Charles Irving Peters: The Waldo Hotel, Clarksburg, West Virginia- #2

Waldo Hotel Clarksburg, West Virginia

This is an update from my past post Charles Irving Peters: The Waldo Hotel, Post #1

I want to give  a shout out to the Facebook World…I recently joined a group “Revive the Waldo Hotel” Clarksburg, WV on fb.  I had posted a question as to where I might find more information on the History of the Waldo..(My grandfather Charles I Peters worked there in 1918-1922.)

I received a response to my post:   I haven’t seen any other than what is online. But you could check with the Waldomore by the library. They may have something. There is a lack of combined info about the hotel other than basic history. I think it would be great to get some personal stories collected and put into a book of some sort. I think the group has talked about doing this actually.

Then this morning, I was pleasantly greeted with a message with some information that is very helpful to add to the story of my ancestor’s living arrangements at the Waldo.

Yvette, I saw your post on the Waldo site and I just wanted to pass on to you a small tidbit of information.
The” servants quarters” were on the attic level of the Waldo, between the 2 towers on the Pike St. side of the building. Your grandfather would have been housed there. Each tower has a large room within, with a lavatory. There is a hallway leading to each room. None of it was as elaborate as the rest of the building, but it would have been suitable. Nathan Goff was a reportedly fair man, and I’m sure he would’ve treated his employees with respect.

It is clear to me that Jim Crow was alive and well in 1918-1922 in Clarksburg, West Virginia and trying to understand the culture and its people in this historical context will be very helpful in telling the story of my grandfather’s life during this time period.  I am sure the colored servants and employees were treated well, but they were still a subservient class.  Knowing that my grandfather had attended Virginia State University, and yet and still was only able to succeed to a certain level shows the effect of Jim Crow.

Charles Irving Peters: The Waldo Hotel, Clarksburg, West Virginia #1

      I am on a mission to find out more information about my grandfather Charles Irving Peters. I am taking the time to focus on him and study his documents.  For this post, I looked at the detail information on his WWI Draft Registration Card.  I would like to develop a story about Charles, so doing further research will allow me to build on what is already written in black & white.

     According to the WWI Draft Document, Charles was residing at 110 W. Pike, Clarksburg, West Virginia on June 5, 1918.  The Draft form also documented that he worked at the Waldo Hotel at the same location, 110 W Pike, Clarksburg, West Virginia.  He was 21 years old at the time.

***Also noted is that Charles’ nearest relative is his mother Mrs. Betty Peters residing at 109 Catherine St, Sistersville, West Virginia. (Will be a separate post).

     This information is nice to have, but I needed to go the extra step and see what the Waldo Hotel looked like.  As I gather bits and pieces, I will at a later date be able to weave historical information into the life of my grandfather.  So with this in mind, I began to google and search for information on the Waldo Hotel.

     I did not find as much info as I wanted to, but as time goes on…I am sure I will discover more through the archives, that may possibly hold photos and documents of the events held at the Waldo.  I hope that I can get a glimpse of the Waldo in 1918-1920.  I am also interested in the Negro employees that held jobs at the hotel.

Postcard of the Waldo Hotel 110 W. Pike, Clarksburg WV

     The Waldo Hotel history runs deep in the County of Harrison.  The Waldo is located in the Downtown Historic District of Clarksburg, West Virginia.

    The Waldo was a place where people near and far would come and celebrate.  There would be parties, weddings, dances, social events, civic & political gatherings and events of all sorts.  The Waldo was known for its Southern style and its hospitality.  Construction began on the Waldo in 1901 and was completed in 1904, and financed by Nathan Goff Jr., and then named after his father Waldo P. Goff. When it no longer operated as a hotel it was later used as apartments.

     In the heyday of the hotel the basement housed a Billiard Room, Barber Shop, Wine Cellar and Laundry room.  Knowing my grandfather, I would like to think he worked in the Billiard Room.  As my mother put it “He would gamble his money away, and when he won, he won big, but when he lost, he lost big.”  But looking at the 1920 U.S. Census, Charles’ was documented as a bellboy.

Map of Clarksburg, WV courtesy of Wikipedia

     In the 20th Century, Clarksburg was an Industrial and manufacturing town.  Glass and coal were some of the main industries in the city.

Waldo Hotel In Need of Revitalization

The Waldo Hotel is in disarray.  The inside is totally disintegrating.  To see photo’s of the interior, exterior and historical shots of the Waldo visit the  Abandoned blog.  

The Waldo Hotel Abandoned

There is currently a campaign to Save The Waldo. Visit Revitalization of The Waldo Hotel, to learn more about the revitalization plan.

Please check out my updated post on the Waldo Hotel.

Post #2 The Waldo Hotel (New Update)

Betty Mae [Wilson] Peters – Wordless Wednesday

Betty Mae [Wilson] Peters was born on 25 Dec 1865 in Spencer, Henry VA and died on 25 Feb 1952 in Sistersville, Tyler County, West Virginia.  This was my Grandfather, Charles Irving Peters’ mother.  My mother Betty was named after her grandmother.  Betty Wilson was Native American and White. 

Betty Mae [Wilson] Peters, Agnes Cully Peters & Betty Mae Peters(2.5yrs)

(left) Betty Mae [Wilson] Peters and her sisters

These photo’s were in my mother’s collection, which were handed down to me in 2004.