Institution

Like many community or church cemeteries in West Virginia, Old Stone Cemetery was long neglected. Consequently, many burial stones "disappeared" or weathered to the point of being difficult, if not impossible, to read the inscriptions. Burial records were scarce. Marcellus Zimmerman, printer of the Greenbrier Independent newspaper, began compiling records of the burials in Old Stone Cemetery in 1885. Later research was done by Dr. Harry Edwin Handley and Dr. John F. Montgomery. Drawing on the research of Zimmerman, Handley and Montgomery and utilizing her own adroit research abilities, Morgan Bunn completed the most comprehensive record of the burials in the cemetery to date. Her three publications on the cemetery are available at the Greenbrier Historical Society. Under Ms. Bunn's leadership, an effort to restore and preserve the cemetery is underway and organized as Friends of The Old Stone Cemetery.

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In 1850, Norborne Beall Gantt gifted land to expand a town cemetery and designated a portion of the conveyed land as a "burial place for Whites" and a portion to be used as a burial place for "Africans or Blacks." A private family cemetery for the Creigh family was later incorporated into what is now called Old Stone Cemetery. Buried in the cemetery are many Greenbrier County pioneer families. 

Old Stone Cemetery

Originally known as Fort Savannah, the name of the settlement was changed to Lewisburg after the Battle of Point Pleasant to honor General Andrew Lewis. Officially created in 1782 by the Virginia Assembly, it is the county seat of Greenbrier County and the third oldest town in West Virginia.

A complimentary printed version of the walking tour is available at the Greenbrier Valley Visitors Center at 905 Washington Street West (corner of Washington and Court Streets).

Lewisburg Historic District Walking Tour

Originally known as the Lewisburg Academy, the school was founded around 1812 by Presbyterian pastor Dr. John McElhenny as a co-educational institution. For unclear reasons, the Lewisburg Academy separated into two schools, the Greenbrier Military School and the Lewisburg Female Institute, in the 1870s. The Lewisburg Female Institute (LFI) was a girls’ boarding school, and students could attend from grades 1-12. The focus of LFI changed in 1937; women could only attend for four years, two years of high school and two years of college. There was always a heavy emphasis on the arts, with the majority of students enrolled in at least music class in the early 20th century. Throughout its history, girls could take courses in a variety of subjects including math, English, history, science, Bible, music, home economics, and secretarial work. On December 16, 1901, a fire destroyed the original buildings of the LFI. Classes were held at City Hall and The Greenbrier for the remainder of the year.In the search for funding, the Rev. Dr. R. L. Telford, who was president of the Institute from 1892-1911, wrote to Mr. James Bertram, private secretary to Andrew Carnegie. Known for his philanthropic efforts, Carnegie initially donated $20,000 for the new building then contributed another $6,750 for the completion of the auditorium. Carnegie asked the local community to contribute $10,000. The total cost of construction would be a little over $1 million in today’s dollars.The Lewisburg Female Institute, also known as the Lewisburg Seminary and College of Music, Lewisburg Seminary, Greenbrier College for Women, and finally Greenbrier College, used Carnegie Hall as classroom space until 1972. The building housed a science lab, music rehearsal spaces, an auditorium with a pipe organ, and social spaces. During the 1940s and 1950s, Carnegie Hall was used for Community Concerts, free concerts for Greenbrier College students and the community, featuring a diverse array of performing artists, mostly musicians. Greenbrier College allowed men to attend for a year from 1971-1972. Only four male students lived on campus, and co-ed classes were only offered at the high school level. Due to low enrollment and financial reasons, Greenbrier College closed its doors in May 1972. After the closure, Carnegie Hall became part of the Greenbrier Center, a facility for individuals with special needs. Rumors in the Lewisburg community swirled in the early 1980s that the building was going to be condemned and torn down. Realizing the historical significance of the building, several residents of Lewisburg founded Carnegie Hall, Inc.&nbsp;in 1983. Initially, the public was offered free performances in the historic building in an effort to renew a sense of interest in culture and history in the region. The first official performance season began in 1990. The building was damaged by a fire on Christmas Eve 1996, and Carnegie Hall, Inc. undertook a massive renovation to restore the building--a project that took nearly a year to complete. Today, artists from all over the world perform in Carnegie Hall’s Hamilton Auditorium. Notable performers include Grammy Award-winning artists such as Taj Mahal, Wynton Marsalis, and West Virginia native Kathy Mattea. As a 501(c)(3) Carnegie Hall, Inc. also provides year-round arts education and programming for youth and adults in Southern West Virginia. Carnegie Hall’s Mission Statement says, &nbsp;“Carnegie Hall, Inc. is committed to cultivating an appreciation for creativity and excellence in the arts. In partnership with the community, Carnegie Hall presents a broad and diverse range of programs that engage, entertain, and educate people of all ages and backgrounds and works to preserve the historic significance of the Hall.” Carnegie Hall has three gallery spaces and is the permanent home of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Visitors can explore the building alone or take a guided tour. Afterward, visitors can visit the Greenbrier Historical Society museum, which is housed in the North House (former home of Greenbrier College presidents) just across Academic Park from Carnegie Hall, or admire the Old Stone Church, the church that brought the Dr. Rev. McElhenny to Lewisburg.

Named for Andrew Carnegie, the philanthropic steel tycoon, Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg, West Virginia, is one of only four Carnegie Halls in the world that is still in continuous use as a performance venue. The structure was built in 1902 with the generous contribution of $26,750 from Andrew Carnegie and the community’s contribution of $10,000. Carnegie Hall replaced one of two buildings at  the Lewisburg Female Institute that burned down in 1901. Carnegie Hall provided the Lewisburg Female Institute, later and most commonly known as Greenbrier College for Women, with classroom space, studios, a laboratory, and an auditorium. After Greenbrier College closed in 1972, the college campus was bought by the state of West Virginia to be used briefly as the Greenbrier Center, a facility for individuals with special needs. With risk of demolition in the early 1980s, local residents formed Carnegie Hall, Inc. in 1983 and saved the building, repurposing it to serve the community with a performance venue, gallery space, and arts education programming. Carnegie Hall is a part of the West Virginia Historic Theatre Trail. 

Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg, WV

Built in 1796, and added onto just 34 years later in 1830, Old Stone Presbyterian Church is believed to be one of the oldest church buildings in continuous use west of the Allegheny Mountains. It has many unique features including its open cupola belfry and its limestone construction. Its 22 inch thick walls are believed to have been constructed by both the men and women of the congregation. History says the women rode “horseback to the Greenbrier River to fetch bags of sand for the mortar” (*1).The stone inscription above the front door reads “This building was erected in the year 1796 at the expense of a few of the first inhabitants of this land to commemorate their affection &amp; esteem for the holy gospel of JESUS CHRIST. Reader if you are inclined to applaud their virtues, give God the glory” (*2).The Lewisburg Presbyterian Church congregation (to be later known as the Old Stone Presbyterian Church) was formed in 1783 by Reverend John McCue and later pastored by Reverend Benjamin Grigsby until 1808. Dr. John McElhenney then took over the church and remained the pastor for 63 years until he died in 1871.McElhenney and his wife also began education efforts in the community by creating the Lewisburg Academy which later became the Lewisburg Female Institute (as well as the Lewisburg Seminary, and the Greenbrier College for Women) and the Greenbrier Military Academy (Greenbrier Military School) (*3).The Old Stone Church building remained unharmed during the Civil War thanks to its use as an emergency hospital. Both Union and Confederate troops also used the Church for lodging.After the Battle of Lewisburg, on May 23, 1862, fallen Confederate troops were laid in the sanctuary of the Church after Union Col. George Crooks refused to allow services to take place. His actions were a way to seek revenge for a Confederate supporter shooting a Union solider who was returning to camp. The dead Confederate soldiers were later laid out in a trench along the south wall of the church. After the war, these troops were moved to a cross-shaped mass grave off the grounds of the Church (to later be named the Confederate Cemetery of Lewisburg).The Old Stone Presbyterian Church still holds weekly worship services and is open to the community. The church houses both daycare and preschool programs and is involved in community outreach through its food bank. Friends of the Old Stone Cemetery is a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring and preserving the cemetery adjacent to the church. The cemetery is a burial ground for many of Lewisburg's founding influential people.

