In 1887, Enos Jones, William Bruce, Andrew Brooks, George Lovage and Solomon Peterson purchased land at Town Run Road and Allegheny Street for the first church for black people in Moorefield.

Breaking away from the Duffey United Methodist Church, where they worshiped in segregated pews in the gallery, the five men formed the Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church, ministered by a Rev. Possey, a Methodist circuit rider who, according to church history, "traveled on horseback and often walked many miles".

Soon the congregation outgrew its small building. Rev. William E. Brooks, who had been sent in 1921 by the Methodist Washington Conference to serve congregations in Williamsport, Petersburg and Moorefield, began planning for a new church on the existing site. In the 1926, the building, which is the present church, was dedicated.

The last black minister was the Rev. Melvin Washington. In the 1970s, jurisdictional responsibility was transferred from the Washington Conference to the West Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church. Since that time, the church has had white ministers, all of whom share their time with other small Methodist churches in the South Branch Valley.

Open courtesy of Asbury United Methodist Church.

Directions: Town Run Road and Allegheny Street, Moorefield

Just over the bridge on South. Main Street, set back from the street by a lovely expanse of yard, is the now colorful Bean/Bowman House. The house was built sometime between 1916 and 1920 by W. F. Friddle, probably a pharmacist in town. He had purchased his one acre site from Mr. Frank Garret who owned three parcels along the south end of town.

What makes the story of the home interesting is that from 1928 to 2004 the house was occupied by Molly and Emory Bean and their descendents. When the elder Beans lived there, they filled the house to over flowing with nine children. Looking at the house now, one wonders how they managed. Tales are told that the house and yard was literally alive with youngsters as it became the place for all the neighborhood children to congregate as well.

When the Beans passed on in 1950, the house was willed to all nine children, but it was son Harry and his wife Lula who made it their residence. They, in turn, passed the home onto their daughter, Mildred Bean who married John Bowman . . . thus the Bowman connection.

Their son, John, lived in the house with his wife Lorraine from the 1970s until 2004 when the house was put on the market. In 2006, Jill and Doug Seal purchased the house with the idea of renovating and re-selling it, but they succumbed to its charms, and earlier this year, opened it as a home furnishings, antique and gift shop called appropriately All Through the House. They painted the exterior of the house a cheery yellow, which creates a contented look for the property as it serves a new purpose into the 21st century.

Open Courtesy of Jill and Doug Seal.

Directions: 330 S. Main Street, Moorefield.

With the growth of Methodism and movement of the population center from Old Fields, where the first church was constructed at Fort Pleasant, the first Methodist Church was built in Moorefield in 1850 on Elm Street.

The church had an auditorium that seated 200 and a gallery for slaves, who worshiped there until the Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church was formed in 1887.

By 1915, according to a History of Methodism, South Branch Valley, by Daisy Sherman, the congregation had begun planning and raising money for a new church building. The first services were conducted in the new sanctuary in 1922.

Built at an estimated cost of $50,000, the large brick church features stained glass windows of "exquisite shades (that) add the ancient spiritual touch," as Halterman put it. The main auditorium and youth chapel were built so they could be "thrown together to accommodate more than 500 people."

It was dedicated in the name of Jeffrey Waite Duffey, the son of tavern owner John Duffey. A Confederate Civil War veteran with McNeill's Rangers, he was the first Moorefield man to enter the Methodist ministry.

Open courtesy of Duffey United Methodist Church.

Directions: Corner of Winchester Avenue and Elm Street

Episcopalians trace their presence here to 1753 when the Hampshire Parish of the Church of England in Virginia was established by the same legislative act that created Hampshire County, which then included Hardy County. "The Revolution saw most Anglican clergy return to England and it was seventy years before Episcopalians again became active in Hardy County," according to a church history." The Rev. Mr. Thralls of Cumberland, Maryland, by invitation held an Episcopal service in the Presbyterian Church in February of 1875 and in 1876 Emmanuel Parish was formed."

The church building owes its existence to Josiah Dent of Georgetown, D.C., who donated mountain land, a portion of which was traded for land and lumber to build the church in Moorefield. Construction began in 1876 and the building was consecrated in 1881.

Emmanuel is of the late Gothic Revival period "and, like many of its contemporaries, was built of wood rather than stone." Stucco was added to cover the original board and batten exterior in 1920.

Typical of "low churches" that characterized less emphasis on ceremony than "high churches," Emmanuel's stained glass windows have geometric designs rather than pictures of saints. The colored glass along sides of windows in the Nave is made from colored pot-metal glass. The center parts are enameled glass with designs painted on clear glass. The parish hall windows use opalescent glass of the La Fare and Tiffany styles. The church will have a collection of civil war era book to view both days.

