What the Town of West Union Means to me Essay Contest
has a winner - see Press Release
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What West Union Means To Me
By Brooke AshIf asked what West
Union means to me, what would I say? I would say West Union is HISTORY! It
is the seat of the history of Doddridge County.
When you come through town and you look up the hill, you’ll notice the
Doddridge County Courthouse. The courthouse was built in 1904. The
three-story building was designed by J. Charles Fulton of Uniontown, PA. The
building exhibits a Romanesque Revival style that has round arches above
windows. The front entrance has heavy masonry piers. The building was added
to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Since the courthouse
was established as a historical building, no major changes can be made in
the building.
How many times have you driven past this historical building? Did you ever
notice the innovative architectural details used on the beautiful structure,
such as the stained glass windows? The building has two towers, one rounded
and as tall as the building, with all of the original green and pink
stained-glass windows. The second tower is taller and contains a bell and a
clock that hasn’t worked for years. The front of the building features
double columns, with one side made of stone, “1904” is carved in Roman
numerals on the other and a carved face on top. The Miss Justice statue
carved in stone, stands tall and proud, holding the scales of justice on the
front of the courthouse. A mural of Miss Justice is also in the second floor
courtroom.
The original cost of construction was $125,000. The cost of needed
improvements is $2.5 million. County officials continue to seek money to
keep up their unique building. The are currently taking estimates for
getting the clock and bell running again.
The Doddridge County Jail was located to the left of the courthouse. It
housed prisoners for many years, but now is the Doddridge County Museum. The
Doddridge County Historical Society worked hard to preserve the heritage of
Doddridge County. There are pictures of the flood of 1950. There are medals
from World War I. The history of our town and county can be seen in the
museum.
Every day at noon, you can hear the local church’s bell playing all through
the town. It is the most beautiful thing you could ever hear. It plays a
different hymn every day. It brings a sense of relaxation to your day. I
listen for the hymn to play each day during lunch at school.
Nathan Davis, who owned the land the town was built on, suggested the county
seat’s name when it was incorporated in 1881. Davis came up with the name,
because at the time, neighboring Lewisport was trying to change its name to
Union. So, since the town was West of Union, that is what he suggested.
The Town of West Union has many features such as the different businesses.
It is convenient for the people who live in town. You can walk to the bank,
drug store, grocery store, florist, hardware store, feed store, and beauty
salon. You can walk downtown to the restaurant or the newspaper office.
The Senior Citizen Center is located below town. They have grown much in
recent years. The Senior Citizens Center provides elderly people with an
apartment to live in. They cook meals for the elderly to their doctor’s
appointments and other business.
The best part of the Town of West Union lies with the people. Whether you
are walking down the street or opening the door of any business, you are
always greeted with a smile and a greeting. The Town of West Union might be
small, but everyone is always friendly. When someone is in need, the Town
pulls together to help.
However, even though the Town of West Union has a rich history, it also has
a future. A new high school will soon be built. This will be in addition to
the elementary and middle schools. A new regional jail has brought in jobs
and economic growth. There have been rumors of further economic growth to
come. Hopefully, with a quality educational system and economic growth, West
Union will be more than just history.
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