West Virginia's history comes alive in Berkeley County, during the Morgan Cabin Festival

Bu Vanta Coda III, RealWV

As the splintering storms from Hurricane Helene subsided briefly on Saturday, the Morgan Cabin Festival in Berkeley County, West Virginia, took advantage of the clear weather to celebrate the first white settler and the Native American heritage of the area. Jennifer Haythorn, Janelle Sperry, Thornton Hilleary, and other members of the Historic Morgan Cabin Association had been planning the festival for over a year to engage the community in celebrating West Virginia’s history.

Nancy Ricketts (left) and Venetta Kerns (right) give a guest a tour of the cabin. Photo by Vanta Coda III, RealWV.

“We’ve been focusing on getting the younger generation interested in local history since revitalizing the festival after Covid.” said Sperry. “That has been our main focus.”

The festival, which ran this past Saturday featured over 10 vendors, a blacksmith, Native American and early-settler demonstrations, family games, cake and pie auctions, and a raffle. All the money raised from the raffle and auctions went towards preserving the Morgan Cabin.

Vendors dot the Morgan cabin grounds as more people arrive throughout the day. Photo by Vanta Coda III, RealWV.

The Morgan Cabin was founded by Colonel Morgan Morgan, who came from Wales, England, and is credited as the first white permanent settler in present-day West Virginia. The one-room cabin with a loft, built between 1731-1734, was where Morgan lived with his eight children and wife while determining if they would settle there permanently. The family founded the small settlement now known as Torytown, and lived there until Colonel Morgan’s death in 1766.

Dressed in traditional garb, Marty Keesecker, fires a blank round with a musket.

Jennifer Haythorn, a member of the Historic Morgan Cabin Association, has long been interested in the Morgan family, the cabin, and the land it occupies.

Steve Englebright, holds a musket as other reenactors prepare for a demonstration. Photo by Vanta Coda III, RealWV.

“Morgan was known for establishing the first permanent road and being the first licensed tavern keeper in the area. He also played a role in establishing Morgan Chapel, where he and many of his family members are buried,” said Haythorn. “I have been interested in the history of the cabin since I did a project on the history of Berkeley County and the Morgan cabin in fourth grade.”

The Morgan Cabin is not the only reason the area is historically significant. It is also an ancient hunting ground for many local Native American tribes. Thornton Hilleary, the Historic Morgan Cabin Association President, has cataloged and provided education to the community about the Native American history found in the area.

Joe Lorenzo and Flower Lorenzo, stand on one of the many traditional hunting grounds that Native American used in the Morgan cabin area. Photo by Vanta Coda III, RealWV.

“Archaeologists conducted excavations here about 30 years ago, and they found prehistoric artifacts. This area was likely a centralized campsite for various Indian tribes passing through,” said Hileary.

Hileary, a retired geologist, who lives across the street from the cabin, has cataloged and archived hundreds of artifacts and made recordings detailing the history of the cabin, the Native Americans in the region, and the Morgan family. With this knowledge, the Historic Morgan Cabin Association can continue to educate future generations of West Virginians about the area’s history for years to come.