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ROWLESBURG – The sale of items in a World War II museum located in the Szilagyi Center (old Rowlesburg School) is leaving area residents with questions.
"Does anyone have any correct phone numbers or emails for who are RRC (Rowlesburg Revitalization Committee) designated persons handling this? Is it Jef (Verswyvel) or Maggie (DeWeirdt) they are to contact? Has there been a meeting date planned to discuss the time frame involved? Especially for more information for residents or families to obtain their items that were loaned to the WWII Museum and want returned before this sale closing?" were some of the inquiries made on the Town of Rowlesburg WV Facebook page.
Another post in Tunnelton WV Events says, "I am sharing this news because local families have given the museum so many artifacts and I felt it was important that they know about the sale. I’m sure the sellers and buyer have contacted them all. From here, we will have to build on the collection the local donors want to stay in Rowlesburg.”
According to Rowlesburg info, the museum's exhibits were developed by Verswyvel, a local enthusiast who curated and crafted the displays, including life-size figures in authentic military uniforms, real uniforms, medals, weapons and personal artifacts. It goes on to explain part of the collection is staying.
The goal was to preserve and share the stories of Preston County's WWII veterans and the broader local experience of the war. The exhibit also includes a Home Front scene with a 1940s living room, a Rosie the Riveter reading letters from her soldier, and a WAAC/Red Cross display with uniforms and memorabilia. It grew from local passion and community leadership, blending historical artifacts, personal stories and creative displays to preserve the memory of West Virginia's WWII service members and the broader national experience.
In a Facebook post Verswyvel said, "as I mentioned before in a previous post at Rowlesburg inc FB page, it is our private collection that will be sold. Anything and everything we personally financed and purchased will be sold. Also anything that was given to us personally by veterans because their families didn't want it is added to the personal collection. Anything else that was given to us on loan by families, will be returned to the families with the presence of proof of ownership or verification of verbal agreements. It came to my attention that a few claims were already untruthful. If an item was donated by the veteran himself to me personally it will stay in the private collection. Many times, a veteran brought a small item(s) to me because their family ‘didn't care’ and was afraid it would end up being thrown away. But these donations were only a very small part of the entire exhibit. All the items on loan, are not part of the sale and will be returned to the rightful owners or they will remain in the care of the RRC with the intent to build the museum back up. If you have further questions, please direct them to the RRC. Again, and not to sow further confusion, over 90% of the exhibit was and is privately owned and financed by Maggie and me.”
Former Rowlesburg Mayor Darrell Dean said the RRC does not own the collection. He said they leased the space to Verswyvel and DeWeirdt so they would have space to display the collection. Dean said the RRC collected donations from visitors as payment for the lease.
"The RRC learned they were going to sell to a group in Southern WV that has a hotel with a World War II theme," Dean said. "I was there when they came in with boxes to pack things up."
Shirley Hartley Meissner, treasurer for the RRC, said the name of the purchaser will be announced at a later date.