PARKERSBURG — The history of West Virginia came to life through the words of a state poet laureate on Sunday during the final presentation in the 2018 Blennerhassett Museum Winter Lecture Series.

Volunteers from the museum, Blennerhassett Island and performers in the Smoot choirs read selections by Poet Laureate Louise McNeill of West Virginia, 1911-1993, from her book of poems about West Virginia, “Elderberry Flood,” while images of the state were shown.

The event included performances by the Smoot Boys Ensemble and the music of West Virginia presented by Scott Cain, who performed on the folk instruments of Appalachia to provide the underscore to the readings.

McNeill, who wrote for the “Saturday Evening Post,” published her first collection of work, “Mountain White,” in 1931. She was born in Pocahontas County. She was named West Virginia Poet Laureate in 1979 by Gov. Jay Rockefeller and was poet laureate until her death in 1993.

Of McNeill’s work, Rockefeller said, “she excels when she takes pen in hand and lets one share the emotions that sparks our travel on the road to statehood.”

McNeill was inducted into the West Virginia University Academy of Distinguished Alumni and in 1989 was awarded an honorary doctorate in the humanities.

“She wrote a number of books and was a great poet,” said Jerry Anderson, who introduced each lecture throughout the series over the last month. “One of her books, ‘Elderberry Flood,’ is a celebration of West Virginia.”

Sunday’s presentation covered West Virginia’s history, as seen through McNeill’s poetry, from the time it was wilderness where Native Americans roamed to the coming of the settlers to their early lives to the Blennerhassetts to the Revolutionary War to the Civil War and West Virginia’s eventual statehood. It went on to paint a portrait of life in the state during the gas boom, through World War II to more modern times.

“How was West Virginia made,” read Ben Kaminski on West Virginia’s statehood as written by McNeill. “By rifle gun and brandished blade and by careful coup d’etat that got around federal law.

“How was West Virginia born? By the war dog she was torn. Scourged with battle. How did West Virginia come into statehood? By the drum, by the keeper and the pen, written by Wheelingers drawn the lines upon a map. Founded by the richest gap. Founded by the rivers straight. Founded by the woods great.”

The presentation was originally conceived by H.G. Young of West Virginia University at Parkersburg and Cain was the one who suggested doing it as part of the Lecture Series at Blennerhassett Museum.

McNeill’s poetry talked about the Blennerhassetts and their time on Blennerhassett Island.

“This was our island, song of the river. Here stood our palace, a palace of Persia,” read by Felice Jorgeson. “Gardens all blooming sweet with flowers. Laughter and sun in the golden hours The river spill and the blue sky over. Moonlight still on the white wild clover.”

She went on to make references to the Blennerhassetts befriending Aaron Burr and how that association eventually led to the family losing their island home.

McNeill wrote of George Washington’s respect for the people of western Virginia, referred to as West Augustia.

“Give me a handful of men from West Augustia and I will raise our bleeding country from the dust and set her free,” said Jennifer Plyburn, quoting Washington.

“Give me a handful of men from the hills of West Augustia, out of the past of his voice,” Plyburn read McNeill’s words. “We must answer again. For the faith he gave. For the faith our fathers returned to him must our answer be plain.

“We must lift up our country and free her. Out of the dawn is his battle to be taken once more. To be spoken by men on the banks of stormy Ohio. To be echoed from the caves of the rock of the blue Shenandoah. Give me a handful of men. For all these years he has asked this. While the steel of his dream like the rifles be cherished away.”

The Smoot Boys performed “The Story of A Tack” and “Shenandoah” at points in the presentation and closed out the program with a performance of “My Home Among the Hills.”

“West Virginia, where the mountain river flows and the rhododendron grows,” read Aiden Haroldsen in the last passage of McNeill’s poetry. “As the land of all the lands that I touch with tender hands …

“… West Virginia is still so blessed. Leafy songs of wilderness. Dear land near land here at home …”