HARPERS FERRY (AP) -- A Civil War preservation group is donating a 56-acre tract to the Harpers Ferry National Historic Park next month.
The Civil War Trust took an option on the Bolivar Heights property five years ago, but had to raise $440,000 to purchase the land before completing the transaction, according to a spokesman for the group.
The property lies across the valley from School House Ridge, made famous in 1862 when Confederate General Stonewall Jackson captured more than 12,000 Union troops days before the battle of Antietam.
The trust will turn the property over to the National Park Service on October 10.
CHARLESTON (AP) -- A small part of Abraham Lincoln has been captured by a Reb.
Ronald Payne, of Charlotte, N.C., a collector of historical memorabilia, bought a lock of the 16th president's hair and a death mask for $1,750 at an auction at the University of Charleston Saturday.
Only six bidders showed up at the auction, organized by Signature House of Bridgeport, Harrison County.
Gil Griggs, co-owner of the auction firm, joked about the sparse turnout.
"Hey, that almost sounded like an auction," he said during bidding.
Country Club Road, Harrison County Route 19/15, will close from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. today for culvert replacement.
Alternate routes that may be taken are 25/1, 25, 19, 98 and 25.
The closure will be approximately .2 mile east of the St. James Apartment Complex, in front of Dr. Zinn's residence.
CHARLESTON (AP) -- Although fall has arrived, summer-like weather Sunday equaled temperature records in Huntington and Beckley.
The National Weather Service reports that Beckley's high of 81 degrees tied a record set in 1971.
Huntington residents sweltered under 91 degrees yesterday, which matches a record set in 1946.
The state's hottest spot yesterday was Martinsburg, which had 95 degrees. But that was not a record.
FOLLANSBEE (AP) -- Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp. on Monday presented $500,000 to Gov. Cecil Underwood's "Mission West Virginia" program to address the state's social problems.
The donation is one-third of the company's $1.5 million commitment to the program, which is aimed in part at attacking illiteracy and welfare dependency and recruiting foster parents.
"Mission West Virginia helps nurture the kind of grassroots support necessary for communities to effectively solve their own social problems," said Wheeling-Pitt Chairman Paul Bucha.
"Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel is proud to provide support and hope to those in need," Bucha said.