Sometimes, the best improvements don’t come from shiny new purchases—they come from looking around and asking, “Hey, could that be useful somewhere else?”

That’s exactly what happened with these benches. For a while, they were sitting by City Hall, lonely and unused. But instead of letting them keep collecting dust, we decided to put them back into productive use.

Now, thanks to a little repositioning and some fresh sidewalk real estate, our families, shoppers, and strollers downtown have a perfect spot to sit, relax, and enjoy Ravenswood. Whether you’re waiting on a friend, sipping a coffee, or just need to take a load off after browsing downtown shops, these benches are here for you.

And because we know that a great public space also needs to stay clean, we added cigarette butt disposals too. No more searching for a place to toss a cigarette or—worse—seeing butts scattered along the sidewalk. Little details like this make a big difference in how our downtown looks and feels.

The best part? These benches aren’t just practical—they’re part of our story. All of them have been inscribed in memory of a lost loved one, making it not just a seat, but a piece of our shared history.

So next time you’re downtown, take a minute to enjoy the view, rest your feet, and know that we’re working every day to make downtown Ravenswood more welcoming, more comfortable, and more ours.

Read more in the newspaper article!

Benches invite people to sit, chat and shop downtown Ravenswood

• by Suzette Lowe FOR JACKSON NEWSPAPERS
• Aug 27, 2025

RAVENSWOOD, W.Va. (WV News) — There’s something about seeing people sitting around town laughing and having some lively conversation that says, “hometown.”

That has become a little easier to find in Ravenswood these days.

Recently, some wrought iron benches were relocated from an overlooked area near City Hall to sites where they’ll be used for what they were intended: A friendly invitation to sit down and stay a while.

Downtown Ravenswood Partners, under the OnTrac Program, which serves as a precursor to establishing a Main Street organization, saw the vision and made this transition.

The three benches were purchased in memory of some folks who loved Ravenswood dearly. They were initially to be placed with others at Riverfront Park, but space ran out. So, it was appropriately decided at the time to locate them at City Hall.

“When we realized the need in the downtown shopping area, we thought, why not check with the families to see if they’d be in favor of the move?” Melanie Mosser, design committee member, said. “They were all delighted.”

The Wayne and Jean Abel bench is now located outside the Miner’s Refinery, a popular barbershop. Mosser said the shop owner was happy to have it so that his customers could have a pleasant place to wait.

“And the Abels lived in that end of town,” Mosser said.

The family said that Earl Wolfe’s bench was in a fine location that he would have loved: in the grassy area beside Las Fajitas restaurant.

The last was in memory of Corky McCorkle, a man who devoted much of his life to promoting and improving his beloved town. His bench is outside Ravenswood Arts LLC and Ohio River Valley Antiques.

“Corky was so instrumental in the early ‘renaissance’ of Ravenswood, with the getting of new lighting,” Mosser said. “His and others’ work set the stage for what Downtown Ravenswood Partners can do now. Although I’m not sure Corky would have spent much time sitting – he was always up and doing.”

All of the benches, which are sturdy and safe, were placed in accordance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines.

Molly Washburn, Director of OnTrac and Downtown Ravenswood Partners, said the benches enhance the look of downtown.

“We’ve installed new LED string lights from Sand Street to Mulberry Street,” she said. “They are beautiful. They can also be programmed to change color. In September, someone suggested purple for National Recovery Month. So, we want ideas. They can even dance to music, which is so fun.”

While not usually considered attractive, something aesthetically pleasing has also been added near each bench.

“CNC Syndicate, the new welding and design company that just had its chain-cutting ceremony, designed four cigarette butt holders,” Washburn said. “They’re a sleek design that complements the benches and the downtown look.”

One last artistic touch is at the Ritchie building, which the family is remodeling.

“When that type of work is going on, the window can look grimy and the work inside looks rough,” Washburn said. “That’s just part of the process, but we thought we could help with the look.”

Washburn designed the window clings using student artwork through ArtCart Inc.

“Those windows look so bright and cheerful now,” Washburn said.

All of these changes, along with the new flower boxes, are in keeping with the vision for Ravenswood. And there is more being planned.

“What we love is the connection that makes the town look like a picture,” Mosser said.