We had an awesome last day at the Briar Point Campground near Weston WV. This morning we headed back into Weston to visit three venues: The Mountaineer Military Museum; The Museum of American Glass; and The Appalachian Glass Company.
Mountaineer Military Museum: We started at the Mountaineer Military Museum, with prior arrangements with the co-owner Barb McVaney, pictured above. The museum is normally only open on Saturdays, but I emailed her about our trip and she was more than happy to open up just for us this morning, and we are so glad that we did not miss this opportunity!
Barb and her husband Ronald own and operate the museum. It is totally funded on donations. They get no federal, state or local funding. The museum opened in 2003 and moved to it's current location in 2006, which is an old schoolhouse. This stone located above the main entrance tells a sad story of the building's history, and our Nation's history:
Barb says the students had to enter the rear door only.
The museum came about as a result of
"The PROMISE"... Ronald McVaney and two of his childhood friends were all drafted together during the Vietnam War. Ronald served in the Army and was sent to Germany, and his friends from his small coal mining town, Arlington, and additional ones who lived outside of Clarksburg, were sent to Vietnam. Ronald was the only one of the three that survived to return home. During this time one of his friends had been killed in a bombing near Saigon. Ronald was asked to be a pall bearer at the friend's burial, and he made a graveside
PROMISE to his friend – to not let anyone forget. This museum is
"The PROMISE", and is dedicated to honor and remember those who served and sacrifice for the freedoms that we enjoy. It also strives to educate future generations about the sacrifices that were made to ensure their freedom. I think many in today's society could use a refresher course in this....
Doreen and I have toured so many military museums during our RV travels we have lost count, but this one really reached us both deep down inside. It is not just about uniforms, guns, vehicles and other equipment displayed, it is about people. Especially in this museum, it is about the the history of the Veterans of primarily central West Virginia.
As you open the main door and enter the original part of the museum, you are greeted with the "Hall of Heroes", pictures, names, artifacts and information on hundreds and hundreds of West Virginia Veterans of all branches of service.
Many Veterans and families have donated awards, decorations, uniform items, pictures and keepsakes that help to tell their story. Many others have donated funds to help support the museum. They have done an amazing job of compiling and presenting this. A few more of the 100+ pictures I took:
Sgt "Valor", the museum mascot, was named in a contest by an 8th grade student. He said, "It is an appropriate name because it represents all the Soldiers in all wars that showed courage in battle."
Battle of 1861 flag
Doreen with an original poster of the Sullivan Brothers from Waterloo Iowa where she was born.
An awesome diorama of the ‘Home Front’ with a husband and wife
listening to one of Pres Franklin D. Roosevelt's 'Fireside Chats'.
Doreen is getting tired of me saying, "See that rifle? I have one of those!!"
Another diorama depicting the Korean War
A tribute to the Vietnam era Veterans
They also created a reflection room, a place where visitors can go
and honor those who have fallen before us.
A tribute to the medical corps
Friends who were Union and Confederate soldiers coming together in prayer
Again, I took well over 100 pictures in the museum but we will leave you with this final note: After finishing inside the museum we went outside to a separate building that houses their "Quartermaster Store", a gift shop and military surplus store where they sell military items, uniforms, etc that have been donated to help fund the museum. Doreen bought a t-shirt and I presented Barb with one of my retirement challenge coins, for her and Ronald's outstanding, selfless efforts in this museum.
I explained to Barb a bit of history and traditions relating to challenge coins. My challenge coins are never traded or sold, they are
earned, and presented for
Integrity, Service and Excellence, our Air Force Core Values. Barb and her husband Ronald have and continue to do an outstanding job of keeping "
The Promise". Thank you, McVaney's!
Museum of American Glass: We stopped by the Museum of American Glass not far from the military museum. Glass was a major industry in this area for many year, primarily due to availability of raw materials and also transportation - the railroad. This museum was established in Weston, West Virginia, in 1993 as a non-profit organization with a goal to discover, publish and preserve whatever may relate to the glass industry in West Virginia, the United States of America or where ever else glass has been manufactured.
Their mission is to "share the diverse and rich heritage of glass as a product and historical object as well as telling of the lives of glass workers, their families and communities, and of the tools and machines they used in glass houses."
Inside the museum are racks and racks of glassware from years of production:
There was glassware displayed that we used to have,
such as depression glass from Doreen's aunt and grandmother
We also found glassware in addition to eating and drinking, that was used commercially, such as gas stations, beverages, advertising and entertainment.
Marbles!!
Beverage and medicinal bottles, wire insulators, etc!
There are displays of glass working tools and equipment:
They have an extensive library of publications related to glass production and products:
There is a diorama of a local glass factory that has since shut down:
Wow, so much to see! But we needed to keep moving to our final stop here in town.
Appalachian Glass Company: Another glass company, yes, but not another museum. This place was also a gift shop had a variety of beautiful glass products such as ornaments, lighted glass balls and other stuff for sale, plus they had a glass-blowing operation in the back. Unfortunately the pictures I took did not come out. And unfortunately we stopped here over lunch and the glass blowing operations had ceased until tomorrow, and we will be gone.
One of the products from their web page
A picture of their glass blowing operation also from their web page
We were sorry to have missed the glass blowing operation. Next time!
On the way back we fueled up for our trip tomorrow, which will take us to Glen Jean WV for four nights. One of the highlights there is to visit a coal mine!
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