The town of Bramwell, Mercer County, West Virginia, and the Bramwell Historic Landmark Commission have long recognized the significance of Bramwell's history to the development of the County, State and even Nation. Bramwell played a major role in the development of the coal industry in this region, which impacted the history of the United States and West Virginia. This rich history and its attendant historic architecture and technology have been the focus of study, documentation and projects for a number of years.

In the 1995 special Resource Study, the protection of the existing historic resources was discussed. It was noted that National Register district status, nor existing municipal ordinances, had protected the town from insensitive development. Additional management was necessary to avoid loss or alterations of the historic fabric.

Our firm was contracted to develop design guidelines for maintenance, rehabilitation and new construction to address this issue. The design guidelines were developed to reflect the specific character of Bramwell's historic sites. They were intended to assist property owners in maintaining, rehabilitating, repairing and adding to historic buildings while respecting the original significant character that currently exists. They were written to allow for individual application and flexibility for owners, while retaining the important architectural features of the building in question.Part II is the description of rehabilitation according to instructions included with the application. Part II may be completed at any time during the course of the rehabilitation work, although owners are strongly encouraged to submit proposed work for approval prior to construction.