HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 56

(By Delegates Gearheart and Smith)

February 27, 2023

Referred to the Committee on Technology and Infrastructure then the Committee on Rules

Requesting the Division of Highways name Bridge Number: 28-034/01-002.89  () (28A093), (37.34752, -81.10763) locally known as the Willowbrook Bridge, carrying CR 34/01 over Brush Creek in Mercer County, the "George M. Hall Memorial Bridge".

Whereas, At a time when our nation was engaged in a Civil War, Mercer County resident George M. Hall risked life and limb to save the records of the county court and circuit court; and

Whereas, Mr. Hall, a native of Dublin, Virginia and born into slavery, was residing in Princeton, (then) Virginia in May 1862, when the Union Army entered the Mercer County seat. In order to prevent their enemy from benefitting from the supplies stored in Princeton, Confederate officers instructed soldiers occupying the town to burn residences as well as the county courthouse; and

Whereas, With the courthouse in flames, Mr. Hall, who was about 19 years old at the time, entered it and saved the records that were stored in the county court clerk’s office. Harrison W. Straley, a prominent Princetonian and a contemporary of Mr. Hall, recounted Mr. Hall’s selfless act in his book, Memoirs of Old Princeton; and

Whereas, As Mr. Straley wrote of Mr. Hall, "He was burned, lacerated, and for many weeks could not speak above a whisper, but an ungrateful County Court not only failed to remunerate him, but did not even thank him for his services to the county;" and

Whereas, As she prepared for the 2018 "Juneteenth" celebration at her church, retired Mercer County Public Schools educator Peggy Johnson discovered that after his selfless act of bravery and heroism, Mr. Hall continued to live in Princeton where he worked as a shoemaker and, along with his wife, Melinda (Henderson) Hall, raised their family in Mercer County; and

Whereas, On June 12, 2018 the Mercer County Commission passed a resolution that served as a belated thank you to Mr. Hall for risking his life by entering the courthouse on May 15, 1862, to save the records of the county court clerk's office, records that still exist to this day; In addition, the Commission thanked Peggy Johnson and Lois Miller of the Mercer County Historical Society for bringing this oversight to the Commission's attention; and

Whereas, It is fitting that an enduring memorial be established to commemorate George M. Hall and his contributions to Princeton, Mercer County, and West Virginia; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name Bridge Number: 28-034/01-002.89  () (28A093), (37.34752, -81.10763) locally known as the Willowbrook Bridge, carrying CR 34/01 over Brush Creek in Mercer County, the "George M. Hall Memorial Bridge"; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to erect signs containing bold and prominent letters identifying the bridge as the "George M. Hall Memorial Bridge"; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House forward a certified copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways, the Mercer County Historical Society, and the Mercer County Commission.