Greenbrier Historical Society & North House Museum

09/02/2026

Volunteer Spotlight: Michelle Myers

Volunteers are such an important part of the Greenbrier Historical Society. They give their time, share their knowledge, and help us preserve the stories of our community. We're incredibly grateful for each of them, and today, we're pleased to introduce you to Michelle Myers.

You may recognize Michelle from our July First Friday Lecture Series when she spoke about unconventional warfare tactics during the U.S. Civil War. We're grateful for her remarkable depth of knowledge, her curiosity, and the time she so generously gives to GHS.

Michelle has volunteered with us for more than four years, working primarily in the archives. Her unique talent for deciphering old handwriting has been an incredible help. But there's much more to Michelle's story. In her own words:

"I'm Michelle Myers and I have volunteered at GHS for more than four years. I work principally in the archives organizing documents, helping to answer questions about local history and genealogy, recording obituaries, and tackling anything else that may come up.

I am from England and have lived in the US for 44 years, mostly in New York and California, and now in West Virginia. Soon after I arrived here I stopped in at GHS, took a tour, and immediately knew I'd like to volunteer. I have a Bachelors degree in Social Anthropology from the London School of Economics, a professional qualification in social work from the University of Glasgow, and a JD from New York Law School. I was a research fellow for the University of Glasgow concentrating on the Scottish juvenile justice system. I'm a retired member of the New York Bar, having practiced corporate immigration law for many years. I also worked as a journalist for a group of local newspapers on Long Island and was a fact checker for New York Magazine.

I like writing and editing and have discovered a hitherto unknown ability to decipher old handwriting. I did community work in California, where I was one of the collaborators in Save Our Desert, a grassroots organization committed to fighting a plan to desecrate unique buttes sacred to the Serrano people with a wind farm. We won that challenge and even more when our application to have the buttes declared an area of critical environmental concern resulted in their inclusion in the new Sand to Snow National Monument. Probably my proudest achievement. Fun Fact: George Washington is my third cousin, seven times removed."

The photos that Michelle shared offer a glimpse into that chapter of her life - one that shows the Save our Desert board celebrating their successful campaign at a farmers market in Joshua Tree, while another shows Michelle (middle foreground) hiking Flat Top Mesa to help publicize the organization's mission.

Thank you, Michelle, for sharing your knowledge, your time, and your talents with us. We're so grateful to have you as part of the GHS team!

Next week, we'll be highlighting another much appreciated GHS Volunteer. We hope you'll join us in getting to know the people who make our work possible.

09/01/2026

A New Chapter Begins in the Meadow River Valley 💚

Saturday was a truly special day for the Meadow River Valley as we gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Greenbrier Historical Society- Meadow River Valley Museum in Rainelle.

The new museum is a key component of the Greenbrier Historical Society’s Hidden History of Western Greenbrier Project, spearheaded by GHS Board member Janice Cooley and the Hidden History committee, which includes Vicky Neal, AmeriCorps Hidden History Associate, and Margaret Hambrick, GHS Board Secretary.
While the museum will have its home in Rainelle, its mission reaches into all of western Greenbrier County - the people, places, families, industries, traditions, triumphs, hardships, and everyday stories that together make the Meadow River Valley and the communities of western Greenbrier County what they are.

There are moments when you can feel that something bigger than a building is taking shape. Saturday was one of those moments.

It was a day filled with history, fellowship, gratitude, and hope for what lies ahead. We celebrated the stories that have shaped our communities and took an important step toward preserving those stories for generations to come.

One of the afternoon’s most memorable moments came when Vicky Neal unveiled the school bell from Charmco Grade School, which closed its doors in 1968. Donated to the project by Al Meadows, the bell serves as a tangible reminder of the generations of students, teachers, and families who once gathered around it. Vicky then rang the historic bell, ringing in a new era while honoring the history that brought us here.

We were also grateful on Saturday to have Senators Vince Deeds and Jack Woodrum with us. They presented Greenbrier Historical Society with a generous donation to help bring the GHS-MRV Museum vision one step closer to fruition. Their ongoing support and advocacy for supporting the preservation of western Greenbrier County history is a wonderful reminder of what can happen when people believe in the importance of preserving our shared history.

And there are so many others to thank.

Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday. Thank you to everyone who has supported this vision in the past, to those who continue to support it today, and to those who will help carry it forward into the future.

A project like this doesn't happen because of one person. It happens because a community believes that its history matters. And ours certainly does.

We have an incredible story to tell in western Greenbrier County. We have generations of stories waiting to be remembered, preserved, shared, and passed along. Saturday wasn't simply about breaking ground on a museum. It was about making a commitment to our past while building something meaningful for our future.

There is so much work still to be done, but there is also so much to look forward to.

Thank you so much for believing in this vision, for believing in the value of our history, and for standing with us as we as a community bring the Greenbrier Historical Society - Meadow River Valley Museum to life.

