PARKERSBURG -- Blennerhassett Island is part of the fabric of the Mid-Ohio Valley, but residents around West Virginia and beyond will soon have the chance to become more familiar with its sights and stories.
"The Blennerhassetts," an hour-long documentary by Kanawha County-based MotionMasters, is set to debut at 9 p.m. Monday on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
"I'm a history buff; I love telling these stories about West Virginia," said Diana Sole-Walko, a Weirton native and CEO of MotionMasters.
About 30 years ago, MotionMasters produced a 10-minute video for the Blennerhassett Museum of Regional History that is still shown there today, said Sole-Walko, who is the executive producer and script writer for the new endeavor.
"I always thought the Blennerhassett story was an interesting one, and it had never been told in documentary form before," she said.
Harman and Margaret Blennerhassett came to America in 1796 from Ireland and settled on the island that today bears their name, building an opulent home in what, at that time, was "the American west," Sole-Walko said.
Harman Blennerhassett was accused of conspiring with former Vice President Aaron Burr to commit treason. He was released from prison after Burr's acquittal, but the family's fortunes had turned and they died in poverty.
Country music star and West Virginia native Kathy Mattea will narrate the documentary, which Sole-Walko has said will cover all facets of the Blennerhassetts' life and times. It features interviews with various historians, including Ray Swick, historian emeritus for Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park; Bill Reynolds, with the Campus Martius and Ohio River museums in Marietta; and Pamela Douglas Brust, author of "The Hendersons." Vienna resident Wesley Poole is the principal videographer and editor.
After airing on West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Sole Walko said "The Blennerhassetts" will be offered to other public stations, and she expects interest from those in neighboring states. Eventually, the plan is to make it available for streaming on Amazon, like some other MotionMasters productions.