News…

WHEELING, W.Va. — A West Virginia author whose recent book details the beauty of Jefferson County’s historic homes as they relate to the rich history of the Shenandoah Valley is coming to Wheeling, on Tuesday, Aug. 14, for a special lecture and exhibit.

West Virginia Independence Hall will host a slide presentation and lecture featuring John C. Allen Jr., author of Uncommon Vernacular: The Early Houses of Jefferson County, West Virginia, 1735-1835 (West Virginia University Press, 2011).

An exhibit of photographs and illustrations from Allen’s book also will be on display.

The lecture begins at 6 p.m. and will be followed by a reception. The lecture, reception and exhibit are free and open to the public.

Allen, a preservation coordinator and architectural historian near Shepherdstown and former chairman of the Historic Landmarks Commission of Jefferson County, will sign copies of his book, which features more than 700 photographs by Washington, D.C., architectural photographer Walter Smalling Jr., as well as drawings, floor plans and maps by award-winning licensed architect Andrew Lewis. The book will be for sale for $49.99.

For more information, contact site manager Travis Henline at (304) 238-1300.

The West Virginia Division of Culture and History is an agency within the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts with Kay Goodwin, Cabinet Secretary. The Division, led by Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith, brings together the past, present and future through programs and services focusing on archives and history, arts, historic preservation and museums. For more information about the Division’s programs, events and sites, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

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