Building rehabilitation

Boss Woman, not Boss Man

Posted on August 18, 2019 by jolynnpowers

Basement of the Golden Rule before image

JoLynn Powers on the first day of basement clean up and demo at the Golden Rule.

Being self-employed and being the Boss Woman on the job at the Golden Rule over the last 6 months is one of the best things I have done for myself. So I just wanted to share an experience with all of you that I find interesting and makes we want to continue the work I do. As the Redevelopment Coordinator for the Golden Rule Building and several smaller community beautification projects around the Barbour County Area, I am always working on projects with multiple people. My job entails working with and supervising volunteers and contractors to get a project completed. I make sure they have the supplies they need and work with local and state officials to keep them updated on our projects. I plan events to promote our projects and do community outreach to get the volunteers involved.

I often manage the challenges that arise as we do construction, demolition, redevelopment and finally instillations. I love working with people and supervising a crew and love to get my hands dirty.

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Team of AmeriCorps working with me at The Golden Rule summer of 2019. Left to right. Sarah, Kelsey, Me and William.

So the day when I had a crew working in the building doing demolition of 2500 square feet of hand made pine shelving I was surprised at my reaction of a just a few words said by a total stranger. As I was heading upstairs to work on tossing hundreds of boards into a dumpster I was approached by a man from the community on the first floor. He had let himself into the building and spoke to me unexpectedly. He said “Hey,…. where is the Boss Man?” I turned and asked him if I could help him with something and what did he need. Again he asked if he could talk to the”Boss Man.’ Being a nice person I never said, “Hey Asshole I’m the boss and that is why I am talking with you.” I just continued to ask questions and answer them for him. Finally, he said he was looking for work and wanted to know if we were hiring and who should he talk to. To this, I said, “No one is hiring laborers at this time, but if you are a contractor like I am, then the main office may be able to help you. They are looking for bids on HVAC, electrical, roofing and plumbing.” The look on his face was of total confusion. Frustrated he asked me who my boss was and where was he. I gave him the name of both of my supervisors and told him to call the office. Then it finally sank in, that I was the crew supervisor and not a man. I think that was almost too much for him.

These volunteers and AmeriCorps spent a day doing nothing but moving furniture and displays for me at the Golden Rule.

From the deepest part of my belly, I wanted to be an ass and say ” I am the Boss Woman on this job and how well do you work for women?” But in reality, letting him figure it out on his own and speaking to him in terms that would only be handled by the boss I had confused him to the point of frustration. Then when he realized that we had no need for laborers just licensed contractors he was disappointed and equally angry. I spent the rest of my day… irritated. Let’s just say being called the boss is one thing, but to be referred to as a man is never going to go down easy!

I have spent the last week after this situation thinking. I work with some of the most wonderful men in the world and I would not trade any of them for others. My Project Manager and Director understand my love for redevelopment and home improvement and are happy to have me and treat me with the same respect that any person deserves. I have a family who supports me in my passion to build, remodel, and redesign so I rarely ever have a conversation that is not met with equal understanding and passion. But I have to figure out a way to be tactful about explaining my roll at the Golden Rule when a man is confused about the work I do.

After using a grout bag I sweep up the lose grout before washing the tiles

My job for several days was doing grout on our family room floor. Grout bags are a wonderful product as long as you don’t mix too much water into the grout.

So this woman is her own boss and the boss of others and often the main contact for a redevelopment construction site. I have become the thing that I always wanted to be and doing work that I love. I have a team of people I work with who let me enjoy my work and are happy that I want to be involved in community development. So I will just have to get used to surprising people and learn how to say,” Boss Woman, Thank you!”

Categories: About me, Boss lady, Building rehabilitation, Community Art, community service, Golden Rule, Redevelopment projects, Uncategorized, Woodlands Development Group | Tags: Belington West Virginia, Boss lady, Golden Rule, Redevelopment, Woodlands Development Group | Leave a comment

Visit to “Old Stone House/ Travelers Rest”.

Posted on May 22, 2019 by jolynnpowers

While on my way to a meeting for Appalachian Forest Heritage Area I was able to spend some time at Old Stone House/ Travelers Rest. The historic home of Gen. Horatio Gates that was built along the stage coach line that ran from Winchester, VA. to what is now Parkersburg, WV. near the Ohio State line. The Old Stone House was built in two stages from 1810 to 1827 with the caretakers rooms built first with the traveler portion coming later.

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Driving to the Keyser,WV. area was a nice break from my often lonely dirty work at the Golden Rule. Spring had arrived in the mountains and the drive surrounded me with lush green trees, flowers in bloom and blue skies. Even these iris are happy to have the rain stop.

