Old Main
History
Old Main Arts & Heritage Center in Summersville, WV is a welcoming venue where performances, exhibits, community gatherings, and creative expression come to life. From concerts and theater to workshops, meetings, and special events, Old Main continues to serve as a gathering place where people of all ages can connect, celebrate, and share in the cultural spirit of Nicholas County.
But before it became an Arts & Heritage Center, Old Main held a treasured place in the community’s history.
Old Main Arts & Heritage Center — known affectionately by generations of students and residents as “Old Main” — is a three‑story, Renaissance‑style stone building constructed in 1913 from locally quarried sandstone. Originally built as the first Nicholas County High School, it graduated its inaugural class in 1915 and later served as a State Normal School, training teachers from 1915 to 1930. The building continued as the county high school until 1978, when the new Nicholas County High School opened just north of Summersville.
Today, Old Main is owned and stewarded by the Nicholas Old Main Foundation, a volunteer‑driven nonprofit dedicated to historic preservation and the arts. The Foundation first leased the building in 1989 and obtained ownership in 1994, purchasing it with a clear mission: to restore and preserve this historic landmark while creating a museum, a forum for the arts, and a repository for local history and artifacts.
In recognition of its architectural and cultural significance, Old Main was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 27, 1989.
More than a century after its doors first opened, Old Main continues to serve the community — not as a school, but as a vibrant center where history, creativity, and community spirit come together.
Community Center
Our Goal
Our goal is to preserve and restore the historic character of this beloved property, ensuring it continues to serve as a unique, inclusive venue for community events, performances, and shared artistic experiences. Through the stage at Old Main, we celebrate creativity and connection—offering a space where music, theater, and the arts bring people together and keep our heritage alive
for generations to come.
.jpeg)
Our Vision
Old Main is committed to offering a comfortable, affordable space where people of all ages can come together for celebrations, meetings, performances, and meaningful moments that strengthen our community. From gatherings in our halls to the performing arts on our stage, Old Main is a place where creativity, connection, and community spirit come alive