Ray Smock, director of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Legislative Studies, stands next to one of the many crates of the late senator’s papers, which were delivered at the end of August to the center’s site on Shepherd University’s campus. Nearly 60 years worth of public and private papers will be located on the second floor of the center. (Photos by James P. Whipple)

SHEPHERDSTOWN – The late Sen. Robert C. Byrd visited Shepherd University several times over the years and on Aug. 26 a part of the senator’s legacy returned to Shepherd University to stay.

Two tractor-trailers brought the senator’s papers from his offices in Charleston, Martinsburg and from the Hart Senate Building in Washington, D.C.

The papers went to the Robert C. Byrd Center for Legislative Studies on the Shepherd University campus.

“We’re very excited today to be unloading 60 years of congressional history,” Byrd Center Director Ray Smock said, leaning on a large crate of Byrd’s papers. “We’ll begin the process of sorting through these files once everything is unloaded.”

Smock has served as the historian for the U.S. House of Representatives.

Memorabilia, seen above, from the senator’s office also is included with the collection of papers. Once documented and archived, the collection will be opened to the public.

Nearly 60 years worth of public and private papers will be located on the second floor of the center. There are several shelves of books that the senator authored as well as relics from his office.

Helping Smock to unload the trucks were center employees Marc Levitt, archivist; Lilly Phipps, office manager; David Hostetter, director of programs and research; and Keith Alexander, director of archives.

Opened in August 2002, the study and research center of the U.S. Constitution and now a depository for Byrd’s documents and memorabilia.

Once all of the documents are stored, the task of sorting them and putting some of them in digital form for a computer program. The collection will be opened to the public.

“The job is a dream for archivists who are able to see history in its raw state,” Smock said.