Classroom

The Gore Hotel was one of Downtown Clarksburg's most noteable structures from the time it was built in 1913, and still is today thanks to the current owner Steve Haning. Steve hired the Diamond Development company to revitalize the building on the inside and out. The Gore Building has kept it's historical facade while undergoing architectural face-lifts and a suitable green and kahki paint job, which was the original color of the building. Today the building is home to five businesses on the first floor:&nbsp;Mullens &amp; Mullens Law Firm, Big Book: Ogden Directory, Insurance America, Criss-Cross and Altered Productions Dance Studio.&nbsp; <blockquote>“The building is a pillar for our community and is part of our rich past. &nbsp;Steve Haning has done great things to preserve the structure in addition to contributing to the City’s overall economic development.” -&nbsp;City Manager, Martin Howe1</blockquote>The remaining floors of the Gore Building houses several luxury apartments suitable for downtown living. Owner Steve Haning has used the Gore Building to develop downtown Clarksburg and make economic growth for the community all while preserving a important part of history.&nbsp;

Once a luxury hotel, the building is now mixed-use commercial and residential. 

Color postcard of the Hotel Gore in 1916
Courtesy of the Harrison County Historical Society 

Information about the hotel and the renovations being done.


More Info

Information about the hotels past, present, and future plans. 

Video

This historic hotel was built in 1913 by Dr. Truman E. Gore, the brother of Governor Howard M. Gore, who served West Virginia from 1925 to 1929. The hotel demonstrates elements of neoclassical design within the Renaissance Revival style. The hotel quickly earned a reputation for elegance and it was the place to be for the leaders of the city and their guests during the boom years of the 1920s. Like many other downtown hotels, business declined in the wake of smaller hotels along the interstate. As fewer guests came to the city center, the building was converted into office space. In 1998, the structure was purchased by Steve Haning who worked to restore some of the original exterior features while modernizing the interior. The building is now home to a number of businesses and individual apartments. 

Hotel Gore

This tour begins at a location that once was the home of a prominent figure responsible for the development of Downtown Clarksburg, but has since been demolished. When the tour ends, visit Waldomore to view the West Virginia collection of the library, and the Gray Barker UFO Collection.

Downtown Clarksburg Walking Tour

CHM Downtown 1

Institution

Major Nathan Goff Jr. was the third child of Waldo P. Goff
and Harriet Louise Moore Goff, and was discharged from the United States
military in September of 1864. Goff then attended law school at Cooper
Institute in October of 1864, however he left in December the same year without
graduating. After applying, the Circuit Court of Harrison County approved
Goff’s admission, and Goff started practicing law in Harrison and the adjoining
counties in March on 1865. In his first years of practice, Goff gained clients
and experience thanks to his family’s popularity in the community. On November
7th, 1865, Nathan Goff Jr. married Laura E. Despard, who welcomed their first
child in September of 1866.

Goff joined his father in law’s practice soon after his
marriage to Laura, and attempted to gain public office in August of 1866. The
Harrison County Union Republican convention chose Goff and Solomon S. Fleming
as candidates for the West Virginia House of Delegates. Goff, along with the
rest of the Union ticket, won on October 25, 1866, and was in Wheeling for the
opening of the legislature on January 15, 1867; Goff was the youngest delegate
in attendance. Goff was appointed to as the United States District Attorney for
West Virginia by President Andrew Johnson in November of 1868, and was
reappointed in 1872, 1876, and 1880, while still managing his private law firm.

Goff’s family home was located on West Main Street, and
purchased property on the same street in 1880 with intent of building a new
home. Sloan and Balderson, architects from Philadelphia who had also designed
the Odd Fellows Building in Clarksburg designed Goff’s new home according to
his instructions. The house was built with local materials, however building
materials such as a furnace and bathroom equipment were outsourced due to them
being unavailable in the area. The original cost of the house, completed in
1883, was $10,000. The first floor comprised of a large drawing room, a library,
an office, a dining room, and a kitchen. The second floor contained four large
bedrooms and two bathrooms. One of the four bedrooms was deemed the McKinley
Room since President McKinley, whose wife attended finishing school with Laura
Goff, stayed there on occasion. The attic of the house were servants’ quarters,
and also housed the water tank. The house was completed and surrounded by a
cast-iron fence.

