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Look Back: Important collection stays put

The wonderful collection of local, Native American artifacts, the collection of Prof. Henry Stahl, is beautifully displayed in the lower level of the Blennerhassett Museum of Regional History in Parkersburg. (Photo Provided)

VALUABLE COLLECTION of Indian Relics Will Go To American College of History – Parkersburg to Lose a Rare Museum of Antiquities.

Right here in the City of Parkersburg is one of the completest private collections of Indian relics in the United States.

We are sorry to learn that in the course of time our city is to lose that distinction.

The collection referred to is that of Henry Stahl, the well-known antiquarian and lecturer.

Mr. Stahl has spent years and much money and labor in making his interesting collection of antiquities. With him it was a labor of love. He is an enthusiastic collector as well as a widely read antiquary and has many other collections but the one referred to is the one he is proudest of and with reason.

For several years Mr. Stahl has made annual lecture tours – going before schools, as a specialty, in this way he has done much good in an educational way. On several occasions he has delivered his lecture here, with free admission and most of his specimens have been on exhibition from time to time in the show windows of our merchants. In this way our citizens have become familiar with the collection and its value.

But it has always been the owner’s desire that his collection, would sometime find a permanent place in one of the great educational institutions of the country.

He has at last carried out his cherished plan or rather made arrangements to do so, when he retires from the lecture platform.

The lucky institution which will receive this splendid gift is the American College of History, of Washington, D.C.

Mr. Stahl has been offered a round sum for the collection by an Englishman who wished to present it to some college of England. But the offer was refused by the patriotic antiquarian who preferred that the fruit of his labors should remain in his own country. So, a few weeks ago he offered the entire collection to the College of History. Dr. Samuel L. Beiler, vice chancellor of the college came here to view the collection and was much struck with its scope and completeness. The gift was accepted with warm thanks by the Board of Trustees, through a letter from their secretary, Mr. Charles W. Baldwin, which was received by Mr. Stahl a few days ago.

It is a pity that so valuable a museum of American antiquities could not have remained in Parkersburg but since it had to go we are glad so worthy an institution should get it as the College of History.

The Parkersburg State Journal,

Nov. 11, 1895

Note: Thankfully, and for whatever reason, Mr. Stahl’s collection remained in Parkersburg. In the 1960s it was seemingly a permanent display in the hallway of Parkersburg High School. It was later moved to the Blennerhassett Museum of Regional History in Parkersburg where it is beautifully displayed.

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Bob Enoch is president of the Wood County Historical and Preservation Society. If you have comments or questions about Look Back items, please contact him at: roberteenoch@gmail.com, or by mail at WCHPS, PO Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102.

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