Last Updated July 10, 2026
Compiled by Friends of Malden Village, Inc.
Malden National Historic District Development Plan
Overview
Malden was a bustling hub when Charleston was still a cowpath. Her salt helped open the door to the westward expansion of the country and made possible the pioneer development of Midwest farming and a large meat packing industry in Cincinnati. It also created in the Kanawha Valley a salt industry and the first western coal industry in Virginia. The vast economic empire included the future chemical industry. By 1830, her salt had brought about the signing of the first American Business Trust and an international reputation as a salt-producing community.
The likes of George Washington, Daniel Boone, and Booker T. Washington are woven into her past. Dickinson, Hale, Isaac, Leftwich, Lewis, Patrick, Putney, Ruffner, Shrewsbury, and Wayne are prominent in her patchwork history. Because Malden gave so much to the state and the country, in 1980 she was declared a National Historic District by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Now, like the phoenix, she's up once again and looking forward to her future as the tourism gateway to the New River Gorge.
Friends of Malden Village, Inc. is a West Virginia Nonprofit Corporation with a pending 501(c)3 nonprofit application submitted to the IRS in February of 2026, with the mission of promoting the history and preservation, as well as social and economic development, in the Malden area. We pick up the mission where the Malden Historic District left off in 1981.
Definitions of Key Terms and Concepts
Preservation – in general, involves identifying, documenting, evaluating, and treating cultural resources to sustain their integrity. Key elements are maintenance and repair of historic form and materials, stabilizing structures, and managing landscapes to retain their historic significance. Generally, there are four different treatment approaches:
1) Preservation – focuses on repair and maintenance to sustain the existing form and materials; 2) Rehabilitation – allowing for upgrades and additions to accommodate new uses while retaining the historical character; 3) Restoration – returning a property to a specific time period of its significance; and 4) Reconstruction – re-creating a non-surviving portion of a property.
Key areas of focus in preservation: 1) Cultural landscapes – managing historic landscapes; 2) Historic structures – repairing and managing buildings using compatible materials and traditional techniques; 3) Archaeological resources – protecting sites through documentation and, when necessary, excavation; 4) Climate and environmental factors – addressing damage from moisture, insects, and emissions.
Goals
The following measures of this project are planned to support the overall mission of the Friends of Malden Village.
To increase pedestrian safety and structural longevity by diverting heavy industrial traffic away from the historic district and creating inviting spaces.
To protect and interpret Malden’s unique salt-making as a pre-Industrial Revolution Appalachian pioneer industry built on the invention of precision deep well drilling, the first in the Western Hemisphere engineering using industrial slavery for its workforce and as the boyhood home of Booker T. Washington where his mother integrated Malden housing, blocking White superiority forever in Malden with a home purchase and mortgage only four years after her emancipation. Protecting African American history through formal federal recognition, education initiatives, and tourism and trail development.
To maintain Malden as a vibrant, family-friendly residential community.
To foster economic and social growth by preserving educational landmarks so that they can be vibrant, multi-generational community spaces once more.
Projects Funded to Date
P1. Restore Lighting to the Booker T. Washington Park - $7,030 (Complete)
We received a grant from the Upper Kanawha Valley Mini Grants program for $5,630 and a match from the Kanawha Salines Foundation for $1,400 to restore the historic lighting at the Booker T. Washington Park. The work was completed by Damron Electric and inspected by Appalachian Electric Power. West Virginia State University conducted informal surveys of the neighbors to the park, and only positive reports were given. This lighting helps to increase the safety and beautification of the Malden area.
P2. Preservation of the Norton/Patton and Hale Houses on Malden Drive - WVSU’s grant for $398,000 (In Progress)
In conjunction with West Virginia State University and the Booker T. Washington Institute, Malden has received a $398,000 grant from the Department of the Interior to rehabilitate and restore the Hale and Norton properties according to the guidelines of the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation. This is possibly not the full cost of this project, but it will make a huge impact on the preservation of these two previously endangered properties.
P3. African Zion Baptist Church Painting and Property Maintenance - WVSU (In Progress)
West Virginia State University, with funding from the WV Legislature, has completed debris removal from the Hale House property, trimmed trees at the Booker T. Washington park, and repaired the fences and structure damage from an accident to the Civil War sign and fence. This spring, WVSU will replace the main sign at the park and the small sign posting hours. The African Zion Baptist Church exterior and interior floors were just painted.
P4. Malden Sign Project - ~$2,000 (In Progress)
There are now uniform signs, which were printed at Charleston Blueprint, at important sites throughout the town. These signs are displayed at historic properties like the Putney House (1836), Welch-Oakes House (1845), and more. You can also find the signs at the new Malden Village Green announcing historical tours in the neighborhood.
P5. Malden Village Cleanup Days - $208 (Ongoing)
We received private donations to fund monthly cleanup days in the town. Group members and families came together for the first cleanup on March 5, 2026, with great success. After six hours of dedicated cleanup, the group gathered two full truckloads of trash. Smaller cleanups have been taking place every few days since then. Large monthly cleanups have been and will continue to be scheduled every month that weather permits, and will generally be scheduled before public events (such as lectures) or holidays for maximum impact.