After Laura’s death in October of 1918, Goff divided his
time between Clarksburg, Washington D.C., and New York City. While on a trip to
Lake Placid Goff was injured and suffered a partial paralysis, but healed
within two months. While recovering in his home, Goff’s son and a nurse,
Katherine Penney, stayed to care for him. Goff and Penney wed in Brooklyn in
August, the same month that he recovered. After Goff’s death in 1920, his
estate was divided among his wife and two sons. The Nathan Goff Jr. home
symbolized the wealth and power of one of Clarksburg’s most important citizens.

The Nathan Goff Jr. House was built from 1880 until completion in 1883, and belonged to a prominent figure in Clarksburg, and the state of West Virginia. Goff was the United States District Attorney for West Virginia from 1868 to 1883, and was the son of Waldo Goff, the owner of Waldomore. Nathan Goff Jr. was also responsible for creating the Waldo hotel, named after his father. The Goff home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, but was delisted in 1994 after the home was demolished in 1993.

Nathan Goff Jr. House

The Highland family was one of Clarksburg’s first recorded settlers in 1802. In 1863, the State Legislature appointed commissioners to divide their counties into townships, name each township, and map out the decisions they had made and file them with the recorder of the county. The commissioners named in the act for Harrison County were Jacob Highland, Luther Haymond, Sidney Haymond, and John W. Boggess. The Union District was named by Jacob Highland in efforts to state his opposition to the secession of Virginia from the Union. John Edgar Highland attended the Northwest Academy in Clarksburg, and was a soldier for the Union Army during the Civil War. After moving to Weston for a short period of time, John Highland moved his family to the Highland homestead near West Milford in 1875. John and his wife Lucinda raised six children on the homestead, and all were influential in the development of Harrison County and the city of Clarksburg.Virgil L. Highland worked on his father’s farm growing up, and went to school in the winter. Eventually he became a teacher, and attended college in Scio, Ohio with the money he had earned. Highland studied business and took courses in commercial work, penmanship, and banking. After graduating Highland was employed by R.T Lowndes, and in 1896 Highland was put in charge of the Lowndes interests which included the store, an electric light company, an artificial gas plant, a flower mill, and other businesses. Highland stayed in this position of power with Lowndes for seven years, and also served as the County Clerk of Harrison County from 1896-1902. Highland was also responsible for establishing or conducting other businesses in Clarksburg such as he Clarksburg Telegram Company, the Union Gas and Carbon Company, the West Chevy Chase Land Company, the Valley Coal and Coke Company, the Monongahela Valley Traction Company, the Elkhorn Coal Corporation, the West Virginia Metal Products Company, Merchants National Bank, the Southern States Mutual Life Insurance Company, the Hutchison Coal Company, the Clarksburg Lumber and Planning Mill, the Penfield Coal and Coke Company, the West Virginia Fair Association, and the Tuna Glass Company. Virgil Highland was locally known as Harrison County’s “Silent Man” for his dedication to politics and his work ethic.Virgil Highland was highly instrumental in organizing the Empire National Bank in 1903, and served as the bank’s president from 1903 to 1930. After losing an election for circuit clerk in 1902, Highland set his sights on organizing a bank. The Empire National Bank opened its doors on October 3rd, 1903 in the Oak Hall Building. On February 14, 1907, the bank moved to the building for which it is now known. The Empire Building Company was established at the same time as the bank, and razed the Oliver Boughner General Store to construct the $100,000 Empire Building that was later purchased by the bank. The structure was seven stories high, and constructed of steel, brownstone, and brick. The bank’s main doors were bronze, while the interior was furnished with marble, bronze, and mahogany.On November 12th, 1902, the Clarksburg Telegram appointed Virgil Highland, S.C. Denham, and C.W. Lynch to purchase the Clarksburg Daily Telegram and move the paper from a room on West Main Street to the Post publishing plant. They also changed the paper from a weekly publication to a daily publication, and installed a Sunday edition in 1914. The Telegram was printed in the basement of the Empire Bank Building, while the editorial offices were on Fourth Street.

The Empire National Bank Building was established by Virgil Highland in 1903 in the Oak Hall Building directly across Main Street from the structure on the northwest corner of Main and Fourth Streets. In 1907, the Empire National Bank moved to the Empire Building. The Clarksburg Publishing Company used to print copies of the town’s newspaper in the basement of the Empire National Bank Building. Today, the bank portion of the structure is occupied by MVB Bank, and remains a historic structure of Downtown Clarksburg.

