Events

Throughout the year, the Kump Education Center sponsors or is the site of many public events. Visit this page often to check out what we are doing, or better yet, follow us on the Kump Education Center Facebook Page!

2025

FREE TREE TALK

Wednesday, January 29, 7 PM (PLEASE NOTE CHANGE DUE TO WEATHER)

Witness Trees of the Monongahela National Forest: Land Records as Ecological Data

Presenter: Melissa Thomas-Van Gundy, Research Forester & Project Leader, USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station Parsons, WV

In this presentation, Melissa Thomas-Van Gundy will describe the use of early land surveys and deeds to document the forests of the Monongahela National Forest at roughly the time of European settlement. The deeds used in this analysis date from 1752 to 1900 and document the spatial location of around 22,000 trees of 49 species. These 22,000 tree locations were then used to describe the dominant tree species across the Monongahela MF and show ecological differences across the forest. Melissa will discuss how this information can be used in the management and restoration of forests on the Monongahela NF today. Sponsored by the Elkins Tree Board. Please access the Kump House from the back, which is accessible off Seneca Road. Look for signs.

FIRST FRIDAY FOCUS ON EDUCATION

Friday, February 7, 4 PM

Join us for an informal gathering to discuss basic education issues including safety, personnel, assessment, and funding in Randolph County. Please access the parking lot of the Kump House from the back, which is accessible off Seneca Road. Look for signs.

FREE TREE TALK

Wednesday, February 26, 7 PM (PLEASE NOTE LECTURE CHANGE DUE TO FEDERAL POLICY )

Changing Birdsong in the Appalachian Forest

Presenter: Katie Garst, Avian Biologist, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources

Join Garst as she talks about the importance of forests to bird populations. It will include Wood Thrush research and other trends being discovered with bird surveys.

Sponsored by the Elkins Tree Board. Please access the Kump House from the back, which is accessible off Seneca Road. Look for signs.

FIRST FRIDAY FOCUS ON EDUCATION

Friday, March 7, 4:30 PM

FREE TREE TALK

Wednesday, March 26, 7 PM

Returning the American Chestnut to Our Forests (PLEASE NOTE LECTURE CHANGE DUE TO FEDERAL POLICY )

Presenter: Mark Double, West Virginia Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation

In this presentation, Double what measures the ACF is doing to help bring back the chestnut legacy to Northeast forests.

Sponsored by the Elkins Tree Board. Please access the Kump House from the back, which is accessible off Seneca Road. Look for signs.

FREE TREE TALK

Wednesday, April 23, 7 PM

Stress, Strain, and Trees: An Introduction to Tree Mechanics and Risk Assessment

Presenter: Ken Beezley, Instructor of Sustainable Resource Management, Davis & Elkins College

External stress placed on trees (or tree parts) and the resulting strain can influence tree response, increasing the likelihood of tree failure and the potential damage to people and property. From the single tree in your backyard to street trees in an urban setting and trees found in a campground, a basic understanding of tree risk assessment can assist tree owners and managers in prioritizing management objectives. This informal and interactive presentation will cover how trees manage stress from storms, pruning, and land development while considering acceptable levels of human risk and mitigation.

Sponsored by the Elkins Tree Board. Please access the Kump House from the back, which is accessible off Seneca Road. Look for signs.

ELBOWS UP!-CANADA COMEDY CONVERSATION

Wednesday, April 30, 7 PM

Elbows Up, Eh?!? A Conversation on Canada

The presentation will focus on comedy and culture, as well as some key historical moments linking Canada and the U.S. (think: Dan Ackroyd, John Candy, Andrea Martin, Mike Myers, the War of 1812, etc.). Randolph County-born West Virginian and Fulbright Scholar Deborah Stiles will give the talk on Canadian culture and history. Stiles, a poet and farmer living in Tucker County, spent most of her career in Canada, and became a Canadian citizen in 2004. She is excited to share her experience and will provide Canadian snacks. Please access the Kump House from the back, which is accessible off Seneca Road. Look for signs.

2024

CHRISTMAS AT THE KUMP HOUSE

TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS, DEC. 3-19 FROM 4-7 P.M. AND SATURDAYS, DEC. 21 AND 28, FROM 1-4 P.M.