Built in 1796, Old Stone Presbyterian Church escaped destruction during the Civil War due to its use as an emergency hospital for both Union and Confederate troops.  After the Battle of Lewisburg on May 23, 1862, Old Stone's sanctuary housed fallen Confederate troops prior to their "burial" in an open trench near the south wall of the church. As one of the oldest churches in continuous use west of the Allegheny Mountains, Old Stone is unique in its history, construction, and importance to Civil War history. 

Old Stone Presbyterian Church

Dick Pointer, an enslaved man, saved countless lives on May 29th, 1778 when he barred the Fort Donnally door from a Native American attack and woke the sleeping inhabitants so they could protect their dwellings and lives. Seventeen years after Pointer’s actions saved Fort Donnally there was a petition for his freedom, but the Virginia General Assembly denied the request. In 1801, James Rodgers purchased Pointer and granted him his freedom. Pointer lived in a cabin, reportedly built by community members, a free man until his death in 1827. Pointer was buried with military honors in this &nbsp;cemetery.Enslaved under Col. Andrew Donnally, there is not much known about Dick Pointer before the events of 1778. *From Fort Donnally Clio entry:"In May 1778, a large group of Wyandot and Mingo Native Americans were sighted crossing the Ohio River just north of the mouth of the Kanawha. They were headed on a raiding party to Greenbrier County in order to steal cattle and attack settlements along the way. Two scouts named Philip Hammond and John Pryor were dispatched from Fort Randolph in Point Pleasant to warn Greenbrier settlements of the impending attack. When the war party had reached Greenbrier County, many of the local residents had heeded the warnings and taken refuge at Fort Donnally, a large two-story fortified double log house surrounded by a rectangular stockade which was garrisoned by local militiamen. On the morning of May 29, an estimated&nbsp;50 to 300 Natives Americans attacked Fort Donnally where 20 militiamen, under the command of Lt. Colonel Andrew Donnally and Lt. Jack Williams, along with 60 other men, women, and children had taken refuge. The militiamen withstood the initial attack and around three o’clock in the afternoon, reinforcements under the command of Colonel John Stuart arrived from Fort Savannah in nearby Lewisburg. Stuart left a detailed account of the battle.He stated, when the reinforcements initially arrived at the fort, four men had been killed; two had been killed outside the fort, and two were killed defending the initial attack. The natives had commenced the attack at first light and only Hammond and a slave named Dick Pointer were awake. Stuart writes that the natives had laid their firearms down and made their initial&nbsp;attack with tomahawks and war clubs in hope of surprising the sleeping settlers. Hammond and Pointer held the door while the Natives attempted to destroy it with their hatchets. When the attackers had the door partially opened Hammond killed one with his hatchet and Pointer fired a musket heavily loaded with buckshot at the doorway, halting the attack and alerting the rest of the fort to the attack. Once the other residents of the fort awoke, Stuart claims, “they fired out of the windows on the Indians so briskly, that…seventeen of the Enemy lay dead in the yard, one of whom was a boy about fifteen…”. Later that night, the Natives withdrew after suffering seventeen casualties. On their return to Ohio, they attacked several other small forts in the area with no success."&nbsp;Due to his large size and powerful nature, Pointer was able to save approximately 70 people, women and children mainly. All this despite as sources at the time claim, that Pointer sought permission to use the flintlock muskets at the fort. His actions made him a hero for the battle and the area. In 1801 he was granted his freedom by James Rodgers but was denied in 1795 his pension of land granted to defenders of Donnally, despite Pointer being supported by the local populace. In turn, the locals built Pointer a cabin, which he lived in until his death in 1827. He was buried in a local African-American cemetery off Church street with military honors.

This is one of the oldest African-American cemeteries in Lewisburg, and it is estimated there were over 100 burials, including Dick Pointer for whom the cemetery is named.

Dick Pointer Cemetery

When Dr. John McElhenny and his wife Rebecca moved to Lewisburg in 1808 to lead the Old Stone Presbyterian Church, they lived in a stone home across from the Greenbrier County Courthouse. During the couple’s first fall season in Lewisburg, they opened a school in their living room for young men. They taught them the classics so that they could later study their choice of law, medicine, or ministry. Even though students traveled from neighboring counties to learn from Mrs. McElhenny, there are reports of the local community not taking her seriously because of her fashion choices that she brought with her from Lexington, KY. Rebecca dispelled the doubts and continued to wear her fashionable rings; more importantly she opened up education to women in Greenbrier County. Due to the success of the living room school, Dr. John McElhenny decided to open a school across the street from the Old Stone Church in 1812.John Weir was the architect and the brick mason of “The Academy:” a two-story brick structure, with the stairs to the second floor originally placed on the exterior of the building. The Academy was incorporated by the General Assembly of Virginia in 1812, and Dr. McElhenny served as the principal until the 1820s and the board president until 1860. After the building was completed, the McElhenny’s lived in the structure while waiting for their home, built by the same architect, to be ready for occupancy. At the Academy, boys were bunked on the second floor while the girls were boarded with local community members. After the McElhenny’s house was completed, they opened their home to students who traveled from neighboring counties to attend school. The original structure was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1861.The Academy closed during the Civil War and was reopened by an alumnus, Dr. John Calvin Barr, in 1865. In 1874, the board of trustees decided to open a school for both boys and girls, and the building that was once the Academy became known as the Lewisburg Female Institute the next year. A dormitory was constructed and a covered passage was built between the two buildings, referred to as the “Bridge of Sighs” by the girls who attended the school. Dr. R. L. Telford was president of the Lewisburg Female Institute when a fire destroyed both buildings in 1901. After the fire, Greenbrier Presbytery adopted the school and rebuilt the structures that housed a residence hall with plumbing, an auditorium, classrooms, and laboratories. Carnegie Hall was part of this reconstruction, partially funded by a donation from Andrew Carnegie, who was a friend of board member James K. Laing. After the reconstruction was completed, the school’s name was again changed to Lewisburg Seminary and Conservatory of Music.In 1920, the dormitory was destroyed by fire during the Christmas Holiday break, and president John I. Armstrong found housing for the students throughout Lewisburg so that they could continue their education. During the same year, the Synod of West Virginia bought the school and erected the structure now known as Greenbrier Hall. Dr. French W. Thompson became board president in 1925, and helped transition the school from Lewisburg Seminary to Greenbrier College for Women. The school became a Junior College that offered two years of high school and two years of college. After the school’s closure in 1972, Greenbrier Hall was utilized as a state institution for mentally challenged children. It is now home to the Lewisburg campus of the New River Community and Technical College.

Greenbrier Hall was constructed in 1921 as part of Greenbrier College for Women. The college, first known as the Lewisburg Academy, was founded in 1812 by Presbyterian pastor Dr. John McElhenny. The school was closed during the Civil War, but reopened in 1875 as Lewisburg Female Institute. In 1911, the school was renamed the Lewisburg Seminary and Conservatory of Music. In 1923, the name was changed to Greenbrier College for Women. The college closed in 1972. 

