My wife and I moved to West Virginia shortly after she graduated from WVU. We started exploring the state and we came across Hundred it always stuck in our minds after that. So when I started my Photographing America project I wanted Hundred highlighted. Well low and behold I contacted Mayor Charles “Chip” Goff and wow!!! I have never met anyone who cared more about his town than Chip!
Mayor Goff reached out to me and said he would be my personal tour guide if I came to Hundred. on that note we set up a date and off I went to Hundred. The morning I arrived to meet the Mayor, I was greeted by his wife Becky informing me that Chip had fallen ill and Johannah Lemasters would be taking me around town in his absence. Johannah is a longtime member of the town council and President of the Hundred Volunteer Fire Department to name a few.
Johannah gave me a tour and a history lesson second to none. I made photos all around town and surrounding areas, at this point the police Chief Joshua Cecil stopped to meet me. He was another genuine person who’s town pride was busting out. I desperately want to treat Johannah to lunch at Cafe 250 and her answer was and I quote “you’re a guest in our town” so that discussion was over! We had lunch and discussed a second trip to Hundred to see even more of what hometown pride was all about. I departed Hundred with the intention of going back ASAP. A few weeks passed and my wife and I were on a little family adventure in Michigan on our way home we stopped in Hundred not on our way at all but my wife was all for it.
My intention was to give my wife a little tour of Hundred and have lunch at Cafe 250. After lunch we just happened to meet Mayor Goff and Johannah at the firehouse. Mayor Goff and Johannah gave my wife and I another warm small town welcome. Johannah gave my wife a complete tour of the firehouse “Johannah’s Baby”as she calls it! The Mayor filled me in on the plans he has for the town with genuine excitement in his voice.. He said you need to comeback for our Meet and Greet night on August 20, where all the parents and athletes get together for an event at the football field. So my 3rd trip to Hundred was planned. I returned, I was treated like a celebrity made many videos and photos of the night. Wow! This town of under 300 people really have pride!! Now I have to put it all together so it can be shared by everyone in Hundred and everyone I know as well. Stay tuned for that!! #photographingamerica🇺🇸
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