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New settlers came from various parts of the United States and Canada, and some immigrated directly from
Switzerland. In addition to farmers and herdsmen, many craftsmen and professionals were among the settlers: stonemasons; carpenters; painters; wagon, shoe, watch, hat, and cheese makers; musicians;
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They reached a plot that was on offer for sale on
October 20, and were disappointed by the extreme thickness of the wilderness in this lightly settled and rugged country. The land was very reasonably priced, though, and they had offers of other assistance from the land agents in Clarksburg if they
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At the beginning of 1871, there were thirty-two people living in the community. A new arrival in that year, C.E. Lutz, became the local land agent and wrote advertisements in
English and German for papers across the country extolling the virtues of the settlement. Lutz's methods would later face
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teachers; ministers; and doctors. By 1874 the community's population had grown to a heady 308, and by 1875 a band and mutual aid society called the
Schweizer-Kranken-UnterstĂĽtzung-Verein (or, the Swiss Health Support Association) had been organized.
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The settlers were able to buy their own tracts of land because of its low cost. An area of 100 acres (0.40 km) was set aside at the center of the community and split into lots, which were sold to skilled tradesmen as an incentive.
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During the late 1960s, Eleanor
Mailloux and Delores Baggerly worked to attract tourists to the town by highlighting the town's Swiss heritage. They established the HĂĽtte restaurant, collaborated on a community cookbook titled
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330:-based firm and reported back to the society on the richness of the country. A six-man committee was assembled and left Brooklyn by rail on October 15, 1869. They arrived at
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would encourage further settlement in the area. After hearing the report of this exploration, the society members decided to go to West
Virginia.
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scrutiny from both
American and Swiss authorities, and he would be investigated in 1880 by West Virginia State Senator Joseph J. Woods.
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A member of the society named Isler surveyed large swaths of the eastern West
Virginia mountains for a
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Helvetia, West
Virginia : a study of pioneer development and community survival in the Appalachia
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starting in 1869, and is known today for maintaining Swiss traditions, food, and folkways.
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U.S. Geological Survey
Geographic Names Information System: Helvetia, West Virginia
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Transnational West Virginia: ethnic communities and economic change, 1840-1940
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Transnational West Virginia: ethnic communities and economic change, 1840-1940
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Helvetia: The History of a Swiss Village in the Mountains of West Virginia
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1332:‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
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One's own hearth is like gold : a history of Helvetia, West Virginia
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311:, a group of Swiss and German-speaking immigrants calling themselves the
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699:"Helvetia, a Traditional Swiss Village in the Hills of West Virginia"
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Feast of Saint Nicholas Day, Saturday closest to December 5
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Census-designated places in Randolph County, West Virginia
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Helvetia Community Fair, second full weekend in September
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on October 20th and traveled by foot over the mountains.
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Census-designated place in West Virginia, United States
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Follow Your Bliss Festival, weekend after Father's Day
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Historical marker located within the historic district
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Photo Documentary of Helvetia West Virginia Community
918:Map of West Virginia highlighting Randolph County
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420:Thanksgiving Dinner, Fourth Thursday in November
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663:Fones-Wolf, Ken; Lewis, Ronald L. (2003).
580:Fones-Wolf, Ken; Lewis, Ronald L. (2003).
469:"US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990"
283:, its population was 59. According to the
66:Location within the state of West Virginia
1377:Census-designated places in West Virginia
703:The National Endowment for the Humanities
1382:German-American culture in West Virginia
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1387:Swiss-American culture in West Virginia
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748:"Born in a Ballroom, Documentary Film"
724:"National Register Information System"
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623:: University Microfilms International.
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1397:1869 establishments in West Virginia
1392:Populated places established in 1869
729:National Register of Historic Places
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375:National Register of Historic Places
168:1.815 sq mi (4.70 km)
160:1.815 sq mi (4.70 km)
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862:Municipalities and communities of
669:. West Virginia University Press.
586:. West Virginia University Press.
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371:Helvetia Village Historic District
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448:, film producer, writer, director
442:, film producer, director, editor
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398:Festival, third Weekend in March
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827:West Virginia Tourism Instagram
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865:Randolph County, West Virginia
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405:Supper, last Saturday in April
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176:0 sq mi (0 km)
260:Shield representing Helvetia
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615:Partadiredja, Atje (1978).
