New Items in the Gift Shop

Check out some of the new items in the Birthplace Gift Shop.  In addition to note cards and other items featuring images of the Birthplace, we've now carry Good Earth Organic Tea, and it has already proven to sell well.  Most varieties of tea originated in China, India or elsewhere in Asia thousands of years ago, so it was astute for this company to take their name from Pearl Buck's best selling novel.  It's delicious tea, too!

Need Birthplace Brochures?

I've noticed a number of attractions around the area that still have the old brochure depicted below in their racks.  It's several years old and contains inaccurate hours of operation.  

If you have these contact us for replacements.  Click this link to see the correct brochure.  

Old Brochure

New Brochure

2014: Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Birthplace

In this 1970 photo Pearl Buck begins the restoration of her home by knocking out a piece of porch railing of her Birthplace while back West Virginia for an environmental seminar.  Four years later we held out grand opening on May 4, 1974.  Sadly, Pearl died at the beginning of March in 1973, so she didn't get to see the opening, but it must have already been clear the house would indeed be successful as a gateway to "new hopes, dreams and ways of life" as she wished it to be. 

The project was and has continued to be a community endeavor.  In the coming months we'll post photos and stories of that effort in this blog.  Everyone involved with the Birthplace, from the moment a commitment was made to save the home to today should feel some sense of pride in the collaborative endeavor.

May 4, 2014 will mark the 40th Anniversary of our opening, and we think it deserves to be celebrated.  Unfortunately, that porch railing that Pearl S. Buck is knocking taking a whack at in the picture is once again in need of repairs and painting, as is the entire house.

A Week Ago Today

The tree that broke the fence also severed the power line to the Birthplace

Last Friday started out out wonderfully, and ended in devastation.  No doubt some of you have been wondering about damage at the Pearl S. Buck Birthplace.  There's been a good deal of damage to trees, the fence and what seems to be minor damage to the exterior of both houses.  We've also lost our power line to the property. 

We'll only be able to really judge once the power's back on and we can take a good look around, inside and out, but though the damage will not be either cheap or easy to repair, it does not seem to be major.  We were fortunate.   Psychologically, though, the damage bites quite a bit.

Pearl S. Buck Birthday Celebrations Focus of Article in The State Journal

The celebrations planned for the 120th Anniversary of the birth of Pearl S. Buck are the focus of a piece by Mike Ruben in the West Virginia State Journal, published June 18th.  Beginning the article by stating the the Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winner "knew the value of lessons learned," he cites a quotation, "If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday," and notes,

That is the philosophy behind the annual birthday celebration at the Pearl S. Buck Birthplace Museum in the Pocahontas County town of Hillsboro. The event takes place at 4 p.m. June 23 during the community's Little Levels Heritage Fair.

"There are very positive things you can take away from Pearl Buck and her legacy," said Timothy Van Reenen, a consultant to the Pearl S. Buck Foundation, who has studied the author extensively.

Van Reenen then goes on to list some of those things and to outline the agenda for the Birthday Celebration.  To continue reading this informative article, click here.

Deadline for Sponsorship of the Pearl S. Duck Croquet Tournament Approaches

If you are interested in having your business recognized as a sponsor of the 2nd Annual Pearl S. Duck Croquet Tournament, you will need to act fast, as we are already starting to send materials to be prepared.  Different things need to go at different times, depending how long preparation takes, and t-shirts take the longest.

Fortunately, we found an enthusiastic partner early, and are proud to announce that Boxley is our presenting sponsor this year.  The t-shirt design has been developed with Allegheny T-Shirts, and you can already order one for free in your size when you register in advance for the tournament.