HINTON, W. Va. -On Saturday, an annual music festival has returned to the town of Hinton, with the purpose of honoring and preserving the heritage of the area and bringing the community together.
It’s called the ‘Festival of the Rivers,’ a Labor Day weekend tradition for Hinton that returned for its 11th year. At this festival, people could listen to live music, get a bite to eat, or check out the talents of local vendors.
This year, there were a variety of performances and musical styles. We spoke to one of those performing who says the folk songs her duo sang are more than music, but a way of connecting people to their heritage and to each other.
“Well, to some people, it really is connected to the place and also their ancestors. So, we do get a lot of folks who come up afterwards and say, ‘Oh, I remember so-and-so used to sing that song,’ or, you know, ‘This music reminds me of my childhood,’ or, ‘I grew up…’ you know, so they’ll tell us stories which is really nice…” says Mary Dailey, a singer in the duo ‘Little Maggie.’
But this music worked to preserve the area’s past in a literal sense as well. It was organized by and raised money for the Campbell-Flannagan-Murrell House Museum.
The house played an important role in Hinton’s history as a general store and plays an important role today as a museum. We spoke to someone from the museum who says The Festival of the Rivers helps them reach out to the community, sharing knowledge on subjects like Hinton’s railroading past and black history.
“…the house itself is down, right across the street from the railroad tracks and so there was a store in the museum…” says Lynda Lancaster, a board member of the Campbell-Flannagan-Murrell House Museum, “…I think it’s very important, not only for fundraising, which is always important, but, to me, it’s the knowledge of what has happened and gone on: the history of this community.”
If you would check out the Campbell-Flannagan-Murrell house for yourself, it’s open Saturdays from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm or by appointment.
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