Open courtesy of Emmanuel Episcopal Church.

Directions: Corner of Winchester Avenue and South Fork Road

In the mid 19th century and particularly after the Civil War, the area experienced a strong religious revival. The Methodists were especially active, building substantial church structures in towns but also small chapels in the hollers and valleys to serve "family congregations" ministered by circuit-riding preachers, who traveled by horseback over rough terrain on their mission.

It was a hard life, and the average life span of circuit riders was 37 years. One young minister, the Rev. Washington Varner, reported that in 1875, he preached 79 sermons, 22 at Beans Settlement, 13 at Baker's Run, 20 at Lost River, six at Cove Gap, 12 at Barr's Store and six at Dolands. For residents unable to get to a church, he took the gospel to their homes. He reported marrying one couple for $1.50; a more generous couple gave him $5.

Three such family chapels - Oak Grove Methodist Chapel at Fisher, Bass Chapel at South Fork and Baker's Chapel at Durgan, all dating from the 1870s-1880s - will be open for Heritage Weekend for Sunday services.

Even today, the chapels are ministered to by a modern-day circuit-rider, the Rev. Judy Vetter, who divides her time between the Asbury United Methodist Church in Moorefield and the three smaller congregations.

While the three Methodist chapels are participating in Heritage Weekend, small chapels of various denominations throughout the county will be holding regular worship services Sunday morning and welcome visitors with unaffected country warmth.

For more than half a century, McCoy's Grand Theatre operated continuously as a show place for movies and live performances, and it is revived today, restored and modernized, as home to community theater productions and live musical performances. It's just as Eunice McCoy had wished.

Built by James and Eunice McCoy and Curtis McCoy in 1927, the McCoy opened Feb. 16, 1928, to a welcome from local residents and a showing of "Wife Savers," a slapstick "photoplay" starring Wallace Beery that a New York Times reviewer called "violent nonsense" that "now and again" shows "something akin to humor."

But if the "photoplay" was the entertainment, the star of the night was McCoy's Grand Theatre built "at enormous expense but with the thought of giving the good people of Moorefield the very best possible in an Entrainment Center and an Institution that they can safely and heartily compare with the best in the Country."

The McCoys made this promise: "The entire structure is of steel and concrete, wood being used only in trimming. Even a minute survey of this modern structure will convince you that it absolutely fire-proof and that your safety has been seriously considered throughout."

From that opening day, Eunice Dasher McCoy dedicated her life to keeping the McCoy alive with movies and live performances until declining health forced her to close its doors in 1982, just a few months before her death at age 82. But she did not exit the stage.

Eunice McCoy left the bulk of her estate, after bequeaths to family, friends and charities, to restore the theater, and, with financial assistance from the state and private donors, the McCoy reopened on May 27, 1988, for a dedication ceremony and a performance by Percussion 80 of West Virginia University.

The 248-seat theater's interior was restored, seating replaced, and a modern sound system added to enhance its near-perfect acoustics. Two museum wings were added to display Mrs. McCoy's extensive collections of antiques. A new heating and cooling system was installed in 2004, replacing the "genuine six foot Typhoon Fan" that in 1928 promised "an abundance of fresh air and cooling breezes in the summertime."

The McCoy was featured as the Tile House during Heritage Weekend 2004, and it is included in the designation of the Moorefield downtown district on the National Register of Historic Places.

This year the McCoy will be the venue for two unique events taking place during Heritage Weekend. On Friday evening, music again will fill the venue as the annual South Branch Fiddle and Banjo Contest takes over the stage. Judged by three independent judges in accordance with Nashville rules for amateurs, the performers will vie for cash and/or trophies according to their age category.

Open courtesy of the McCoy - McMechen Theatre and Museum Board of Directors.

Directions: 110 N. Main Street, Moorefield.

When house-hunter Dr. R.W. Love and builder T.W. Lakin came to terms on Feb. 10, 1906, they agreed not just on the costs but on the aesthetics of this "substantial" house with features "pleasant to the eye."

As specified, the house was to have two layers of interior plaster; two coats of paint, inside and out; wallpaper Love would have "the privilige (sic) to select;" "neat and substantial" porches "with such ornamentations as may be pleasant to the eye;" and a stairway "neatly and substantially constructed with (an) easy rising."

For this, Love paid $1,500 with $300 down, $200 in 60 days, $400 to retire Lakin's debt for the land, and the remaining $600 in two equal payments over two years.

Dr. Love and his wife, Scottish emigrants who moved to Moorefield to set up a family medical practice, by all accounts were pleased with the outcome, for they lived in the house for more than 50 years, raising four children, one of whom became a doctor who practiced medicine for many years in Moorefield.

