Helvetia Public Library: Helvetia, West Virginia

Village Population: 58*

Service Population: 3,808^

Pickens School: 79**

District Free & Reduced Lunch %: 37%**

Library Sq Ft: 1,000^

Open Hours: 30 per week^

Total FTE: 0.8^

Total Staff #: 1^

Total Operating Expenditures: $28,552^

*Census 2010

** NCES CCD 2016

^IMLS PLS 2017

When one moves from an urban environment with many active resources to a geographically isolated community includes a recognition that the public library is the community anchor. “We’ve . . . been able to come out of our home and be more involved in community, let’s say I have been reminded both generally and then specifically how much – how important this library is.” Love, caring, support, empowerment, and connection are all found in the Helvetia Public Library.

Cooperatively owned and operated by a Helvetia community committee, this establishment is a country lane general store, the post office, an inn with a few rooms to let, and the Fasnacht Mask Museum.

The Hütte Restaurant is operated by generational resident Heidi Arnett. Started in partnership between Heidi’s mom Eleanor Mailloux, and community member Delores Baggerly. The Hütte was part of a cultural rediscovery in Helvetia in the 1960’s and 70’s that served as the foundation for the village people visit today.

For more on the influence of Eleanor Mailloux, see the documentary Born in a Ballroom.

Pickens School has been nearly consolidated into neighboring districts more than once, but given the absolute remoteness of the valley, the state has given up. This school serves under forty children spread throughout grades kindergarten through graduation. The next closest elementary is a 40 minute drive and serves 136 students preK – grade 5. The nearest high school is a 45 minute drive in clear weather without stops – an impractical distance by school bus in a place notorious for bad weather.

The closest gas station to Helvetia is over 16 miles away in Mill Creek which offers a few of the basics, including the nearest bank of any kind.

Although people used to doing their business in Mill Creek will shop at the Mill Creek IGA, many people do the bulk of their business (especially grocery shopping) in Buckhannon which boasts national chains like this Kroger which they perceive as less expensive.

Buckhannon is also the nearest location to get health care services including emergency room care at St. Joseph’s.

In this isolated rural community where even lawn mowing is paid for in common among residents, it’s hard to imagine access to land being scarce. Still, the nearest state held public land is at least 35 minutes away in Holly River State Park. The nearest not-school public playground is in Mill Creek, 35 minutes in the opposite direction.

The Helvetia Public Library building itself is a combination of two pre-existing buildings and an addition. The main body of the building came to Helvetia as part of West Virginia State Library Commission’s Outpost Library program, which placed single-wide trailers in communities which had been receiving bookmobile services. Board president Betty said that as part of the agreement with the state was that Helvetia residents could reside the building with rough hewn wood. West Virginia said yes and Helvetia got a library in 1981.

The part of the building on the left that has the small bell tower on the top was the Helvetia school house, which was moved off the mountain into the valley on rolling logs and installed by community residents shortly after the outpost library was installed.