Rose Hill Farm

Rose Hill is a central two-story brick house constructed in 1835 with a later 1.5-story wing off the side. The brick is laid in common bond and the house rests on a limestone foundation, very typical local materials used in period structures in Jefferson County. The exterior design is five-bay with porches on either side and elements of decorative brickwork. The house has a distinct Greek Revival style with very symmetrical features and an almost identical east and west façade. The main (east) entrance is a portico porch with the door surrounded by sidelights and a rectangular transom light. The west entrance is similar but features columns in an octagonal design which is unusual for northern West Virginia. Another key architectural feature is the interior chimneys on each end creating a flush wall on either side; in the attic each chimney is flanked by small windows. The interior layout is two-pile, meaning two rooms deep, with a central hall flanked by rooms on either side. The room layout aligns between the two floors. The interior decorative elements are largely preserved, including marbleized stair risers, baseboards, and fireplace.

Included in the NRHP nomination is a log dependency just behind the main house. This two-story structure was built around 1795 of hewn log with hair and mortar chinking; weatherboard was later added. There are few eighteenth-century structures similar to this one remaining in Jefferson County.

The Rose Hill property was originally part of the large land claim of Lord Fairfax. Fairfax sold 1068 acres to John Pagan in 1753 and Pagan then sold the land to Adam Stephen in 1764. Stephen became prominent in the region due to his military service under George Washington and his role in the founding of Martinsburg. While he owned the Rose Hill property he was not personally connected to its development because he leased the land out to others. His grandson, Adam Stephen Dandridge, inherited the property and also leased the land to tenants. One of these tenants was Samuel Davenport, who likely constructed the log house around 1795. In 1821 Thomas James bought the land and he is thought to have built the main brick house around 1835. 

“National Register of Historic Places Registration Form—Rose Hill Farm.” Accessed November 11, 2020. http://www.wvculture.org/shpo/nr/pdf/jefferson/90000716.pdf.