While this Late Victorian house has been modernized in some respects, including vinyl siding, significant features have been preserved, including the porches, the dark-wood paneling in the foyer, the variable width pine and oak flooring, the staircase, the hand-carved banister. four fireplace mantels (two fireplaces are covered) and a corner china cabinet.

The property was purchased in August 2005 by Shultz Reality of Charles Town for an office to be managed by Brandi Shultz, a Moorefield native.

During Heritage Weekend, the porch will be alive with music and carved bowls will be on display.

Open courtesy of Shultz Realty.

Directions: Corner of North Main Street and Kuykendall Avenue, Moorefield.

The Manse, built in 1858-60, stands near where the old Union Church once stood. The lot was conveyed by James Kuykendall and wife by deed dated July 29,1858, to Garrett VanMeter, Samuel Alexander, Felix Welton, Samuel McMechen and Solomon VanMeter, trustees of the Presbyterian Church for the site of a home for the pastor.

The Rev. W.V. Wilson was living in the new manse by 1860. Wilson was an avid Southern sympathizer and his stay was shortened by the war when he and his family were forced to flee along with many the congregation. He never returned.

The Manse, as well as the Presbyterian Church on Main Street, was occupied by both the Confederate and Union forces during the war.

One of the outstanding features of the house is a double staircase, one for use by the family and the other for slaves or servants. The "family" staircase had more elaborate scroll work on the trim. Another notable fearure is the exposed support rods running flush with the outside wall at the front of the house. Normally these rods, which were used to help eliminate bowing in brick, were placed inside the house. The Manse is the only home in the area to have the treatment on the exterior.

The Manse was restored during a three-year project begun in 1987 to return it to its original Federal look.

It was the home of 11 Presbyterian ministers in Moorefield from 1860 until 2004 when the stately brick home was sold. Only the first minister and the current minister have not lived here.

Open courtesy of Guesthouse Realty.

Directions: Corner of Elm and Washington Streets, Moorefield

The Presbyterian Church congregation in Moorefield was organized with 31 members on the rolls in 1838 but traces its roots to itinerant preachers in the 1780s.

In 1846, several prominent families deeded Lot 18 in Moorefield to the trustees of the church for a new sanctuary that was begun in 1847 and completed in 1855. The church called the Rev. William V. Wilson as their pastor in the same year, and both church and pastor survived the Civil War.

During the war, the church was occupied at various times by Confederate and Union troops and both armies used it as a hospital. In 1914, the US government paid the church $800 for damage done by Union troops.

The exterior reflects many characteristics of Greek Revival architecture. On the gabled roof, a bell tower houses a bell cast in Philadelphia in 1842 that was used as a fire alarm for the town until 1934. The belfry is topped with a weathervane in the shape of a fish and inscribed by its maker, Gottlieb Hutter.

At 11 am Sunday morning, the Rev. Katherine C. Jackson will lead a special ecumenical worship service which will feature bagpipe music and the blessing of the clans in celebration of the Church's Scottish heritage.

Open courtesy of the Presbyterian Church of Moorefield.

Directions: Main Street just below Winchester Avenue, Moorefield

One of the oldest extant structures in Moorefield, the Higgins House was built between 1786 adn 1788 by Robert Higgins, a captain in the Revolutionary War.

In 1777, the Virginia General Assembly authorized creation of a town on the lands of Conrad Moore. Named Moorefield, the town's trustees sold lots to settlers on condition that purchasers build a dwellin of at least 18 square feet within two years, a requirement later relaxed to three years.

Robert Higgins purchased lot No. 33 from the trustees in 1786, and his deed became the 10th to be recorded by the town.

The structure was built of logs and covered probably sometime later with clapboard siding. Although it is in two stories, it has only on room downstairs. Higgins sold the house to George Harness in 1792.

In 1983 the Duffey Memorial United Methodist Church bought the property with the intent to tear down the house and use the land for a parking lot; but responding to a public outcry, the church instead only demolished an addition that had been added and preserved the original structure.

Open courtesy of the Duffey Memorial United Methodist Church.

Directions: Corner of Elm Street and Winchester Avenue.

At 1 pm, 2 pm and 3 pm on Saturday, visitors are welcome to join a tour guide in front of the Hardy County Public Library for free guided tours of North Main Street, Moorefield. If you would rather wander downtown on your own, stop by the Library and pick up a self-guided tour pamphlet.

Charles W. and Alice Lantz Paskel purchased 20 acres on "the east side of the South Fork Road" in October of 1907. Shortly thereafter, the Paskels built a simple four-over-four, two story house overlooking the town of Moorefield. The circular driveway curved up from South Fork Road. Perched high on the hill, one can imagine the Paskel family spending many evenings on their front porch enjoying the sunsets over the South Branch Valley.

