Exhibits of Berkeley County history are on display at the Convention and Visitors Center, conveniently located next to the Historical Society
Geographically, culturally, and economically, Berkeley County was caught between the two opposing sides and very much in the path of the conflict. This exhibit, created by a Shepherd University intern focuses on the Civil War in this county both before and after it became West Virginia in 1863 through artifacts, diaries, maps, documents and newspaper articles.
The story of the rich industrial presence in Martinsburg and Berkeley County is told in this exhibit. Our community boasts one of the first commercial orchard industries in the world. Apple orchards abounded leading to several fruit processing plants located in the region. In addition, there were several woolen stocking factories in operation to the mid-20th century, the largest being Interwoven. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Roundhouse complex remains in Martinsburg, though its shops closed in the 1980's.
Berkeley County has a rich history of medicine and nursing. This exhibit features the three main hospitals and their histories. Two of the hospitals eventually became the present Berkeley Medical Center. In a highly industrial community, doctors, nurses and pharmacists kept citizens healthy through the years and tended to those who fell ill during the 1918 Influenza Pandemic and those who served in WWII. Optometrists provided care and eyewear for county residents. Objects and stories will rotate through the exhibit in an ongoing tribute to the medical community.
This exhibit covers Berkeley County residents’ participation in the five branches of the United States Military. For the first time, the US Coast Guard is represented with its three operations centers in Berkeley County providing vital services to the US Coast Guard nationally and internationally. The Honor Bound Exhibit features uniforms, biographies, images, and artifacts from various wars including those in the Middle East. This exhibit was made possible by a grant from the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The earliest Jewish settlers in what is now Berkeley county came in 1790. The first major wave of Jewish settlers occurred in the 19th century from approximately 1840-1880. The second wave occurred from 1880-1930. Many of Martinsburg’s prominent Jewish families were part of this second wave. The exhibit tells about some of the contributions these families made to the community at large through community work, philanthropy and business.
Berkeley county was settled with slavery in place as an institution, with many prominent families owning between 1-20 slaves. Auctions were known to have taken place in the Market House of the Public Square, and slavery did not end with the Emancipation Proclamation here. Enslaved people were only freed at the end of the Civil War. The African American History Exhibit chronicles not only this era of Berkeley County's history, but also includes information about the Niagara Movement at Harpers Ferry, and information about famous African Americans from Berkeley County.