Empire National Bank Building

In 1831, six-year-old Thomas J. Jackson and his four-year-old sister Laura Ann Jackson moved from Clarksburg to Jackson's Mill near Weston. Thomas and Laura were orphaned and sent to live here with their grandmother, Eliza Cummins Jackson and their uncle, Cummins Jackson after their father, Jonathan Jackson died in poverty in 1826 and their mother, Julia Beckwith Neale Jackson Woodson died in 1831. Thomas helped with various activities on the farm: herding sheep with the assistance of his dog; driving teams of ox; and harvesting the multiple crops grown in the area. Thomas grew up with little schooling, and most of his education was self-taught due to the need for manual labor on the farm. In 1842 he left Jackson's Mill to attend the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York. On September 1, 1844, Laura Jackson married Jonathan Arnold, and moved to Beverly, WV where they had four children.2 Jackson's leadership and capacity to quickly maneuver his soldiers earned the praise of General Robert E. Lee during the early days of the Civil War in eastern Virginia. While observing the position of the troops guarding his army's flanks at the Battle of Chancellorsville, he was mistaken as a possible Union attacker and shot by one of his own men on May 2, 1863. Jackson died eight days later from pneumonia after having his arm removed due to the gunshot wounds.3

Similar to many Confederate markers and monuments, this bronze plaque was the result of the efforts of women in the early 19th century. The United Daughters of the Confederacy funded and dedicated this plaque to commemorate the birthplace of Confederate General Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson. Jackson was born on January 21, 1824 in Clarksburg, Virginia. He entered West Point in July 1842 and, in spite of his poor childhood education, was able to graduate seventeenth in his class in 1846. Upon graduation, Jackson served as an officer in the Mexican American War. He also served as an army officer in New York and Florida. In 1851, Jackson became professor of artillery tactics and natural philosophy at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. He resigned from the army in 1852 and later joined the Confederate army where he earned a reputation as a competent and fearless military officer. 

Stonewall Jackson's Birthplace

­­­­­­&nbsp;Major Nathan Goff Jr. was the third child of Waldo P.
Goff and Harriet Louise Moore Goff, and was discharged from the United States
military in September of 1864. Goff then attended law school at Cooper
Institute in October of 1864, however he left in December the same year without
graduating. After applying, the Circuit Court of Harrison County approved
Goff’s admission, and Goff started practicing law in Harrison and the adjoining
counties in March on 1865. In his first years of practice, Goff gained clients
and experience thanks to his family’s popularity in the community. On November
7th, 1865, Nathan Goff Jr. married Laura E. Despard, who welcomed their first
child in September of 1866.

Goff joined his father in law’s practice soon after his
marriage to Laura, and attempted to gain public office in August of 1866. The
Harrison County Union Republican convention chose Goff and Solomon S. Fleming
as candidates for the West Virginia House of Delegates. Goff, along with the
rest of the Union ticket, won on October 25, 1866, and was in Wheeling for the
opening of the legislature on January 15, 1867; Goff was the youngest delegate
in attendance. Goff was appointed to as the United States District Attorney for
West Virginia by President Andrew Johnson in November of 1868, and was
reappointed in 1872, 1876, and 1880, while still managing his private law firm
and investments in Clarksburg. Goff was partly responsible for the formation of
the Clarksburg Gas and Electric Company, which supplied the city with electricity
for nearly 30 years. 

In 1907, Goff decided to replace a modern brick office
building he had erected in 1891 on the corner of West Main and Courts Streets. Inspired
by South Carolina architecture, he hired architect Frank P. Milburn to design
the new building in 1908. Milburn practiced architecture in Kentucky, West
Virginia, North Carolina, and was responsible for designing the first steel
frame building in South Carolina. Ground was broken for the Goff Building on
June 28, 1910. Milburn trusted local Clarksburg architects, Elliott and
Winchell, with his plans for the new office building. Elliot and Winchell were
contractors for the Harrison Count jail and sheriff’s residence, the Empire
Building, two schools, and V.L. Highland’s residence in Clarksburg, as well as
other structures in larger cities in West Virginia. 

