Jenningston, WV – Homecomings denote a time of reminiscing, family, food, swapping stories and all around fun. The 1st annual Jenningston Homecoming is sure to have all of that and more! From artists and craftspeople, to writers, history buffs, and descendants of the original town’s inhabitants, the weekend of June 11 & 12 will be packed full of family friendly activities as you feel like you’ve stepped back in time amidst the quaint setting of the Laurel River Club B&B.
You’ll meet author Marty Wach and his illustrator wife Delia from Wheeling, WV, who are very successful children’s book authors. Together they have woven stories and paintings into a magical series of children’s books, Teddy Bear Guardians of the Rain Forest. Wach said, “I spent over six years working in and out of Suriname, SA with a Maroon Medicine man in the Rainforest. My wife, in the meantime, became a Teddy Bear Artist and illustrator so she made me into a teddy bear, and all the characters I travelled with into teddy bears, and it morphed into children’s books.” They have published nine children’s books, one of their latest being The Great West Virginia Snow Adventure, a book about the seasons in the WV high mountains. They have also visited over 700 schools nationwide and created a fantastic Gallery and Botanical Garden in downtown Davis, WV with their daughter Holly, a popular watercolor bird artist.
Locals Chris Kidwell, author of A Pictorial History of Tucker County, West Virginia and A Pictorial History of Dry Fork Railroad, West Virginia and Surrounding Areas, will attend, as will James Van Gundy who has written The Nature and Scenery of the West Virginia Highlands. Gundy is a former West Virginia Highlands Conservancy Board member and Emeritus Professor of Biology & Environmental Science at Davis and Elkins College.
Artist Whitney Mullenex, from Whitmer, WV, who crafts hand-bound books and loom-knitted hats, will also attend. Mullenex said, “One Christmas when I was middle-school aged, I received a set of knitting looms. I quickly set to work learning the basic stitch and marveled that hats could come together so quickly with looms. I’ve really loved making baby-sized hats, mainly because my husband, Asa, and I are expecting our first child in July.”Mullenex’s business is Beneath the Buckeye Tree.
Photographer Tiffany Waybright, owner of Redhead ‘n Mudboots, said, “I’ve always been interested in photography. When I was around eight years old my grandma bought me my first little digital camera. It was for kids, but I loved it! I also used a few film cameras as well, the use and throw away kind. Finally for my 20th birthday my family got me a really nice EOS digital camera,” and she has put it to good use ever since. During the Homecoming, Waybright will be taking pictures of folks dressed in outfits similar to the era of when the B&B was first built in 1905 for Bishop Worth Jennings and his wife Ella Castle. Bishop and his brother, Cortez Hicks Jennings, founded the town of Jenningston to support their lumber business. Waybright will offer two different poses, one in “black and white that would be the photo style of the era and then a candid shot however they’d like to pose.”
Included in the day will be additional West Virginia artisans, Old Time Music Pickin on the Porch, food and refreshments, and Christian singing group Choraliers and Pearl will perform at 6 p.m. on Saturday and at 3 p.m. on Sunday. To top off each evening, an Old Fashioned Tent Revival is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday and for 6 p.m. on Sunday.
In addition to the authors mentioned, vendors scheduled to appear at this time include: The Laurel Fork Falconer, West Virginia Raptor Center, Simply Natural, Laurel Fork Farm, Redhead n’Mudboots, and Beneath the Buckeye Tree. There is no vendor fee to set up a booth for this first-time event. Vendors still being sought include artists, historical/genealogical societies and groups, authors, etc. For more information visit www.lrcbnb.com or call (304) 402-7095.
