List of the oldest buildings in West Virginia

This article lists the oldest extant buildings in West Virginia, including extant buildings and structures constructed prior to and during the United States rule over West Virginia. Only buildings built prior to 1800 are suitable for inclusion on this list, or the building must be the oldest of its type.

In order to qualify for the list, a structure must:

  • be a recognizable building (defined as any human-made structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy);
  • incorporate features of building work from the claimed date to at least 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) in height and/or be a listed building.

This consciously excludes ruins of limited height, roads and statues. Bridges may be included if they otherwise fulfill the above criteria. Dates for many of the oldest structures have been arrived at by radiocarbon dating or dendrochronology and should be considered approximate. If the exact year of initial construction is estimated, it will be shown as a range of dates.

List of oldest buildings

Building Image Location First built Use Notes
Morgan's Grove Shepherdstown, West Virginia c. 1734 Residence and springhouse The springhouse is the only remnant
Robert Worthington House near Charles Town, West Virginia c. 1734 Residence Original portion dated to 1734, larger house appended in 1784, and later expanded further
Shepherd's Mill Shepherdstown, West Virginia prior to 1739 Mill Expanded through 1800s
The Hermitage (Charles Town, West Virginia) Charles Town, West Virginia c. 1740 Residence Stone structure on property is possibly the oldest building in West Virginia.
White House Farm (Jefferson County, West Virginia) Charles Town, West Virginia c. 1740 Residence and farm House c. 1740, barn is oldest in West Virginia
Aspen Hall (Martinsburg, West Virginia) Martinsburg, West Virginia c. 1741 Residence Main house built 1775, earliest portion 1741
Maidstone-on-the-Potomac Martinsburg, West Virginia c. 1741 Residence Damaged by fire 2009
Thomas Brown House (Inwood, West Virginia) Inwood, West Virginia c. 1741 Residence Main house built 1775, earliest portion 1741
Snodgrass Tavern Hedgesville, West Virginia c. 1742 Residence and tavern
Hays-Gerrard House Gerrardstown, West Virginia 1745 Residence
Hedges-Lemen House near Hedgesville, West Virginia 1748 Residence Expanded 1792
Baldwin-Grantham House Shanghai, West Virginia 1749 Residence Earliest portion built 1749 and expanded
Wilson-Wodrow-Mytinger House Romney, West Virginia c. 1750 Residence Kitchen building built c. 1750
William Boggs Farm Berkeley County, West Virginia c. 1750 Residence and farm
Redbud Hollow Martinsburg, West Virginia c. 1750 Residence and farm
The Beverley Charles Town, West Virginia c. 1750 Residence Working farm since 1750 with buildings on the farm dating to founding of the farm[1]
Union Bryarly's Mill Darkesville, West Virginia 1751 Residence Miller's house dated to 1751
Ar-Qua Springs Arden, West Virginia c. 1751 Residence Progressively expanded from original log structure
Strode-Morrison-Tabler House and Farm Hedgesville, West Virginia 1752 Residence
Peter Burr House Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia c. 1753 Residence Built for a cousin of Aaron Burr, an opponent of the Washington family
Fort Van Meter (Hampshire County, West Virginia) Glebe, West Virginia c. 1754 Fortification
Fort Ashby Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia 1755 Fortification Built by order of George Washington, commanded by John Ashby
York Hill Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia c. 1755 Residence Oldest section of house dated to mid 1750s
Stone House Mansion near Martinsburg, West Virginia 1757 Residence
John, David, and Jacob Rees House Bunker Hill, West Virginia c. 1760 Residence
Miller's House, Tuscarora Creek Historic District[2] near Martinsburg, West Virginia c. 1760 Residence
Cool Spring Farm (Gerrardstown, West Virginia) near Gerrardstown, West Virginia 1761 Residence
William Grubb Farm near Charles Town, West Virginia c. 1763 Residence
Hopewell (Millville, West Virginia) near Charles Town, West Virginia c. 1765 Residence and mill complex House and cottage built about 1765
Boidstones Place near Shepherdstown, West Virginia 1766 Residence Expanded in the 1850s
Lick Run Plantation Bedington, West Virginia before and after 1770 Residence and farm Built for Samuel Washington
