Lawrence County has another addition to its historical register – all because of the generosity of one of the county’s oldest families.

Saturday, April 08, 2000

Lawrence County has another addition to its historical register – all because of the generosity of one of the county’s oldest families. Some members of the Massie family – five grandsons of the late Bernard and Della Massie – donated their grandparents’ family home and an additional home and empty lot on North Second Street to the Lawrence County Historical Society.

The society is making plans to renovate the home and add it to the list of historic Ironton structures. Members say it will be a nice addition to the Gray House, which currently houses the county’s historical displays.

The Massies’ gift is indeed a generous one – and a nice start if the city and county want to consider adding even more of an historical flavor to the area.

If other, similar houses are renovated and an historic district is created, Ironton and the county can begin to work a little harder at attracting tourist dollars. With the nostalgia boom that seems to be sweeping the nation, there could be some money in providing an afternoon in an old-fashioned iron town. In this age of new is better, historic homes and tree-lined streets are a rarity.

But those are just the economic benefits.

A donation like the Massies’ is a gift of memories for a community that understands the value of history. After the renovations are complete, the Massie house will be another important addition to the story of how this community began – and grew.

One of the best ways to preserve the character of this community is to admire and respect the landmarks that remind us of the men and women who built these roads, settled these shores and made Ironton into the iron capital of the world.

Those stories are part of our heritage. The Massies’ generous gift is one more way to make sure those stories are never forgotten.