Charles Paskel held many jobs, including town jailer and harness maker. His harness shop was located "under the hill" in the area that is now American Woodmark's parking lot.

Charles and Alice Paskel lived out their lives on the hill that would later bear their name. Their daughter, Fannie, inherited the house and land at her mother's death in 1932. In 1952, Fannie, no longer able to maintain the house, was declared incompetent.

On July 2, 1959, special commissioners sold the Paskel estate to Ralph Bean and Don Baker. These enterprising men took the 20 acre farm and created 'confederate hills', Moorefield's first subdivision. The present street was installed doing away with the old driveway and lots were sold. The paskel house was sold to Allen and Harriett Hazard in 1961. Mr. Hazard was president of Boise Cascade Cabinets (now American Woodmark). Due to the size of their family, the Hazards increased the size of the house by adding a large one story addition to what was the front of the house and turning the back of the house into a new front entrance. The first in-ground pool installed by Ted Burns in the early 1960s is just off the addition and is still in use.

Allen and Hope Rexrode acquired the home from the Hazards in 1975. For the next 27 years, the Rexrode family called Paskel Hill home. Mike Crites and Larry Curtis purchased Oak Point, as it has come to be known, from Mrs. Rexrode in 2002.

Open courtesy of Mike Crites and Larry Curtis

Directions: Winchester Avenue to South Fork Road, take first left on Paskell Hill Road.

The three story greek revival house was built in 1853 by Samuel Alexander McMechen, Jr. and was originally nine rooms. Mr. McMechen was a dry goods merchant, politician, church member, and supporter of the early railroad in Hardy County.

Legend says that Mr. McMechen told the builder he didn't care what the house looked like as long as it was bigger than the Maslin house, an imposing residence to the south. The house was originally "U" shaped with nine large rooms on three floors and rooms in the basement.

During the Civil War, General McCausland was staying at McMechen House when he was warned that Union troops were approaching Moorefield. The ensuing battle on August 7, 1864, became known as the Battle of Moorefield.

The house remained the McMechen family residence until the last McMechen descendant, Miss Carrie, passed away in 1944. At that time Eunice Dasher McCoy inherited the house and converted it into seven apartments. The house now has twenty three rooms, nine bathrooms, seven assorted hallways, three porches, an eight hundred square foot deck and a thousand square foot retail space. For over the 40 years, many local families lived there at one time or another.

One of the most interesting features of the house is a political slogan from the 1856 presidential election discovered during the Valottos renovations. It is painted on the wall under layers of wallpaper in one room on the third floor. This room is believed to be 'the grange hall above the McMechen' store referenced in local history books. The slogan is believed to reference states rights, a prominent political issue before the Civil War.

Open by the courtsey of Dana Monopoli.

While the house isn't open to the public, you are welcome to roam through the gardens.

Rosedale was built about 1845 by George Casey Harness, a prominent landowner in Hardy County, as a wedding present for one of his daughters, Anne Rebecca Harness, and her husband, James Kuykendall. George had another daughter, Mary Katherine, whose marriage to John Francis Williams he disapproved of. It wasn't until George Harness' death that Mrs. Harness built Mary Katherine and her husband the Parsonage, the large brick home that sits along main street close to Rosedale - presently the Methodist Parsonage.

The early Victorian-style Rosedale stayed in the ownership of the descendants of George Harness until 1979 when it was purchased by Roy and Bonnie Haggerty. Renovations have continued over the years in an effort to restore Rosedale to its original beauty. Although several additions have been made, historic authenticity has been kept in mind. Rosedale, a two story L-shaped home, features three staircases, with one gracefully climbing all the way from the main floor to attic.

When electricity first came to the Moorefield area, Rosedale was only partially wired. Two bedrooms in the back part of the home didn't have wiring installed. It is believed that these two rooms were used as a nursery and a bedroom for a servant since the ceilings are lower in these rooms. Charred beams on the back porch indicate that Rosedale suffered a small fire believed to have occured around 1920, probably from hot sparks that blew up under the porch, igniting the beams.

The romantic Rosedale, painted in shades of rose, is reminiscent of the grace and charm of "yesterday" in the old town of Moorefield.

Open through the courtesy of Mrs. Bonnie Haggerty.

Directions: 216 N. Main Street, Moorfield. The home is closed but the gardens are open for exploration.

Also known as the Fort Pleasant Meeting House, the Old Fields Church holds special significance in the history of the South Branch Valley. It is the oldest church in West Virginia; and because it served, too, as a school house, it is believed to be the oldest extant school house in the state.

The church was built in 1812 on land donated by Isaac and Elizabeth VanMeter, early settlers in Old Fields who, in 1832, built Fort Pleasant, an 18-room mansion of mixed Georgian and Federal styles nearby.

