Newly Designated Downtown Parkersburg Historic District Receives Final Approval

This part of Juliana Street is in the newly designated Downtown Parkersburg Historic District. The designation came last week from the National Register of Historic Places. Officials hope the designation will help spur economic development, tourism opportunities, historic tax credits and more. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

PARKERSBURG — The new Downtown Parkersburg Historic District is now a reality.

After almost four years of work, the new historic district received its final approval last week to be added to the National Register of Historic Places, said Amanda Stevens, executive director for Downtown PKB. Once the designation was officially approved by the State Historic Preservation Office, they sent it on for final approval by the NRHP, which is operated by the National Park Service, she said.

The newly recognized district covers most of lower Market and lower Juliana streets, from the 700 block toward the courthouse.

Significant Impact on Economy and Tourism

“Some of the properties within the district are already listed individually on the National Register but this covers the whole area,” Stevens said.

Work has been underway since 2019 by people throughout the community to have the new historic district officially recognized.

This section of Market Street is a part of the newly designated Downtown Parkersburg Historic District. The designation came last week from the National Register of Historic Places. Local officials hope the new designation will allow for resources to be made available to preserve the area’s history. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

Recently, Downtown PKB was awarded a $12,600 grant from the National Park Service through the West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office to help pay for the creation of the district. Downtown PKB provided $5,000 in matching funds.

This designation holds significant promise for downtown redevelopment, Stevens said.

“Historic districts have consistently demonstrated their capacity to positively impact local economies through economic development and the creation of additional tourism opportunities,” she said. “From the beginning of the planning process, Downtown PKB and the City of Parkersburg believed that establishing a Downtown Parkersburg Historic District was a valuable step toward revitalizing our area and preserving our rich heritage.”

The Downtown Parkersburg Historic District will be the city’s fourth official historic district, joining the Washington Avenue Historic District, the Julia-Ann Square Historic District, and the Avery Historic District.

The Wood County Historic Landmarks Commission has also done work on getting the Downtown Historic District designation.

Chairman Mickey Hess said he was “ecstatic and proud” that the district will be a part of the National Registry of Historic Places.

“Downtown has so many historic buildings,” he said. “There is a lot of history and heritage there.”

Hess said this designation will help provide resources to preserve a lot of history in downtown.

Hess credited the work Downtown PKB, the Landmarks Commission, and others did to make this designation a reality.

Potential for Economic Growth and Investment

A release from Stevens said historic districts can serve as catalysts for economic growth, attract tourists who will patronize local businesses, and encourage investment with the use of historic tax credits.

The creation of a Historic District does not adversely impact a private property owner’s ability to make repairs or improvements to their property, provided they are not seeking financial assistance from the State of West Virginia or the U.S. National Park Service, officials said.

“Downtown PKB has dedicated many, many board and staff hours to this project along with over $5,000 of funding over and above the grant amount,” Stevens said. “We have been committed to seeing this lengthy process through.

“A special thanks to the West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office for facilitating and advocating for this nomination in addition to grant funding from the West Virginia Archives and History Commission to complete the boundary survey and nomination process.”