Barbour County Historical Museum

The Barbour County Historical Museum has a myriad of momentous and antique exhibits to keep you entertained throughout your visit. The prominent displays date back to 1635, through the civil war, to the early 1900's, to modern day. A wide variety of guns, cannons, knives and weapons, the Myers switchboard, railroad artifacts, ceramics, newspapers, various manuscripts and publications, clothing, and numerous flags are just some of the renowned exhibits that you will find at The Barbour County Historical Museum. Be sure to include an exciting and educational visit to The Barbour County Historical Museum on your next stop through historic Philippi, West Virginia. The world famous Philippi Mummies are on exhibit at The Barbour County Historical Museum. For over 100 years they were known as the "Hamrick Mummies" - named after their preserver, Graham Hamrick, a Barbour County native and resident. Hamrick was something of a self-made scientist who was deeply interested in the embalming practices of ancient Egypt. So interested, in fact, that he purchased two female cadavers from the nearby Trans Allegheny Lunatic Asylum to practice on it. The result of his experiments are now sitting in the Barbour County Historical Museum for all to see. While Hamrick believed that his secret embalming potion worked, he failed to be embalmed himself.. mostly because his squeamish assistant wasn't quite the mad scientist he was. As an attraction with P.T. Barnum's Circus in the late 1800's, the mummies have been displayed and toured at fairs and shows all across North America and even parts of Europe. They now rest in Philippi. The mummies are an exciting and memorable attraction that you will not want to miss. Come see the Philippi Mummies today!