The Cockayne Farmstead Endowment Fund
Sam Cockayne left Marshall County a legacy with unlimited potential. By preserving intact one of the most complete family collections in West Virginia, Mr. Cockayne offered future generations the opportunity to see, experience, and learn from our shared past and a space to discover new potential as a community.
To continue preserving this important piece of history for the future, we need to continue to build a strong financial foundation. To do this, we have established the Cockayne Farmstead Endowment Fund through the Community Foundation of the Ohio Valley. The interest generated by this fund will eventually provide a stable income that will allow us to plan our future growth without constantly worrying about meeting daily expenses. Because each dollar in the fund builds upon each previous donation and is never depleted, your contribution to this fund will continue to give long after your lifetime, providing a legacy of generosity that will span generations.
The Cockayne Farmstead is not just a museum. As one of the primary projects of the Marshall County Historical Society, it has become an educational and cultural center, a place for all ages to learn and grow and discover, using the past to reimagine the future.
From school programs, to Christmas concerts, to lectures, to Living History craft days, to World War II reenactments to Veteran’s Celebrations, the Farmstead strives to make history come alive. We teach life skills, inspire creative thinking, and bring the community together in unique ways not offered elsewhere in Marshall County.
Our funding comes from grants, donations, fundraisers, and contributions from the City of Glen Dale, the West Virginia Commission on Arts, Culture and History. These avenues help us reach out to the community and operate on a daily basis, but fall short of providing long term security. Our Endowment Fund will provide that security, allowing Cockayne to think bigger and continue to grow.
Future Vision
Historic preservation is primarily about the future, not the past. While the early focus of the Cockayne project was the preservation of a unique historic property, our motivation has always been to use that property as a center for education to involve and inspire Ohio Valley residents of all ages.
The Cockaynes were self-reliant entrepreneurs. With all of our efforts and programs, we advocate for self-worth and achieving one’s potential. Through our educational initiatives, we strive to engage students at all levels, from elementary through graduate school, to utilize the resources of the Historic Cockayne Farmstead as a unique environment in which learners will broaden their interest in local and state history, enhance their appreciation of our common Appalachian cultural heritage, and advance the knowledge of history through ongoing study and research for the benefit of all West Virginians.
The older the Farmstead becomes, the more it increases in historical value. As more and more historic farmhouses are lost, the Cockayne farmhouse remains a window to the past, representing Marshall County’s agricultural legacy, and testifying to our area’s significance. In the future, we see the Historic Cockayne Farmstead as a destination historical complex, with multiple museum exhibits, interactive outdoor displays, indoor classroom space, and a variety of engaging programs. We envision the Farmstead as a community center, where musicians come to play, students visit to learn about history, art, agriculture, and science, where adults gather for classes and lectures, where community members meet to learn and build relationships. We work to grow the Farmstead into a destination that highlights the best of Marshall County to tourists and makes the city of Glen Dale proud. The Historic Cockayne Farmstead Endowment secures that future, giving our efforts today depth and meaning by assuring that this project will not just survive but continue to grow for generations to come.
How You Can Give
In addition to giving here, you can also support the Endowment in a variety of ways:
Present Gifts of Cash or Appreciated Stock
Gift Under Your Will
Gift of Life Insurance Policy
Gift via Beneficiary Designation from your IRA or Other Tax Deferred Plan
Gift Made through the Creation of a Trust
Please reach out to us and your financial planner to discuss any of these giving opportunities. We and the future generations of Marshall County appreciate your support!