Historic Cockayne Farmstead

The Cockayne Farmstead is comprised of a c1850 farmhouse and its original collection of over 3000 objects and 15,000 primary documents. An ongoing project of the Marshall County Historical Society, the farmhouse contains a collection of objects, documents, and photographs amassed by four generations of the Cockayne family, spanning the 18th and 19th centuries ending with the death of the last owner in 2001. Originally a world-renowned Merino sheep farm, the house is now a time capsule. Often described as being "frozen in time", its last major renovation occurred around the turn of the 20th century. Now visitors can experience its authentic Victorian interior and learn about the history of the town that is now Glen Dale.

Exhibits

On Saturday, September 17, the Historic Cockayne Farmstead will host a World War II History Day, an immersive history event for the whole family! Learn what life was like both in the military and on the home front, listen to veterans share their stories, and hear speakers talk about Marshall County’s war efforts. See military vehicles and displays, learn how to plant a Victory Garden, how the Marx Toy Plant made bombs, how to Make and Mend your wardrobe for Victory and what 1940s fashion looked like.

Kids will have fun activities to try while learning about the many ways people assisted the war effort, including making paper toys to help save metal for the war effort, planting seeds for a Victory Garden, and sending V-mail to local hospitalized veterans.

Watch local Boy Scout Troop 82 raise the flag to open the event at 10am and stay for a fantastic line-up of speakers throughout the day. Gary Rider will speak about his important work with local veterans to record their stories in the series Marshall County Patriots and Heroes. Then Roseanna Dakan Keller and Francis Turner will explore the wartime history of the Marx Toy Plant, when production shifted from toys to important war materials, like shell casings. During his presentation, Francis Turner will showcase the pens purchased by Louis Marx that signed the Armistices that ended the war! Eccentric and beloved local personality Sam Shaw will be brought to life by Christian Turak, speaking about his war experiences and the letters that won him an Ernie Pyle Award for journalism.

At 2:30, listen to a first-person portrayal of WV native Ruby Bradley, interpreted by Becky Park through the WV Humanities Council History Alive! program. When Bradley retired from the U.S. Army in 1963 she was the most decorated woman in American military history. A native of Spencer, West Virginia, Bradley was captured by the Japanese in the Philippines in 1941 and was a POW until 1945. She continued her work as a nurse in the prison camp. She was named Chief Nurse for the Eighth Army in 1951 and supervised over 500 nurses in Korea. Bradley attained the rank of Colonel in 1958. This presentation is a History Alive! program of the West Virginia Humanities Council. History Alive! provides a unique passport to the past. The program brings historical characters to life through portrayals by presenters who have conducted scholarly research on their character.

Visitors can also catch a presentation about the importance of Victory Gardens and how food was grown and preserved, learn about the significance of the 21 gun salute, taps, and the folding of the flag from the Moundsville Honor Guard, and discover some of the many veteran burials in Mount Rose Cemetery.

Eli Lambie and his Jazz Trio (12:30-1:30) and the Shadyside Community Band (4:30-5) will provide the sounds of the 1940s . Chimney Corners Café and The Guest House will offer a variety of food options. Root beer floats will also be for sale from the Ohio Valley Folk Society! To close the event, the Moundsville Honor Guard will lower the flag and perform the traditional memorial service with taps for all veterans.

On the south porch of the farmhouse, local veterans of all conflicts will be sharing their stories and engaging in conversations about their experiences, struggles, and victories.

ROSIE THE RIVETER LOOK-ALIKE CONTEST: Ladies of all ages can participate in our Rosie the Riveter Look-alike Contest! Break out your best coveralls and bandana and get your picture taken in front of the We Can Do It! poster! The contest will take place at 1pm on the front porch of the farmhouse. Judges will select the most authentic looking Rosie as the winner of a Rosie-themed gift basket!

Inside the Farmhouse, visit a new exhibit: “We Did Our Part: Marshall County in the Second World War” also opening September 17. This exhibit features the uniforms, artifacts and stories of many Marshall County residents and businesses and documents the patriotism, ingenuity, and courage of the World War II generation. Learn about the ways local business like the Moundsville Echo and the Marx Toy plant adapted to war production, see an original Marx plant shell casing, read about local Marshall County women who joined the WAVES and and the Marshall County boys who served in all theaters. After viewing the exhibit, you will have a chance to commemorate the veterans of your own family on our local Honor Roll. This exhibit has been funded by the West Virginia Humanities Council.

Participation in Museum Day is open to any tax-exempt or governmental museum or cultural venue on a voluntary basis. Smithsonian magazine encourages museum visitation, but is not responsible for and does not endorse the content of the participating museums and cultural venues, and does not subsidize museums that participate.