Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex in Moundsville will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Delf Norona Museum on Wednesday, Dec. 3. Visitors will be given a free special anniversary tee shirt, beginning at 10 a.m. and continuing throughout the day while supplies last.
Originally named the Delf Norona Museum and Cultural Centre, the facility opened on Dec. 3, 1978. The new museum was a much anticipated replacement for the small stone museum located at the southern foot of the Grave Creek Mound. The museum was named for a local amateur archaeologist, Delf Norona, who had been one of the founders of the West Virginia Archaeological Society and curator of the old Mound Museum until his death in 1974.
Visitors also are invited to view a special exhibit entitled Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Delf Norona Museum 1978-2008. In addition, the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce and Health Rite have their Holiday Tree Gala on display. The Tree Gala has been a local tradition since 1994. The trees will be auctioned off on Thursday, Dec. 4, and proceeds will be split between the Chamber and Health Rite.
The museum was originally operated under a lease to the City of Moundsville and Marshall County. In 1986, the museum and the mound were transferred to the Division of Tourism and Parks. In 1995, the Division of Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation, took over operation and in 1996 they were transferred to the Division of Culture and History. Earlier this year in May, a new addition opened to provide a home for the Archaeological Research Center which houses the State of West Virginia’s archaeology collection.
The museum is open to the public free of charge. Visitors can view exhibits that interpret the Adena people who built the Grave Creek Mound and, weather permitting, climb the stone steps to the top of the mound. There also is a museum shop and auditorium. The museum’s gallery and auditorium can be rented for events, meetings and training sessions.
For more information, contact Andrea Keller, cultural program coordinator for Grave Creek Mound, at (304) 843-4128, ext. 202, or e-mail her at andrea.keller@wvculture.org.
Operated by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex features one of the largest and most famous burial mounds built by the prehistoric Adena people. A massive undertaking, construction of the mound took place in successive stages from about 250-150 B.C., and required the movement of more than 60,000 tons of earth. Exhibits and displays in the complex’s museum interpret what is known about the lives of these prehistoric people and the construction of the mound. The Archaeological Complex is located at 801 Jefferson Ave., in Moundsville. Contact the museum for information regarding group registration and detailed driving directions. The museum is free and open to the public Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Access to the mound closes 30 minutes before the museum.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Cultural Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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