Bridgeport/Clarksburg will be my home for the rest of the week. I say Bridgeport/Clarksburg because a lot of the time one does not really know which city one is actually in. For example, the address of my hotel actually says Bridgeport/Clarksburg. Apparently the locals are a bit confused too. It is like a divorced couple who still live together.
I thought it would be interesting to look into the history of the two cities to see if I could figure out what happened to create this “can’t live with you, can’t live without you relationship”.
Bridgeport – First settler was John Simpson
Clarksburg – First settler was John Simpson
Bridgeport Ancestory:
- German 19%
- English 17%
- Irish 14%
- Italian 12%
Clarksburg Ancestory:
- German 16%
- Italian 15%
- Irish 14%
- English 11%
Bridgeport – Area 8.3 square miles
Clarksburg – Area 9.5 square miles
Hmmmm…..! It seems to me that these two cities have more in common than not. So something must have happened years ago to drive them apart. Kinda like a Hatfield’s and McCoy’s feud?
Going with that premise, I think I solved a five-year-old mystery!
On June 29, 2006, Bridgeport became noted as the site of a showdown over the issue of separation between church and states. A portrait of Jesus originally hung on a wall at Bridgeport High School. Two parents filed suit in federal court to have the portrait removed after the Harrison County Board of Education deadlocked over whether to remove the portrait. The portrait of Jesus was stolen from Bridgeport High School early in the morning on August 17, 2006 and a mirror was put in its place. What do you want to bet someone from Clarksburg did it?
I love WV!
wayfaringandwanderlust 