The building is now home to the Lewisburg campus of the New River Community and Technical College. Greenbrier College buildings, such as Carnegie Hall and North House, continue to be used to serve the educational and cultural needs of the community.

Greenbrier Hall, Greenbrier College For Women

John North (1794-1857) served as a private in the War of 1812 and was appointed clerk of the Greenbrier District Court of Chancery in 1818, and married his wife Charlotte Blaine (1800-1883) of Lexington, VA the same year. North built his home in 1820, but sold to James Frazer later in 1836 and the structure became known as the Star Inn and Tavern.<blockquote>“Particularly catering to the jurists of the District Court of Chancery, which met in Lewisburg. Early writers visiting the springs speak of the frequent pilgramages enjoyed by guests at White Sulphur, who made all-day trips to Lewisburg to hear the lawyers wax eloquent in their court oratory and to follow with a splendid meal at the Star.”1</blockquote>When Lewisburg became the seat of the western division of the Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia, the five judges appointed North as the divisional clerk. North soon became one of Lewisburg’s most influential citizens and is responsible for shaping the politics in Greenbrier County. The house remained the Star Tavern and Inn until the property was purchased by Colonel Joel McPherson who deeded the property to his daughter Adeline Harris. Harris’ husband remodeled the house and it became a private residence again. In 1905, Greenbrier College purchased the home to house the college president. The Greenbrier Historical Society initially began in 1859 but was disbanded during the Civil War. It did not reform until 1963. However, in 1938 the city of Lewisburg created the Greenbrier County Museum Committee. This committee was the founders of the museum. After the Greenbrier Historical Society was reformed in 1963, they took responsibility for the museum.In 1976, the museum was moved from the second floor of the city library to the North House. The North House Museum is open Monday through Saturday. On selected days, the society’s archives and library are open for research. The museum is home to documents that are related to the history of the Greenbrier Valley. Collections from the Revolutionary War through World War II can be found here. There are Civil War artifacts and documents, an 18th Century Conestoga wagon, the first rural free delivery postal buggy, and the pack saddle used to break Traveller, Robert E. Lee’s horse. Looking in the rooms, one can get an idea of what early Virginia furnishings looked like.

Operated by the Greenbrier Historical Society, the North House Museum offers a variety of exhibits that share the history of life in the Greenbrier Valley for over more than two centuries. The museum is located in the historic home of John and Charlotte North which was built about 1820. In 1836 the home became James Frazer's Star Tavern and Inn. At the turn of the century, it was owned by the Greenbrier College for Women until its closure in 1972. Four years later, the historical society acquired the house. Over the past decades, this museum and library have amassed a collection of thousands of artifacts and rare books. The museum and society also host special community and educational events throughout the year. 

John North House 

James Frazier, owner of the North House that operated as the Star Tavern (across the street, currently North House Museum), built the library building at the request of jurists who were his patrons during the long terms of the western division of the Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia. During the Civil War, the building became a military hospital.Following the formation of the State of West Virginia, the library closed and it was used for other purposes, one of which was as a Masonic Lodge. The City of Lewisburg acquired the building in 1935 and after restoration in 1941 it became the Greenbrier County Library and Museum. Following the erection of a new county library in 2007, the building was vacant until becoming the New River Community and Technical College library. In 2022, possession of the building moved to the Greenbrier Historical Society &amp; North House Museum.To the immediate west of the library is a small brick building that was the slaves quarters at the Johnston Reynolds house on Chestnut Street. It was moved to serve as an annex to the library.

This building was erected in 1834 as a library and study for the Virginia Court of Appeals. Inside visitors may see a section of a plaster wall where soldiers scratched their names during the Civil War when the building was used as a hospital. After the war, the building was used as a Masonic Lodge, private residence, the Greenbrier County Public Library, and the library for the New River Community and Technical College. It is currently leased to the Greenbrier Historical Society by the City of Lewisburg and is undergoing renovations.

Site of Virginia Court of Appeals Library

Col. Goshen was a tailor and a county jailer who delighted in the uniform allowed by his militia command.&nbsp; He was appointed postmaster in 1825 and, at the blowing of the mail boy's horn, he would run to distribute the few pieces of mail.&nbsp; Any that weren't picked up would then be stuck in his bell-crowned hat and given to their owners when he saw them - an early form of mail delivery.

Thought to have been built about 1800, this is a frame building with hand-hewn studs. The log kitchen and dogtrot were late enclosed as part of the house.  It is named for Col. Goshen, a former postmaster.

Col. Marcus Goshen House

While this house has served as a residence for most of its life, it became the site of a string of &nbsp;restaurants. In its course of becoming a commercial building, additions and appendages were built. It is now occupied by The Humble Tomato, a restaurant.

Materials, such as its hand-hewn log frame and its construction methods, indicate that this house was built in the late 1700s and is one of the earliest houses in Lewisburg. Luke Bowyer, a prominent lawyer in the late 1700s and early 1800s, lived here from 1808 to 1814. Later, it belonged to  William Foster, who served as Lewisburg's mayor from 1928-1930 and 1933-1942.  He is the longest serving mayor to date.

Bowyer-Grow-Foster House

Prior to the fire of 1897 (see Greenbrier Valley Bank Building), the Greenbrier Clothing House set on this lot. The bank building and adjacent brick store building were designed by Major James M. Lee of the Lee Military Academy (predecessor of Greenbrier Military School), and at the time of construction described by the&nbsp;Greenbrier Independent as "a large, handsome, very&nbsp;symmetrical building that would be a credit to any city in the state."

Constructed in 1897 as Greenbrier Bank, this building operated under the Elks Club from 1951 and 1981 and is still called the "Elks Building." It features Romanesque Revival architecture, a symmetrical facade, round arches, semi-circular arches on the windows, red brick, rusticated stone around the windows and doors and decorative ironwork. The building is trimmed in native sandstone.

In recent years, the ground floor of this building has been occupied by retail shops.  On the second floor, there were offices and, briefly, the Uptop Sandwich Shop.  The third floor served as the meeting area for the Elks Club and the site of a mid-day card game that went on for a number of years. The second and third floor have been repurposed as apartments.

Site of Bank of Greenbrier

Samuel Price (1805-1884) was elected Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1863, served as President of the West Virginia Constitutional Convention in 1872, and was appointed to the U. S. Senate in 1876. Price's home and a commemorative wayside marker are a short distance north on Court Street. The fire of 1897 burned all the on this block south of this building which caught on fire beneath the tin roof, but by hard work the building was saved. The&nbsp;Greenbrier Independent gave great credit to the African American residents of town for stopping the progress of the fire: "Their efforts were untiring and well directed and to them is largely due the credit for preventing the spread of the fire on Court Street and beyond." This office was later used by John A. Preston who was mentored by and a partner of Samuel Price. Preston&nbsp;was County Prosecutor when&nbsp;the famous Shue murder case came to trial. Shue's was convicted based on the testimony of a ghost. He also served as a state senator.

Samuel Price purchased a "small piece of a lot" for an office from Sarah Stuart in 1852.  His office was built circa 1855 and escaped the Lewisburg fire of 1897 that destroyed much of the business district. This building, made of double-brick construction, remained in the Price family until 1946.

Site of Lt. Gov. Samuel Price Law Office

The theatre opened in 1939 to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in&nbsp;The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle, Jack Oakie and Lucille Ball in the&nbsp;Affairs of Annabel,&nbsp;and on stage, Natchee and his Arizona cowboys. in 2013 the theatre purchased a digital projector. The Lewis has operated continuously since it was built, serving the local community and visitors. The building is open a half-hour before films and by appointment. In addition to showing films, the Lewis Theatre features the Trillium Performing Arts Collective as its company in residence.

