Jefferson County "Historic Places" Archive
Beverley, Blakeley, The Bower, Christ Reformed Church, Duffield Colored Cemetery, Elmwood, Elmwood-On-The_Opequon, Entler Hotel, Fairview Farm (Middleway), Falling Spring, Feagan's Mill, First Lutheran Church Graveyard, Fruit Hill, Gap View Farm, Glenburnie, Happy Retreat, Jefferson Orchards, Meadow Green Farm, McMurran Farm, Rockland, Rosebrake, Schoolhouse Farm, Shannondale Mountain Sentinel, Shepherd Burial Ground, Springdale, Trinity Episcopal Church, Wayside (Unionville P.O.)
Note: I spent a lot of time and energy at most of these places, harvesting wood that the owners or stewards graciously allowed me to take for my work. In each case I was able to produce at least a few finished pieces - usually bowls or vessels - for a "series" of work from that place. While the combination of natural beauty and historic significance I have encountered along the way is both mighty and breathtaking, it has been the friendships I've formed with many of these generous folks that made this project the highlight of my professional life. Here's to them and their special places...
Beverley (The Burns Farm)
A working agricultural unit since 1750, surveyed and later visited by George Washington. Farmed by the Burns Family since 1870.
Blakeley
Known locally as the "Washington-Chew-Funkhouser House," Blakeley was built on 11 acres along Bullskin Run by John Augustine Washington II, great-nephew of George Washington, in 1820. Blakeley was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 (see nomination form here).
The Bower
A true Civil War landmark, the Bower is the home of a stand of massive White Oak "witness trees." From Major General Adam Stephen, to J.E.B. Stuart, to Danske Bedinger Dandridge, the Bower is a historian's dream and a nature lover's paradise. Read the National Register of Historic Places nomination form here.
Christ Reformed Church (Shepherdstown)
The Graveyard and Church grounds of this now defunct Church (itself built in 1889), were originally established in 1774 and contain graves of Revolutionary War soldiers and Civil War soldiers from both North and South. The Ash Trees stood over the entrance to the graveyard for a VERY long time.
Duffield Colored Cemetery
Brought back from long time neglect by a resourceful Eagle Scout, the Duffield Colored Cemetery is the final resting place for approximately 63 individuals, including a World War I veteran as well as other veterans and at least two former slaves, although in 2010 only 32 tombstones and 22 unmarked graves were found. There are graves in the cemetery that date back to 1858, prior to West Virginia's admission to the Union.
Elmwood
The federal style two storey house called Elmwood sits astride Flowing Springs Road on land that was first claimed by Edward Lucas II, one of the first settlers in the Shenandoah Valley, as part of a and grant by Lord Fairfax. The farm has been owned and occupied by members of the Stine Family since the '40s, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Elmwood-on-the-Opequon
Elmwood-on-theOpequon is a farmstead complex situated on a 70-acre tract at the western edge of Jefferson County, approximately six miles northwest of Charles Town, boundaried to the west by Opequon Creek, the dividing line between Berkeley and Jefferson Counties. This property was originally part of the extensive land holdings of Thomas, Lord Fairfax, the Proprietor of the Northern Neck of Virginia. Elmwood-on-the-Opequon was listed on the National Historic Register (see link) in 2006.
Entler Hotel
Sitting majestically at the corner of German and Princess Streets in the heart of the Shepherdstown Historic District, the Entler Hotel, also known as Rumsey Hall, says “Shepherdstown” as much as any other building. A carpentry project there yielded an enormous White Oak slab threshold, pieces of which I fortuitously hung on to, little knowing that someday I'd be a wood turner who delights in using interesting wood to tell interesting stories.
Fairview Farm (Middleway)
Built in 1810 by Thomas Watson, Fair View Farm sits atop a large hill on the south side of Turkey Run and extends westward to the border of the historic Village of Middleway, in Jefferson County. Known generally as the Shaull Farm, Fair View was first occupied by members of the Shaull Family in 1825, when Bartholemew Shaull married Sarah Watson and took his bride to live there. Sarah inherited the farm in 1861, when Thomas Watson died, and members of the family have occupied the place ever since.
