Revitalizing a Piece of History in Ronceverte, West Virginia

Our building in Ronceverte, West Virginia has stood on its corner for at least 100 years. It has seen two pandemics, the Great Depression, World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, and so many more historical moments. Through the decades, the building has housed different shops and families in this slice of Appalachia.

Our plans to renovate the building are rooted in a desire to create something nice and lasting for the community. The outside of the building is going to stay the same to keep the same look on this piece of American Main Street in downtown Ronceverte. The inside will be modernized to update the floor plans for the living spaces and the retail spaces.

Yet, we are going to make sure we preserve the history of the building. Throughout our demolition work inside, we have found things left behind throughout the decades. The building has served as a kind of time capsule holding treasures and keepsakes from different moments throughout time. 

Our collection of treasures has given us insight into the people who have called the building home. It has cast some doubt on whether or not the building is 100 years old as some of the items we have found are older than that. We plan on finding out a way to showcase all of these finds in our finished product to honor this building and its long history. Here is a little guide into the things we have found.

A 1916 Newspaper Clipping

The newspaper clipping is the oldest discovery we have made in the building. It was tucked away in the drawer of an old kitchen cabinet and we think it might be a clipping from the “Greenbrier Independent.” For months, we didn’t know what it was exactly, and it managed to survive our work. On one side, there is an obituary for a young boy and the other is an announcement about the upcoming vote in West Virginia to ratify the 19th Amendment to give women the right to vote. West Virginia voted against ratifying the 19th Amendment then with a vote of 161,607 to 63,540. We have donated this to the Greenbrier Historical Society for consideration.

A Thanksgiving Postcard From 1919

The world was at a standstill from 1918 to 1920 as the Spanish Flu spread like wildfire. People were told to self-isolate, worship from home, wear masks, and keep distance to avoid spreading the virus. From what we know, this is when the building was constructed. The postcard we found is from November 1919, just months before the pandemic ended. The postcard addressed simply to Mrs. Cecil Burgess Ronceverte, W.Va., came from Hinton, West Virginia and offers a look into communication during the last pandemic that forced people to isolate. We found this in the wall while doing our demo. The postcard was almost thrown away, but we saw it in the pile of trash as we swept the floor. We have donated this to the Greenbrier Historical Society for consideration.

Vintage Prism Glass

We found some vintage prism glass that is currently on the building and some extras were chilling in the basement. We spent a full weekend cleaning more than 100 pieces of this glass to see what it looks like when it is not dirty. The glass was created in 1896 and was designed to help bring light into spaces when there was no indoor electricity. According to our internet research, the pieces with a design were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and then patented by the Luxfer Prism company. They are beautiful pieces and we are so thrilled to have them be part of our building.

Vintage Art Deco Glass Towel Rack

This towel rack dates back to the 1930s and 1940s based on the little bit of research we have been able to do. It was amazing to find it screwed to one of the bathroom doors. It has survived several decades with different owners and made it unscathed to our hands. It was one of the more interesting finds. So unassuming, yet it is a true treasure.

A Mrs. Smith’s Mello-Rich Pie Tin

The pie tin was nailed into the wall of one of the retail spaces. We took it off before we took down the paneling and didn’t know what it was, but it was sturdy. According to some research, it was used in the 1930s to sell pies and ship to places for sale. We ended up giving this one to a close friend in Los Angeles who loved it and she has turned it into a clock for her kitchen.

Antique Oil Can

We have no idea when this was made but it was tucked away in a wall in one of the apartments. It was found in a pile of plaster after we tore down one of the walls. The spout is twisted, and it might have been from the demo. Regardless, it is still a fun little contraption that is now ours.

Vintage Perma Starch Bottle

This bottle was sitting in kitchen cabinets just waiting to be found. Long before plastic, glass bottles were the common packaging for selling things. That has since been lost after the development of plastic, which is in desperate need of retirement to save the planet. Just a funky little bottle we like having around.

Japanese Mid-Century, Hand-Painted Porcelain Light Switch Covers

These two beauties managed to survive lying on the floor before we got to the building. The covers are beautiful pieces of art that we intend on saving and displaying for everyone to see. Whether or not they are used for their intended purpose is yet to be seen but they sure are pretty.

Vintage Adjustable Casserole Dish Holder

The casserole dish holder was sitting on one of the interior window sills when we first got to the building. We had no idea what it was or what it was used for, but we liked it immediately. The matching spoon was a nice touch to whoever left it behind for us to find. We recently discovered it was from the Hostess brand so that’s something.

Vintage Foaming Bath Oil

Now, we think this is vintage because of the label. Just look at the model’s hair. If that doesn’t scream 1960s, we don’t know what does. It was just hiding behind an old and wonderful claw foot tub in one of the apartment bathrooms. We can’t wait to start using that tub ourselves.

Vintage Glass Prescription Bottle

Another find in a kitchen cabinet that we discovered as the cabinets were being demolished. The pills in the bottle rattled and saved the bottle from being destroyed as a crowbar was swung against the cabinet. The Shanklins were a big family in Ronceverte, even owning the movie theater in town. We think that the pills are ferrous sulfate.

Horne’s Department Store Hatbox

The hatbox is a relic of a department store that is no more. Horne’s was once a major department store that, like a lot of retail, has disappeared over the decades. The hatbox was holding some tools when we first arrived at the building and it is now holding all of the treasures we have been finding.