Final Historic Resources Survey of Tyler County, West Virginia

Williams, Ellizabeth; Ricketts, Laura

From the Summary: "Markosky undertook a reconnaissance level survey of previously undocumented historic resources that are 45 years or older within Tyler County from September 23rd to 27th. The survey is the first installment of the multi-county project, the Historic Resources Survey of Tyler, Ritchie, Gilmer, Braxton, and Doddridge Counties, and it was conducted on behalf of the WV SHPO. The survey resulted in the identification of 157 newly recorded historic resources. One surveyed resource was determined to be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion C. Thirteen (13) resources identified during field survey have the potential for eligibility under Criterion A as further research may yield information linking these resources to themes or events significant on the local level. [Several sites] may derive significance under A for Agriculture as they represent intact farm complexes with a complement of historic-era barns, interrelated historic-era agricultural outbuildings, and historic-era farm fields. [Another site], a c. 1915 Classical Revival schoolhouse may derive significance under A for Education as it stands as an example of a rural local school in Tyler County. [Several sites] are former commercial buildings located in small unincorporated communities in Tyler County and may be significant under A for Commerce. A potentially eligible historic district, Arlington Cabins was documented in the western section of the county along Middle Island Creek in the unincorporated community of Little. The potential district consists of 27 cabins that were either constructed c. 1935 or were historic log structures that were relocated to the cabin community in the 1930s. The c. 1935 cabins were designed and constructed by local resident Arlie Hissam. Hissam also acquired log cabins in Tyler County dating to the late 18th and early 19th century which he dismantled and reconstructed in the cabin community beginning in the 1930s. The historic district is potentially eligible under A for significance under Community Planning and Development. The majority of the newly recorded resources dated to the late 19th century and many examples of Classical Revival and Folk Victorian dwellings were documented. Five resources feature two entrances on the facades which likely represents a building tradition brought to Tyler County by Pennsylvania Germans. Of the 157 historic resources surveyed, 109 or roughly 70% were dwellings. Farms constituted approximately 16% of the total with 26 included in the inventory. The farms were generally concentrated in the eastern and southern portions of the county. Field survey revealed a proliferation of non-historic modular and prefabricated homes throughout the county. These homes have often replaced a historic-era farmhouse but maintain some historic-era agricultural outbuildings. The rural nature of the county is most prevalent in the eastern-most and southern-most sections where homes and farms are widely dispersed and located on rural roads that are often named for the creeks or forks they follow. The natural gas work is also prevalent in these parts of the county and during field survey many roads were being utilized for the movement of vehicles related to extractive activities. Moving towards the northwest boundary the county, the topography of the county begins to recede; however, many areas are still set in rural settings/ The Ohio River corridor in Tyler County is dotted with few industrial complexes but comparatively the corridor does not contain as many industrial complexes as surrounding counties." Project funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant to the West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office, Department of Arts, Culture, and History, administered by the State, Tribal, Local Plans and Grants division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior (grant number P20AF00057).

Final Historic Resources Survey of Tyler County, West Virginia

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