photo by: Joselyn King

West Virginia University President Michael T. Benson takes in the sights at West Virginia Independence Hall in Wheeling on Tuesday.

WHEELING — New West Virginia University President Michael T. Benson really likes history, is settling into his new job, and finds Wheeling “beautiful.”

He wants to come back and visit.

Benson made the first stops on his “Welcome Home Tour” in Wheeling on Tuesday after spending the night at Oglebay Park Resort’s Wilson Lodge. He plans to visit 20 West Virginia counties on this leg of the tour as he gets to know the Mountain State.

Benson indicated he is enjoying the role of WVU president and feeling at home in Morgantown.

“I like it a lot. I’m really enjoying the town,” he said. “I’ve found it to be very nice, and very welcoming.”

Benson was actually familiar with the WVU campus and Morgantown before he took the job of university president. He explained his first visit to the campus came in 2011 when he was president at Southern Utah University and the school’s gymnastics qualified for a meet at WVU.

Benson, who came to WVU after a tenure as Coastal Carolina University’s president, noted he had opportunities to visit again, and found WVU to be “a great university.” When the job opening for a president came up last year, he added he was quick to jump at the chance.

By a unique coincidence, Benson and his predecessor — former WVU President E. Gordon Gee — both were born in Utah. Benson is a native of Salt Lake City, while Gee’s hometown is Vernal, Utah. Benson also noted that his grandfather, Ezra Taft Benson, served as U.S. secretary of agriculture under President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Benson’s love of history became evident during his visit to West Virginia Independence Hall in Wheeling on Tuesday. It was his first trip to Wheeling.

Before going into the building, he took time outside to go see the Civil War “Soldiers and Sailors” Monument on the grounds. Then he walked around to read all the historical markers.

Inside, Debbie Jones, site director for West Virginia Independence Hall, welcomed him. After a brief introduction to the museum and West Virginia history, she directed him to the basement to see the short movie about how West Virginia became a state.

Benson then went up to see the third floor courtroom and visited the office of John Jay Jackson Jr., judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia from 1861-1905.

He next stopped on the second floor to view the Civil War banner collection and other items found there. Along the way he was snapping photos with his cellphone, and had staff members take some of him at certain locations.

Benson said he found West Virginia Independence Hall and Wheeling “beautiful” following his first visit on Tuesday.

“I hear it’s going through a little renaissance and renovation right now,” he said of the city. “It’s about an hour and 10 minutes door-to-door from Morgantown. I’m going to come back up here.”