Travelers Rest is now being rehabilitated after years of use. The house and 220 acres were owned by Gen. Horatio Gates was a plantation farm after his retirement from service as a British officer and a General in the American Revolution.

3/4 view of Travelers Rest with a view of fire place chimney.

Over the course of time the house was not only a home and guest house but a restaurant and a community Flea Market. Today the house greets visitors to the county with grace and style as they pass from rolling green country hills into the towns and cities along route 50.For more information about the redevelopment and fundraising plans for Travelers Rest head to their Facebook page at Old Stone House/ Travels Rest.

Newly restored back porches that had been removed on Travelers Rest.

The interior of the caretakers quarters portion of the house have been restored and have a collection of time period items on display. Several come from the house and add to the warm feel of the rooms. The next project being finished is the living space on the travelers side of the large home and the large gathering space below, that is currently a fundraising Flea Market.

living and kitchen space at the Old Stone House / Travelers Rest

single bedroom on second floor

AmeriCorps volunteers visit the Travelers Rest Flea market on their way to Keyser WV

The house uses community volunteers and Mineral County Historical Society members to do repairs and keep the doors open for visitors. Maybe one day the building will again house travelers who are heading along route 50.

Carpentry volunteer ready to head to the upstairs to install insulation in the roof areas.

The drive to see the house is very rural. Often I was the only car on the highway making it a wonderful relaxing drive. Along the way up on the mountains tops are some of the famous West Virginia wind farms. Wikipedia states that their are 376 wind turbines in operation in the state. I think this ridge was lined with around 30 that were all facing a on coming storm in Tucker County.

Wind Mills along corridor H Tucker County.

I’m glad I took time to stop and enjoy a short visit to this old house. I have am always impressed and surprised every time I get to see a 200 year old house still standing. Gen. Gates would be proud to know that his farm and home are still in use and are still welcoming visitors along the long road from Winchester.

Mineral County Wind Turbines.

Categories: Appalachian Mountains, Appalachin Forrest Heritage Area, Building rehabilitation, historic locations, Historic Preservation, Mineral County West Virginia, Travelers Rest/Old Stone House, Uncategorized, West Virginia History, Wind Turbine | Tags: Appalachian Forest Heritage Area, General Horatio Gates, Historic homes, Historic Preservation, Mineral County, Travelers Rest/Old Stone House | 4 Comments

Volunteers Impact the Future of The Golden Rule Building.

Posted on September 18, 2018 by jolynnpowers

Often time’s volunteers don’t get to see the impact they have on a project. This is not the case with the volunteers who have helped begin the redevelopment of The Golden Rule building in Belington,WV this spring. Over 32 volunteers have spent over 220 hours donating their time and skills to bringing the 116 year old building back to life.

The Golden Rule volunteers have worked on everything from painting murals for the buildings windows while the frames are restored, to helping to remove up to 6,000 pounds of garbage, and pulling up over 6,000 square feet of old carpet and linoleum on the first floor. The work is hard and dirty but that does not seem to slow the volunteers down.

AmeriCorps Service members volunteer to help remove trash from the Golden Rule: Patrick Facemire and Logan McDonald AFHA 2018 service members.

AmeriCorps Service Member and Preservation Alliance of West Virginia members volunteer to remove linoleum: Sarah Heuer a Elizabeth Satterfield.

Many of the volunteers are local church members who have an interest in community service but others like Mary Streets, of Belington, remembers her husband working at the Golden Rule in the 60’s and 70’s. She wants to see the building reopen and be an important part of the downtown area again. Mary spent her 83rd birthday with her daughter Stacy Streets and other volunteers at the building on July 21st of this year.

After a long hot afternoon working, I asked Mary about why she spent her birthday with us at the Golden Rule Building. She shared that the Golden Rule was full of good memories for her. She said, “It was nice to come back and visit a place where she often shopped and bought things for her kids.” She went on to say, “My husband worked here for many years and we all felt like family here.” She was the most joyous member of our volunteer crew and explained that she was happy to be part of the rehabilitation that would make her home town a better place.

.Mary Streets and Daughter Stacy Streets help to clean debris at the Golden Rule.

Volunteers like Terri Kittle from the Belington Revitalization Committee have worked for 6 years trying to get the historic building redeveloped. Terri, head of the committee is passionate about the building and its future for Belington. Terri says, “The Golden Rule is vital to bringing downtown back to life. So working with Woodlands Development Group a non-profit developer in the region just made since.”

Woodlands Development Group purchased the building in April of 2018 and the work to clean out the building began a few weeks later. Dustin Smith project manager says “The Golden Rule project is a unique case when it comes to volunteerism; it is not often that we use volunteers but everyone is so interested in the project that we are happy to have the help.”

