Bpowell@Dominionpost.com
MORGANTOWN — A piece of 19th-century craftsmanship has found new life in the heart of Morgantown. On Wednesday afternoon, community members gathered at 560 Tyrone Road for the ribbon cutting of White Oak 1838, a newly opened wedding and event venue overlooking the city. The ceremony was hosted in partnership with the Morgantown Area Partnership and welcomed by local residents eager to tour the historic space.
At the center of the venue’s story is an Amish-crafted barn originally built in 1838 in Navarre, Ohio. Owners Cindy Walsh and her husband, Dave Rosiello, discovered the structure on Facebook Marketplace in early 2024. Drawn to its history and charm, they purchased the barn, transported it to Morgantown, and reassembled it on a scenic five-acre property.
Their vision was to transform the timber-framed structure into a venue that blends history, true love, and West Virginia beauty. The result is a 50-by-100-foot, hand-hewn white oak barn encased within a modern 10,000-square-foot, climate-controlled building that can host up to 250 guests year-round.
But White Oak 1838 also tells another story — that of William and Etta Fichtner, who were married on the property on June 4, 1949. Walsh and Rosiello have honored the couple’s legacy by incorporating family heirlooms into the venue, including a photo from the Fichtners’ wedding day and the original farmhouse door from the mid-1900s. To further commemorate the couple, the bridal suite has been named the “Etta Mae Bridal Suite” and the groom’s quarters the “William Fichtner Groom Suite.”
The venue offers a wide array of amenities designed for comfort and hospitality. Guests will find spacious bridal and groomsmen suites, a large prep and catering kitchen, on-site paved parking, and a year-round climate-controlled environment. Outdoor features include a ceremony space framed by Appalachian mountain views, a front courtyard for cocktail hours, a firepit, and an in-law suite designed as a private retreat for grandparents or family members.
Hospitality, Walsh and Rosiello say, is at the core of what makes White Oak 1838 unique.
“One thing about us is that we’re all about hospitality,” the couple said. “Our venue manager, Anne Wolfe, has been a part of countless weddings. We’re here to take care of the bride and groom, their families, and their friends. That’s something the Fichtners were also known for — being welcoming and hospitable — and we want to continue that legacy.”
Walsh added that their hope is for White Oak 1838 to be remembered as a place where lasting memories are made.
“We really want to make it a place where people have cherished events and leave saying, ‘Wasn’t that great?’ We’ve got the deck, the courtyard, the firepit — we just want it to feel comfortable and special for everyone who comes here.”
For more information about White Oak 1838 or to view the venue’s restoration journey through photo galleries, visit www.whiteoak1838.com.