The Lewis Theatre was designed in functional, post-deco style by R.L. Whitten, an architect from Charleston, WV, and was constructed for Sam and Alex Yarid in 1939 for presenting film and “small” vaudeville. This two-story structure was built primarily of hollow, glazed terra cotta block, popular from about 1900 into the 1930s. It had 540 seats downstairs, and 100 seats in the balcony. The street-level front was originally faced at with Black Vitrolite slabs, shown in historic photos along with the original marquee. 

Lewis Theatre

Captain Thomas Edgar (1750-1825), surveyor from Bedford County, Virginia, laid out the town of Lewisburg in 1792. He married Ann Mathews (1765-1852)&nbsp;in 1783 and purchased Lot 4 in 1798. &nbsp;It is not clear if the Edgars built the stone house or it was completed when they bought the lot. &nbsp;It may have been used as an "ordinary" (inn) in the 1790s. In addition to being a surveyor, Thomas Edgar was a delegate to the General Assembly in Virginia in 1790. The Edgars' grandson, Colonel George Mathews Edgar, is credited with saving Lewisburg from being burned during the Civil War by rebuffing an Union attack at Tuckwiller Hill just west of town. The Rev. Dr. McElhenney lived in the stone house when he first settled in Lewisburg in 1808, and tradition has it that small children were brought here before an open wood fire and taught by Mrs. McElhenney. The house was vacant during the Civil War, but it is said to have been used as a military hospital. It later became the Lewisburg Hotel, and most recently has been a law office.

The stone part of this building dates from the 1790s and served as the dwelling of Thomas Edgar, Greenbrier County first public surveyor. Its thick walls are built from native limestone and has an unusually wide front door. The Rev. Dr. McElhenney occupied the stone structure when he came to Lewisburg in 1808, and tradition states that in it he directed the first school in Lewisburg.

Thomas Edgar House

Greenbrier County was created by the Virginia General Assembly in October of 1777, along with Rockbridge and Rockingham Counties, but the law was not ratified until March 1st, 1778. Greenbrier was split off from Botetourt County. The first court held in Greenbrier County is unknown, however the earliest county clerk record dates back to November of 1780. The first county clerk’s office was built on the property that is now known as the Stuart Manor, because Col. John Stuart was the county clerk at the time. John Stuart was a leader in the movement to create Greenbrier County and is often referred to as the “Father of Greenbrier County.” In 1782, a one-story log structure was deemed the first official courthouse and was facing Washington Street, at the corner leading to the Old Stone Church. It is unknown whether the log structure was already present, or whether the county built or rented the structure. Patrick Henry defended a man acquitted of manslaughter in the first courthouse of Greenbrier County. The log structure was utilized as a courthouse for only a short period of time, and was turned into a private residence by William Smithee. After 70 years of being a private residence, the structure was razed in the 1920’s.Lewisburg is the third oldest town in the state of West Virginia, and was created by the Virginia Assembly in October of 1782. The area that is now known as Lewisburg was named for the person Andrew Lewis who surveyed it. The town was originally known as Savannah. Captain Thomas Edgar was the county surveyor, and laid out the town of Lewisburg in a square form with four half-acre lots in each block. The county set aside lots 7 and 8 for public buildings, such as the courthouse, prison, and a market house for cattle. The Lewis Spring inhabited lot 8, which is why this area was deemed for public structures. Scholars debate the number of and location of courthouses prior to the current Greenbrier County courthouse, but it seems all of the structures prior to 1800 were small log cabins. In 1800, Colonel John Stuart gifted Greenbrier County with a three-story brick courthouse. Lewisburg prospered and grew in the early 1800’s, and the Supreme Court of Virginia began holding sessions in the Greenbrier County courthouse. In 1837, a ten-thousand-dollar levy was passed, and the process to build a county courthouse on lots 7 and 8 began. The last and current Greenbrier County Courthouse was constructed of local materials by John Dunn in the same year. The reason the structure was built so close to the road, and doesn’t have lawn space, is because of its location near the Lewis Spring. The WPA constructed new wings on either side of this existing courthouse in 1939.

The Greenbrier County Courthouse was built in 1837 by a local brick mason named John. W Dunn. and has been improved throughout the years. The original courthouse stands at the center of two new wings, which were built in 1937 and 1963. The Greenbrier County Courthouse was one of the first courthouses built west of the Appalachian mountains, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

Greenbrier County Courthouse 

Samuel Price studied law in Kentucky and was admitted to the Virginia Bar in 1832. He practiced law in Nicholas County, VA, and served in the Virginia House of Delegates, 1834-1863, representing Nicholas and Fayette Counties. In 1837, he married Jane Stuart, granddaughter of Greenbrier County pioneer, Col. John Stuart.  Price moved to Lewisburg, VA, and was elected to the Constitutional Convention in 1850 representing six counties, including Greenbrier. He was elected Lt. Governor of Virginia in 1863.  In 1871, he was elected a delegate to the West Virginia Constitutional Convention, becoming its president. In 1877, he was appointed U. S. Senator to fill the unexpired term of Senator Allen Caperton of Monroe, County. He died in 1884 and is buried in Stuart Manor, a few miles south of Lewisburg. The Price home continues to be occupied by his decedents.

This stately home sits on a large lot shaded by old maple trees. The two-story brick house and cut-stone foundation were built in 1840 and purchased soon thereafter by Samuel Price. Nearly square in plan with a hipped roof,  the house has some Greek revival elements, six chimneys, and the visitor enters through a massive forty-eight inch wide door.  Of particular interest are two octagonal brick buildings on the east side that were originally used as a bathhouse and smoke house. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

Lt. Gov. Samuel Price House

Christian Varner, a hatter,  and his wife, Elizabeth moved to Lewisburg, bought this large lot for $100, and began construction on a brick home. For some untold reason, the house-building ceased and the property was sold in 1829 to Captain Henry Erskine, a prominent local merchant and member of the Virginia Assembly.  The house was bought by Silas Boxley Mason (1847-1911) and his wife Elizabeth Montgomery Mason (1851-1931) after they moved to Lewisburg in 1881. Mason was the son of C. R. Mason who's engineering abilities were utilized by General Robert E. Lee during the Civil War. He was known as the "Napoleon" of railroad contractors. William H. Mason, one of Silas and Elizabeth's nine children became an engineer and inventor, apprenticed with Thomas A. Edison, and invented Masonite in 1924. The house lay vacant and in disrepair for many years until it was restored recently by Florian and Margaret Schleiff and their children. It has been repurposed as apartments and offices.

The original brick structure was built in 1829 for Christian and Elizabeth Varner. It was later purchased by Silas Mason who began a series of enlargements, alterations and architectural changes to the house that came to be known as the "mansion." Mason traveled extensively in his job as a railroad contractor, during which time he discovered new architectural features that he would then incorporate on his house.

Varner-Erskine-Silas B. Mason House

Floyd Estill (1813-1876) was in the mercantile business with Henry Erskine and ran their store in White Sulphur Springs. In her obituary, Susan Rebecca Esltill (1821-1889) was said to have: ...had fine taste, a cultivated mind and very genial manners. The house she presided over was one of the most refined in our village. Later occupants of the house included, John W. Arbuckle (1850-1925) and Mary Tate Arbuckle (1855-1884). &nbsp;John was a lawyer, West Virginia state senator, and mayor of Lewisburg. An active Mason, he was Master of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia. In 1953, the house was bought by Dr. Mavin and Helen Houck. Dr. Houch was a coal company physician for Carbon Fuel in Cabin Creek, West Virginia. The house is still occupied by the Houck family.

