“Improving The Community One Project At A Time” PO Box 117 -  Alderson W Va.  24910 Made with Xara © Alderson Main Street 2013 ALDERSON MAIN STREET CELEBRATES WEST VIRGINIA’S BIRTHDAY Margaret Hambrick “Your birthday party may be a bit late, but we have a good reason,” is the birthday greeting from Alderson Main  Street to the State of West Virginia. The award winning traveling exhibit Born of Rebellion: West Virginia Statehood will be on display to the public  June 26 through July 10 at the Greenbrier River Interpretive Center (GRIC) in Alderson. This local presentation is sponsored by Alderson Main Street and timed to coincide with the 52nd Annual July 4th Celebration in Alderson. The West Virginia Humanities Council is touring this exhibit to help organizations observe the 150th birthday of  West Virginia this year. The circumstances of the creation of West Virginia remain unique in American history.  Questions arose as to the constitutionality of the process and even as to whether the new state should be  dissolved once Virginia was restored to the Union. Exhibit viewers are given an opportunity to cast their vote on  the constitutionality of our state. The official ribbon cutting for the exhibit will be held at the GRIC at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 29, 2013. This  ceremony will be followed by the swearing in of the newly elected Mayor and Council for the Town of Alderson.  Refreshments will be served.  In conjunction with the popular Saturday morning Alderson Community Market, everyone is welcome to view the  exhibit and be a part of the continuation of government with the oath taking ceremony of the officials of local  government. The exhibit will be open June 26 to July 10 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. except for Sundays when it will be open  from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Betty Thomas, President of Alderson Main Street and a Golden Horseshoe Award winner, said, “We are fortunate to have this exhibit in Alderson. We hope everyone will stop by and see it. Bring your children and help them  learn more about our state.” Update:  Special thanks to all those who helped make the "grand opening" of the sesquicentennial exhibit such a success. Thanks to Betty Thomas, Frances Simmons, Doris Kasley, and Mary Clay for the great cupcakes in honor of  West Virginia's 150th birthday. They were really enjoyed. Judy Lewallen ran the cash register--and was a bit  busy--and Margaret Hambrick provided lemonade. AMS President Betty Thomas, newly sworn in as Alderson's Recorder and Travis Copenhaver, newly sworn in as  Alderson's Mayor, cut the ribbon on the "Born of Rebellion: West Virginia Statehood" exhibit. We estimate that  about 50 people went through the exhibit on Saturday. The exhibit will be up through July 10 so please stop by. (Click on photo for larger view)