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Students and faculty from West Virginia University’s Davis and Eberly colleges are working with the Everettville Historical Association on a proposed design for the Miners’ Memorial Park at the site of the old Federal No. 3 Mine in Everettville, WV. They will use the Park to apply what they learn in the classroom.

The Memorial Park is dedicated to the 111 miners who died there in an explosion on April 30, 1927, and another 38 who lost their lives there throughout the years the mine was in operation.

On Sunday, April 26, at 1 pm EHA will break ground at the site for a granite memorial bearing the miners’ names. The groundbreaking coincides with the Miners’ Memorial Ceremony that occurs each year on the anniversary of the Everettville Disaster.

Peter Butler, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture in the Davis College, says the Park presents a unique opportunity for the participating students because the work will be done for a real client. He points out that the classes will work hand-in-hand with individuals from the community of Everettville.

“The EHA has identified specific needs in the design of the site,” he continued. “Working with the client and the community will create a meaningful and authentic learning experience that will have an impact on the future development of the site and the community.”

Thirty-two students from the second-year Landscape Architectural Design Studio, taught by Butler, and Planting Design, taught by Assistant Professor Ashley Kyber, are developing the proposed plan. They are working back-to-back with the same group of students to design the site and develop a planting plan using West Virginia native vegetation. Throughout the project, the classes will meet with a variety of other faculty members, graduate students, and stakeholders.

“The students are sophomores so we will work to engage them in the Park’s development during their time in the Landscape Architecture program here at WVU,” says Butler. “Professor Kyber and I believe that working in communities benefits both the students’ education and the community. Through outreach design projects, we create long lasting relationships that seek to fulfill our mission as a Land Grant University.”

Butler explained that the proposed design focuses on the themes of memory, education and conservation and includes a memorial landscape, a communal gathering space, shelter, stream access, regional trail connections, a passive water treatment system, areas of natural restoration and parking for ten vehicles.

Other WVU participants include: Dave Smaldone, Ph.D., Professor, Recreation, Parks, and Tourism in the Davis College; Chad Proudfoot, Program Coordinator, Cultural Resource Management program in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences School of Applied Social Sciences; Kati Singel, History Graduate Student; Danielle Williams, Interior Design Student; Jeff Skousen, Ph.D., Extension Specialist—Land Reclamation and Professor of Soil Science.

Carol Thorn, President, EHA, and Donald Cutright, EHA Treasurer, coordinate the project on EHA’s end.

“The EHA is looking forward to working with the students and WVU. I look forward to seeing the plan for the Miners’ Memorial Park,” says Thorn. “Just having the students learning on the site is turning a tragedy into something positive. And,” she adds, “they’re also planting a seed for the next generation.”

The public is invited to attend the Memorial Service and groundbreaking on Sunday, April 26 at 1 p.m. at the mine site in Everettville. The students’ design proposals will be on display there. Everettville is located just 8 miles south of Morgantown. For more information and directions to the site, contact Carol Thorn: 304.983.2562