Built in 1855 by Floyd and Susan Rebecca Estill, this house and three-acre estate face Arbuckle Lane. This house is an unusually fine example of transitional Greek Revival architecture.  it is said this was the last house in town to have been undergirded with whole tree trunks.

Floyd Estill House

Among the earliest residents of the house, were Thomas and Phoebe Welch. Thomas Welch (1795-1854), known as "Old Tommie" was a carpenter. His carpenter shop adjacent to the house was burned by Federal troops during the Civil War. Phoebe Welch (1799-1882) became a weaver after her husband died to support her family. The Welchs had twelve children:&nbsp;ten daughters and two sons. The house was later occupied by William Cowan and Virginia Samuel Woodson. William Woodson (1818-1886) was sheriff, Clerk of the Court of Appeals, and Clerk of the Circuit Court of Greenbrier County. He was a stepbrother of General "Stonewall" Jackson. &nbsp;Virginia Woodson (1827-1886) was, &nbsp;at age 91 when she died, &nbsp;the oldest resident of Lewisburg.

This log cabin dates to the early 1800s and is covered with wide board and batten. The lot is part of an early survey by John G. McClannahan. As the house evolved, one can see various stylistic elements, including Federal, Greek Revival, and Victorian.

Welch House

Johnston Reynolds came to Lewisburg as a pupil at the Lewisburg Academy. He became an attorney and was a town trustee, Elder in Old Stone Presbyterian Church, and&nbsp;Clerk of the Court of Appeals in 1858. &nbsp;It was reported that Reynolds saved the court records and valuable documents&nbsp;from destruction during the Civil War in 1862 by loading them into a two-horse wagon and taking them to Pittsylvania County, Virginia. &nbsp;Later occupants of the house were John A. and Sallie Lewis Price&nbsp;Preston.&nbsp;John Preston (1847-1917) served as a private in the 14th Virginia Calvary of the Confederate Army. He attended Washington College (now Washington &amp; Lee University) and became a law partner of Lt. Governor Samuel Price. He served as Greenbrier County&nbsp;prosecuting attorney several times and served in the West Virginia House of Delegates and State Senate. He became a trustee of Washington &amp; Lee and was a ruling elder in the Old Stone Presbyterian Church. &nbsp;He was the prosecutor in the "Greenbrier Ghost" murder trail.&nbsp; Following the death of Sallie Preston, John married Lillie Davis whose brother, John W. Davis, was the Democratic candidate for President in 1924. He died in 1917 on the L&amp;R Electric Railway as it passed by Tuscawilla, the old Preston homestead where he was born.

This three-story brick structure is reported to have been built by John Dunn for Johnston Reynolds.  The house may have served as a school for females. A brick slave quarters and kitchen was moved to the grounds of New River Community and Technical College Library. This former house now serves as offices of the Greenbrier County Board of Education and has seen many alterations and additions.

Johnston Reynolds House

Born in Ireland, Andrew Lewis (1720-1781) was a surveyor and military officer. He and his father, John, explored much of the Greenbrier Valley. He served as a captain in the French and Indian War and rose to the rank of major when he built frontier forts in nearby Bath County, Virginia, and in the Greenbrier Valley. As a colonel, Lewis defeated Shawnee Chief Cornstalk in the bloody Battle of Point Pleasant. Lewis and his family lived in Salem, Virginia, and he served in the Virginia legislature. The town of Lewisburg is named for him. lf you stand by the spring house, you can hear the spring flowing beneath it.

Most likely, this limestone spring house was built in the 18th century. It is thought that Capt. Andrew Lewis discovered the spring. The area we know as Lewisburg was called Savannah. Fort Savannah, a frontier fort, may have been built near here in the latter half of the 18th century. Ruth Woods Dayton, local historian, believed the spring may have been inside the log fort. Dr. John F. Montgomery, another local historian, thought the fort was on the other side of Jefferson Street. Regardless, the spring was a source of water for the fort and later for the settlement that developed around it. 

Andrew Lewis Park was dedicated in 1974 as part of the commemoration of the assembly of the troops in 1774 for the march to the Battle of Point Pleasant.

Lewis Spring/Andrew Lewis Park

Located at 200 North Jefferson Street, the Barracks is one
of the earliest buildings in Lewisburg, West Virginia. The Barracks was built
sometime between 1787 and 1807. It is a three-story stone and log structure.
The Barracks is located on the Seneca Trail Highway.&nbsp; It is one block from Historic Downtown
Lewisburg and the Midland Trail National Scenic Byway.

The Barracks functioned as an outpost of civilization during
the early 1800s. Because it is next to the General Lewis Spring, it was often
used as a stopping point for early settlers. Freight wagons, military units,
and stage coaches all made stops at the Barracks. During the War of 1812 it was
used as an enlistment house or a&nbsp;barracks, and from this it received his name.Through its lifetime, the building was used chiefly as a residence. It was almost razed in 1952. In&nbsp;1977 when the building was restored to its present appearance&nbsp;the exterior was covered with wood shiplap siding, &nbsp;and the interior was covered with plaster.&nbsp;

The Barracks is known for catching the eye of all those who
pass through the area. When traveling into Downtown Lewisburg, it is hard to
pass by the Barracks and not imagine the lifestyles of early Virginians. It
also makes observers wonder what such a landmark meant to the early pioneers
who traveled into the area.

This three-story stone and log structure was built on Lot 11 of the first town plot sometime near the city's incorporation in 1789, making the Barracks the oldest building in the city of Lewisburg. It is quite possible it was built about 1787 by William Morrow, a tailor. Located near the General Lewis Spring, the Barracks were a stopping point for travelers and military units. It was also a center of trade and transportation, as stage coaches and freight wagons stopped regularly at the Barracks. The structure is presently being restored by the Greenbrier Historical Society.

The Barracks, Lewisburg WV

Sally Patton (1817-1892)&nbsp;was the widow of Dr. William M. Patton and sister of General Alexander Reynolds of the Confederate Army. &nbsp;Her only son, Lt. W. A. M. Patton of the Confederate Army, died from a disease he caught during the Civil War. &nbsp;At her death, The Greenbrier Independent wrote, "She was a staunch southerner and an uncompromising rebel. During the war her house was a sort of general rendezvous for Confederate officers and soldiers who always got the best her table could afford." It had been reported she secreted ammunition in her home.

This structure sits on Lot 27 of the original town plat and embraces a portion of the site of Fort Savannah, a frontier log fort. In 1856, the lot was conveyed by Alexander Reynolds to his widowed sister, Sally Patton, and the house may have been built shortly after it was acquired. It was a residence until 1936 when it was converted into a funeral chapel.

Reynolds-Patton House

Known as the Houck Store, it is named after Arthur Keller ("AK") Houck. According to AK's granddaughter, Nancy Bulla, and local historian, Dr. John Montgomery, AK came to Lewisburg to pitch for a Lewisburg baseball team. When this Cincinnati Reds farm team went belly up, AK opened his store, initially in the Hotel Neely building. According to Dr. Montgomery, AK was the first merchant to sell&nbsp;fresh vegetables and very early sold avocados that he called "alligator pears." Ms. Bulla recounts that AK loved cats and kept them at the store to keep out mice. One customer told AK that a cat was up on a barrel of salted fish eating one of them out of the brine. To the dismayed customer, he quipped, "Cats like fish." It is thought there may have been an opera house in the building as Mr. Houck found a popcorn machine in the building when he bought it. Since the Houck Store, this building has continued to be occupied with various stores, a restaurant,&nbsp;&nbsp;and now houses Bella The Corner Gourmet.