Volunteers from Mountain Valley Bank of Elkins work with Missionaries from the Church of Latter Day Saints

Volunteer days will continue throughout the next few months until the Open House that will include refreshments, tours and discussions about planes for the building. Many of the antique items found in the building will be on display and some will be for sale to the public. The Open House is planned for Saturday, Sept. 15th at the building at 122 Crim Ave. in Belington.

It is hoped that the volunteers that have worked on the project will come to the open house to share their experiences with the community and celebrate their hand in making the Golden Rule a better place for everyone in the community.

Before photo of the main floor of the Golden Rule Building taken a week after purchase in May 2018

This is the after photo of the main floor after two volunteer days and hundreds of hours of sorting, tearing up flooring and removing trash.

The success of this project has been a grass-roots effort and will continue to be for the next few months. We had a wonderful turn out for the Golden Rule Open House with about 75 visitors stop to learn about the project or take a tour. It is hoped that new construction will begin at the start of the new year and we will have some work on the 10 upper story apartments done by summer. The Main floor will have a new elevator and a new fire safe stair well installed over the course of the next two years. Then a train depot, ticket counter with a coffee shop and retail space will be the last to be built-in the front of the first floor space.

Categories: AmeriCorps, Barbour County, Belington, WV, Building rehabilitation, Golden Rule, historic locations, Historic Preservation, Trash to treasure, Uncategorized, volunteering | Tags: AmeriCorps, Barbour County, Belington West Virginia, Golden Rule, Historic Preservation, Trash to treasure, volunteering, WV historic locations | 1 Comment

History Lives at Adaland Mansion, Philippi,WV.

Posted on May 2, 2018 by jolynnpowers

I was recently invited to have a lunch date with some friends and co-workers at Adaland a Victorian mansion high on a hill in Barbour County, West Virginia. The historic register mansion is a pre-civil war home, built-in 1870, that has been restored and is now open to the public. The Adaland Mansion received its name when Federal Judge Ira E. Robinson bought the home in the 1920’s and renamed the property after his beloved wife Ada Sinsel. It is in her honor that the home has become one of the regions most loved locations for weddings and fine events.

Front view of Adaland Mansion

Rear entry area of Adaland Mansion

rear entry to Adaland Mansion

Front view from road at Adaland Mansion

The 13 volunteer caretakers of the home and acreage offer seasonal home tours, high tea’s, theater performance and lunch buffet to tour guests and families who rent the home and pavilion for special events. The home’s history is long and well documented. Even at one time-serving as a coal mine superintendent’s home and engineering office. Anker Energy company was the last owner of the property before donation to the City of Philippi in 1996. At that time, the house was ready to be razed, the barn had collapsed, the land was overgrown and the farm was generally forgotten.It took a dedicated group of volunteers to begin the restoration of the home and do the fund-raising necessary for the project.

Susie and Karen two of the many volunteers in dinning area of Adaland Mansion.

I was taken back by the quality of the restoration and the amazing luck that most of the historic detail of the home had remained.The black walnut trim and paneling in the house are original and were produced on the farm.The bricks from the house were also formed and fired at the farm property. The furnishings are mostly donated from the local community and the decor was researched and replaced to the correct time period and installation method. The experience is time traveling back to a more elegant and formal way of life. The home originally housed servants (at least three at a time) and has servants quarters and an additional kitchen in the basement. Adaland was also a way-station for travelers so the house plans included a bedroom just for them, with a separate entrance for people traveling the Staunton-Parkersburg turnpike near Philippi. Here a rider could get out of the cold, get a hot meal and sleep in safety while in one of the mansion’s bedrooms. There is also a large and grand lawyers office next to the travelers room, both are on the main floor and I wondered how many times the Judges clients traveled from all over the state to see him and stayed in the little room next door to his office. The office holds many of the books and documents that Judge Robinson used while serving the people of West Virginia.

Servent stairs and travelers door way Adaland Mansion

second story porch with servants staircase and travelers room door on porch with on interior access to the family

Law office of Federal Judge Ira E Robinson

Judge Ira E. Robinson’s office Adaland Mansion

Judge Robison’s typewriter Adaland Mansion

We eat a lovely meal that I wished I had photographed, but it was just plain rude to take photos at the table while we enjoyed the company of friends and co-workers. The meal included a garden salad, BB-Q pulled pork, roasted chicken, home-made bread, corn, bake beans, mix vegetables, boiled potatoes and desert of many kinds. I chose a serving of peach cobbler with whipped cream. It was wonderful, fresh and homemade in the kitchen of the house.

lunch served in dinning room of Adaland Mansion. All food is homemade in the kitchen in the rear of photo.

buffet in dinning room of Adaland Manison

flowers on buffet in front room of Adaland Mansion converted to seating for luncheon.

