Iconic 19th Century Building Gets New Life As Shepherdstown Welcome Center

A white brick building on Shepherdstown’s historic German Street has lived many lives.

Built in June 1800, the Old Market House was constructed atop a plot of land that had long served as the town marketplace.

For decades, the iconic building served as a focal point of the community’s downtown. Out front, an emblem on the building’s exterior depicts an eyeball surrounded by rays of light, added when a fraternal order known as the Independent Order of Odd Follows built a second story in exchange for access to the space as a meeting hall.

While the town market closed in 1854, the building’s usage carried on. 

According to the Historic Shepherdstown Commission and Museum, the building went on to serve as a firehouse, a town council chamber, a private school, a meat store and a town jail.

Then, in 1926, the local Women’s Club opened a library at the site. It remained open as part of the public library system until 2022, when staff moved to a new location about a mile away.

Christy Hagerty, director of the Shepherdstown Public Library, said growing usage of the library system, driven in part by population growth in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle, meant the branch needed to expand.

“It was almost 1,000 square feet in the Market House,” she said. “Now we’re at 8,900 square feet. So eight times the size is much better and much more opportunities to really be able to provide great service.”

Over the years, Hagerty said the library’s central location in Shepherdstown made it a de facto hotspot for visitors. That is part of the reason she was glad for what came next: The Shepherdstown Town Council approved Market House’s conversion into a local visitors center.

That project was completed last month. Local tourism officials hope it will pave the way for new visitors and economic opportunities in Jefferson County and the surrounding area.

“Tourism is the number-one economic generator for our county, and Jefferson County has the highest visitor spend of any county in our state,” said Annette Gavin Bates, CEO of the Jefferson County Convention & Visitors Bureau. She helped lead the Shepherdstown Welcome Center project.

Gavin Bates said the Eastern Panhandle’s proximity to urban areas on the East Coast, plus the region’s historic significance, makes for a booming tourist market.

And, according to a 2019 report published by the West Virginia Tourism Office, the Eastern Panhandle makes more money from tourism than any other region of the state.

“Shepherdstown is the oldest town and one of the most iconic towns in our state. So it’s a destination for sure,” she said. “Having this building repurposed [means] to be able to continue to tell that story.”

Gavin Bates said she hopes the new welcome center can help keep turnout high, and to welcome newcomers to the region.

The building is two stories. Downstairs, historical placards tell the history of Shepherdstown and Jefferson County. Pamphlets for local businesses and Shepherdstown-themed merchandise for sale are displayed around the room.

“Those storyboards were designed, the content was created to give the visitor an idea. Once they walk in, they see it, they read a little bit,” Gavin Bates explained. “They say, ‘I want to go there and do that.’”

Upstairs, Gavin Bates said her staff is finalizing a multipurpose space for use by the town. She said the space can be a way to bring new cultural and historical content to the forefront of the tourist experience.

“In the future, what we’re looking for upstairs is probably to work with the university, with the museum … rotating in and out exhibits,” Gavin Bates said. “Lots of opportunity up there.”

That way, Gavin Bates said the space can continue to serve members of the community, while also supporting the needs of the town.

The Shepherdstown Welcome Center is now located at 100 West German Street, open to the public Wednesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit the town website.