The original deed for the church stipulates that while the property is to be owned by the Methodist Church, it must be available for use by any denomination at any time.

Religious tolerance did not extend to racial equality. While black slaves were allowed to attend services, they were segregated in a balcony accessed from an outdoor staircase. "A contributor to the Moorefield Examiner in 1904 recalled 'Uncle' John and 'Aunt' Lydia Lowe and all the old servants in the gallery before the war," reports Richard MacMaster in The History of Hardy County, 1786-1986.

The meeting house had fallen into disrepair and was closed briefly in late 1800s. According to MacMaster, Methodists from Old Fields and Moorefield raised enough money at an ice cream social in 1897 to repair the church and reopen it in 1898 with a service led by the Rev. S.G. Ferguson, who had served with Mosby's Raiders in the Civil War.

After the removal of the unsafe balcony pre-1900, the building has been maintained in excellent condition. Members of the VanMeter and other lprominent local families continue to be buried in the church yard as their ancestors have been for the past seven or eight generations.

Open courtesy of the Duffey Memorial United Church of Moorefield.

Directions: US 220 north from Moorefield, watch for the green flag, drive through field.

Locally known as the "Cunningham Place", Westfall was officially listed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1985. Built around 1860 by Garrett Cunningham (son of Solomon Cunningham who built Hickory Hill), Westfall was the primary dwelling of a farm of nearly 900 acres. One of several substantial farm houses dating from the 19th century in the South Branch Valley, Westfall reflects the general prosperity of the region during that time. The house, constructed of brick believed to have been fired on site, is of the Greek Revival style, particularly evidenced in the temple style main entrance portico. Another interesting feature of the architecture of the house is the multiple roof lines and extensions – perhaps indicative of several periods of construction. A barn that was part of the original farm complex is located on the opposite side of US Route 220.

With nearly 5,000 square feet of living space, Westfall is built in an unusual "Z" shape. Four rooms on the first floor and four on the second floor are roughly 20' x 20' with 10' ceilings. A separate "wing" on the southwest corner contains smaller rooms and is presumed to have served as servants' quarters. Perhaps the most stunning feature of the house is the flying staircase in the main entry hall. Circling up three levels, the stairway reflects the craftsmanship and artistry of woodworkers in the Valley in the mid 1800's. If you listen closely, you may hear echoes of laughter from generations of children who joyously slid down the long, curving banister.

Ancestry records indicate Garrett Cunningham never married. At some period, Westfall passed into ownership of the Chipley family and for many years was rented by various families. The present owner, Harry Fitzwater, has completed important restoration and preservation work to assure that Westfall will be enjoyed by many generations to come.

Open courtesy of Harry Fitzwater.

Directions: Follow Route 220 South out of Moorefield for approximately 3 miles. Westfall will be on the left side of the road.

The Stump cabin generally is recognized as the oldest extant structure in West Virginia. It's a must-see for anyone wondering how life was lived in the untamed frontier of the mid-1700s.

Sometime around 1746, Michael Stump, who two or three years later gained a deed to 366-acres from Lord Fairfax, built a small cabin and moved his family to this rich, but unsettled and untamed, land along the South Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac.

In October 1746, according to the history of Hardy County, a surveying crew, including Peter Jefferson, father of Thomas Jefferson, reached Stumps Run and, needing provisions, found "but one family of poor Dutch people from whom we could have no supply." These "poor Dutch people" likely were the Stumps. And it was not the last visit of an historical figure from the colonial era.

When he was just 16, George Washington recorded in his diary that he spent several days with the Stumps in 1748 while a member of Lord Fairfax's survey team.

As the stump family grew, so did the cabin. Stump or his son added a second cabin joined to the first by a center front door. A massive central chimney has openings to serve both cabins. The second story was added later.

The property remained in the hands of the Stump family until 1973, when John Buhl purchased the property and, considering himself more "caretaker" than owner, has preserved it as an important piece of local and state history.

Open courtesy John and Beverly Buhl

Directions: About 13 miles south of Moorefield on South Fork Road (sr7). Watch for the green flag on the left. Turn in, cross the bridge and go one mile.

Hickory Hill, built circa 1809, is one of the oldest fine brick homes in the valley and also one of the best examples of federal-style architecture, not only in the valley, but in the state of West Virginia. It features handmade bricks with narrow mortar joints and pronounced flat arch trim about the windows. Of the three front entrances, the center doorway is one of the most beautiful in the valley, having a lovely oval motif trim above the door. The door itself has large strap hinges that were possibly forged in Romney at the Hampshire Iron Works.

Built by Solomon Cunningham, one of the original settlers in the South Branch Valley, Hickory Hill has remained in the possession of his descendants, being home to two generations of Cunninghams and five generations of Weltons, passing to Feliz B. Welton in 1839 through marriage.

