Preserving New River Gorge History

The New River Gorge Historical Society exists to preserve, protect, and share the history of the communities, landscapes, and people who have shaped the New River Gorge. Too often, the stories of this region - its labor, daily life, resilience, and culture - are overlooked or lost altogether. Through hands-on preservation, community-led storytelling, and public education, we work to document historic sites, safeguard cemeteries, collect oral histories, and preserve artifacts that reflect the lived experience of the Gorge. Our mission is rooted in the belief that history belongs to the people who lived it - and that protecting it today ensures future generations understand where they come from.

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Meet the Board

The Society's board is made up of individuals who care deeply about this place - its people, its history, and its future. Each member brings unique experience and local perspective, helping guide our mission to preserve and share the stories of the New River Gorge for generations to come.

President

Jennings Berry

Jennings is a sixth- and seventh- generation West Virginian, community organizer, and preservation advocate. He is the founder of the New River Gorge Historical Society and works at the intersection of history, civic leadership, and economic revitalization across West Virginia. Berry is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies with an emphasis in public administration, focusing on public trust and governance in Appalachia. His work enters on preserving historic places, reclaiming neglected cemeteries, and elevating Appalachian voices through education, storytelling, and community-led development.

Board Member

Brad Davis

Rev. Brad Davis is a United Methodist Elder organizing in the southern West Virginia coalfields around environmental concerns, poverty, basic infrastructure needs and labor, particularly with mineworkers. A native son of the southern coalfields, Brad has a passion for the place and its people. Brad explains his work in McDowell County as “reimagining the rural Appalachian church,” shaping what he calls the holler gospel—“the work of transformation in communities ravaged by scarcity.” Additionally, Brad is the proud cat dad of the semi social media-famous “MagnifiCATS,” Sammi and Diva.

Board Member

Keith Lilly

Richard Keith Lilly is a historian and professor at Concord University, where he has taught history since 1998. A first-generation college graduate, he earned degrees in History and Political Science from Concord College and an M.A. in History from Virginia Tech, specializing in Anglo-American diplomacy. Mr. Lilly has also worked on federally funded initiatives to improve the teaching of American history in West Virginia.

Melissa McCune

Community and church activist.

David Sibray

David Sibray is the publisher of West Virginia Explorer and a historian, preservation consultant, and real estate agent specialized in the sale of historic properties. He is a member of the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia and a former chair of the Beckley and Raleigh County historic landmarks commissions.

Future Board Member

New Board Members will be announced here.

Our Mission and Vision

Mission

Equitable Preservation

The New River Gorge Historical Society is committed to preserving, protecting, and uplifting the rich history, culture, and overlooked stories of the New River Gorge region. We work to safeguard the landmarks, landscapes, and voices that shaped this place while inspiring people today to take an active role in preserving its future.

Vision

Interactive Exhibits

A region where the history of every coal town, community, and family is honored, where forgotten places are restored, and where the people of southern West Virginia have ownership over their stories. We envision a living, breathing historical movement that strengthens community identity and protects the Gorge for generations to come.

Educational Materials

Storytelling Sessions & Learning Tools

Our educational programs dive deep into the stories that textbooks often leave out. Through storytelling sessions, workshops, and teacher-friendly resources, we uplift local voices and perspectives while encouraging a deeper understanding of the region's cultural and historical impact.

Exhibits

Interactive Exhibits

We hope to bring the New River Gorge's history to life through dynamic, hands-on exhibits designed for visitors of all ages. Our displays will highlight artifacts, photographs, documents, and the everyday items that shaped Appalachian life. These exhibits make history feel real, relatable, and rooted in the people who lived it.

Community Events

In-Person & Virtual Events

We hot events that bring the community together to explore, protect, and celebrate the Gorge's past. Whether through virtual seminars, local tours, cleanup days, or preservation workshops, we create opportunities for people to actively participate in safeguarding the region's heritage.

Preservation & Reclamation

Historic Cemeteries

We are committed to identifying, reclaiming, and restoring abandoned and endangered cemeteries throughout the Gorge. These resting places hold the names and stories of coal miners, families, and communities too often forgotten. Our work ensures that no history - and no person - is lost to time.

Lost Communities & Forgotten Places

Many towns, neighborhoods, and coal camps have vanished from maps. We research and recover these histories so they can live again through exhibits, archives, tours, and digital storytelling.

Document & Artifact Recovery

We actively collect, safeguard, and digitize historical materials that would otherwise be discarded or destroyed - ensuring they remain available for public access.

Threatened Historic Structures

From coal camp houses to company stores, schools, rail depots, and industrial sites, the structures of the Gorge tell the story of our region's identity. Many of these places are currently at risk of demolition or decay. We work to:

Document and photograph endangered sites
Advocate for their protection
Partner with local communities and agencies to save them
Seek pathways for restoration, resuse, and preservation.