Bill Text: WV SCR59 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Rachel Hershey Smith Memorial Shelter

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Passed) 2020-03-07 - House Message received [SCR59 Detail]

Download: West_Virginia-2020-SCR59-Introduced.html

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 59

(By Senators Romano, Facemire, and Stollings)

[Introduced March 4, 2020]

 

Requesting the Division of Natural Resource to name the planned special event shelter that is to be put out for bid for construction in the Watters Smith Memorial State Park as the “Rachel Hershey Smith Memorial Shelter”.

Whereas, Watters Smith was born in Trenton, New Jersey, on July 15, 1767; and

Whereas, Watters Smith married Elizabeth Davisson, and settled in Harrison County on his father’s 1,000-acre tract of land, in what was then the state of Virginia; and

Whereas, Watters Smith purchased 112 acres adjacent to his father’s land in 1792; and

Whereas, Watters Smith and Elizabeth Davisson Smith cleared the rugged, remote land, planted crops, and built a cabin for their family, which eventually grew to eight children; and

Whereas, Watters Smith constructed a blacksmith, shop fashioning tools to build his cabin; and

Whereas, Upon the death of Watters Smith, the property was bequeathed to Watters Smith, Jr., who then bequeathed the property to his son, John Smith; and

Whereas, Ownership of the property eventually fell to Alexander Smith, who was born in 1847, and who built the home now known as the Smith family residence, to replace the original cabin built by Watters Smith; and

Whereas, Four generations of the Smith family operated the farm as a business; and

Whereas, Burr Smith, the great-great-grandson of Watters Smith, left his portion of the Watters Smith property to the State of West Virginia in 1949 to be developed into a park to honor his ancestors; and

Whereas, Rachel Smith Hershey, a life-long resident of Harrison County and descendant of Watters Smith, also generously donated her portion of the Watters Smith property to the State of West Virginia in 1975; and

Whereas, The park has become a permanent location for many of the tools and equipment used by generations of Smiths on the farm, and they are on display at the Smith homestead, in the museum, and outbuildings; and

Whereas, Rachel Smith Hershey added antiques, furnishings, and a sizable collection of West Virginia glassware in further generous donations to the park; and

Whereas, Watters Smith Memorial State Park now comprises of 532 acres and includes the museum, the Smith family residence, and many other historical buildings; and

Whereas, The Watters Smith Memorial State Park includes amenities such as picnic areas and shelters, playgrounds, hiking trails, a superintendent’s house, and a log cabin relocated from Beech Fork State Park; and

Whereas, The State of West Virginia will continue adding and improving amenities to Watters Smith Memorial State Park including planned construction of a deluxe special event shelter with a kitchen, restroom, and amphitheater to serve not only the citizens of that area but also tourists from around the nation; and

Whereas, It is indisputable that without the generous donations by generations of Watters Smith’s family, the citizens of the State of West Virginia would not have the pleasure and benefit of the park, including the authentic Smith homestead and displays of early life in West Virginia from the late 1700s to the early 1900s; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Natural Resources is hereby requested to name the planned special event shelter that is to be put out for bid for construction in the Watters Smith Memorial State Park as the “Rachel Hershey Smith Memorial Shelter”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Division of Natural Resources is hereby requested, on completion of the shelter, to have made and be placed signs identifying the shelter as the “Rachel Smith Hershey Memorial Shelter”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the Director of the Division of Natural Resources.

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