The Goff Building was reinforced with steel frame fireproof
construction and concrete floors. The first floor was built to house a bank,
while the remaining stories held 193 offices collectively. Two high-speed
electric passenger elevators were installed, as well as a bronze mail chute
that ran the entire height of the building. The bank was adorned in marble and
bronze, as well as fireproof vaults. The building was heated with an overhead
direct steam system that used natural gas for fuel. The Goff Building was
handed over to the owners in January of 1911, and tenants started moving in the
next month. Some of the building’s first tenants include: Farmers Bank,
Williams-Coffman Hardware Co., Bane and Bond, and Hayman Greenhouse Co.&nbsp;

Nathan Goff Jr. was an attorney turned real estate mogul in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Goff belonged to a prominent family in the city, and is responsible for the majority of Clarksburg’s architecture. The Goff Building was constructed from 1910 to 1911, and was built with the intent to hold nine floors of office space for local businesses. Today the Goff Building has been well preserved and is still available for office space. 

The Goff Building 

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; At the beginning&nbsp;of the Civil War West Virginia was still part of Virginia. The first Union meeting was held here on&nbsp;November 24, 1860 shortly after the election of Abraham Lincoln. While the remainder of Virginia discussed secession, western Virginia held meetings of Union support. In April 1861, a revolt was staged&nbsp;in response to Virginia’s secession from the Union, and plans were made for the secession of western Virginia to become it's own state. These meetings help here&nbsp;selected individuals who would attend the First Wheeling Convention and lead to the formation of the state of West Virginia. 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Also displayed at the Harrison County Courthouse is the flagstaff from the U.S.S. West Virginia. The American ship is a Colorado-class battleship. The ship launched on November 19, 1921. The battleship is the second ship named after the state of West Virginia. &nbsp;The ship first ran aground in Lynnhaven Channel and had to be repaired. After the repairs were made, the shop was a part of various training courses. The battleship won four medals in gunnery courses. Afterwards the ship was partook in fleet training operations until 1939, after which she was moved to Pearl Harbor. The ship was transferred to Pearl Harbor with the anticipation of an attack from Japan. Six torpedoes and two bombs sunk the ship. 106 service members lost their lives aboard the U.S.S. West Virginia during the attack on Pearl Harbor. On May 17, 1942 water was drained from the hull to recover the ship.

After repairs, the U.S.S. West Virginia transferred to the Puget Sound Navy Yard, where the anti-aircraft guns and single-purpose guns were replaced with 5”/38 caliber anti-aircraft guns. In July 1944 the ship left the Puget Sound for Leyte Gulf. In November of 1944, the battleship was used in a successful attack on a portion of a Japanese fleet attempting to sail through the Surigao Strait. The ship was also used to attack Iwo Jima and Okinawa. As War World II drew to a close the battleship traveled to Tokya Bay for the surrender of the Japanese. The U.S.S. West Virginia also participated in Operation Magic Carpet, returning three times to transport soldiers home to America. The battleship was deactivated in January 1947 and scrapped in Bremerton, WA in 1959.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The current Harrison County Courthouse is not the original building and in fact has been replaced four times. However, the location is quite close to the original courthouse. The first courthouse was built at a cost of $550, the second courthouse was in the same location as the current courthouse and boasted a whipping post in the rear. The third courthouse was also in the same location, and a bell and clock from the previous courthouses were integrated in the construction. The location is marked by a “Civil War Trails” plaque that describes the significance of the Union Meetings and the role they played in forming the state of West Virginia.&nbsp;

In the beginning of the Civil War, Harrison County was one of the first counties in western Virginia that supported the Union. After Abraham Lincoln was elected many southern states were contemplating secession, but Harrison County was voicing their support for the Northern cause. Some of the earliest pro-Union meetings were held at the Harrison County Courthouse; These meetings are memorialized by a “Civil War Trails” plaque on the property. 

