The recently published idea of “branding” the town with the Odd Fellows eye symbol completely ignores Shepherdstown’s unique history. The Odd Fellows is an organization that exists in many towns, and while it is a neat design on the library building, do we want to be “branded” by it?

The newly erected “welcome” sign is colorful, but should not be the basis for a really major idea, like “branding” because its design elements do not reflect historical Shepherdstown.

Branding should tell something important/significant about the town- that eyeball doesn’t.

Several ideas based on historical importance or important buildings should be explored and considered, for instance, the Beeline March is truly significant and unique; James Rumsey’s steamboat experiment, honored by the handsome James Rumsey Mounument; Mecklenburg Tobacco Warehouse/relationship to the C and O Canal- the Shepherdstown riverlock; the Shepherd Grist Mill wheel.( the logical combination of both the grist mill wheel and the Rumsey Monument were incorporated in the logo for the town’s 1976 Bicentennial flag, which I designed and Nancy Scheerer made); the handsome McMurran Hall, the Opera House, the public library and even the Yellow Brick building would make a unique statement.

And, perhaps it would be nice if, somehow, there was a connection made to the Potomac River–an important historical feature that everyone seems to ignore.

Someone just reminded me that there was a town “logo”- it was on the police vehicles- why can’t we use something that is already designed and used?

I just can’t imagine wearing a t-shirt with a big eyeball on my bosom, or drinking coffee from a mug, with an eyeball staring at me.

Diana Suttenfield

Shepherdstown