Harewood (West Virginia) Charles Town, West Virginia 1770 Residence Built for Samuel Washington
Col. James Graham House Lowell, West Virginia 1770 Residence
Byrnside-Beirne-Johnson House near Union, West Virginia 1770 Residence and fortification Expanded 1855
Graham House Lowell, West Virginia c. 1770 Residence Squared log structure
Hiett House, North River Mills Historic District[3] North River Mills, West Virginia c. 1770 Residence
Samuel Hedges House near Hedgesville, West Virginia 1772 Residence Expanded 1850s
Adam Stephen House Martinsburg, West Virginia 1772-1789 Residence
Hughes-Cunningham House near Hedgesville, West Virginia 1772 Residence Expanded c. 1784
Kern's Fort Morgantown, West Virginia 1772 Residence
The Willows (Moorefield, West Virginia) near Moorefield, West Virginia before 1773 Residence
Van Swearingen-Shepherd House near Shepherdstown, West Virginia 1773 Residence Progressively expanded in the 19th century
Traveller's Rest (Kearneysville, West Virginia) near Kearneysville, West Virginia 1773 Residence Built for General Horatio Gates
Sloan–Parker House near Junction, West Virginia 1774 Residence Front section built 1790
Gap View Farm near Charles Town, West Virginia 1774 Residence Main house built 1774, small building 1750
Gilbert and Samuel McKown House near Charles Town, West Virginia 1774 Residence
Prato Rio Leetown, West Virginia 1775 Residence [4]
Stump Family Farm near Moorefield, West Virginia c. 1775 Residence
Hays-Pitzer House near Martinsburg, West Virginia 1775 Residence Stone section built about 1800, log section 1775
Springfield, Mill Creek Historic District[5] Bunker Hill, West Virginia c. 1775 Residence
Henshaw Miller House, Mill Creek Historic District[5] Bunker Hill, West Virginia c. 1780 Residence
Levi Shinn House Shinnston, West Virginia 1778 Residence
John Fryatt House, Darkesville Historic District[6] Darkesville, West Virginia c. 1780 Residence
Thomas Swearingen House, Jones Mill Run Historic District[7] near Martinsburg, West Virginia c. 1780 Residence
John VanMetre House near Kearneysville, West Virginia 1780s Residence and farm 1780, enlarged 1800
Media Farm Charles Town, West Virginia 1780s Residence and farm Original structure built 1780s and progressively expanded
Happy Retreat Charles Town, West Virginia 1780s Residence and farm Original kitchen built about 1780 and expanded from there
Rockland (Shepherdstown, West Virginia) near Shepherdstown, West Virginia 1780s Residence and farm Original structure built 1771-1785 and progressively expanded
Fort Pleasant near Moorefield, West Virginia c. 1780s-1790s Residence and fortification Fortification built 17802, house built 1790s
Walnut Grove (Union, West Virginia) near Union, West Virginia 1780s Kitchen built 1780s
Jacob Prickett Jr. Log House near Montana, West Virginia 1781 Residence
White Bush near Falling Waters, West Virginia c. 1781-1785 Residence
Old Hemlock Brandonville, West Virginia c. 1782 Residence
Captain William Lucas and Robert Lucas House near Shepherdstown, West Virginia c. 1783 Residence
The Homestead, Burlington Historic District (Burlington, West Virginia)[8] Burlington, West Virginia c. 1784 Residence
Johnston-Truax House Weirton, West Virginia 1785 Residence Repeatedly expanded
Rehoboth Church Union, West Virginia 1785-86 Church a log church, which is the oldest church in WV
Rumsey Hall (Shepherdstown, West Virginia) Shepherdstown, West Virginia 1786 onwards Residence and hotel Progressively expanded
Renick Farm (Renick, West Virginia) Renick, West Virginia 1788 Residence and farm
Old Stone Tavern (Moorefield, West Virginia) Moorefield, West Virginia 1788 Residence and tavern
Nicholas Switzer House near Wardensville, West Virginia 1788 Residence
Nathaniel and Isaac Kuykendall House near Romney, West Virginia 1789 Residence
Stuart Manor Lewisburg, West Virginia 1789 Residence 1778 building on site
Poor House, Tuscarora Creek Historic District[2] near Martinsburg, West Virginia c. 1788 Residence
Ben Boyd Store, Darkesville Historic District[6] Darkesville, West Virginia 1789 Residence Expanded in 19th century
Allstadt House and Ordinary near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia c. 1790 Residence and tavern Was involved in John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry
Strider Farm near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia c. 1790 Residence and farm
Salt box House, Darkesville Historic District[6] Darkesville, West Virginia 1790s Residence