Falling Spring
The large brick house at Falling Spring (part of the larger complex called Falling Spring) was built by 1837 by Jacob Morgan, whose grandfather, Richard Morgan, had built the 11/2 storey limestone rubble stone house over the spring in 1734, making it one of the oldest buildings in West Virginia. The complex is rich in historical significance, from settlement days through the Revolution and Civil War, and the grounds are home to largest Sugar Maple in the State.
Feagan's Mill
The original mill at the Feagan's Mill site, the first of eight built on the South Fork of Bullskin Run, off of Wheatland Road near Kabletown, was built by the Abram Haines Family between 1757 and 1760. It is surrounded by agricultural concerns and house that predate 1800. Feagans Mill was recently added to the National Register of Historic Places. Read about that here.
First Lutheran Church Graveyard
Shepherdstown's Lutheran Church was established in 1765, not long after the founding of what was then known as Mecklenburg. In 1795, construction was completed of a beautiful brick church, across from the Christ Reformed Church on East German Street. In time, however, the location of the church, renovated after the Civil War to include a basement, and, eventually a pipe organ, became an issue as its proximity to the tracks caused both safety and nuisance concerns. In 1908 the new St. Peter’s Church was completed on the southwest corner lot of King and High Streets. The old church building burned in 1924; however the old German schoolhouse still stands in the church graveyard, which was itself established in 1774, and contains the graves of several Revolutionary War soldiers. The graveyard is presided over by a number of extremely old and distinguished trees.
Fruit Hill
The land surrounding historic Fruit Hill, roughly one and a half miles northwest of Shepherdstown, traces back to the 1750 patent obtained by Thomas Swearingen from Lord Fairfax. Also known as the Robinson-Andrews-Hoxton House, the brick Greek Revival main house, built by the son of Archibald Robinson in 1830, as the birthplace and boyhood home of noted historian Matthew Page Andrews. Archibald Robinson's direct descendants liver there to this day. Fruit Hill was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
Gap View
Charles Town's Gap View Farm is one of the few remaining pre-Revolutionary War farms in Jefferson County, having been established in 1774. The farm complex takes its name from the gap in the Blue Ridge made by the Potomac River at Harpers Ferry. In 1954 World War I veteran Frank W. Buckles and his wife Audrey purchased the farm; their daughter Susannah was born there in 1955, and operates Gap View Farm to this day. In 2017, Susannah placed a conservation easement on the 320 acre farm complex, making it the largest property yet to be accepted into Jefferson County's farmland protection program (read more about the Jefferson County Farmland Protection Board here)
Glenburnie
Located on (Sandy) Ridge Road north of Shenandoah Junction, hard by the headspring of what used to be called Lucas Run, Glenburnie was built in 1802 by Captain James Glenn, whose father William Glenn had been paying rent on the land to Lord Fairfax as early as 1770. Glenburnie would pass through several hands until becoming the home of the Hendricks Family in 1920, which owned it until very recently. It was a Hendricks descendant who told me about the planting by his forebear of the tree from which I had more or less accidentally cut some wood, way back at the beginning of this project. Pictured is C. Brown Hendricks, who planted the tree in 1930. Glenburnie was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. Read more about it here.
Jefferson Orchards
Founded in 1966, Jefferson Orchards grew crops on 1,000 acres in its heyday, employing as many as 50 people and producing not only apples — Cortland, Gala, Crispin, Empire, Fuji, York, Rome, Red Delicious and Golden Delicious — but also peaches, nectarines and other fruit. The operation reflected upon Jefferson County's amazing run as one of the largest orchard areas in the world. Operations ceased in 2015, and eventually I was allowed to harvest some prime apple wood from this County landmark.
Meadow Green Farm
Middleway’s “Meadow Green Farm,” as it’s been known since the 1940’s, is on land owned by the Grantham family since the 1700’s. It sits adjacent to Tudor Hall in Middleway and is farmed by eighth-generation farmer Bill W. Grantham. In 2013, Meadow Green farm was named the West Virginia Conservation Farm of the Year by the State Conservation Awards Council. The wood for this series came from Norway Maples planted in 1947 by Bill's father.
McMurran Farm
McMurran Farm is located on the south side of Engle Moler Road in northern Jefferson County, about two and one half miles south east of Shepherdstown, near Moler’s Crossroads. The farm, with rolling agricultural fields and historic buildings, sits astride Potomac River tributary Rattlesnake Run, formerly known as Lucas Run. McMurran farm was first granted to Samuel Taylor by Lord Fairfax in 1734. Today, McMurran Farm is owned and farmed by Eric and Joy Lewis.