Tour the 1925 historic home of Gov. Kump decorated for the holidays! The Open House features a model train display, snowman wonderland, light refreshments, and benefits the Kump Education Center. 401 Randolph Ave. (across from Kroger). Parking in rear, off Seneca Road. A $10 donation is recommended.

HALLOWEEN PARTY

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 4:30-6:30 P.M.

Visit the Kump House for a spooky open house party featuring ghosts and games, a fortune teller, trick or treating and a celebration of Gov. Kump's Birthday! Free admission. Please access the Kump House from the back, which is accessible off Seneca Road. Look for signs. The Halloween Party is supported by Reckhart Logistics, the KEC event committee, and community volunteers.

FOREST FESTIVAL TOURS

TUESDAY/THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1 & 3, 3 P.M.-5 P.M.

Visit the Kump House on these special Forest Festival Days! The free tours are offered to the public and allow visitors to explore this site listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Donations are encouraged to support the Kump Education Center. Please access the Kump House from the back, which is accessible off Seneca Road. Look for signs

YARD SALE AT THE KUMP HOUSE

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 8 A.M. - 3 P.M.

Join us for a great day of finding treasures and supporting the Kump Education Center with this fund-raising event! There will be antiques, household goods, linens, and all types of goodies, including baked goods. Please access the Kump House from the back, which is accessible off Seneca Road. Look for signs.

SOUTH AFRICA PRESENTATION

THURSDAY, JULY 25, 7 P.M.

The Kump Education Center will host an international PowerPoint lecture on South Africa Thursday, July 25, at 7 p.m. The presentation titled “South Africa, A World Between Two Oceans” will be offered by Nasra Adan, a visiting lecturer from Prince Sultan University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Adan has traveled extensively worldwide, having lived in her home country of Canada, China, India, Korea, Japan, Kenya, and currently, Saudi Arabia. She can speak seven languages besides her native English: Chinese, Korean, Somali, Arabic, French, Swahili, and Spanish. Her language arts specialization has resulted in a career of teaching essay writing at the college level, and she has taught reading, listening, and speaking as a second language.

GARDEN PARTY AT THE HISTORIC KUMP HOUSE

SATURDAY, JUNE 8, NOON-4 P.M. - PIE AUCTION AT 1 P.M.

Join us for an afternoon filled with fun outdoor activities, including arboretum walks and kids' games. The famous Pie Auction will take place at 1 p.m., and free tours of the historic Gov. Kump House home will be offered. Refreshments will be available. The home will also feature local artwork with a floral theme. Parking is available at the rear of the Kump House, with easy access off Seneca Road.

14th ANNUAL KUMP EDUCATION RESEARCH SEMINAR

THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 4 P.M.

This event features research conducted by Davis & Elkins College education students focusing on recent West Virginia education initiatives. Formal presentation begins at 4:30. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is available at the rear of the Kump House, with easy access off Seneca Road.

WOODLAND HERITAGE LECTURE SERIES:

"From Coal Mine to Forest: The Mower Tract Revival"

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 7 P.M.

The final lecture of this winter series will feature Kris Hennig, with the U.S. Forest Service speaking on the history of the Mower Tract, spruce/mineland restoration efforts, and the integration of recreation opportunities in this beautiful area of Randolph County. The monthly lectures are free and open to the public. Funding assistance was provided by a grant from the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area. Parking is available at the rear of the Kump House, with easy access off Seneca Road.

WOODLAND HERITAGE LECTURE SERIES:

"Nature and the Economy in Appalachia"

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 7 P.M.

The third lecture of this winter series will feature Ericks Brolis, Director, Economic Development & Strategic Initiatives for The Nature Conservancy of West Virginia, speaking on how nature-driven economic development can create a path forward for WV's economy. The monthly lectures are free and open to the public. Funding assistance was provided by a grant from the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area. Parking is available at the rear of the Kump House, with easy access off Seneca Road.

WOODLAND HERITAGE LECTURE SERIES:

"Nature's New Deal: Monongahela National Forest and the New Deal (1933-1942)"

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 7 P.M.

