There's a lot of West Virginia history that will surprise you. For instance, Mother's Day originated at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in West Virginia. Yep -- the spring holiday that honors selfless, wonderful, hard-working moms, started right here in the Mountain State. Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, is one of the state's most beautiful historic churches, and where the Mother's Day holiday all began. Let's take a look:
As you drive down East Main in Grafton, West Virginia, you can't help but notice the magnificent, two-story brick church building presiding over the street.
This is Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church, and it's nearly 150 years old.
Inside, beautiful stained glass windows rim the sanctuary, arching toward the sky and filling the room with dazzling light.
Rows of ornate wooden pews and a grand, old pipe organ at the front complete the awe-inspiring effect.
But this Methodist Episcopal Church in West Virginia is more than just an impressive building.
It's also the location of the very first Mother's Day celebration, which happened in 1908. It's since been redesignated from a church to a shrine in order to commemorate that event.
Now known as the International Mother's Day Shrine, Andrews Episcopal Methodist Church honors mothers from around the world every day of the year, recognizing and celebrating their service, strength, and sacrifice.
White carnations line the front of the church, in a resplendent tribute to mothers everywhere.
Anna Jarvis, the founder of the original Mother's Day, was a longtime member of Andrews Methodist Church, and her vision for the holiday was as a religious celebration validating, elevating, and appreciating the honor and dignity of motherhood as depicted in the Bible.
According to the Historic Register Nomination form, "Despite today's popular notion that Mother's Day is nothing more than an excuse to support the flower and greeting card industry, current scholarship demonstrates the importance of the Mother's Day movement within the context of American cultural history; the evolution of Mother's Day as a national and international holiday had roots in the American Sunday school movement, and evolved out of an idealized view of the American family. Mother's Day was never intended to be a commercial holiday, rather it was intended to be a serious and religious tribute to American motherhood...Anna Jarvis proposed and fought for the national adoption of Mother's Day, but was horrified when it developed into a major retail event. She spent the rest of her life trying to instill a sense of integrity and purpose into what she believed to be a religious and moral tribute to mothers across the nation."
So although Mother's Day has become increasingly commercialized in the years since 1908, the International Mother's Day Shrine stands as a pure reminder of the day's original intent.
It's a beautiful place to visit any time of the year, but especially in spring, around its namesake holiday.
The church building is one of 16 National Historic Landmarks in West Virginia, and if you're interested in learning more about its significance, you can read the original National Register of Historic Places nomination form for yourself here. You can also tour the shrine from April to October. To find out details, visit the Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church Facebook page.
And if you're in Grafton with the family in tow, plan on checking out this incredible playground that's designed like a castle, and it's a royally fun adventure for kids!
Subscribe to our newsletter
Get the latest updates and news
Thank you for subscribing!
