The Wood County Historical Commission held an open house tour on Thursday, March 19. The event was intended to serve as a kick-off for the America250 celebrations in Wood County. The open house was held at the Wood County Archives and Research Center, on the Quitman downtown square.

A variety of historical exhibits were on display. This includes the newly-implemented slide show about the now-closed Fouke School in Hawkins. According to commission member Logan Thompson, who found the information and implemented the slide show, Fouke was a historically African-American common school that closed in the 1960s. While the building still stands as the Fouke Community Center, information about the school itself is limited. However, Thompson said he found a pictorial history of the school and spent hours compiling the information into a slideshow.

Thompson also had a newspaper on display from 1876 – what he said was “the second-oldest complete existing newspaper written in Wood County.” The newspaper was of particular interest during the event, as it referenced the then-centennial celebrations. Now, 150 years later, the nation celebrates its semiquincentennial.

According to Secretary Sherry Finney, the Archives and Research Center is not open daily. However, interested parties can set up an appointment to open the building by calling 903-438-7455.