This two-story mercantile building was built circa 1910 and replaced a log building that once housed Greenbrier County's first courthouse. Work done in the 1980s found the foundation for a smaller building beneath the existing building.

Houck Store

As former owner&nbsp;Gwen Clingman described it, "it is a dump." It still had the remnants of a meat market with&nbsp;a few chairs and oil cloth covered&nbsp;tables, but Gwen served breakfast and lunch to much of downtown&nbsp;Lewisburg. &nbsp;Patrons would walk to the kitchen and point to the many pots on the stoves and select their meal. &nbsp;Each Friday she served a Thanksgiving dinner complete with turkey and dressing. Clingman generously provided free meals to shut-ins and&nbsp;others in need. For many students at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, it was the only hot meal they would get. &nbsp;In her honor, Gwen's Meals, sponsored by local churches, continues to feed the needy. Today, the building is occupied&nbsp;the Stardust Cafe.

Since its construction, this building has housed a saddler's shop, meat market, and restaurant.  It is best known as Clingman's Market, which operated within the building for 57 years, from 1945 to 2002.

Clingman's Market

This building and the former adjacent building served as taverns for many years as The Bell Tavern, Old Bell Stand, Frazier's Tavern, Central Inn, Greenbrier House, and the Bivens Boarding House. On August 30, 1826, Henry Clay, Whig Party leader and U. S. Secretary of State, was warmly received by residents at a dinner in the tavern. This building once had a second floor balcony with a wrought iron railing that was described by local historian Ruth Wood Dayton as "delicate in design." When it was removed it was one of the last attractive balconies along Washington Street. The building is now occupied by Greenbrier Real Estate.

This two-story painted brick building was the "western part" of The Bell Tavern that was thought to have been built before 1823 and has since been demolished. This building may have been built by John Weir, noted architect and brick mason. In addition to having been part of the adjacent tavern, it was a store house and was occupied by a saddle shop in 1879.

Bell Tavern

After the theatre closed in 1942, it has had varied commercial businesses on the ground floor and offices and apartments above. Most recently, it was site of the Irish Pub that closed in 2018.

Opened on December 23, 1913 by W. W. Foster, the Princess Theatre was the first moving picture theatre in Lewisburg and began by showing silent films. It was also reported to have been the site of a basement speakeasy during Prohibition. 

Princess Theatre Building

For a while this building was known as the Patrick Henry Court House because Patrick Henry had spoken there. In 1920 a small group of women who had been involved with the Red Cross during WWI organized the Greenbrier County Woman's Association to continue public service. The Association purchased the building and provided offices and an apartment for a public health nurse and headquarters for the county Red Cross. An operating room and ward with eleven beds was developed for children who needed tonsillectomies. In addition, it was the site of a WPA sewing project and WPA library. It has housed a pre-school program and meeting place for the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. The Greenbrier County Parent Teacher Association was organized in this building.&nbsp; &nbsp;Once again, it is home to a mercantile business, Brick House Antiques.

This Federal style building may have been built by master mason, John Weir, as a store house. John Withrow (1816-1886), owned the building from 1852-1865 and ran his mercantile business in it. He lived upstairs with his wife, Louisa Anne Withrow (1819-1878). Louisa taught at the Lewisburg Academy. In her obituary, she was described as "...a decided Presbyterian, yet, she was catholic in her views, and liberal and non-sectarian in her sentiments."

Community House

The U. S. Treasury Department's Section of Painting and Sculpture, known as the "Section" was created in 1934 to provide jobs for artists.&nbsp; More than 1,000 contracts were awarded before the project ended in 1943. At the time, the artistic community was inspired by the Mexican muralists Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueriros. Murals were painted and installed throughout the United States, largely in post offices and courthouses.&nbsp; Many of the murals have disappeared or fallen into disrepair. Other murals by Robert Franklin Gates may be found in post offices in Bethesda and Oakland, Maryland.

This historic post office was constructed in 1937 and contains a mural entitled "Old Time Camp Meeting" that depicts a social and religious event of local importance. The mural was painted in 1940 by Robert Franklin Gates as part of President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal Program. Gates (1906-1982) studied at the Detroit School of Arts and Crafts and the Art Students League. He became head of the art department at American University in Washington, D. C.

U.S. Post Office, Lewisburg, WV

The Rev. John Spotts (1784-1838) converted from Presbyterianism and was ordained at Big Levels Church (now Mt. Tabor Baptist Church) on May 5, 1832. &nbsp;In 1835, he "...emancipated and set free my negro woman Rachel (alias Rachel Hill) aged about twenty two years and her infant son Norman aged about two years and six months." Following the Spotts family in 1873, this home was occupied by William Henry and Nancy Pare Johnson and their twelve children. Johnson was a tailor and merchant and served as a private in the Confederate Army.

John and Mary Beard Spotts purchased Lot 15 in 1831 and built this brick home soon thereafter. The Reverend Spotts was a teacher for Dr. John McElhenney at Lewisburg Academy. This house at one time was said to have housed the largest theological library west of the Allegheny Mountains.

Rev. John Spotts House

<blockquote>James Nelson Montgomery (1818-1886) was a real estate dealer, merchant, and bank teller. He was an active member of Old Stone Church and Clerk of Session for nearly forty years. He was the youngest son of John Montgomery, one of the founders of Augusta Academy in Lexington, VA, that later became Washington and Lee University. Ann Susan Montgomery (1825-1897), a native of Wheeling, WV, was active in the missionary program of Old Stone Presbyterian Church. James Dunn, the builder was a local brick mason and contractor who built many of Lewisburg's fine early homes and the Greenbrier County Courthouse.</blockquote>

This Federal style house was built by John Dunn in 1845 for James and Ann Susan Montgomery. Historian Ruth Dayton Woods describes the house as " a cheerful two-story brick house, standing with the sun in its face at the northwest corner of Lee and Randolph streets." The interior of the earlier part has very good random-width floors as well as very attractive mantels. A two-room basement has a fireplace and dirt floors and is thought to have been a summer kitchen.

James Montgomery House

<blockquote>Thomas and Elizabeth Ann Warren&nbsp;Pare occupied this home in the early 1800s. Thomas Pare (1813-1882) learned the saddlery trade in Richmond, Virginia, and came to Lewisburg at age 20.&nbsp;Thomas, in partnership with Uriah Warren, formed Pare, Warren and Company.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In 1854 this company employed sixteen workers and manufactured annually about 600 saddles and forty sets of harness. &nbsp; Elizabeth Ann Pare (1871-1898) had eight children, 48 grandchildren and 31 great grandchildren. &nbsp;</blockquote>

Although the exact date is not known, the log part of this structure is one of the oldest constructions on North Lee Street.  A cannon ball, most likely from the Civil War Battle of Lewisburg, was found in the front wall during restoration.

Thomas Pare House

This educational establishment dates back to 1808 when Dr. John McElhenney began his efforts to create an academy in Lewisburg. The school secured a charter from the state of Virginia in 1812 and trained many young men who would go on to have successful careers in business, politics, and the military. Like many schools and academies, the building serves as a barracks and hospital during the Civil War. The current structure was completed in 1921. The Greenbrier Military School operated under several names and after its closure, the building was acquired by the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.

Although the name of the institution changed, the Greenbrier Military School was the oldest privately-owned military school in the history of the United States and it was accredited by the Virginias Military Schools League, National Association of Military Schools, and the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.&nbsp;Founded by&nbsp;Dr. John McElhenney and&nbsp;his wife, the Lewisburg Academy was later separated to create two separate schools, the&nbsp;Greenbrier Military School for men&nbsp;and Greenbrier College for Women.

