Although it may have been cold enough to find some frozen bodies of water locally to ice skate on just prior to Christmas this year, you did not need wind chills in the negative 20s to ice skate decades ago in Bridgeport. This photo, from 1962, shows the ice skating rink on the grounds of the Benedum Civic Center.

Harrison County has had many famous visitors from presidents to athletes, but this visit likely sits near the top of the list. Shown, to the right, is the legendary Bob Hope. Hope made a 1974 visit to the Salem National Guard Armory in this photo from the West Virginia State Archives. Senator Jennings Randolph is on the left, while the young man in the middle is unknown. If anyone recalls this or has any additional information on it, feel free to add it to the comment section below.

 

Editor's Note: This ongoing photo feature of pictures from Bridgeport and throughout the Mountain State is part of local historian Richard "Dick" Duez's collection. , the unofficial historian of Bridgeport, would appreciate any scanned photos emailed to him for use here or to include in his ongoing effortsDuez to preserve local history. You can email photos, or let him know how to acquire copies of photos you may have in your possession, to Duez at dickdo@citynet.net.