Historic Pocahontas County Attraction Threatened by Ravages of Time – But You Can Help!

“May it live again, my mother’s house, and may it prove to others, too, a gateway to new thoughts and dreams and ways of life.”

Pearl S. Buck was a Pulitzer Prize winning author and a true giant of the American literary world.

She was also born in a small town in Pocahontas County, in a house that still stands today and which has become the centerpiece of a growing effort to continue the legacy of this remarkable woman. It has also become one of the county’s most important tourism assets, with devotees of the author and lovers of literature coming from all over the world to this renowned cultural attraction.

Stulting House, in Hillsboro, was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and opened as a museum in 1974, a year after Pearl’s death.

But now, the ravages of time threaten to permanently damage the historic building, if vital preservation work is not done soon.

A grassroots fundraising campaign is now underway to make that preservation work possible – more info here at fundrazr.com.

The existing windows are letting in rain water and damp, compromising the building’s structural soundness and jeopardizing the numerous artifacts on display throughout the house.

Since the late 1960s, the nonprofit Pearl S. Buck Birthplace Foundation (PSBBF) has functioned as the overseer of the historic building and the grounds. Much of the foundation’s time, money and energy is consumed by the considerable task of repairs!

Over the past decade, the foundation has raised money for vital preservation works, including the installation of a new cedar shake roof, new copper gutters and French drains on the house.

But now, restoration of the windows is an urgent priority. The foundation has completed the restoration of the windows on two sides of the home, and now need to replace the remaining windows in order to preserve this historic treasure.

That’s where you come in! We hope those of you who love the books of Pearl S. Buck, or who appreciate the beauty of her birthplace will consider contributing to this campaign.

The foundation is more than halfway to its goal of the $20,500 that is needed to restore and replace the remaining windows.

If you are an admirer of the works of Pearl S. Buck, West Virginia’s heritage or just the beauty and history of Pocahontas County, this is your chance to truly make a contribution! Any amount will be appreciated.