P6. The Creation of the Malden Village Green - $95,000+ (In Progress)
Through the selfless acts of Malden residents Julia M. Buery and her husband, Larry L. Rowe, a member of the Friends of Malden Village, the old Malden FasCheck supermarket is now the beautiful Malden Village Green with an octagonal colonnade next to the African Zion Baptist Church, known as “Booker’s Church”, its village setting behind the church with a historically accurate reconstruction of Booker’s family cabin, and a prototype school building. The Booker T. Washington Park is across from the Malden Green. The colonnade, completed in March 2026, is designated “The Thinking Place.” In the Village Green, trees and flowers have been planted, and a stone bench is being relocated to the park. The Village Green will serve as the village center and will be host to events like yoga in the park, weddings, and prom pictures. Residents and tourists can spend afternoons pondering what life was like in Malden all those years ago, before and after the Civil War, for Black and White people.
P7. Malden Village Website - $200 setup + $240 annually (Ongoing)
Friends of Malden Village launched its official website, friendsofmaldenvillage.com (also friendsofmalden.com), as a free community resource covering Malden's history, businesses, and heritage. The site features historic property profiles, a local author bookshelf, information on neighborhood tours, and a Creative Corner for community submissions. Educational materials, including history narratives, crossword puzzles, and coloring sheets, are available for download for kids of all ages. A resident survey and contact form keep the community connected to the organization's ongoing work.
P8. Restoration of the Booker T. Washington Boyhood Home Replica Site (In Progress)
Friends of Malden Village restored areas of the replica boyhood home and cabin site of Booker T. Washington in June of 2026. The day-in-the-life exhibits of the cabin, church/school, animal coops, and salt brine were restored. With the help of WVSU, the water and bathrooms were brought to working order so that we could clean the sidewalks and rehab the restrooms for tourist use.
Entryway Before
Entryway After
Fence Before
Fence After
Chicken Coop
Before
Chicken Coop
After
Restroom Before
Restroom After
Other Recently Completed Projects in Malden
Mural at the Malden Underpass - (Complete)
Through the work of Nancy Bruns, co-founder of J.Q. Dickinson Salt and a member of the Friends of Malden Village, and the Upper Kanawha Trails Initiative, funded by the Kanawha County Commission, Benedum Foundation, and Charleston Area Alliance, local artist Blake Wheeler was commissioned to install a 43-foot-long mural showcasing Malden’s salt and African American history on the facades of the railroad overpass.
The Department of Transportation also completed restoration bridge work and painting of a four-lane overpass near the railroad overpass, though more work in the area still needs to be done.
Current Projects
The following functional specifications define the scope of the proposed improvements in Malden:
Chapter 1: Historic Preservation & Heritage Tourism
1.1 Ruffner/Rosedale Cabin Relocation
1.2 Historic Property Restoration
1.3 National Salt-Making Heritage Area
1.4 West Virginia Salt Museum Exhibit Updates
1.5 Malden Museum
1.6 Historic Cemetery Access
1.7 Gateway to the Gorge
1.8 Apply to be a National Park Landmark
Chapter 2: Infrastructure & Transportation
2.1 Sidewalks and Lighting
2.2 Rand Exit
2.3 Booker T. Washington Heritage Trail
2.4 Landscaping
2.5 Benches and Trashcans
2.6 Community Garden
Chapter 3: Education & Public Programming
3.1 K-12 Education
3.2 Higher Education
3.3 Youth Engagement Internship Opportunity
3.4 Establish a Walking Tour of Malden
3.5 Other Tours and African American History Bus Tours
3.6 Black History Month Event
Chapter 4: Community Development
4.1 Tackling Crime
4.2 Community Center
Conclusion
Some residents and supporters of Malden at the 2026 Fourth of July Dog & Bike Parade
Malden is not a community asking to be built from scratch. It is a community asking to protect its history and enhance its use by residents and tourist guests. The infrastructure, the stories, the antebellum structures, and the people are here. What this proposal represents is a coordinated, evidence-based strategy to curate what already exists into something the region, the state, and the nation can recognize as the irreplaceable heritage destination it is.
The investments outlined in this proposal are very modest in cost and significant in consequence. Restored sidewalks and period lighting transform a drive-through corridor into a walkable historic district for residents and visiting guests to our historic landmarks. The rescue of the Ruffner Cabin completes a story no other site in West Virginia can replicate. Thoughtful landscaping signals stewardship and invites the behavioral shift that turns a visitor and resident into a repeat visitor and an advocate. Together, these elements open historic and residential Malden to sustained heritage tourism, economic development, and the recognition and support its history has long deserved.
The Friends of Malden Village are committed to delivering on every initiative outlined here, as we have delivered on every initiative that came before. We are grateful for your consideration and eager to move forward.
Please contact Larry L. Rowe at (304) 925-1333 or Kimberli Milhoan (304) 590-3136 to schedule a follow-up discussion or for any questions.
Friends of Malden Village, Inc.
Malden, WV