538:United States Census Bureau
513:United States Census Bureau
473:United States Census Bureau
414:, Saturday nearest August 1
389:, last Saturday before Lent
279:, United States. As of the
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1134:Fairview (near Helvetia)
792:"The 2024 Motion Awards"
770:"The 2021 Motion Awards"
634:Sutton, David H (1990).
356:Oppis Guet's vo Helvetia
269:census-designated place
33:Census-designated place
1129:Fairview (near Elkins)
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823:from SamandaDorger.com
436:, pianist and composer
412:Swiss National Holiday
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205:21/sq mi (8.1/km)
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734:National Park Service
509:"U.S. Census website"
307:After the end of the
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228: • Summer (
94:38.70583°N 80.20111°W
1350:United States portal
1343:West Virginia portal
960:Womelsdorf (Coalton)
381:Events and festivals
202: • Density
475:. February 12, 2011
319:Society) formed in
99:38.70583; -80.20111
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194: • Total
173: • Water
157: • Total
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601:978-0-937058-76-3
440:Jonathan Lacocque
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165: • Land
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75:Coordinates:
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1189:Little Italy
1088:Cheat Bridge
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945:Huttonsville
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796:. Retrieved
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706:. Retrieved
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434:Jack Gibbons
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364:Sechseläuten
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313:GrĂĽtliverein
312:
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1259:Upper Mingo
1219:Pumpkintown
1209:Monterville
1063:Blue Spring
1053:Arnold Hill
1030:communities
1013:Valley Head
1008:Valley Bend
988:East Dailey
880:County seat
396:Maple Syrup
285:2020 census
281:2010 census
97: /
1366:Categories
1299:Kuntzville
1254:Tigheville
1068:Brady Gate
1043:Aggregates
950:Mill Creek
798:August 31,
776:August 31,
754:August 31,
456:References
332:Clarksburg
328:Washington
247:feature ID
189:Population
82:38°42′21″N
1328:Footnotes
1319:Perlytown
1214:Newlonton
1159:Hazelwood
708:March 21,
621:Ann Arbor
566:March 21,
543:March 21,
479:April 23,
401:Helvetia
377:in 1978.
309:Civil War
271:(CDP) in
211:Time zone
181:Elevation
85:80°12′4″W
1249:Suncrest
1239:Sullivan
1234:Spangler
1184:Lee Bell
1139:Faulkner
1124:Evenwood
1118:Ellamore
1113:Elkwater
1108:Dry Fork
1078:Canfield
993:Helvetia
955:Montrose
640:New York
387:Fasnacht
360:Fasnacht
321:Brooklyn
265:Helvetia
138:Randolph
60:Helvetia
25:Helvetia
1314:Osceola
1169:Jimtown
1154:Harding
1083:Cassity
1073:Bruxton
1018:Whitmer
1003:Pickens
935:Beverly
518:May 14,
295:History
250:2586824
144:Settled
111:Country
1309:Montes
1304:Lumber
1264:Weaver
1229:Silica
1179:Kerens
1164:Horton
1093:Cubana
1048:Alpena
1038:Adolph
998:Norton
983:Dailey
978:Bowden
940:Harman
905:Elkins
887:Elkins
794:. 2021
772:. 2021
750:. 2024
681:
646:
598:
317:GrĂĽtli
133:County
1291:towns
1289:Ghost
1279:Wymer
1274:Whyte
1269:Weese
1244:Sully
1204:Mingo
1199:Mabie
1149:Glady
1144:Flint
1058:Bemis
1028:Other
927:Towns
289:Swiss
267:is a
239:(EDT)
237:UTC-4
216:UTC-5
121:State
35:(CDP)
1224:Read
1194:Loda
1103:Czar
970:CDPs
897:City
800:2024
778:2024
756:2024
710:2022
679:ISBN
644:ISBN
596:ISBN
568:2022
545:2022
520:2011
481:2011
403:Ramp
369:The
362:and
245:GNIS
152:Area
147:1869
1174:Job
671:hdl
588:hdl
230:DST
1368::
883::
868:,
732:.
726:.
701:.
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1120:‡
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315:(
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218:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
