Enjoy some down-home cookin’ and homegrown bluegrass along with one of the State Journal’s “55 Good Things About West Virginia.”

That “good thing” we’re talking about is the Hamilton Round Barn, located at 338 Flaggy Meadow Road, Mannington, 10 miles north of Fairmont on Rt. 250 North. Originally built in 1912 and restored in 1982, the Round Barn is operated by the West Augusta Historical Society along with the Wilson School Museum. From 6 to 9 p.m.  on the last Saturday of the month April through September, they’ll be serving up BBQ and Back Roads at the Round Barn. Admission is $5 per person. An additional $5 will get you a plate of pork barbecue with all the fixin’s.

West Augusta Historical Society President Beverly Jones says this year is the first year the Society launched a music series at the Round Barn.

“It seems like it’s a Homecoming,” she says. “It’s a good thing to get together in the barn. We’ve had up to 100 people attend these events. They’ve been very successful.”

The local band Back Roads thrills the crowd with bluegrass, gospel and oldies.  Band members include: Terry McClain (Mandolin), Joe Freeland (Lead), Ray Cooker (banjo/guitar), Tom Paugh (base), Roger Hinerman (Fiddle), and Karen Evans (voice). 

During breaks, you never know who might step up to the microphone.

If you can’t make it this weekend, you’re in luck: you have one more chance this season to check out BBQ and Back Roads on Sept. 25 from 6 to 9 p.m.

This is a barn with a story and Beverly Jones knows it well – her RoundBarnMusic grandparents processed milk there and actually rented the barn from Mary Hamilton, the daughter of the original builder, Amos Hamilton. Beverly’s grandparents, Denzil and Ethel Basnett, and their five children lived in the barn from the late 1940s to 1966. In addition to its work space, the barn included a kitchen, living room, two bedrooms and a bathroom. Two of Beverly’s older sisters were born in the barn.

“I’ve got connections with the Round Barn, a lot of memories,” Beverly says.

“The unique architecture seems to me like it was before its time. The roof has been mostly replaced in the past 15 to 20 years. It’s something that’s really unique to see. Even the bottom of the barn is round. There’s a track that goes outside around the barn, the basement like area where they’d bring the cows and horses in. They had automatic water feeders. There was a trough behind the cows and this bucket on the ceiling track would go around and someone would clean out the troughs. You’d open the big double doors and take the buckets out on the ceiling tracks to the manure bin. That was my favorite place to play in the summer.”

The Round Barn museum houses exhibits featuring old-fashioned tools and farming equipment dating to the early 1900s. The Round Barn is open May through September for tours on Sundays from 1:30 to 4 p.m. or by prior appointment for groups. For more information, call 304-986-7053 or 304-986-1252.