Many changes are coming at Kump Education Center during our centennial year for historic Kump House. The most important change is the introduction of an Administrative Coordinator. Other more visible changes will involve roof replacement, gutter repairs, wetland reorganization, and changes in fencing priorities and locations.

Our new Administrative Coordinator is Sara Gladwell, a Randolph County native who has worked at the West Virginia Children’s Home. She will have a part-time paid position and keep regular hours when the public will be able to access the historic house and property.

Sara will work with me to organize volunteer services, publish information about events and activities at the center, inventory items in the historic Kump collections and educational materials for school field trips and individual tutoring. Her understanding for children in need and her interest in Randolph County history make Sara Gladwell an ideal person to help direct development at the Kump Education Center.

The other changes may become more visible as warmer weather comes along. The most significant change outside will involve roof replacements on the back of the house and enclosed gutter repairs on three sides of the house. We have been working for five years to get a preservation grant to pay for this project, and we have finally gotten a $24,000 matching grant from West Virginia Preservation Office. We hope the Randolph County Commission can help us with our match.

Another place where changes will be visible is the Wetland. We have an AmeriCorps member who has assembled an excellent team to inventory and protect native wetland plants, remove invasive plants, and plan for new water patterns and boardwalks in our wetland. We will also remove fencing around the wetland in order to prevent birds from inadvertently planting invasive plants while sitting on fence posts.

Other changes in fencing will include the removal of fences on Seneca Road and the replacement of the historic white wooden fence on South Randolph Avenue with a new product more durable than wood. This front fence is not only required to restore the historic image of the 100-year old Kump House, but it helps adults to set limits for children playing in the yard next to the busy traffic on South Randolph Avenue and the intersection of US highways 250, 219, 92, 48, and 33.

When people round the corner at Kump House this summer, they will want to look for Fannie’s Crazy Quilt on the Kump Barn. This new fan-shaped barn quilt is made from the sign for the old community garden that has been replaced by the Elkins City Tree Nursery. Most importantly, it is a reminder that readers will want to see the new Kump family history book called “Fannie’s Crazy Quilt” on Kindle Direct Publishing.