What was the Battle of Philippi and why is it significant?
The Battle of Philippi, fought on the 3rd of June, 1861, is considered the earliest notable land action of the American Civil War. Two Union columns totaling perhaps 3,000 men under Col. Benjamin Franklin Kelley and Col. Ebenezer Dumont surprised roughly 800 Confederate recruits, who fled so quickly the engagement was mocked as the "Philippi Races." The Union victory boosted Major General George B. McClellan's career and helped trigger the political events that led to West Virginia's separate statehood.
How did Philippi, West Virginia get its name?
Philippi was named in honor of Philip P. Barbour, the Virginia lawyer and jurist after whom Barbour County was also named. County officials intended to use the Latin feminine form, Philippa, but misspellings and confusion with the ancient city of Philippi gradually shifted the name to its current spelling. The county seat was officially established by charter in 1844.
What is the Philippi Covered Bridge?
The Philippi Covered Bridge was built in 1852 by Appalachian architect and carpenter Lemuel Chenoweth to carry traffic on the turnpike between Beverly and Fairmont. It is the only twin-barreled covered bridge located on a federal highway in the United States, sitting at the junction of U.S. Routes 250 and 119. The bridge served as a crossing point during the first land battle of the Civil War and is the town's most prominent landmark.
What are the Philippi Mummies?
The Philippi Mummies are the embalmed remains of two female asylum inmates preserved in 1888 by local doctor Graham Hamrick, described in contemporary accounts as an amateur mummification enthusiast. They are held in the Barbour County Historical Museum, which is housed in the former 1911 railway station. The mummies were damaged when they were submerged during the November 1985 flood and were later restored by local undertaker Gary E. Schoonover.
What happened to Alderson Broaddus University in Philippi?
On the 31st of July, 2023, the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission revoked Alderson Broaddus University's ability to confer degrees and ordered it to cease admitting students due to its rapidly deteriorating financial condition. The university's board of trustees voted to close the institution on the same day. The school traced its origins to Broaddus College, founded in 1871 and relocated to Philippi's Battle Hill in 1901, which merged with Alderson Academy in 1932.
Who from Philippi, West Virginia is credited with founding Mother's Day?
Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis, born in 1832, lived in Philippi for several years before and after her 1850 marriage. She and her daughter Anna Marie Jarvis, born in 1864, are credited with founding Mother's Day. Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis died in 1905.