ELKINS — The Elkins Historic Landmarks Commission addressed their purpose, vision and goals for the upcoming fiscal year at the most recent Elkins City Council meeting.

An EHLC representative gave a presentation laying out the commission’s purpose, what the commission has accomplished and the commission’s goals and projects for Fiscal Year 2027.

EHLC President Paden Vargo informed council members that the commission has had a lot of turnover in membership over the years, and it had been several years since the commission had spoken directly with the City Council.

“So we thought this would be a good opportunity to reacquaint the commission with everyone in this room,” Vargo said. “…We want to briefly talk about historic preservation… we’re going to look at a case study of an Elkins project. A very successful one we all know about. We’ll then move into, hopefully, dispelling some myths about historic preservation. We’re going to give some background on the commission itself and some recent successes the past few years, and then we’ll close with our shared vision.”

EHLC Vice President Jamie Billman explained that HLCs identify, designate and protect historic properties through various functions, such as through surveys, historic property inventory forms, National Register nominations and advocacy.

The Elkins HLC, Billman said, is able to survey and designate historic sites and districts, establish standards for landmarks care and management, financially deal with properties ensure proper preservation, place historic markers, employ professionals, and consult on Section 106 projects when invited.

When it comes to the different nationally recognized levels of historic preservation, EHLC Secretary Kelsey Hartman explained that the EHLC and the City of Elkins will mostly have to deal with the preservation approach of rehabilitation.

“The textbook definition of it is ‘the process of returning a building or buildings to state of utility through repair or alteration,'” Hartman said. “The key word there is utility. It’s just making it useful again. A dilapidated or vacant building is not doing anyone any good, so the point is just to bring it ‘back online.'”

As Hartman explained, that does allow for some flexibility when it comes to how you can preserve a historic building. “Adaptive reuse,” or the process of repurposing an existing building for a new function rather than demolishing it, allows for a historic building to change with the area around it as time goes on.

“All that to say, this image of preservation being a building stuck in stone in a moment in time forever is not the case,” Hartman said. “Flexibility is very much a part of that and helps keep that building’s heritage in play, which is great.”

Using the Tygart Hotel as a successful example of a recent rehabilitation of a historic building in Elkins, Hartman stated that rehabilitation of buildings creates economic benefits through job creation, increased property value and heritage tourism. In 2025, Vargo said, West Virginia saw a record amount of investment, revenue and tourism with $9 billion entering the state. It’s estimated that 50% of tourism in West Virginia in 2025 was heritage tourism.

During the presentation, EHLC Treasurer Pricilla Gay talked about how the EHLC applies for grants and what the grant process for receiving a rehabilitation grant looks like.

“There’s the grant that will write a nomination (for consideration of a possible historic landmark),” Gay stated. “There’s a grant that will pay for a scholarship for people to go and learn some more about historic preservation… The Landmarks Commission is the vehicle that accesses CLG (Certified Local Government) grants.”

Vargo also laid out the commission’s three-point vision. The vision includes fostering a stronger partnership with Elkins City Hall and the City Council, being a go-to resource for Elkins residents and property owners, and continuing to advocate and promote Elkins’ history and resources to the community and visitors.

Vargo joked that he did not want the commission to be seen as a “hysterical society,” a pun on the term historical society. He said he would describe the EHLC as “pragmatic preservationists” who understand that buildings and towns have to change to continue to develop and progress as a community.

“Ultimately, I think I could wager to believe that the commission and the people in this room want the same thing for Elkins,” Vargo told the council. “We want to continue to contribute to a vibrant community. We want to revitalize, diversify and sustain our economy, and we want to continue to foster this idea of a sense of place.”

For FY 2027, the EHLC has three projects in mind, Vargo explained.

The first project is a free two-day window workshop where Elkins residents can learn the value and energy efficiency of historic windows, as well as participate in the revitalization and rehabilitation of historic windows.

The second project is a proposal to expand the current boundaries of Elkins’ downtown historic district. As Vargo explained, expanding the boundaries would allow more Elkins properties and businesses to access historic tax credits.

The third project would see the development of a historic walking tour throughout Elkins. The tours would be open to both Elkins residents and visitors. Vargo stated that visitors could potentially take the walking tour after getting off the New Tygart Flyer tourist train.