Gracefully situated amidst a shady grove of aged oaks, with its large, well-manicured front lawn, Hickory Hill has a stately appeal that draws the attention of passersby. In additon to its federal-style architecture, it has great historical significance because of its location near an indial burial mound and its groupng of outbuildings (some still standing), which represent the agricultural practices of the early 19th century.

As a working farm, some of the outbuildings, which have remained basically unchanged, such as the barn and smokehouse, were built from timber cleared off the land in the early 1800's and are stil in use today. Even though some of the buildings, such as an inground silo, and outdoor kitchen, a poultry houose and a machine shed, are now absent, their original locations are known.

Majestic Hickory Hill has continued to exemplify the tradition of family and farming in the south branch vallley for almost 190 years.

Open through the courtesy of Prudential Shultz Realty

Directions: nine miles south of Moorefield on Rt. 220.

The farm is part of a 412 acre Lord Fairfax land grant made in 1750 and surveyed by George Washington. The original land grant on sheepskin will be on display. The "L" shaped house was built by Angus M. Wood in 1848, great grandfather of William A. Wood, the present occupant. The home has been occupied by the Wood family since it was built.

Foundation stone for the residence was quarried at Mill Gap, lumber was cut and sawed on the farm, bricks were made on premises and the roof was covered with imported German block tin. The walls are either solid brick or 1 by 6 inch boards, laid flat. Yellow poplar siding completes the outside while the inside walls are faced with split lath and heavy plaster made of sand, animal hair and lime. Window and door frames are made from heart popular. Many of the window panes are originals. Wood floors are original. Hardware was bought in Winchester, Virginia and brought to the site by horse and wagon.

The front door faces west, towards Lost River and what used to be the valley road. A walnut spiral stairway graces the front hall. Furnishings in the front parlor include an 1840 Rosewood piano with mother-of-pearl keys, a large mirror in a gold embossed frame, old Victrola, parlor furnishings and a plantation desk. There is a fireplace in each of the ten rooms. An early twentieth century pump organ made by C.O. Hillstrom and Co. of Chesterton, Indiana, graces the upstairs hall.

Billed as "mouse-proof and lightweight" hillstrom organs were featured at chicago's 1893 columbian exposition. the current dining room includes a secret trap door in the floor. In the small room below, food and valuables were hidden from Union soldiers during the Civil War.

Kail Barbe (cousin of Mrs. Wood) will set the dining room table with her flo blue china marked with the crown of England. Ms. Barbe will have on display her original "Gone with the Wind" lamp. Leading to the outside porch from the kitchen and dining room are two laminated doors, designed to stop indian arrows.

The first house on this property stood about 30 feet south of the present residence. It was a log dwelling with a walled well close by. A separate structure housed slaves. Also available for viewing are the many pieces of antique furniture, period clothing, and a copy of J. Ward Wood's Civil War-era diary and letters. The family will be wearing replicas of period clothing. Light refreshments will be served.

Open courtesy of Bill and Edna Wood and Robin and Robert Stultz.

Directions: Two miles south of Lost River on SR 259, across from the Lost River Grill and Motel.

The Lost River Craft Cooperative is the eastern headquarters for Heritage Weekend. The Craft Cooperative and Museum share the 150-year-old Harper Barn. Upstairs, the Craft Cooperative offers for sale juried handcrafted furniture, pottery, glass, baskets, weaving and other crafts, plus paintings and photography, books, and music by the 70 members of the cooperative.

Downstairs is the Lost River Museum featuring special exhibits of antique spinning wheels, looms and the tools of other fiber arts that have been restored in working order. During Heritage Weekend, artisans demonstrate how pioneers worked these wheels and looms to provide blankets and coverlets for their families and for sale. The museum houses the most complete display of homesteading tools and artifacts in the Mountain Highlands.

Built by Samuel Harper around 1847, the barn was constructed into a bank so he could drive his wagon into the upper level to unload and the drive out the other side, unhitch his team and lead them into the stable on the lower level.

A cantilevered overhang juts the length of the barn to form a protected fore bay on the lower level and add space to the upper level. With its native stone foundation and huge hand-hewn beams, the barn is a magnificent example of Appalachian craftsmanship, durability and practicality.

For a time in the 1960s, the upper level of the barn was used as office space, a western wear shop and antique and gift store associated with a dude ranch.

During Heritage Weekend, co-op members demonstrate traditional crafts, including spinning, weaving on vintage looms, quilting, chair-making, blacksmithing and basket weaving. Weather permitting, a clothesline art show will display the works of local artists Saturday and Sunday.

Open courtesy of the Lost River Craft Cooperative

Directions: Midway between Mathias and Baker on WV 259.

