Dr. Barbara Howe, Professor, Papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
West Virginia and Regional History Center
West Virginia & Regional History Center
West Virginia University
P.O. Box 6069
1549 University Avenue
Morgantown, WV 26506
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Lori Hostuttler
Phone: (304) 293-3536
Restrictions:

No special access restriction applies.

Researchers may access digitized and born digital materials by visiting the link attached to each item or by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia & Regional History Center reference department at https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc.

Terms of access:

Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.

Preferred citation:

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Dr. Barbara Howe, Professor, Papers, A&M 3469, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.

Summary

Extent:
21.2 Linear Feet 14 record cartons, 15 in. each; 8 flat storage boxes, 3 in. each; 4 flat storage boxes, 1.5 in. each; 2 document cases, 5 in. each; 1 document case, 2.5 in; 1 multi-divider box, 1 in.; 9 oversize folders, 0.1 in. each and 9.7 Gigabytes 24 files (9 .docx files, 3 .cue files, 3 .iso files, 3 .md5 files, 3 .pdf files, 1 .csv file, 1 .MDB file, 1 .ppt file)
Creator:
Howe, Barbara J. and West Virginia University
Abstract:
Dr. Barbara Howe worked at West Virginia University in a variety of different positions between 1980 and her retirement in 2009, including as associate professor of history, head of the public history program, and director of the Center for Women's Studies. Prevalent subjects present in the collection include historical preservation, environmental activism, and politics in the Morgantown and broader West Virginia area.
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Dr. Barbara Howe, Professor, Papers, A&M 3469, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains materials created or collected by Dr. Barbara Howe while in various roles at the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences in the Department of History and Center for Women's Studies (now the Center for Women's and Gender Studies) at West Virginia University (WVU) and after her retirement in the 2000s. It is divided into series and sub-series based upon the subject matter of the material:

Series 1. Environmental

Series 2. Historical / Cultural

- Sub-Series 1. Historic Places

- Sub-Series 2. Organizations

- Sub-Series 3. Events / Programs

- Sub-Series 4. Business Directories, Maps, and Travel Guides

- Sub-Series 5. Oral Histories

Series 3. Socio-political

- Sub-Series 1. Political Campaigns

- Sub-Series 2. Local and State Government Organizations

- Sub-Series 3. Non-Governmental Organizations

- Sub-Series 4. Events / Programs

Series 4. West Virginia University

- Sub-Series 1. Historic Places

- Sub-Series 2. General

- Sub-Series 3. Events / Programs

Prevalent subjects present in the collection include historical preservation, environmental activism, and politics in the Morgantown and broader West Virginia area.

Materials include advertisements, books, brochures, business cards, cassette tapes, CDs, correspondence, a DVD, floorplans, magazines, mailers, maps, meeting agendas and minutes, newsletters, newspaper clippings, obituaries, oral history documents, pamphlets, photograph slides, photographs, postcards, posters, a reel to reel tape, reports, surveys, tote bags, transcripts, various other ephemera, and a VHS tape.

The addendum of 2026 Feburary 13 includes papers from Howe's tenure in the West Virginia University Public History program and assorted newsletters, pamphlets, clippings, and other material regarding local Morgantown, WV history, environmental organizations, and more.

Biographical / historical:

Dr. Barbara Howe was employed at West Virginia University in several different positions between 1980 and her retirement in 2009, including associate professor of history, head of the public history program, and director of the Center for Women's Studies. She was raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a B.A. in history and a B.S. in education in 1969. She received her Master of Arts degree in history from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Upon graduation with her Ph.D. in history from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1976, she worked as a a regional preservation officer for the Ohio Historic Preservation Office at Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio. In 1980, she joined the faculty of the Department of History at West Virginia University, where she developed and led the Public History Program. Between 1998 and 2008, Howe led the WVU Center for Women's Studies as director. She retired from WVU in 2009 as associate professor emerita of history.

Acquisition information:

Transfer from West Virginia University (WVU) Center for Women's Studies, Howe, Barbara, 2004 October 14

Gifts of Howe, Barbara, 2004-2008

Transfers from unknown entity, Howe, Barbara, 2012-2014

Gifts of Howe, Barbara, 2015-2025

Processing information:

Addendums from 2012 to 2025 have been consolidated due to the relation of materials and can be found in boxes 7-26.

Physical location:
West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard