The people who care for an old farmhouse in Glen Dale need some help, and they would like to get residents from all parts of the Ohio Valley involved.

Situated along W.Va. 2 just across from John Marshall High School is the former home of Sam Cockayne. He died in 2001, but the house he occupied had been in his family for decades. Built in 1850 by Bennett Cockayne, the building is a time capsule for four generations of the Cockayne family.

Sam Cockayne left the property to the city of Glen Dale, including all of its contents. Inside are furniture, clothing, toys, artwork, an 1881 square grand piano and documents dating back to the era when the family raised medal-winning Merino sheep.

As a result, these items and more are being preserved at the farmhouse. They are also being used to educate the public about our past during events held at the site and during visits by school groups and other organizations.

Now, the Cockayne Farmstead Preservation Committee wants to expand its volunteer program for the upcoming tourism season. Volunteers will learn the history of the family and its contributions to Marshall County. They will be trained to conduct tours, clean and care for artifacts, and assist with cataloging the artifacts into a computer database.

Plans for this season include a sheep shearing event, an archeology field school, day camp visitations and the usual tours of the home and property. That means there will be plenty of opportunities for volunteers to interact with the public. Anyone who is interested in doing volunteer work in the museum-type atmosphere should email Debbie Barto at dbarto40@comcast.net or call the office at 304-845-1411.

We urge local residents to get involved with this interesting opportunity to learn from our past. Those who think the drive to Glen Dale is too far for them to become volunteers should consider offering their time to another local facility, such as the Victorian Mansion in Barnesville or the Underground railroad Museum in Flushing.

Our region has a rich, diverse past — one that area residents should learn from and help to preserve.