Thomas, WV- Recently 86 people packed Cottrill’s Opera House to learn about the history of immigration in Tucker County. The lecture, sponsored by Friends of Blackwater, was led by Professor Hal Gorby of West Virginia University, who has been studying oral history recordings from north-central West Virginia, including first-hand accounts of the boom days of Thomas and the surrounding area.
The lecture covered large-scale issues like the dangers of early coal mining, the difficulty of union organizing in a multilingual immigrant community, and the way that an influx of Catholic immigrants reshaped religious life in Tucker County. However, Professor Gorby also picked out stories of individual immigrants, and highlighted original documents like certificates of citizenship, union flyers, and letters from important figures of the era. There were plenty of stories to choose from, since in 1910, fully 16% of the county was foreign-born.
The historic space of the Opera House added to the lecture, and when Gorby discussed immigrant-owned small businesses, examples like the former DePollo’s General Store (now the Purple Fiddle) were right down the street. Many people in the crowd had stories about their own ancestors’ immigrant experiences, and the conversation continued after the lecture was finished.
Friends of Blackwater is planning more local history events throughout the summer. For information contact Friends of Blackwater at 304-345-7663.