Our tour shared lots of information about the families who lived and died on the farm over the century. There is a small cemetery on the property,and barn that is open to visitors. The barn also hosts historical demonstrations of trades that took place in the early 1900’s when events are held.Visitors are also encouraged to explore the 22 acres that the house still sits on today.

barn and shed below Adaland Mansion

The outdoor pavilion is a new addition to the property and is the main location for weddings and family events during the summer months. Making Adaland a perfect location for large groups and a place where a bride and groom can stay away from the hectic pace of town and sleep in historic bedrooms before, during and after a wedding.

Brides bedroom

Grooms bedroom

I hope to return to Adaland over the summer to see one of their Murder Mystery Dinners. Events sell out quickly and reservations are needed to have a meal at an event. Their website includes an event calender for the full year so visitors have pleanty of time to stop in. It was wonderful to stop my hecktec day and slow down to relax and enjoy this very unique home. I hope you enjoy a visit too.

Categories: Appalachian Mountains, Barbour County, Building rehabilitation, Cemetaries, historic locations, history, Home, museums, Nonprofit, West Virginia History | Tags: Adaland Mansion, Barbour County, Barn, Building rehabilitation, cemeterys, Historic homes, Home, museums, Philippi WV, tours, West Virginia History | 6 Comments

Part # 1 The Rehabilitation of the Golden Rule Building, Belington W.V. Begin’s.

Posted on April 11, 2018 by jolynnpowers

In the small town of Belington, West Virginia stands a 116 year old building that is reminiscent of West Virginia’s heyday of coal and the money it once brought to Barbour County. The Golden Rule building owned by the Shinn family was built to serve the local community as a grocery store and later a furniture store. 70 years later with the closer of several coal mines, decline of the population and the loss of jobs, the 3 story building fell on hard times just like the community where it stands. Left to decay and become an abandoned storage building the Golden Rule’s future was questionable. In 2014 the historic building, having one of the only water powered elevators in North America, was listed as an endangered property by the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia. It took another 4 years for things to change for the future of the Golden Rule.

1902 Golden Rule Building Belington West Virginia

Golden Rule elevator gears Preservation aliance of WV

Water powered elevator pulles in basment of the Golden Rule. photo use with permission of the PAWV.

As the building name implies, The golden rule,“Do on to others as you wish them to do unto you” the Woodlands Development Group of Elkins, West Virginia is taking on the challenge of bringing the structure back from abandoned and returning it to usefulness. In March of 2018 the building officially changed ownership and the slow work of rehabilitation began. With use of historic tax credits, forgivable loans and grant money, the plan includes converting the upper two floors of the building to 10, one and two bedroom apartments with at retail space on the first floor. The ground-floor space will have the Durbin& Greenbrier Vally Railroad ticket booth, a small museum space and an artist market and coffee bar. The additional building on the property is planned to house a community space with a working kitchen and outdoor seating. Woodlands Development Group is working in partnership with the Belington Revitalization Committee and The Barbour County Development Authority to meet the needs of their community with quality housing and new jobs within the building itself.

messages and images similar to these will appear in the Golden Rules windows. These appeared in store front windows in White Sulphur Springs, W.V after their down town was flooded in 2016.

The first stages of change that community will see are the boards going into the window spaces in the upper levels of the building. The boards will be painted with brightly colored images and inspirational sayings to help residents visualize that positive change is happening. The other less obvious change is the clean-up of the interior of the building. Loads of trash and recyclable items have been left all though the building and must be removed before any serious construction can begin.

mixed recyclable items with trash and barrel inside the Golden Rule.

With some of the items left behind the partners hope to have a fundraiser for the rehabilitation of the building. I have been asked to help create Golden Rule commemorative plate with an image of the building on some of the stoneware plates you see below. What was once trash will be sold in commemoration of the building and its return to usefulness.

bottles and plates found in the basement of the Golden Rule. This plates will be decorated with a decal to commemorate the rehabilitation of the building

As often is the case, the previous owners of the Golden Rule have just walked away, leaving some else to clean up the mess. It will take months of AmeriCorps service hours to clean, sort, recycle or reuse the buildings contents but in some way it is all a sign of positive change for everyone involved.

Empty boxes line the shelves of the sales floor of the Golden Rule Building.

The project is expected to take around 3 to 4 years to complete with completion of the community building taking a little longer. Today I watched as AmeriCorps members removed the arched windows of the front of the building so that they could be repaired. It is just a small step towards the final goal of seeing this building being a vital part of the downtown of Belington, West Virginia once again.