By Meg Hibbert
Contributing Writer
This Saturday thousands of people will enjoy festival foods, crafts, antique cars, bluegrass and other music and Craig County history at the 42nd annual Craig County Fall Festival.
At the center of the festival will be the Old Brick Hotel and three cabins lovingly restored and operated by members of the Craig County Historical Society.
“I love history, my county and doing whatever that will enhance and promote my hometown,” explained Historical Society President Gerlene Sizer.
“History is very important,” continued Sizer, who has been the society’s president since 2018. “Too many people tear down old buidings and don’t realize they are tearing down their history.”
The society, volunteers and skilled builders saved and restored the three cabins that date to the 1800s and will be open the day of the festival. The Hawkins and Holstein cabins are across from the Craig County Courthouse and Keffer cabin is across Rt. 615.
On the festival day breakfast and lunch will be served in the Old Hotel. The genealogy library will also be open and the museum store, Sizer pointed out.
“The museum store looks beautiful. It’s a great addition to downtown New Castle,” she said.
Special events during the festival will honor the county’s veterans and Louise Tranor Wood who turned 103 on Oct. 6, said Sizer.
Bluegrass music will honor late musicians Steve Carper and Jessee Carper. Bands playing this year are “Francisco” and “Ripe Picking”.
“The museum, which is next door to the genealogy library, used to be an old store, the Wagner Store, when I was a small child,” said Sizer. “My grandfather worked for the C & O Railroad and brought his family back from Clifton Forge to New Castle. He went to work at Wagner’s Store. I remember eating my first ice cream cone there,” recalled Sizer, who is 90. “He explained I could eat the cone part, too.”
In addition to during the festival, the museum store is open on Friday afternoons when the genealogy library is open, and other times when a Historical Society member is available, Sizer said.
“There are a lot of artifacts in there, and we’re still adding.” She recalled that recently a woman came in the donate two snuff boxes and spoons. “There is still snuff in the boxes,” Sizer said.
“I’d just like for people to come in and see what we have, and share what they have.”
In the genealogy library there is a research computer with close to 80,000 names on it, “and we keep adding to it,” Sizer said.
“I have a lot of happy memories of growing up in Craig County. One of the nice things about growing old is having good memories that you can recall and enjoy,” she said, adding “Having good friends is worth all the money in the world.”
In addition to Sizer, there are six board members: Chairman D.R. Looney, Clara Leftwich, Jane Johnston, Nancy Sasser, Jackie Parr Taylor and Julie Welch. The board meets about six times a year and as needed.
