Support & About
Access, privacy & credits.
How this website welcomes visitors, handles information, and credits the people and institutions whose work helps tell Mercer County's story.
History should be usable by more people.
Last reviewed August 21, 2026. MCHS aims to support keyboard and switch-style navigation, screen readers, browser zoom and reflow, readable contrast, reduced motion, forced-colors modes, and meaningful text alternatives. The A button in the sticky navigation header provides larger text, high contrast, underlined links, and a light or dark color theme.
Maps, activities, and forms
Maps retain text lists and failure messages. Family activities avoid timers, required accounts, GPS, uploads, and precision gestures. Forms use visible labels and allow visitors to describe accommodation needs. An interactive feature should not be the only route to essential information.
In-person access and assistance
Building, exhibit, restroom, seating, sensory, communication, and group needs can vary. Contact MCHS before traveling so staff can discuss current conditions and reasonable alternatives rather than relying on an outdated access claim.
If a page, document, map, form, or visit plan creates a barrier, email info@mercercountyhistoricalsociety.net or call (304) 425-9017. Include the page or task and the format or assistance that would work better; do not include sensitive personal information.
Collect only what the task needs.
- MCHS does not sell visitor information or use advertising trackers.
- Saved trips, family progress, and History Passport progress stay in that browser until the visitor clears them.
- Photo Booth images are created on the visitor's device and are not uploaded to MCHS.
- Tour, event, volunteer, registration, and unpublished logbook submissions are available only to authorized staff.
- Public logbook notes and staff-managed records require an explicit publication step.
- OpenStreetMap and other external links are governed by those services when a visitor chooses to use them.
- Azure hosting processes ordinary technical requests needed to serve and protect the site.
Ask the Museum
Local search runs against public MCHS content and reviewed public sources. Optional Azure AI synthesis is used only when configured and selected; it receives the question and matched public excerpts, not staff-only records.
Your choices
Contact MCHS to ask about information you submitted, request a correction or deletion when appropriate, or report a privacy concern. For the site's editorial, sensitive-content, and technology controls, read the Website Standards.
Every image and record has a source.
MCHS is grateful to Society staff, members, volunteers, donors, community historians, photographers, archivists, libraries, museums, and public agencies whose work supports this site. Individual images display creator, license, institution, and source information on the page where they appear whenever that information is available.
Major source partners and repositories
Research and media links include MCHS records, West Virginia University Libraries and the West Virginia & Regional History Center, the West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office, the National Park Service, the Library of Congress, the National Archives, Internet Archive, Wikimedia Commons, local museums, universities, governments, and other identified holding institutions.
Rights and corrections
A visible source link does not mean MCHS owns an item or can grant reuse permission. Follow the license and holding institution's terms for each work. To report an incomplete credit, mistaken identification, or removal concern, email the Society with the page, item, and supporting source.