one of the most pressing concerns for newly arrived homesteaders (and the government that supported the project) was jobs. Weaving was a cottage industry that became one of the most important in the town.

For a number of years, there has been a small group of Arthurdale Weavers who get together to make projects on some of the historic looms that Arthurdale Heritage owns. When I began my AmeriCorps service in fall 2021, I was invited to take an introductory weaving class, and I was immediately hooked.

63rd WV Governor’s Cup Ski Race has Record-Breaking Number of Participants!

63rd WV Governor’s Cup Ski Race has Record-Breaking Number of Participants!

Recognized as the longest running race throughout the southeast, the 63rd West Virginia Governor's Cup Ski Race was presented by Alpine Festival and hosted by Timberline Mountain on March 11th-12th, 2023. This year’s race was record-breaking in its number of skiers with 222 participants! According to local ski history, this number surpasses the original record of 168 participants in 1980.

Never Too Old to Serve!

Never Too Old to Serve!

The Hardy County CVB was seeking ways to encourage responsible tourism. The catch? The position was through the AFNHA’s AmeriCorps program. AmeriCorps? Isn’t that for those young, spirited college graduates seeking experiential learning as they map out their professional paths? What business does a 57-year-old grandmother, semi-retired and still falling short of daily step goals have in applying? Wouldn’t I be taking a grand opportunity away from someone more in need of the experience?

Camp Pioneer’s History Makes Memories

Camp Pioneer’s History Makes Memories

History and memory are intertwined. For a place such as Camp Pioneer, this is certainly true. Though I came to Camp Pioneer with little knowledge of what the 4-H experience offered, I can say that of the stories I’ve come across so far, 4-H Camp is one of the most memorable parts of that experience.

When I first arrived at Camp Pioneer to start my service, I remember the stacks of 4-H Camp group photos being among the first things to greet me in my new office space. They’d been framed by the previous AmeriCorps member and awaited their return to the walls of the main building for display. They had been displayed improperly before, prompting a need for a new display. This was a project I’d become a part of very soon, but not one I yet realized I’d help complete.

Reflections of Arthurdale by New Exhibit: Treasured

Reflections of Arthurdale by New Exhibit: Treasured

The new temporary exhibit at Arthurdale Heritage, Treasured: Contemporary Reflections of Arthurdale focuses on the threads which connect Arthurdale’s past to its present and future. Through rare and magnificent objects either on loan or in the archival collection, Arthurdale connects these pieces of historic significance to current and future projects. As the exhibit explains, these objects represent the stories of individuals and families who called this town home and they “now challenge us to press onward, imagining what we will achieve together.”

In our new exhibit, you can learn not only about Arthurdale’s history but also about our organizational efforts and plans for the future. Treasured will be on display until January 13 from Monday-Friday 10-3.  

Northern Saw-whet Owl Banding

Northern Saw-whet Owl Banding

On a cold clear night, when the moon is dark and a north wind blows, northern saw-whet owls take wing for their fall migration. Bird banders across the US and Canada set up their nets in strategic locations and watch the weather closely for good conditions, checking their nets regularly for birds.

Learn how volunteers at Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge identify and track owls for study.

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Telling Civil War Stories with a New Window Exhibit

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Telling Civil War Stories with a New Window Exhibit

The Beverly Heritage Center is composed of four historical buildings, dating from 1808 to 1907 that showcase a range of architectural styles and original purposes. An element of exhibition design here is negotiating around this pre-existing infrastructure, such as the large windows in the Aries Hill Building (1907).

During the Civil War, several buildings in the town of Beverly were used as hospitals for both sides of the war. After the Battle of Philippi, one of the first amputations of the Civil War was performed in town by Dr. John Huff; where he used a butcher knife and a carpenter saw to treat a Confederate soldier who had been hit in the leg by a cannonball. In the First Campaign room, we display the saw used in this operation, so a depiction of this medical scene themed perfectly with the rest of the exhibit.