Harrison County Courthouse

The Traders Building was completed in September of 1895, and housed the Traders Hotel, a bank, eight stores, three lodges, an opera house, and several offices. However, the building was short lived as it burned down in 1911, just a little over fifteen years after the hotel opened its doors. Due to the wood frame structure of the building and gas lighting that was prone to fire, the building was easily flammable.However, this was not Clarksburg’s first terrible fire. In 1851, the city had two separate fires that destroyed nearly all of Downtown. On May 10th, all of the buildings on the north side of Main Street from Third Street to Fourth Street burned, and on November 12th, most of the buildings on the south side of the street from Second Street to the courthouse were destroyed as well. The cause of these fires were arson committed by three young men belonging to prominent families in the community. They used balls of tow soaked in turpentine and tossed them onto the roofs of the buildings they destroyed. A Frenchman was charged with planning the fires solely on the fact that he was French. The Harrison County Court released this man several months later because they had no evidence to prove him guilty.By 1911, Clarksburg had redeveloped and installed a fire department to prevent such disasters from reoccurring. Early in the evening on January 20th, 1911, the Clarksburg fire department responded to a fire on the north side of town. At 6:15 that evening, flames were discovered on the Third Street side of the Traders Building. Due to the fire department responding to the first fire, the fire at the Traders Building quickly engulfed the structure. Firefighters fought throughout the night to extinguish the flames, but were unsuccessful and the building burned to the ground.The building was replaced by another structure that housed the Stonewall Jackson Hotel and the headquarters of the Union National Bank. The Union National Bank bought out the People’s and Traders Bank in 1905, and housed themselves in the Traders Building. After the Traders Building was destroyed, bank president, W. Brent Maxwell decided to construct another building in its place. &nbsp;The Union National Bank Building was completed in 1913 and is 11 stories tall.

The Union Bank Building started construction in 1911, directly following the destruction of the Traders Building.  The Traders Building was established in 1895 and was a prominent location for Downtown Clarksburg social life. The Union Bank Building was complete in 1913 and originally housed the Union National Bank and the Stonewall Jackson Hotel. Today the building is occupied by Chase Bank and has available commercial rental space.

The Union Bank Building

J.G. Jackson of Clarksburg, then Virginia, was the attorney
for the Muskingum Bank in Zanesville, Ohio in 1814, and also owned stock in the
Bank of Marietta in Marietta, Ohio. Jackson was aware that a charter to
establish a bank in Clarksburg would be in the files of the assembly in
Richmond due to the salt works in the area. The Virginia Saline Bank was
established by Benjamin Wilson Jr. and John Webster in a stone building on the
south side of West Main Street between Water and Second Streets in Clarksburg
in 1812. Jackson joined Wilson and Webster to promote his investment in salt
works in Clarksburg, and to strengthen a bank that was 300 miles away from the
state capital. The Virginia Saline Bank served as a wildcat bank, a bank that
was chartered by state law without any federal
oversight, for a few years, and was eventually sued by the United States
because the bank had no funds.&nbsp;When a bank in Wheeling received a charter from
the Virginia Assembly, a branch was established Clarksburg in 1860 under the
name of Merchants and Mechanics Bank. Nathan Goff served as the Merchants and
Mechanics Bank with Luther Haymond as the cashier. When Clarksburg was
threatened with invasion by the Confederate Army, Luther himself carried assets
and records of the bank to Grafton for safe-keeping. 

Merchants Bank has
existed on the same block in Clarksburg since its establishment in 1860; the
first location of Merchants Bank was in a storeroom in the Despard Block. The
Merchants Bank Building was established in 1894 on the corner of the Despard
Block, at the corners of West Main and Third Streets. The Union Bank purchased
the assets belonging to Merchants Bank in 1961, and the building was sold to
Community Savings and Loan.&nbsp;

The Merchants and Mechanics Bank was established as a branch of a bank in Wheeling in 1860, and was originally housed in a storefront of the Despard Block. In 1894, the Merchants Bank Building was constructed and housed three storerooms, all of which are still in their original state today. In 1961, Merchant Bank’s assets were purchased by Union Bank, and the building was then purchased by its present namesake, Community Savings and Loans. 

Merchants Bank Building

From 1843 to 1851, Reverend Gordon Battelle presided as
Principal of the Northwestern Virginia Academy. In the spring of 1853, the
board of trustees added a female department to the school that was overseen by
Reverend Richard A. Arthur. Enrollment for the 1855-1856 term included 130 male
students and 99 female students. This was a total of 229 students led by 5
teachers or a 45 to 1 ratio. During the Civil War, the school was used as a
barracks, hospital, and guard house or military prison. After the war, the
school did not reopen, but offered private schooling until the building was
taken over by the public school system and used as a public school. During this
time, two more rooms were added to the western end of the building. In 1894,
the old portion was demolished and the current building was constructed. This
building was named the Towers School.

