Beckley Courthouse Square Historic District

From West Virginia (WV) Cyclopedia

In Beckley, WV, the seat of Raleigh County, the Beckley Courthouse Square National Historic District protects the City of Beckley's governmental center and its original commercial center. It includes the Raleigh County Courthouse Square and adjacent commercial, governmental, and ecclesiastical buildings along Main, Prince, Heber, Fayette, Neville, and Kanawha streets and several adjacent avenues. Until the 1930s, Beckley was practically contained within the limits of the present historic district.

The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994, however, it has been compromised by improper development, and the West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) has warned city officials that historic district status could be revoked by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The city, according to SHPO, has neglected to enforce standards (http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/tps/tax/rhb/stand.htm) set by the Secretary of the Interior. Revocation would eliminate state and federal incentives for rehabilitation available to property owners. (See: State historians warn Beckley Officials (http://www.nativewv.com/shpo-threatens-to-delist-beckley-wv/).)

Highlights within the historic district include the Art Deco-inspired Raleigh County Courthouse, the former Federal Courthouse designed by Alex B. Mahood, and a monument to John Beckley, father of General Alfred Beckley, founder of Beckleyville.