Clarksburg History Museum

11/01/2026

The Clarksburg Federal Courthouse in Clarksburg, West Virginia, ca. mid 1950s

In this view of the building, looking east on West Pike Street, we can see the Robinson Grand in the background, the Grand Pharmacy, and the Central Restaurant. The building opened its doors in 1932. For many decades, the Clarksburg Post Office who owned the building occupied the first floor.

Recently, the courthouse went through some restoration work and finally unveiled its new name: the (Hon) Irene M. Keeley United States Courthouse. The name was proposed in the US Senate in January 2024 by West Virginia senators Manchin and Capito. The name change was proposed to honor Judge Keeley who was the first woman appointed as a judge in the US District Court for the Northern District in WV.

source: 12 NEWS WBOY

📸 Clarksburg History Museum

10/31/2026

HALLOWEEN HELPERS - October 1983 - Clarksburg Exponent

"Downtown merchants were celebrating Halloween as clerks got dressed up and ready for the occasion. Employees of G. C. Murphy Co. in costume are (kneeling, from left) Marsha Jarvis, Delorse Queen, Debbie Harris, Betty Costelac; (standing) Bea Martin, Patricia Smith, Thelma Jones, Beverley Feathers and Mary Ware."

10/30/2026

The new film Halloween II (sequel to box office hit horror film Halloween) plays at the Robinson Grand Theater in late October (or early November) of 1981.

📍Clarksburg, West Virginia

10/29/2026

This photo shows us a rare glimpse of the Goff Building during its construction (either 1910 or 1911). Peep the other details: the Empire building to the west of the construction, our 1889 red brick courthouse with clock tower, the 1904 Harrison County Jail*, and a single turret indicating the presence of the Traders Hotel on the corner of S. 3rd and W. Main Streets.

The possible vantage point for this photo could be in the 300 block of S. 2nd Street which is where the street begins to incline, leading to Lowndes Hill (photo in comments).

Today, the 1976 Harrison County Jail, towering Union Bank / Stonewall Jackson Hotel, and 1931 Art Deco Courthouse change the view altogether, blocking the Goff Building from sight.

*Proposals began in 1880

10/28/2026

Get tickets!
https://square.link/u/SmwWomLq?src=sheet

The Clarksburg History Museum is hosting a historic cemetery walking tour this Friday.

Tour details in the comments

10/27/2026

Getting in and out of Adamston via West Pike St./Rt. 19 looks a little different for cars these days, but the trains still pass through!

In this photo, an Amtrak passenger train heads east across the trestle while a car travels north on the old road under the trestle into Adamston. It appears to be the late 1970s or early 1980s. What's everyone's guess?

📸 Harrison County Historical Society

Do you have interesting old photos of Clarksburg and Harrison county? Send us a high resolution scan and we may feature it on our social media! Have a photo but no way to scan it? Stop by the museum and we can do that too.

[email protected]

10/26/2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This is the best Civil War Tour I've ever taken!"
(recent tour goer)

We're proud to say we've gotten glowing reviews about our Four County Civil War tour. Please join us next week on November 4, 5, and 6th for our last four county Civil War tour of the year.

Buy tickets to secure your spot --> https://square.link/u/YGoDZShT

This project is presented with financial assistance from the West Virginia Humanities Council, the official state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations do not necessarily represent those of the West Virginia Humanities Council or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The Clarksburg History Museum Four County Civil War Tour has been made possible in part by the West Virginia Humanities Council.

10/26/2026

Our Annual Historic Cemetery Walk is happening this week!

Join us This Friday - October 30 - 5:45 PM - 7:00 PM
at the Former Odd Fellows Cemetery

$10 per person (link for tickets in the comments)

About the Tour:

The Clarksburg History Museum is hosting a guided walking tour of the Former Odd Fellows Cemetery on Friday, October 30. We'll share some interesting stories about the people buried here and their connections to Clarksburg's history.

Among the stories we'll cover is that of Dr. Ramsay, a well-dressed local doctor who kept a team of flashy black thoroughbred horses with white-painted leather harnesses. We'll also talk about Mary Goodwin, the daughter of one of the area's early settlers, whose family home still stands near Nutter Fort.

And then there's the unusual story of two men named John W. Kidwell. Both were born in Virginia in the same year, but during the Civil War, one fought for the Union and the other for the Confederacy.

📸 Credit Maurine Goodwin

The Fine Print:

What you need to know:

Location: 414 South Chestnut Street (at Lee Avenue / Washington Avenue) Clarksburg, WV

Walking: This tour includes walking the grounds of the cemetery. Please wear sturdy shoes (tennis shoes are best), bring a jacket and a small flashlight. Sunset is around 6:50 PM, and even with nearby streetlights, it can get pretty dark in the cemetery.

Parking: You can park along Washington Avenue or in the adjacent Central Church of Christ parking lot. There is no parking on S. Chestnut Street

Meeting Place: Meet your tour guide at the cemetery entrance (look for the lantern!)

Tour Time: We'll start at 5:45 PM and be back at the entrance by 7:00 PM.

To Note: This isn't a haunted tour, and there won't be any jump scares. We're sharing real history, and some stories will naturally involve death. If you're bringing children under 10, please keep that in mind.

description

10/25/2026

A large parade with Victory High School in the front marches along West Pike Street, heading west, around 1949. In the middle background, you can see the peak of the bell tower of the former First United Methodist Church, which would later burn in September of 1951. The Waldo Hotel and Ritz theater flank the historic Waldomore which can't be seen from this angle.

The Ritz would be razed in 1975 to make room for the new Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library - more photos in the comments!

Do you have an interesting historical photo that shows off Clarksburg? Submit a high quality scan to us and we may feature it on social media!

[email protected]