The Northwestern Virginia Academy stood on the same site as the
Towers School from 1843 to 1893, and was then utilized by the public school
system until the building was deemed unsafe and was razed to make way for a new
school. A new Clarksburg Public School building was constructed in 1895 from
donated materials and money. The newly established school’s first floor was
equipped with a large hall that separated two classrooms on the left and a room
called the chapel on the right. The second floor was divided into five classrooms.
Towers School was a new two-story brick structure that was 71 by 44 feet and
topped with a cupola.

The Towers School was named after Reverend George Towers, who was
a graduate of the University of Oxford, England. Reverend Towers was a
Presbyterian minister and the first tutor in Randolph County, WV. He taught at
Randolph Academy which stood just to the east of where the Towers School stands
today. Randolph Academy was the principal regional school from 1795 to 1843. The
Randolph Academy of Clarksburg had problems finding teachers during this time,
and the school’s physical condition was poor as well. By 1841, the condition of
the building was so poor, that the Board of Education, opted to sell the
property to the Northwestern Virginia Academy with the condition that the
building be demolished.

The Towers School site was previously inhabited by the Northwestern Virginia Academy until 1893. During the Civil War, the Academy was utilized as a barracks, military prison, and a hospital because Clarksburg was home to hundreds of troops from 1861 through 1865. Not only did the Academy provide room and board for soldiers, but every church did as well. Towers School was established in 1895 and served the Clarksburg community for nearly 100 years. Towers was demolished in the mid-1900s.

The Towers School

The Clarksburg Municipal Building was designed by
Charles L. Hickman, a prominent architect in West Virginia in the late 1800s.
The Municipal Building originally opened as Clarksburg’s Post Office in 1888,
and was three stories tall. The ground level basement was cut stone while the
top two stories and the attic were constructed of brick. Both the steps leading
up to the building and the steps inside the building were made of marble. 

Prior to the establishment of the Clarksburg Post
Office in 1888, the Clarksburg postmaster would rent rooms throughout the city’s
business district. In 1932, the location of Clarksburg’s Post Office was moved
to a newer and larger building on Pike Street. The structure was then known as
the Federal Building as it housed various federal offices. The Federal Building
was up for sale in 1937 until the government retracted the listing and placed
the Social Security, FHA, and WPA offices in the building. In 1946, the
government considered selling the Federal Building once again, but rejected 18
bids and decided to house the Veterans Administration offices there. 

The Clarksburg City Hall occupied various sites, with
the first record of a concrete location in 1908. In 1908, the city of
Clarksburg moved its offices to Hoffman Hall, and was located in the Colonial
Building from 1910 to 1931. From 1931 to 1965, city offices were located at the
former Mortimer Smith home on West Main Street, and was forced to move after
the Hope Gas Company purchased the land to expand their building. For the next
year, city hall was nonexistent in terms of a structure; city offices were
scattered throughout downtown Clarksburg until the purchase of the Federal
Building in 1966.

The Clarksburg Municipal Building dates back to 1888 when it served as the city’s post office. From 1932 to 1965, the structure was deemed the Federal Building because it housed various Federal Offices. In 1966, the structure became the City of Clarksburg’s Municipal Building. Despite the efforts of preservationists and local residents who rallied to save the structure and convert it into a museum and visitors center, the building was demolished. 

Former Clarksburg City Municipal Hall Building (1888)

