A historic naval deck gun is being restored by American Star Painting in Parkersburg City Park this week. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG — A piece of local military history is receiving new life as the memorial in Parkersburg City Park undergoes a significant refurbishment.

The centerpiece of the memorial, a naval deck gun believed to have once served on the USS West Virginia, is being restored along with the nearby steam engine that sits in the park. The refurbishment project was awarded to American Star Painting, a contractor based in Marietta.

According to city officials, the restoration involves more than just a fresh coat of paint.

“We just wanted to get it done right,” said Parkersburg Mayor Tom Joyce. “That means taking it down to bare metal, applying primer, and repainting it properly so it lasts.”

The city had previously maintained the pieces in-house, often repainting them to preserve their appearance. However, the latest effort is a deeper restoration designed to ensure the longevity of the artifacts, some of which are over a century old. The steam engine, for instance, is estimated to be around 120 years old.

The deck gun, meanwhile, was donated to the city, possibly in the 1970s, by the Creel family.

“Our records indicate it may have served on the West Virginia, but beyond that, there’s not much detail,” Joyce said.

American Star Painting elected to perform the restoration of the steam engine off-site due to its complexity, while work on the deck gun is being completed on location. The contractor has already begun priming and tinting the deck gun, and the project is expected to be finished within a week or two.

Gwen Sour can be reached at gsour@newsandsentinel.com