The ground has been broken. The next chapter has begun. 💚

Photos by:

Margaret Hambrick, GHS Board Secretary

Lisa Coburn, GHS Community Outreach Liaison

And JW Puckett. JW was the 1969-1970 Greenbrier West Yearbook Photographer when Vicky Neal and her future sister-in-law were co-editors. He continues to be the community photographer, faithfully attending school events and capturing the moments and memories that become part of so many families’ stories.

08/31/2026

First Fridays in Lewisburg, West Virginia are the best! Looking forward to seeing everyone.

08/31/2026

🌿Meadow River Monday!🌿

By: Vicky Neal, GHS AmeriCorps Hidden History Associate

Welcome to Meadow River Monday, a new feature for the GHS. Each week we plan to take a look at finds, facts, or folklore of the Meadow River Valley.

Let’s begin by answering the question: Where is the Meadow River? Some people mistakenly think that the Meadow flows into the Greenbrier. There are two separate river valleys in Greenbrier County – the Greenbrier River Valley and the Meadow River Valley. The Greenbrier River flows into the New River at Hinton.

Beginning in the southwestern part of Greenbrier County near Dawson, the
Meadow River, so named for the beautiful meadows found by early settlers when
first exploring the area, flows southeast and then northwest, gathering more
water as it fed by various creeks and streams.

Some of those tributaries include Eagle, Callahan, and Methodist Branches, the creeks of Otter, Little Clear, Big Clear, Mill, Laurel, Meadow, Boggs, Sewell and Little Sewell. There are others but I am mainly focusing on the ones in Greenbrier County. From the area around Burdette’s Creek, which is near the border between Greenbrier and Nicholas Counties, the Meadow flows northwest and joins the Gauley River. The Gauley flows to Gauley Bridge, joining the New River, where the Greenbrier and Meadow River waters finally come together.

For the early part of the settlement of Greenbrier County, the Greenbrier River,
with its wide, mostly even-flowing current was used as the transportation
highway for most goods and travel. For many years, during the heyday of the
logging industry, it was the main way for logs and other goods to be transported
to market.

The Meadow River was not that type of river, so the extraction of timber and other
resources such as coal had to wait until the building of the railroads before those
industries became the building blocks of the communities of the Meadow River
Valley.

With other methods of transportation now being used, the railroad line being
removed from Rainelle and down river, the public is able to see the beauty of the
Meadow River when they traverse the Meadow River Rail Trail. Check out about
the trail at MEADOW RIVER VALLEY - Adventure Meadow River - https://adventuremeadowriver.com/ .

08/29/2026

🍎📚 THE WEEK AHEAD AT GHS 📚🍎

Can you believe it’s already September? We’re taking you back to school...way back! 🏫✨

There’s plenty happening at the Greenbrier Historical Society next week, whether you’re a lifelong local, a history lover, or visiting Lewisburg, West Virginia and the beautiful Greenbrier and Meadow River Valleys.

🏛️ NORTH HOUSE MUSEUM
The North House Museum is open Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

There’s still time to visit our current exhibit, "Greenbrier Valley in the American Revolution", on display through September 25.

🍎📖 FIRST FRIDAY LECTURE SERIES
School Days of the Past
Friday, September 4

Class is in session. But don’t worry, there’s no homework! 😉

Step back about 100 years with Vicky Neal, GHS AmeriCorps Hidden History Associate, as she explores what school was like for children in Greenbrier County who attended one-room and small rural schools.

📍 North House Museum
🚪 “Schoolhouse” (North House Museum) doors open: 5:00 p.m.
🔔 Class begins: 5:30 p.m.
⏰ Approximately 30–45 minutes
💚 FREE & open to everyone!

🌿✍️ APPALACHIAN INGENUITY
Fancy Lettering & Botany Study Workshop
Saturday, September 5 | Noon–2 p.m.

Grab your imaginary field notebook and head into the North House Museum gardens with artist and educator Robin Skillern! Participants will explore and identify native plants, create botanical drawings, and experiment with fancy lettering to make their own plant identification tags.

🌱 All materials provided
🎨 FREE & open to the public

Whether you’re coming for a lecture, exploring the gardens, visiting the museum, or simply spending a day discovering Lewisburg and the surrounding Greenbrier and Meadow River Valleys, we hope you’ll make GHS and the North House Museum part of your plans.

Come learn something new, look a little closer, and discover a little more of the history and creativity rooted right here in our community.

We look forward to welcoming you! 💚📚🌿

08/28/2026

🌿✍️ JOIN US NEXT SATURDAY FOR APPALACHIAN INGENUITY! ✍️🌿

What happens when you slow down, take a closer look at the plants growing around you, and turn what you discover into art?