The Mathias Homestead has survived more than two centuries of wear and tear and some misfortune to remain standing as a monument to the homesteading families of the Lost River Valley and as a special tribute to the Mathias family that made it home for 165 years.

It hasn't been easy. During the Civil War, Union troops burned the floor of an upstairs room when a raging fire in a fireplace got out of control. The scar is still visible. Natural aging and harsh weather have taken their toil.

But nothing so threatened the cabin as the natural gas explosion at a garage across the road in December 2004. The rippling explosive impact and debris crashed into the front exterior. Repairs to the windows and door, and roof have brought the cabin back to life.

The cabin was built as a single-family structure about 1797 by John and Barbara Mathias, who had moved here from Shenandoah County. It is believed the structure was constructed in two phases with the northernmost section being the original. At or around the time when the second part was built, porches and a breezeway were added to connect the halves.

Weatherboarding that had been added at some unknown time was removed to expose the log exterior as it appeared at the turn of the 19th Century.

For more than 165 years, the cabin was home to the Mathias family, Sadi, the widow of Philip S. Mathias who lived in the home until the mid 1960s, being the last family member to occupy it. The home place remained in the Mathias family until 1974 when it was deeded to the Mathias Civic Center Association by Wendall Mathias.

It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places Nov. 24, 1978.

Open courtesy of Mathias Homestead Inc.

Directions: Located on WV 259, 13 miles south of Baker.

The Inn at Lost River was built by James Garrett and his son Ferg in the late 1800s. Garrett purchased the property and the Harper Grist Mill from William (Billy) Harper. The Inn is nestled at the intersection of State Road 259 and Mill Gap Road. This area is both a historical and contemporary hub of activity in the Lost River Valley. The Harper Grist Mill is no longer standing. However, the Lost River General Store, also on the property, continues the tradition of being a draw for commercial and social activity for residents and visitors alike. It was added to the National Register of Historic Sites in 2005.

The first renovation and restoration on the wood frame lath and plaster constructed Inn began in mid 1987 and was completed 30 months later. The Inn opened in 1990, and operated as a Bed & Breakfast for the next ten years. Last year, under new ownership, it re-opened its doors to overnight guests.

The 120-year-old soft pine floors are original to the center hall farmhouse and were milled from local forests. During the restoration process, fourteen coats of paint were removed from the center hall banister to reveal a local walnut masterpiece. The Spring House, located next to Mill Creek on the property, was used to store the large blocks of ice that were harvested from both Mill Creek and Lost River to cool milk and perishables, and provide an ingredient for ice cream. A small smokehouse, which has been converted to a guest house is also on the property.

During Heritage Weekend, enjoy refreshments at the Inn or The Lost River General Store and activities at The Lost River Craft Cooperative and The Lost River Valley Museum, a short walk away.

Open courtesy of Ted and Toni Mathias Harvey.

Directions: Route 259 behind Lost River General Store. Hours: Saturday and Sunday 1pm to 4pm ONLY

Used as a place of worship and community meeting place for many years, St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, like many country churches, lost its congregation to larger consolidated churches in the 1950s, closed its doors in 1961 and became a hay barn.

But in 2000, the church, farmhouse and property were purchased by Joshua Miller, a master woodworker, and his wife Laura Bryant, an illustrator of children's books.

Miller and Bryant converted the church into a woodworking shop, built an art studio and restored and modernized the old farmhouse, preserving much of its classic character and adding artistic touches of their own. The entire compound is a tribute to a compatible mixture of rural heritage and modern creativity.

The cornerstone for St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church was laid Sept. 1, 1901, but the congregation was active at least as early as 1894, serving the families that settled Cullers Run.

Founders included many family names still common today: Delaunter, Dove, Fauley, Jenkins, Loury, May, Moyers, Sherman, Souder, Sours, Stultz, Ketterman, Loy, Strawderman and Wilkins. The first baptism was Jan. 17, 1903, for Virginia V. Smith. The first marriage united Noah Moyers and Emma Loury on Nov. 15, 1903, and a month later, on Christmas Eve, Perry L. Dove and Florence H. Loury were married.

Lewis Loury provided land for a cemetery on a hilltop just above St. Johns, and the earliest marker carries the date April 8, 1894, for Arthur Loury.

When cars become common, roads were improved and ministers became hard to find and keep, people left their home churches for large, consolidated churches. St. John's, like so many country churches, closed its doors in 1961.

Open courtesy of Joshua Miller and Laura Bryant.

Directions: From WV 259 about two miles below Mathias, take Crab Run/Cullers Run Road to Cullers Run. Turn right. St. John's is just beyond Hoy Dove's Country Store.

