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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 Ash

If 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.