Following the Civil War, the two schools separated and the school for young men became known as the Greenbrier Military Academy. In the late 1800s a fire destroyed the school and by 1896 a new building was built that attracted children from all over the country. The curriculum heavily focused on religion as well as academics. In the year of 1921 the building once again burnt; however, another building was built in its place. The school for boys became known as one of the top 10 military schools in the nation due to their firm discipline and strict military environment (1).

On the other side of town was the Greenbrier College for Women. This institution began in the same way as The Greenbrier Military Academy. It also had several fires that caused the building to be rebuilt multiple times.

These two schools had many similarities. Both academies were rebuilt several times after fires destroyed their class buildings. Both were also used to house troops and treat the wounded during the Civil War. Although the schools were physically separated, they retained a close relationship. They shared a vocal ensemble that performed together throughout WV and they attended Old Stone Presbyterian Church together each Sunday.

Col. Houston B. Moore and his brothers, Capt. Joseph M. and Capt. D.T. Moore&nbsp;purchased the institution in 1920, from the Greenbrier Presbytery, and returned to a military curriculum. (3) Dormitories large enough to house 250 boys&nbsp;were built on the school's campus encouraging young men from all over Virginia and other states to attend. Four years of military training became mandatory for all that attended. The Moore family remained tied to the school as teachers, board members, students and teachers until the school closed in 1972.

&nbsp;The Greenbrier Alumni Association continues to have class reunions annually. The reunions give former students a chance to reminisce about their times there at the Brier. Each year, the deceased names for the previous year are read, a dinner and dance is held, a golf outing for the gentlemen, a ladies breakfast for the wives, and Sunday service at the Old Stone Presbyterian Church.

The oldest privately-owned military school in America, the Greenbrier Military School was established by Dr. John McElhenney in 1808. The institution operated as the Lewisburg Academy and was later named the Greenbrier Military Academy. The building was later home to the Greenbrier Presbyterial School that provided an education for boys that included four years of military training. The building survived several fires and the school operated until 1972. Notable alumni of GMS included the 20th Governor of West Virginia, Homer A. Holt, and Bob Evans, who founded the Bob Evans restaurant chain. After the Greenbrier Military School closed, the building was acquired by a group of physicians who opened the Greenbrier College of Osteopathic Medicine, known today as the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.

Greenbrier Military School (West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine)

Henry Hodson was a soldier in the Civil War who accidentally loaded his musket twice, and when fired, the recoil knocked him unconscious. &nbsp;It was reported that two Union soldiers were killed and a third wounded from the weapon's discharge.

This building was constructed in the French Second Empire style of architecture by Henry Reece Hodson in 1882 as a boarding school for girls, but it was never used for that purpose. Notable features of the Second Empire style found in this structure are the mansard roof, arched windows with Gothic shutters, and asymmetrical facade. Next to the house is a one-story, square brick dependency that resembles a pigeonnier.

Henry Hodson House

The Lewisburg Independent School District Board of Education acquired this land in 1877 and constructed a building the following year that offered elementary classes with high school classes added in 1915. The foundation of the original building&nbsp;may have been used for the present building. A 1930 Sanborn Map shows a drawing of the school indicating it had steam heat and electricity. &nbsp;A separate gymnasium burned to the ground in 1936. &nbsp;Construction of a new gymnasium&nbsp;to the rear of the brick building began in 1937 and was completed the next year. Faced with the prospect of demolition, the Lewisburg Historic Landmarks Commission rallied support to save the school. &nbsp;It&nbsp;was acquired by New River Community and Technical College and served as its Lee Street Campus. &nbsp;With decreased enrollment and budget constraints, the college sold the school in 2017 to an investment group that is repurposing the buildings for rental apartments and artist studios.

Known as Lewisburg High School, construction on this building began in 1924. The architecture cannot be firmly placed in any particular style having been built in a transitional period between revival styles of the late 19th century and the streamlined institutional architecture associated with the New Deal. Following consolidation of Greenbrier County's high schools, the school continued to serve as a junior high and elementary school until 2012.

Lewisburg School

This two-story brick house with a central passage way was probably built about 1875 for David Richard ("D. R.") Thomas (1845-1920) and Mary Ellen ("Ella") Thomas. Following his service in the Confederate Army, D. R. Thomas returned to Lewisburg where he owned a grocery store at the corner of Washington and Court Streets.

From 1940 until 2006, the house was owned and occupied by the Bell family.

Thomas-Bell House

Built by Jesse B. Bowlin, this is one of the oldest houses in Lewisburg.&nbsp; The original log construction is concealed by vertical weatherboarding, and the wings built of handmade bricks were added in recent years.&nbsp; The interior has low ceilings, shipsawed and beaded beams, random-width oak floor boards, and a hand-carved mantel.&nbsp; The brick enclosed rear garden is a lovely feature. One of the many owners of the house, was Patrick McCleary (1837-1881) and Mary ("May") Lewis (Donnally) McCleary (1835-1902). Patrick was&nbsp;an expert tinner and coppersmith, who made kettles, pans and coffee pots. When Mary died, the Greenbrier Independent described her as, "No lady was better known to our people than Mrs. McCleary, for in her active life she was a prime mover in all benevolent enterprises..." Fearing the house was going to be razed and a gas station built on the lot, the house was purchased in 1935&nbsp;by Mr. Randolph Hock, proprietor of The General Lewis Inn across the street, and remained in the Hock family for many years until 2104, at which time it was purchased by Glen and Carol Jewel who undertook extensive renovations to the interior.

Built about 1784, this log house is said to have been the first house built on "Hard Scrabble Hill," the area of East Washington Street where horses and livestock had difficulty climbing the hill. The building has been used as a drover's office with counting gate, a schoolhouse, and a commissary during the Civil War. J. W. Benjamin, local historian, reported the house served as headquarters for the staff of "The Yankee," a newspaper published twice by Union soldiers from Ohio.

Patrick McCleary, a tin and coppersmith, added a unique pattern of weatherboards to the building when he owned it.

Jesse B. Bowlin House

Hugh Donnally was a glove maker who came to America from Wales in the late 1760s and settled west of Lewisburg. &nbsp;He and his family created a glovemaking industry in Lewisburg&nbsp;that employed about fifty people and annually produced thousands of pairs of gloves that were sold from Cincinnati to New York. &nbsp;Made from deerskins and using a proprietary tanning formula, the gloves were soft and pliable yet tough and strong. The last of the glove makers was Hugh Wilson Donnally who was born in 1844 and died in 1914. He was married to Rebecca Frances Donnally (1846-1908) and together they had nine children. When Rebecca died, she was described in her obituary as "an exceptionally good woman, a dutiful wife, a devoted mother, a loving and sympathetic friend and a faithful member of the M. E. Church, South."

For over 100 years, this house served as the home to the Donnally family, Lewisburg's famed glove makers.  In 1837,  the property was conveyed to Charles Donnally.  Early deeds indicate the presence of a log house that may well be incorporated in the existing house as it has log sills and hand hewn beams. Columns that mimic those across the street at the General Lewis Inn were added in the 1950s.

Donnally House

Patrick Beirne (1798-1876), a merchant, was married to Elizabeth "Betsy" Dean McClung Beirne (1809-1837).&nbsp; John Jordon Echols, Sr. (1846-1926) and his wife, Sarah "Sadie" Elizabeth Echols (1849-1912) bought the house from the Beirne family. John Echols served in the Confederate Army with the Rockbridge Reserves and was a farmer with extensive real estate holdings. John and Sarah had seven children.&nbsp;

Built by or for Jacob Smith or James H. Nesmith, this two-story brick house has unusual stepped gables.  As it has been for many years, the house is nearly concealed by trees and vines.  Patrick Beirne purchased the house in 1845, and it remained in the Beirne family until 1895.  It has been in the John Echols family since.