Find out at our next Appalachian Ingenuity workshop at the North House Museum, featuring artist and educator Robin Skillern and her Fancy Lettering & Botany Study Workshop!

Participants will tour the North House gardens and identify and make drawings of various native plants. We will experiment with different styles of writing to create identification tags using a calligraphy style marker.

Robin Skillern, an artist and educator, practices her art from her home in rural Greenbrier County, WV. Her creative endeavors are inspired by the beauty and intricacy of the natural world. She works in a variety of mediums including painting, printmaking, calligraphy, collage, pottery, jewelry, and bookmaking.

Foraging materials in the biodiverse area of Appalachia creates a web for nature to inform art and support sustainable environmental practices. Robin has a bachelor’s degree in art and a master’s degree in early childhood education and attended the Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing in Aix-en-Provence, France. She continues to attend workshops and take classes related to her various art interests.

She has taught children through the arts program at Carnegie Hall, WV for many years and recently worked with adults through a National Endowment for the Arts grant. Her art has been displayed locally, and in Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia.

📅 Saturday, September 5
🕛 Noon–2:00 PM
📍 North House Museum
🎨 All materials provided
💚 FREE & open to the public!

No artistic experience necessary. Just bring your curiosity and a willingness to look at the natural world a little differently. We hope to see you there!

08/27/2026

Can you believe it’s almost September?! 🍎📚

For so many of us, this time of year means back to school! But this September, the Greenbrier Historical Society is taking you way, way back…

Our September First Friday Lecture Series features “School Days of the Past,” presented by Vicky Neal, GHS AmeriCorps Hidden History Associate.

Step back 100 years and discover what school was like for children attending one-room and small rural schools throughout the Greenbrier and Meadow River Valleys. 🏫✏️

This fascinating glimpse into our local history is part of GHS’s Hidden History of Western Greenbrier County Project, with the help of our Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area (AFNHA) AmeriCorps member Vicky Neal.

Vicky has spent nearly two years serving with GHS on the Hidden History project. A retired art educator of 24 years and an artist herself, Vicky brings both creativity and a deep appreciation for preserving the stories of the people and communities who came before us.

As Vicky says, “I feel very fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time to find out about the Hidden History project…”

Her work is helping ensure that these stories, and the voices of the people who lived them, continue to be shared with future generations.

So grab your imaginary schoolbooks and join us as we head back to school…way back into the past! 📚✨

🍎📚 BACK TO SCHOOL 20th CENTURY STYLE! 📚🍎

🎒 Class is in session!

📅 Friday, September 4
🏫 Location: North House Museum
🚪 “Schoolhouse” (museum) doors open: 5:00 PM
🔔 Class begins: 5:30 PM
⏰ Class length: Approximately 30–45 minutes
💚 Tuition: FREE!
👩‍🏫 Students: Everyone is welcome!

Don’t worry, there’s no homework, just a fascinating lesson in local history! 😉📖

08/27/2026

We’re so excited to be partnering with Carnegie Hall, WV on this creative and engaging way to bring our community together this fall! 🍂🎃 We’re honored to help contribute the actors and help bring this experience to life.

Interested in being part of it? Please reach out! And thank you to Carnegie Hall for creating such a fun opportunity for the community this Halloween season. We’re looking forward to being part of the magic! 👻

Step into the story this October!

The Greenbrier Historical Society is seeking volunteer actors to help bring our Historic Cemetery Tours to life, and we’d love to have you join the cast. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or brand‑new to the stage, this is a fun, spirited way to share local history and be part of a beloved community tradition.

Volunteer dates run Oct. 16, 23, 28, 29, and 30, and we welcome all levels of experience.

If you’re interested in donning a character and making some magic, reach out at [email protected] or call (304) 645‑3398.

08/26/2026

A Message to the Future 🌿⏳

On a beautiful, sunny day, the staff of the Greenbrier Historical Society stepped outside together for a very special bit of time travel.

We gathered to bury our America 250 Time Capsule - a small collection of the people, places, and stories that make up our communities today.

Inside are things representative of life in the Greenbrier and Meadow River Valleys, along with photographs of staff and mementos of our July 25th celebration reenacting the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in our area.

Someday, years from now, someone will uncover this little piece of our present and get a glimpse into who we were and what life was like here in 2026.

For us, it was more than simply burying a time capsule. It was an opportunity to pause, enjoy a beautiful afternoon together, and leave something behind for the people who will come after us. We wonder what they’ll think when they open it.

For now, we’re happy knowing that a little piece of 2026 Greenbrier Valley and Meadow River Valley history is safely tucked away, waiting to be discovered.

Here’s to the future, and to the stories still waiting to be told.

08/25/2026

North House Museum will be CLOSED tomorrow, Wednesday, August 26 due to the planned power outage in Lewisburg.

We look forward to seeing you Thursday, August 27 when we reopen at 10 a.m.