The second lecture of this winter series will feature Robert C. Whetsell, archeologist with the U.S. Forest Service, speaking on one of the most important periods of conservation, recreation, and infrastructure development in our region's national forest. The series continues with monthly lectures that are all free and open to the public. Funding assistance was provided by a grant from the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area. Parking is available at the rear of the Kump House, with easy access off Seneca Road.

WOODLAND HERITAGE LECTURE SERIES:

"Where the Bison Once Roamed"

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 7 P.M.

The first lecture of this winter series will feature Melissa Thomas-Van Gundy, U.S. Forest Service researcher, speaking on the history of the bison trails that crisscrossed our region centuries ago. The series continues with four monthly lectures that are all free and open to the public. Funding assistance was provided by a grant from the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area. Parking is available at the rear of the Kump House, with easy access off Seneca Road.

2023

CELEBRATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS DAY

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10, 3 P.M.

Join the Kump Education Center in celebrating the 75th Anniversary of

the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with a special presentation

by Becky Ashburn, an Eleanor Roosevelt reenactor. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. Parking is available at the rear of the Kump House, with easy access off Seneca Road.

HOUSE TOUR TUESDAYS! (FALL)

TUESDAYS, SEPTEMBER 26 - OCTOBER 24, 3-5 P.M.

The Kump House will be open for public tours this fall, with an additional public tour during the Forest Festival on Thursday, Oct. 5 from 3-5 P.M. These tours are free and open to the public and feature interpretive displays about our forest heritage. The displays are partially funded through a West Virginia Humanities Council mini-grant.

SAUDI ARABIA PRESENTATION

TUESDAY, JULY 25, 7 P.M.

The Kump Education Center will host an international lecture on Saudi Arabia Tuesday, July 25, at 7 p.m. The presentation titled “Saudi Arabia, Not Just a Desert Country” will be offered by Nasra Adan, a visiting lecturer from Prince Sultan University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

See full press release on our News Page.

WILD, WONDERFUL WOODS CELEBRATION

SATURDAY, JUNE 24, NOON - 5 P.M

Celebrate WV's birthday with a full day of music, including Native American flute music, open house tours, our famous pie auction at 2 PM, vendors, displays, and children's activities. Everything will focus on our region's forests. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. The Wild, Wonderful Woods Celebration has been made possible in part by a grant from the West Virginia Humanities Council. See full press release and vendor registration forms on our News Page.

KIDS SUMMER SPANISH CAMP

JUNE 12-16, 8:30-3:30 DAILY

Enroll in this exciting Spanish language camp designed for children ages 4-8 at the KEC. Director Leah Devine will lead the camp with art, play, songs, food, skits, and more! The cost is $200 for the entire week. Enrollment is limited. Go to the SUMMER CAMPS-2023 link for more information and registration.

13th ANNUAL KUMP EDUCATION SEMINAR

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26 AT 4 PM

D&E Teacher Education students will make their capstone presentations at the Kump Education Research Seminar at this annual event. Research by D&E students who helped with our mentoring program this past winter and other papers will be presented at this event which is free and open to the public.

2022

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW OPEN HOUSE

SATURDAY-SUNDAY, JUNE 25-26 FROM 2-5 PM

Join us as we celebrate the weddings of two Kump families with a two-day Open House event introducing new interpretive displays and vintage Kump family wedding dresses and memorabilia. This will feature Edna Scott Kump's dress (1907) and Peggy Kump Roberts' dress (1936) as well as objects symbolic of traditional wedding customs. Other new exhibits will be introduced to the public for the first time. The Open House is free, but donations are encouraged. Parking is available in the rear of the Kump House. A local Eleanor Roosevelt reenactor will be present each afternoon at 3 p.m. The event and displays are partially funded through a West Virginia Humanities Council mini-grant.

FREE FRUIT TREE PRUNING AND GRAFTING WORKSHOP

SATURDAY, MARCH 26 at 2 PM

This free workshop on the proper way to prune and graft apple and pear trees will take place in the heirloom apple orchard adjacent to the Kump House. It will be led by David Proudfoot, who owns Proudfoot Mountain Farm. The workshop will be held outside, so dress warmly! This event is sponsored by the Elkins Tree Board and Elkins Friends of Trees.