For years, this rustic cabin was believed to have been built by Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, the Revolutionary War hero and father of Confederate icon Robert E. Lee. But a study by Ellen Anderson for the WV Department of Parks documented that it more likely was Light Horse Harry's son Charles Carter Lee who built the two-story cabin in 1800.

According to Anderson, Light Horse Harry bought 17,000 acres along Howard's Lick and Cove Run Road in 1796 for speculative purposes but went into debt before he could develop the property. Rather than have it seized by creditors, he transferred the property to his four sons, including Robert and his elder brother Charles.

Charles is believed to have built the hand-hewn white oak cabin as a hunting-cabin but, sensing the opportunity presented by the existence of sulphur springs, built a two-story hotel and spa on the site. Lee ran the hotel until 1851 when it was acquired by entrepreneurs, who renamed it Hardy White Sulphur Springs. In the 1890s, H.S. Carr enlarged the hotel and called it Lee White Sulphur Springs. The hotel was destroyed by fire in 1910, but the original cabin and pavilion at the spring survived.

In 1934, the State of West Virginia purchased the property, including the cabin, to create the 3,712-acre Lost River State Park.

The Lee Cabin was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 30, 1974.

Open courtesy the WV Department of Parks.

Directions: Located on Lost River State Park Road, County Route 12 (Howard's Lick Road) four miles south of Mathias. Once in the park, follow signs for the swimming pool. Before the pool at a Y in the road, bear right up the hill. Parking is just beyond the cabin.

Cullers Run School is one of the most complete restorations of a one-room school in the nation. It is chock full of authentic memorabilia, including the original bell, pot-bellied stove, teacher's desk and student benches, lunch buckets, textbooks, papers and photographs.

Built at a cost of $137, it was school to generations of children from 1898 to 1956, when it was closed. That the school survives in pristine condition is a credit to Ken and Anne Shifflet, who bought an 82-acre farm that included the ground on which the school sits. Because the school was abandoned, the land — but not the building — reverted to the Shifflets as contemporary owners. A year later, they bought the building for $500 at a school property auction.

With warm memories of the one-room school he attended in Pennsylvania, Ken Shifflet organized volunteers from among alumni of the school and other area residents to restore the building and acquire authentic memorabilia. His wife Anne did the research to document the school's history. By the fall of 1989, the school was ready to be opened to the public for Heritage Weekend, and it has been a tour attraction every year since.

On Aug. 5, 2004, the Shifflets donated the school and a half acre of land to the Cullers Run School Association on condition that the association preserve and maintain the structure as it existed between 1898 and 1956 and that artifacts placed in the school be of that period and used in Hardy County schools.

Open courtesy of the Cullers Run School Association.

Directions: From WV 259, two miles south of Mathias, turn onto Crab Run/Cullers Run Road. Turn right on Cullers Run Road at Doves Country store. The school is four miles down the road on the left.

The church was built in 1908 for congregants who wanted a more progressive dress code than allowed at the Mathias Church of the Brethren. The original structure included the main sanctuary and bell tower, with entrance at the base of the tower. The altar was on a raised platform where the Sunday school rooms are currently located. Samuel Mathias helped found and build the church, becoming its first pastor. Another founder, Albert Mose Snider, would sit in the front row during church services and hold up his pocket watch as a signal to his brother arthur, that the preaching had gone on too long. Down the road from the church, Pastor Arthur Snider's house still stands, though in disrepair.

The church took on its current "L" shape in 1926 with the addition of the stage. Church benches were turned ninety degrees to the right to face the new altar. The vestibule was added in 1998. The original pine benches were replaced by theater seats in 1952. Two of the original benches are still in use. Each bench had a hinged board attached to its back, which when folded up, served as a table for communion meals.

Two-week long revivals were held late summers between 1919 and 1982, overseen by visiting pastors. The evangelical period ended with baptisms and communion services. A concrete baptistery remains concealed under the stage, below the organ. Baptisms also occurred in the river next to the church.

To support the missionary programs of the church, the women's missionary society became experts in the art of making delicious apple butter. Demand for the product became so great that it became a church project. Today the apple butter sells well locally and is shipped throughout the United States.

Church members will make available for viewing numerous pictures of life at the early church and records from the church archives.

Open courtesy of church members and Pastor Jonathan Hedrick

Directions: 356 Upper Cove Run Road, Mathias, one mile east of SR 259 and "downtown" Mathias.

Cove Chapel United Methodist Church, located two miles east of Mathias on Middle Cove Road, will have a "Basore Crossings Day" with the history of the church, the area, and Basore School, which is across from the church. There will be pictures and stories from the past, such as the murder of John Basore, how "Jake's Turn" got it's name, and more on Saturday September 26, 2009 from 10am to 4pm. Gospel music from 2pm - 3pm.