Submitted photos Living history interpreters will share stories and material culture from the colonial frontier era and the American Revolutionary War at Saturday’s Beverly Heritage Day. A group of interpreters, above, gather at a previous event.

BEVERLY — Special presentations during Beverly Heritage Day on Saturday will showcase the impact of the American Revolution on the Tygart Valley, and the century that followed which included the construction of the historic Randolph County town.

The annual event, with this year’s theme, “Beverly Heritage Day: Building Home in the Valley,” will feature demonstrations, music, food, and fun for the entire family, organizers said.

“We hope to showcase not only the coming of the Revolution, but how it impacted building our communities here in the Tygart Valley, right up through the Civil War,” said Beverly Heritage Center Executive Director Eleanor Renshaw. “We have some fun activities planned and want visitors to get involved and explore.”

Beverly Heritage Day will get underway at 10 a.m. Saturday, and attendees will be able to take part in a host of activities, including the “Building Beverly Pass” game. Players participating in the game will move through occupied towns and get their pass stamped at sites visited.

There will be unique, hand-carved stamps at each site constructed by local artists. Participants will combine the stamps to build their own home on the take-home pass. A prize sticker will top off the pass for those who complete a building. Living history and equipment demonstrations from the Colonial Militia to the Civil War will be featured among the Building Beverly Pass sites. 

Interactive demonstrations will take place throughout the day, and visitors to the event can also participate in 19th century cricket games.

Weavers and blacksmiths will offer demonstrations, and Don Teter will protary a frontier surveyor at the Randolph County Museum. There will be live music in the courthouse from Trio Salon, who will be performing specially-arranged 18th and 19th century pieces. 

“We have some incredibly talented artists, musicians and interpreters coming from across the country to present here,” Renshaw said. “Tom Melville is even coming from Wisconsin to be our 19th century cricket coach.”

Civil War photographs will be on display at the Laura Jackson Arnold House, where visitors can enjoy live traditional music and old-fashioned ice cream floats on the porch. The Subscription School and 1841 Randolph County Jail will also be open during the event, while the Interact Children’s Museum will be available for children from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Brunswick Stew will be available for lunch, and there will be a traditional pie sale during the event, which will conclude at 5 p.m.

For more information on Beverly Heritage Day, visit www.beverlyheritagecenter.org or call 304-637-7424. Questions about the event can also be answered via email to info@beverlyheritagecenter.org.

Scheduled activities will include:

10:30 a.m. – News of Revolution Comes to Beverly Town Square

11 p.m. – Indigenous and Appalachian Culture, Larry Jent Big tent in Goff Yard

11 p.m. – Interact Children’s Museum at Town Square

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. – Lunch for sale on BHC Patio

11:30 p.m. – Pie Sale until gone at BHC Patio

12 p.m. – Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Floats at Arnold house

12:30 p.m. – Colonial surveyor program, Don Teter at RCM

1 p.m. – Trio Salon, 19th century ensemble at BHC Courthouse

1:30 p.m. – Old-time music periodically through afternoon at Arnold House

2:30 p.m. – Cricket game, Tom Melville: “Between railroad and river”

3 p.m. – Seneca Trail Exhibit program, Eleanor Renshaw in BHC exhibit room

3:30 p.m. – Colonial surveyor program, Don Teter at RCM

Beverly resident Karl Mulac, above, hosted a Colonial-era camp and told stories about the Tygart Valley frontier at a previous Beverly Heritage Day event. This year’s celebration will get underway at 10 a.m. Saturday.