The Romney Literary Society, established on January 30, 1819, as the Polemic Society of Romney, was the first literary society in what is now West Virginia, and one of the first in the United States. It was founded by nine prominent Romney men with the objectives of advancing literature and science, purchasing and maintaining a library, and improving educational opportunities. The society debated a range of scientific and social topics, and often violated its own rules banning religious and political subjects. The society's library began in 1819 and grew to contain around 3,000 volumes in 1861. The organization also sought to establish an institution for "the higher education of the youth of the community". During the Civil War the contents of the library were plundered by Union Army forces. The society was reorganized in 1869 and took a leading role in Romney's civil development. In 1870 the group built the Literary Hall (pictured) and offered its former campus to the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind. The Literary Hall housed the library and group meetings until their last recorded meeting in 1886. (Full article...)
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