Major Nathan Goff Jr. was the third child of Waldo P. Goff and Harriet Louise Moore Goff. Goff was discharged from the United States military in September of 1864 and then began law school at the Cooper Institute that October. However, he left in December of the same year without graduating. The Circuit Court of Harrison County approved Goff’s admission to the bar, and Goff started practicing law in Harrison and the adjoining counties in 1865. In his first years of practice, Goff gained clients and experience thanks to his family’s popularity in the community. On November 7th, 1865, Nathan Goff Jr. married Laura E. Despard, who welcomed their first child in September of the following year.Goff joined his father in law’s practice soon after his marriage to Laura, and attempted to gain public office in August of 1866. The Harrison County Union Republican convention chose Goff and Solomon S. Fleming as candidates for the West Virginia House of Delegates. Goff, along with the rest of the Union ticket, won on October 25, 1866, and was in Wheeling for the opening of the legislature on January 15, 1867; Goff was the youngest delegate in attendance. Goff was appointed to as the United States District Attorney for West Virginia by President Andrew Johnson in November of 1868, and was reappointed in 1872, 1876, and 1880, while continuing to run his private law firm in Clarksburg.When the Waldo Hotel opened in 1904, the ballroom on the seventh floor was illuminated by gaslights with large decorated shades, and a string orchestra played while guests waltzed. Patronesses for the First Assembly Ball were Mrs. Nathan Goff Jr., Mrs. Mord Lewis, Mrs. John J. Duncan, Mrs. Fleming Howell, Mrs. R.T. Lowndes, and Mrs. John Bassel. The Waldo would continue to hold similar events like that of opening night for prominent visitors of Clarksburg, such as John W. Davis, who lost the Democratic nomination for President of the United States after refusing to comply with the Ku Klux Klan.The Waldo hotel dominated the small local businesses that surrounded such as Hursey’s Harness Shop and Dudley’s Floral. The women’s entrance to the hotel was near the corners of Fourth and Pike Streets. The Waldo was equipped with a steam-operated elevator adorned with an open wire cage that opened into the lobby. There was also a narrow stairway made of marble steps and wrought iron railing decorated with gold accents that led to the parlor on the second floor. The main entrance along Fourth Street led to the hotel’s bar, a room with 31-foot high ceilings. The hotel’s dining room along the first floor mezzanine was furnished with tables for two, benches, and large chairs where guests could sit and view the comings and goings of the hotel. The wait-staff of the Waldo wore mistletoe green uniforms with a gold monogramed “W” along with white gloves. The main lobby of the Waldo was 60 feet long, 56 feet wide, and 31 feet high. Ten marble columnns adorned with ivory and gold supported the luxurious lobby. The hotel opened with a private water filtration system, an ice plant that produced 1,000 pounds of ice daily, and an electric generator.The hotel was sold to Salem College to be used as dormitories, and by the 1980s, the hotel was being used as office space for local businesses and apartments. The Waldo was boarded up by order of fire marshal, and there are currently efforts to save the building for being razed.

Nathan Goff Jr. hired architect Harrison Albright to design the Waldo Hotel in 1901, and when the Waldo opened in 1904 it was one of the most luxurious hotels in West Virginia. The Waldo Hotel was named after Nathan Goff Jr.’s father, whose home sits beside the hotel. The Waldo was built with the intent to entertain prominent guests in Clarksburg, and became the hub of social and political life. The Waldo Hotel currently sits vacant and is at risk of being condemned, however there are efforts being made to preserve and eventually restore the hotel. 

 Waldo Hotel 

The original structure of Waldomore was built in 1842 by Clarksburg resident, businessman, and leader Waldo P. Goff and his wife Harriet Moore Goff. The home was meant to serve as a family residence for the couple and their nine children. Located on four acres of land on West Pike Street and North 4th Street, the home is considered a two-story Neo-Classical Revival brick mansion with two stories and multiple rooms. During the Goff’s ownership, the home underwent one renovation. This renovation took place in the early 1900s and created more space for the family.In 1931 the Goff’s daughter, May Goff Lowndes, gave the home to the City of Clarksburg to serve as the city’s public library. During the 1930s the city renovated the home again by removing walls on the main floor to make the space larger for the library. This was also when the name “Waldomore” was developed. May Goff Lowndes decided to use a combination of her father's first name and her mother's maiden name as a way to honor them and their ownership of the home. Waldomore served as the public library until 1976. During this time the city built a larger structure next door to Waldomore to serve as the main city library. They kept Waldomore for private events and as the home of the West Virginia collection of the library. Two years later, in October of 1978, Waldomore was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.Today, Waldomore continues to serve as a public meeting and event space on the first floor and the home of the West Virginia collection of the library, and the Gray Barker UFO Collection on the second. The front room of the home features a bronze plaque placed in memory of May Goff Lowndes, her family, and her family home. Visitors can view this plaque, explore the home's decor, meet with Waldomore staff to learn more about the history of the structure, and meet with the special collections librarian to learn more about the West Virginia collection. However, the Clarksburg Public Library has put in place specific guidelines for events that must be followed so it would be best for visitors to contact the library before visiting. Thanks to these guidelines, the great preservation by the City of Clarksburg, and the home’s deep historical value, Waldomore will remain part of the city’s history.

Waldomore is located in the heart of downtown Clarksburg, West Virginia. The structure began as a family home for Clarksburg resident Waldo P. Goff, but later evolved into a very well-known local landmark. Since its construction, Waldomore has been known as a historic site and gathering place for the residents of Harrison County, as well as visitors from all over the state. The name of this popular landmark for the City of Clarksburg was derived by combining the names of the original owners, Waldo P. Goff, and his wife Harriet Moore. Today Waldomore is a part of the library complex.

Waldomore 

The Robinson Grand Theater first opened its doors to the public on February 7, 1913. It was built by the Clarksburg Amusement Company, which was formed in the previous year by Robert Lafferty, Claude Robinson, Charles Alexander, and Reuben Robinson. The original 1913 theater structure sat back from the street 72 feet and had a covered entry way. One of the few photographs of the early theater illustrates the substantial entryway opening onto the street from the covered walkway. The entrance was a segmental arch with globe lights and was flanked by a structure containing a ticket booth and a wall that contained areas to display movie posters. Hailing from Louisville, Kentucky, the Robinson brothers, Claude and Reuben, were very familiar with the theater business. Claude began selling programs throughout Kentucky and later in New Orleans very early on in his life. He would later become a treasurer and a manager for theaters across the country. Despite being responsible for the creation of the Robinson Grand Theater, historians do not know much about Reuben's life besides the fact that he worked many years as a manager at the Grand Opera House in Clarksburg, West Virginia, which burnt down in 1910. The loss of this establishment caused the area to no longer have a venue for shows and entertainment. Reuben noticed the show-hungry community and was determined to fix the issue. After convincing his brother Claude to relocate to West Virginia, the Robinson Grand Theater became a work in progress."The Case of Becky" starring Frances Starr was the first show to appear within the theater on opening night. This new theater happened to be a part of the Keith-Albee vaudeville circuit. To this day the Keith Albee in Huntington, West Virginia, is still active and open to the public. Some of the famous traveling acts which were hosted by the grand theater were Edgar Bergen along with Charlie and Jack Benny. The theater would also later show blockbuster film hits like Jaws and Star Wars in the 1980s.After being open for fourteen years, the Robinson Grand Theater underwent a remodel in 1927 in hopes of being more appealing to the public. The building was extended onto the street, making more room inside, and increasing the seating capacity from 1,000 to 1,500. The exterior structure is known for being Neo-Gothic with prominent Gothic windows. On the ground level, the main entrance is marked by a Tudor arch and elaborate decorative terracotta details. It is said these renovations reflected the contemporary designs of its time.Unfortunately, tragedy struck the Robinson Grand Theater on May 31, 1939, when the torch of an air conditioner repairman set the structure ablaze, destroying much of the stage and house. Luckily, the front part of the building was still intact despite the damages caused to the structure. After Claude Robinson promised the residents of the Clarksburg area the theater would be rebuilt, the town held a grand reopening on December 24, 1939, which was less than seven months after the heartbreaking event.Still to this day the 1939 structure stands with the original 1927 facade, but contains a new house and stage within. The Robinson Grand Theater was active and open to the public through the 1980s, where plays, concerts, and dance recitals were often hosted. Residents still fondly recall memories of times spent at the theater. As modern times began to arrive and the increase of demand for suburban multiplexes, the Robinson Grand Theater was frequented less and less by the public, causing it to shut down.The City of Clarksburg acquired the building in 2014 and the capital campaign began its public phrase in 2017 to raise money for the $15 million multi-use facility in the North Central area of West Virginia. According to the Clarksburg City Manager, Martin Howe, a recent economic study done within the city expresses that the renovation and restoration project for the former theater will have nearly a $32 million impact over the first five years of its operation. A soft re-opening of the theater was held on August 24th, 2018. The theater is now fully operational, with frequent showings and events.

The Robinson Grand Theater opened its doors in 1913 with the help of its founders William Lafferty, Charles Alexander and Reuben Robinson of the Clarksburg Amusement Company. It was later renovated and enlarged in 1927 to appeal to contemporary designs and society of its time. Unfortunately, tragedy struck in May of 1939 when an air conditioner caught on fire destroying most of the stage and theater house. Luckily, it was able to be rebuilt by December of the same year. This was the place where many locals first saw classics like Jaws, Star Wars and the Sound of Music. The theater continued to show movies and host local events through the 1980s but later shut down due to other popular suburban multiplexes within the area. Thanks to the hardworking people of Clarksburg, the Robinson Grand Theater was completely remodeled.

Downtown Clarksburg Walking Tour

Hotel Gore

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information