Rellim
"Rainbow Poplar" Turnings From The Oldest Continuously Family Owned And Operated Orchard in Jefferson County
Rockland
The original stone house at Rockland, which sits a few miles outside of Shepherdstown on Kearneysville Pike, was built sometime between 1771 and 1785 by James Verdier, a Hugenot who escaped persecution in France by escaping to America with his wife. Rockland has passed through many owners since, as attested by the 1897 angled Victorian addition and many later changes and additions. It was added to the National Register (see link) in 1990, and is now owned by Carter and Blair DuBois, who graciously allowed me to harvest some of the wood when the mighty Silver Maple (pictured) came down in a storm.
Rosebrake
Known in local historic circles also as the "Morgan-Bedinger-Dandridge House,"Rosebrake, once called “Poplar Grove” (before being renamed by Danske Dandridge) has had remarkably few owners given its age (the Snyder and McAteer Families being the others). Rosebrake (sometimes called Rose Brake) is located off of a private lane southwest of Shepherdstown along Kearneysville Pike. The house was constructed in three distinct phases and has undergone embellishment since. See the National Register of Historic Places nomination form (link). It was my great privilege to be allowed pieces of a fallen limb from the "Lordly Oak," pictured.
Schoolhouse Farm
According to Jefferson County records the log structure which became the farm house ("Schoolhouse Farm") was built in 1790, on the southwest corner of a 318 acre tract belonging to Samuel Taylor, one of the first European settlers in the region, who served along with Adam Molers and the sons of Melchoir Engle in a local company during the Revolution.
Shannondale Mountain Sentinel
The White Oak from which this wood was taken had 375 annual growth rings when felled in 1993, and, in the opinion of a local historian, appears likely (given its age and location) to have served as a boundary marker between two grants when the land which comprises Shannondale was originally surveyed, in the 1730s.
Shepherd Burial Ground
The Thomas Shepherd Burial Ground, located next to the Episcopal Rectory at 104 W New St., was established in 1776 upon the death of Thomas Shepherd and is said to contain his unmarked grave. Over thirty family members are interred here. On March 14, 2014, the Sugar Maple shown at left in the pictures below fell during a storm; the need to clean up and repair the damage the tree caused set off a historical and legal mystery as to who actually owns the property. In 2017, the mystery of ownership was solved after a lengthy investigation, and the Shepherd Burial Ground was ceremonially deeded to Shepherdstown by Gay, Thomas Shepherd's great, great, great, great, great, granddaughter at a ceremony I was privileged to attend. See Historic Shepherdstown and take the walking tour. (Historic photo provided by and used with permission of the Jefferson County Historical Society)- I chose it because it shows the tree in better days.
Springdale
One of Jefferson County's oldest buildings, Springdale sits on land originally granted to Richard Morgan in 1734. Springdale was the home of Richard Morgan's oldest son, William. The home was in the Morgan Family until 1813. I used to tap the huge Sugar Maples that grace the lane; indeed, it was the wood of a limb from one of those trees that first got me interested in woodworking in general.
Trinity Episcopal Church
Consecrated on April 5th, 1889, the history of Trinity Episcopal Church on German Street actually predates the 1762 incorporation of Shepherdstown (Mecklenburg) by some 17 years, having first existed as a log chapel erected in 1745 by old Frederick Parish and known as "the Old English Church." Upon incorporation of Mecklenburg, Church Street was actually named for the building. See the Church entry on the Historic Shepherdstown Museum Walking Tour Page here. I came into wood from the Church in two seperate instances: first, the downing of a churchyard Sugar Maple and then the renovation of the iconic red door and frame.
Wayside - Uvilla (Unionville) PO
Built in 1850, the frame house at the corner of French Road and Shepherdstown Pike once served as a store and, significantly, as the post office for Uvilla, once known as Unionville. Around the turn of the last century the "Rural Free Delivery" experiment was begun here, as well at four other local venues. It was later recalled that a 15-year old Melvin Strider delivered mail from this location. You can read more about the history of Rural Free Delivery at the website of the National Postal Museum, among other sources.