A river and history flow through it
Rowlesburg’s Szilagyi Center Continues to Churn Up Interest in
Preston’s Past
Morgantown Dominion Post - EDITORIAL
26 March 2013
Rowlesburg’s past flows directly through that community on the
Cheat River. Though this small Preston County town also owes a
chapter or two of its history to the railroad, the river wrote the
book. And in a fashion, it’s responsible for the latest page in
its storied bygone days. During the devastating 1985 flood, the
Cheat left its banks and roared far and wide through Rowlesburg,
destroying homes, small businesses and the town’s centerpiece, its
school. Though the building was not swept away, the damage from
the floodwaters caused it to be condemned. The three-story, brick
structure was then put up for sale and fittingly, a river rafting
company bought it to use for its business. About two decades later
the owners of the rafting company donated the site to Rowlesburg’s
Revitalization Committee. Almost like the 1985 flood’s stops and
starts from obstructions and bridges, plans since then for this
building have not been a steady flow, either. More aptly, good
ideas for the site’s use have appeared, then seemingly get dammed
up with details and then break through — picking up more interest,
and repeating the process. Anyhow, you might make that connection
if you look at how the Szilagyi Center — named for the building’s
donors — has developed since 2008. It started with housing a World
War II Living History Museum, then a Preston County Sports Museum
and will soon serve as a place to display Preston 4-H’ers’
memorabilia. Later this spring a library will also open, complete
with a reading room, and children’s and rare book sections. Some
may wonder how such projects emerged to fill the Szilagyi Center’s
space. What’s not hard to imagine is what this building might have
become. One vision that quickly comes to our mind is one more
shuttered eyesore like other condemned school buildings in Preston
County. Or it could have been razed and become either a vacant lot
or a parking lot. But thanks to the efforts of scores of Preston
County residents this building — this old school — is still
serving to teach the area and this community about its history. We
applaud everyone who has contributed to the Szilagyi Center’s
development and smart use. Many communities in this area and
across the state and nation continue to wrestle with how best to
use antiquated school buildings and others damaged by natural
disasters. It seems to us that Rowlesburg and Preston County might
have the perfect blueprint. Who not only know exactly where
they’re going with this site, but don’t want to go anywhere else,
just like the river.