Audio CD Project Will Extend Story to Western 'Pike

Talking Across the Lines has contracted with The Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike Alliance based to complete two new CDs of audio history highlighting the western portion of the Turnpike from Buckhannon to Parkersburg, covering six counties West Virginia counties. The Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike National Scenic Byway follows this historic route across West Virginia.

According to Turnpike Coordinator, Mary Rayme, “We’re excited to start this project with Talking Across the Lines. There is still so much history left to preserve along the Turnpike and we are so pleased to have the Klines creating the CDs for this  historic project. There are still folks who have Turnpike stories and memories to share, and I am looking forward to hearing the finished product.”

Carrie & Michael Kline are Talking Across the Lines, a folklife documentary consulting and production firm. The Klines created a 4-CD set of oral history, local music, and ambient sounds of nature that focus on the eastern section of the Turnpike. (See http://www.folktalk.org/turnpike.html.) The new CDs will focus more on the western portion of the Turnpike especially focused on the African-American, ethnic, rural and industrial history and the role of the Turnpike in the Underground Railroad.

Michael and Carrie Kline have worked extensively in West Virginia and Ohio where they produced recordings on the Underground Railroad and local heritage music, with Cherokees in North Carolina, in Pennsylvania and in Southern Maryland's Chesapeake region where they produced a fast-paced documentary, Born and Raised in Tobacco Fields, and a two volume series of CDs featuring African American sacred music.

Anyone living on or near the western part of the Turnpike with stories or songs to share that relate directly to the history of the Turnpike are encouraged to contact the Klines via their website, www.folktalk.org.

Funding for this project is from a Scenic Byways grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation and will also include additional interpretive signs on the Turnpike, focused on the western portion.

The federally designated Byway  is managed by the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike Alliance,  a non-profit organization headquartered in Beverly, WV, dedicated to preserving history and promoting tourism and recreation along the Turnpike. National Scenic Byways, including the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike, can be seen at www.byways.org. You can visit the Turnpike online at www.spturnpike.org or call 304-637-7424.

At a recent Appalachian Forest Heritage Area stakeholders meeting in Buckhannon, Mary Rayme (coordinator of the SPTA), gave a PowerPoint presentation that gives a brief overview of the history of the Turnpike as well as educating the viewers about the breadth and scope of the Turnpike. If you would like Mary to give a presentation to your school or community organization, please feel free to call her at 304-636-4485.

Fall 2006

WV Highways Grant Goes To Turnpike

The SPTA recently received approval for a $112k grant through the WV Division of Highways to develop more interpretive signs for the Turnpike. The grant will also cover the research for and production of two new audio tour CDs which will capture more of the history and culture of our historic Byway.

SPT Gets Links On Internet Sites

While perusing an article about Claudius Crozet on Wikipedia, SPTA Coordinator, Mary Rayme noticed the lack of info about the Turnpike designed by Crozet. If you look at the bottom of this page, Mary added a factoid and a link back to the Turnpike website.
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claudius_Crozet

Mary also added a blog entry about the Turnpike to the Suite101.com site .
See: http://artsociety.suite101.com/blogs.cfm#the_art_of_history

Summer 2006

Turnpike Featured In Interview

Mary Rayme, new SPT coordinator, tells "A Woman's View" about the Turnpike.

Spring 2006

New Staff At The Turnpike Offices!

The Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike Alliance proudly announces the employment of a new Grants Coordinator to oversee projects for this non-profit organization based in Beverly, West Virginia, in Randolph County.

Mary Rayme is the new coordinator and has over 15 years experience in marketing, administration, and project management. Ms. Rayme has employment experience with the Baltimore Museum of Art, Johns Hopkins University, Devon Direct Marketing, and The Maryland Institute College of Art. “I’m very excited to take on this new task”, said Ms. Rayme. “The Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike has a lot of history not just regionally but nationally as well. I’m hoping to get more people involved in this project throughout the counties that are within the Turnpike boundaries. There’s still a lot of history to uncover here.”

The Staunton-Parkerburg Turnpike was built in the 1840s and was the primary transportation route connecting the Shenandoah Valley with the Ohio River. The Turnpike has played an important role in the development of West Virginia and the industries of coal, oil, and lumber. The Turnpike also played an important role in Civil War when control of the route was fought for by both the Union and Confederate troops.

The Turnpike Alliance is dedicated to preserving the history of the area while also promoting tourism and visitors to the area. The Turnpike Alliance is always looking for people from the community to become involved in preserving the history of the region and Turnpike. In West Virginia the Turnpike runs through Pocahontas, Upshur, Lewis, Gilmer, Ritchie, Wirt, and Wood. Join the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike Alliance by calling 304-637-7424 or by emailing info@spturnpike.org

FALL 2005

Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike Designated As New "National Scenic Byway"

WASHINGTON, DC --- The U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration officially designated 45 new Byways including The Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike on September 22, 2005 at an official ceremony in Washington, DC. 

The America’s Byways Designation 2-Day Event attracted more than 150 representatives of America’s Byways including Byway administrators, marketers, volunteers and enthusiasts.  On the first day, the new Byway representatives were given hands-on instruction on how to use their new designation to increase awareness of their communities.  Sessions included presentations by state coordinators, local and regional tourism officials, government partners, public relations specialists and others.  A formal designation ceremony was held on the second day.   

“ This is a tremendous cultural and promotional opportunity for central West Virginia because this new designation will increase awareness of our region,” said Ruth Brinker of the SPTA staff.  “With this new designation as one of America’s Byways, the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike crossing north central West Virginia from the State line at Top of Allegheny to Parkersburg is eligible for additional federal funding, plus technical assistance and support.  It also means the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike will be included in future America’s Byways maps published by the US DOT, and that should help boost tourism to our area.  According to the Travel Industry Association of America, 80% of all travel in the U.S. is by car and many American’s enjoy the driving experience that our region has to offer.” 

 The National Scenic Byways Program is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).  The program is a grass roots collaborative effort established to help recognize, preserve and enhance selected roads throughout the United States.  The program was established in 1991.  Since 1992, the National Scenic Byways Program has provide almost $300,000,000 funding for 1,665 State and nationally designated byway projects in 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.  The U.S. Secretary of Transportation recognizes certain roads as America’s Byways based on one or more intrinsic qualities: archaeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic.