Public History at WVU

04/29/2026

Earlier this month, a group of Master's in Public History candidates enrolled in the Local History Research Methodology seminar (Hist 613) led by Visiting Assistant Professor Michael Allen visited the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum, in Matewan, West Virginia. The mine wars in southern West Virginia unfolded between 1912 and 1921, and, according to its mission, the museum “preserves and shares stories about the struggles of coal miners and their families for workers’ rights, civil rights, and justice in the early 20th century.” A detailed tour led by one of the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum's founders, Wilma Steele, covered the exhibitions, larger geography of Matewan and Blair Mountain, and the museum's archival collections. The trip helped students study methods of documenting and interpreting local history that is also national history.


https://history.wvu.edu/graduate-students/public-history
https://wvminewars.org

04/02/2026

🪦 It Takes a Village: The Heart of Cemetery Preservation
What happens when a historic cemetery falls into silence and overgrowth? Often, the solution isn't just a mower and a brush—it’s a community. 🤝

We are thrilled to feature Joni Morris, a professional Cemetery Conservator, at the 2026 PAWV Historic Preservation Conference. Her session, "From Neglect to Network: Why Community Engagement is Key to Cemetery Preservation and Support," is a call to action for anyone who believes these sacred spaces are worth saving.

📜 Moving Beyond the Headstone
Cemetery preservation is about much more than just fixing leaning stones (though that’s important!). Joni will discuss how to build a sustainable "network of care" by:

Building Your "Cemetery Crew": How to recruit volunteers, engage local descendants, and partner with civic organizations to create a long-term support system.

Changing the Narrative: Moving the public perception of an "abandoned graveyard" to a "community park and open-air museum."

Fundraising & Support: Creative ways to generate the resources needed for professional conservation work.

The Power of Presence: Why simple public awareness is the best defense against vandalism and neglect.

🏛️ Meet the Presenter: Joni Morris
Joni Morris isn't just an expert in mortar and masonry; she is a passionate advocate for the stories these stones represent. As a professional conservator, she has seen firsthand how a single dedicated group can transform a neglected site into a point of local pride.

🔍 Who Should Attend?
If you are a member of a Friends Group, a genealogical society, a church board, or just a concerned neighbor who wants to "do something" about a local cemetery but doesn't know where to start—this session is for you!

📅 Join us in Berkeley Springs! Let’s learn how to turn neglect into a network of preservation.

🎟️ Secure your spot: Registration for the conference is open at pawv.org. Don't miss this chance to learn from one of the best in the field!

04/02/2026

Congratulations to Chelsea Elliott Eichelberger, MA Public History 2016, who started a new position as factory events and visitor experience coordinator at John Deere Davenport Works in Iowa. Chelsea is applying her public history MA degree in this corporate and manufacturings space by curating the interpretive tour narrative, managing tour guides, and creating factory events for over 1,000 employees.

10/08/2025

Dr. Bingmann, Dr. Howe, and 9 public history graduate students traveled from Morgantown to Cincinnati for the American Association for State and Local History conference in September. Barb Howe and the Community Coalition for Social Justice, Inc. (CCSJ) won an AASLH Award of Excellence for their commemorative programming for the 60th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in WV. The project included a graphic novel, exhibit, and several public forums across the state. PhD student Lauren Wingate participated in a roundtable reflecting on the 2024 commemoration of the 250th Battle of Point Pleasant. Graduate students had the chance to meet several WVU alumni including Dr. Chuck Welsko, KY Historical Society, and Haley Martin, Ohio Commission for America’s 250th.

10/08/2025

Congratulations to Matthew Miller, MA 2022, who received the Rising Star Award from the Council of State Archivists (CoSA) at the their annual conference in Salt Lake City in September. Matthew began working at the WV State Archives in 2023 and was quickly promoted to Photo Archivist.

08/20/2025

Congratulations to Public History MA student, Corissa Nazarewycz on her receipt of the William J. Murtagh Scholarship! This scholarship is awarded to graduate students pursuing degrees in historic preservation or related fields. Corissa has always been fascinated by old buildings and structures. As she explains, "Historic Preservation is essential not only to understand where we as a society have come from, but also how that could inform us in the future." Corissa is currently completing an internship at the Royce J. and Caroline B. Watts Museum at WVU this summer and fall semester.

Read more about the scholarship and the Watts Museum here:

https://www.mainecf.org/apply-for-a-grant/help-for-applicants/grants-for-individuals/keepers-preservation-education-fund/

https://wattsmuseum.wvu.edu



📷 Pictured: Corissa Nazarewycz before an exhibit at the WVU Watts Museum.

08/20/2025

Public History student Damon Navaroli completed an internship with the Manassas National Battlefield Park this summer. As an intern, Damon researched, developed, and presented an interpretive program centered around the civilian experiences of the 1st Battle of Manassas in 1861. He also developed and presented an informal program about the preservation history of the Stone House, one of three pre-Civil War structures at the park, and participated in providing informal interpretation through living history during special events.

08/15/2025

Congratulations to Meredith Dreistadt, MA 2021 who started as Acting Director of the WV State Historic Preservation Office shortly after Susan Pierce retired. Meredith began working at WV SHPO in August 2021 as a structural historian spending the majority of her time with historic tax credits.

08/15/2025

Congratulations to the Neal Museum's Graduate Assistant, Ziv Carmi, for graduating with his M.A. in Public History. Ziv has been the museum's GA for two years and has been invaluable to all the work we have been doing!

As a final project, Ziv researched and designed a temporary exhibit for the museum. Be sure to stop by and check out "Protecting West Virginia's Children: State Immunization Policy."

We wish Ziv all the best as he pursues his Ph.D. at Texas A&M starting in the fall.

11/12/2024

The Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area is offering a free Interpretation Training Workshop in Elkins on Monday, November 18. The workshop is free and three WVU alumni are presenting. Check out the details here:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15HHxR5Yva/

AFNHA to Host Free Interpretation Training
Monday, November 18th
Hybrid in-person/online at the West Virginia Wood Technology Center (10 11th St, Elkins, WV 26241)

RSVP to [email protected] for in-person attendance. Register for online attendance at https://www.appalachianforestnha.org/news-archives/interpretation-training

Agenda:
9:30am–10:40am:
Joe Obidzinski (Program Coordinator – History and Heritage, WVU Extension)
Introduction to Interpretation

10:45am—11:55am:
Dave Vago (Supervisory Museum Curator – Thomas Edison National Historical Park)
Interpretive Planning, Part I: Museum, Site, and Program Planning
Interpretive Planning, Part II: Project Development and Management

12:00pm—12:55pm:
Lunch

1:00pm—2:10pm:
Katie Thompson (William A. Neal Museum of the Health Sciences, WVU)
Part I – Research Methodology for Interpretation Projects
Part II – Tours and Personal Interpretation

2:15pm—3:25pm:
Danielle Petrak (Watts Museum, WVU)
Part I – Writing for Non-personal Interpretation
Part II – Concept Development and Design

3:30pm—4:30pm:
Q&A Panel Discussion with Joe, Danielle, and Dave
Interpreting difficult topics and other Q&A

10/07/2024