The Shepherdstown Opera House is located at 131 West German Street. Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — The Shepherdstown Opera House joined the West Virginia Historic Theatre Trail earlier this month.

The Historic Theatre Trail was created in 2010 by the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia and West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office. It strives to help local theaters across the state continue to provide access to the arts, while preserving the history and culture surrounding many historic buildings.

The Shepherdstown Opera House itself opened in 1910 after Upton Scott Martin built the building. Performers came and performed regularly. Clifford Musser moved into the building in 1914 and started printing a local newspaper called The Independent. The Musser family took over management of the theater and eventually bought the building in 1926. The opera house is currently owned by Harriet and Steve Pearson, who help restore and preserve the theater and continue scheduling events for the community.

Harriet Pearson was excited for the opera house to join the Historic Theatre Trail. She first learned about the statewide directory in 2023 when the Shepherdstown Opera House won a statewide award for restoration. Harriet applied, because she thought the opera house was a great fit.

“After a five-year journey to preserve and renew the building, after a catastrophic flood shut us down in 2018, it means a great deal to have our efforts recognized statewide,” Harriet said.

Though the Pearsons don’t have a background in theater, they both love connecting with artists throughout the area. Through this new recognition, they hope they will be able to welcome even more visitors and give performers even more opportunities.

“It’s very satisfying, especially these days, when it seems like we’re all on our phones and computers all the time, to help bring together audiences and artists to share music, art and words in real life,” Harriet said.

In addition to the Shepherdstown Opera House, three other theaters joined the trail, including the Granada Theater in Bluefield, the Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center in Clarksburg and the Elk Theater in Sutton. These theaters have had an important impact on their local communities and continue to create opportunities for people to learn, create and perform.

“We are incredibly honored to have these theaters join the West Virginia Historic Theatre Trail,” said Jamie Billman, preservation manager for the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, in a press release. “We really want this trail to help create collaborations and connections between these remarkable theaters across the state and also provide valuable resources and promotional opportunities for these historic sites.”

To learn more about the West Virginia Historic Theatre Trail, visit https://wvhistorictheaters.com. To learn more about the Shepherdstown Opera House, visit https://operahouselive.com.