The Rocks (Jefferson County, West Virginia) near Meyerstown, West Virginia c. 1790 Residence and farmstead
Miller House, North River Mills Historic District[3] North River Mills, West Virginia c. 1790 Residence
Henry Sherrard Mill, Mill Creek Historic District[5] Bunker Hill, West Virginia c. 1790 Mill
Stephen-Hammond Mill, Spring Mills Historic District[9] near Martinsburg, West Virginia c. 1790 Residence and mill
John Lyle House, Tuscarora Creek Historic District[2] near Martinsburg, West Virginia c. 1790 Residence
Robert Daniels House, Mill Creek Historic District[5] Bunker Hill, West Virginia c. 1790 Residence
Baker House Shepherdstown, West Virginia 1790s Residence
Reed's Mill Secondcreek, West Virginia 1791 Mill
Chapline-Shenton House Shepherdstown, West Virginia 1793 Residence later used as a Civil War hospital after Antietam
Spring Valley Farm Union, West Virginia 1793 Residence Cabin built 1793
Alexander Campbell Mansion Bethany, West Virginia 1793 Residence Repeatedly enlarged
Cold Spring (Shepherdstown, West Virginia) near Shepherdstown, West Virginia 1793 Residence
Jonathan Seaman House, Darkesville Historic District[6] Darkesville, West Virginia c. 1795 Residence
Old Stone House (Morgantown, West Virginia) Morgantown, West Virginia 1796 Residence [1]
Orndoff-Cross House Morgantown, West Virginia 1796 Residence [1]
Old Stone Church (Lewisburg, West Virginia) Lewisburg, West Virginia 1796 Church
Stone Manse Caldwell, West Virginia 1796 Parsonage
Edward Rumsey House, Tuscarora Creek Historic District[2] near Martinsburg, West Virginia c. 1796 Residence
Elmwood (Shepherdstown, West Virginia) near Shepherdstown, West Virginia 1797 Residence
Richwood Hall near Charles Town, West Virginia 1797 Residence Built for Lawrence Augustine Washington, expanded in 19th century
Miller's Tavern Wellsburg, West Virginia 1797 Inn Demolished 2019
John Mathias House Mathias, West Virginia 1797 Residence Expanded 1825
Mill Island (Moorefield, West Virginia) near Moorefield, West Virginia c. 1798 Residence Expanded 1840
Hillside (Charles Town, West Virginia) near Charles Town, West Virginia c. 1799 Residence
Harper's Ferry Armory Harper's Ferry, West Virginia 1799 Armory Site of abolitionist John Brown's raid in 1859.[1]
Beall-Air Halltown, West Virginia rear section before 1800 Residence Built for Lewis Washington, was involved in John Brown's raid
William Wilson House (Gerrardstown, West Virginia) Gerrardstown, West Virginia Between 1792 and 1802 Residence
Springhill, Mill Creek Historic District[5] Bunker Hill, West Virginia c. 1790 Residence

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "These Are 11 of the Oldest Structures in West Virginia That Are Still Standing". July 9, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d Wood, Don C. (1980). "Tuscarora Creek Historic District" (PDF). West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History. National Park Service. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Rasmussen, Barbara (November 17, 2010). "North River Mills Historic District" (PDF). West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History. National Park Service. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  4. ^ Allen, John C., Jr. (2011). Uncommon Vernacular: The Early Houses of Jefferson County, West Virginia, 1735-1835. West Virginia University Press. pp. 50–51
  5. ^ a b c d e Wood, Don C. (1980). "Mill Creek Historical District" (PDF). West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History. National Park Service. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d Wood, Don C. (1980). "Darkesville Historic District" (PDF). West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History. National Park Service. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  7. ^ Wood, Don C. (1980). "Jones Mill Run Historic District" (PDF). West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History. National Park Service. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  8. ^ Spyrison, Beth Ann (May 1992). "Burlington Historic District" (PDF). West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History. National Park Service. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  9. ^ Wood, Don C. (1980). "Spring Mills Historic District" (PDF). West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History. National Park Service. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
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