Jacob Smith-Patrick Beirne-Echols House

Mason Mathews (see backstory of the Venable-Mathews-Moore House just up the street)&nbsp;bought this property at auction in 1845 for $2,020. &nbsp;For the next 118 years, the Mathews family occupied the house. &nbsp;In 1874, Mason Mathews conveyed the house to his parents, Alexander Ferdinand Mathews (1842-1927) and Laura Maud Gardner Mathews (1842-1927). &nbsp;Alexander Mathews attended Lewisburg Academy and the University of Virginia where he received a law degree. During the Civil War, he was Commissary of Subsistence for the 59th Virginia Infantry of the Confederate Army&nbsp;and was an aide-de-camp to General Henry A. Wise, former governor of Virginia. He was a co-founder of the Bank of Lewisburg and brother of Henry M. Mathews, former governor of West Virginia.

This house was built in 1845 to replace an earlier brick home that burned. This is a three-by-three bay, L-shaped structure with a hipped roof. Its floor plan is regular Georgian with large 6/6 sashes. Special feature include the very large inside chimneys with corbeled caps, the pairs of brackets all around the deep cornice, and substantial entrance porch with much Italianate-style decorative woodwork. 

Mathews House

The house was built in 1853 by John Watts Lipps &nbsp;(1820-1897) and Mary Ann Anderson Lipps (1823-1893). John Lipps was a Blacksmith, hardware store owner,&nbsp;&nbsp;Justice of Peace for 20 years, and a member of the County Court. Mary Lipps' father was a Captain in the Revolutionary War, and she and John had eight children. At her death, the&nbsp;Greenbrier Independent noted that Mary Lipps "...dispensed her charities to the poor and needy..." In 1903, the house was purchased by Richard Vine Jasper (1846-1923) and Caroline Nichols Jasper (1846-1911). Richard Jasper was&nbsp;born in England, immigrated to Pennsylvania, and &nbsp;with James Laing&nbsp;developed coal mines in Fayette County, WV.&nbsp; The house passed from the Jasper family to Charles W. Lewis II and Margaret Mary Lewis in 1961. For many years the Lewis family were prominent automobile dealers, and the house remains in their family.

This brick house began as a rather plain two-story brick structure with impressive tall chimneys. This transitional  house with an ell has seen many additions including porches and a piazza to accommodate the large familes who have resided here. Wide lawns with trees make for an expansive appearance . 

John Lipps House

Not much is know about the Venables other than they were long-time members of the Methodist Church, and John was a carpenter. &nbsp;Mason Mathews was president of the Bank of Lewisburg as well as president of the First National Bank of Ronceverte and Richwood Bank and Trust Company. In 1912, he was elected President of the West Virginia Bankers Association. The house was purchased by Colonel H. B. Moore and Ida J. Moore, and in 1949 the Moore conveyed it to three of H. B. Moore's sisters, E. Katharine (Kate) Moore, Emma E. Moore and Willie J. Moore. &nbsp;Colonel Moore, a graduate of Hampden-Sydney College, was principal of Greenbrier Presbyterial School (later Greenbrier Military School), where he also taught math. Following the deaths of the Moore sisters, the property was bequeathed to Rev. Stewart M. McMurry, son of Priscilla Moore McMurry, another Moore sibling.&nbsp;

The first house on this lot was built circa 1855 by John Dean Venable (1805-1881) and Nancy Winall Venable (1813-1889).  The property was bought in 1892 by Mason Mathews (1867-1928) and Jane Montgomery Mathews. The Mathews either added to and enlarged the Venable house or razed the Venable house and built a new one. The house gained the many turn of its century features in the late 1800s. This structure is notable for its variety of beautiful leaded and beveled window glass.

Through the years, several additions were made to the rear of the house.

Venable-Mathews-Moore House

The first deed for this property in 1807 describes the house as being used by Benjamin Carman as a tavern. &nbsp;In 1894 the house was bought by Henry T. ("H. T.") Bell (1857-1915) and Lucy Walton Bell ((1857-1930). H. T. Bell owned a clothing house where the downtown fire of 1897 started (see Greenbrier Valley Bank Building). Bell strung a telephone line from his house to his store, and he may have had the first telephone service in town.&nbsp; Charles Gardner Mathews (1869-1923) bought the house in 1906. He was a lawyer, graduate of the University of Virginia Law School, and at one time a private secretary to WV Senator Johnson N. Camden. Mathews was a nephew of WV Governor Henry Mason Mathews. Charles' widow, Harriett Mathews (1877-1959) is credited with planting Althea bushes around the house and naming it the Althea Inn. The property remained in the Mathews family until 1967 when it was purchased by John Wade Bell III and Ann Tate Bell. The house underwent extensive restoration under the Bell's ownership. &nbsp;Following several more owners, the house was recently renovated by Schleiff Construction Company for the current owner.

The original part of this house was built about 1807. Underneath the weatherboard is log construction which proves it to be one of the earliest houses on Washington Street. The building has an extensive history as a guest house known as the Carmin Tavern and later the Athea Inn.

Benjamin Carmin Tavern-Mathews House

This house was &nbsp;built in 1834 by William and Elizabeth Jenkins. &nbsp;Jenkins was a hatter and kept a tavern near the center of Lewisburg.&nbsp;&nbsp;In 1835, the house was sold to Thomas Craig, Sr. who conveyed the house to&nbsp;Dr. Thomas Creigh (1812-1877) in 1837. &nbsp;Creigh attended Lewisburg Academy, Ohio State University, and the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. &nbsp;He was Delegate to the Assembly of Virginia in 1844 and 1857-1858, and served as a surgeon in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Dr.&nbsp;Creigh is attributed with making the first of many additions to the house, and the work may have been done by John Dunn, a local brick mason. The house was purchased in 1874 by State Supreme Court Justice Homer A. Holt (1831-1898). Judge Holt attended Rector College and the University of Virginia. In 1862, &nbsp;Holt was arrested as a Confederate sympathizer. &nbsp;Following an exchange of prisoners, he served out the war as a private under the command of General McCausland. In addition to being a lawyer Judge Holt was a co-founder of the Bank of Lewisburg.&nbsp;&nbsp;His namesake and grandson was born here and later elected the 20th&nbsp;governor of West Virginia in 1936. He attended Greenbrier Military School, Washington and Lee University, and Washington and Lee University Law School. He practiced law in Fayetteville, WV. During the mid-nineteenth century, the structure operated as the Colonial Inn by Mrs. Marcus L. Dillon.

It is thought the house was built in 1834 according to a date cut into a brick in the wall.  A number of alterations have been made to the house through the years, the most conspicuous being the replacement of the original double portico with the present colonial entrance and an open terrace. Colonel C. E. Turley, historian, describes the house as, "...been occupied, over the years, by six of Greenbrier County's most prominent families.  All of them, it seems, made numerous and conspicuous alterations. In size the house is imposing and its workmanship inside and out is of the finest."

Justice Homer A. Holt House

In 1872, the property was conveyed to Hugh Wilson Donnally (1844-1914), the fourth and last of the glove makers (see Donnally House). Donnally had married James Bowen's granddaughter, Rebecca Johnston Donnally (1846-1908).&nbsp; Later owners included Mason and Mollie E. Bell. Mason Bell was a prominent Lewisburg merchant.&nbsp;

This large brick and wood-frame house on a one-acre lot may have been built by James Butler Bowen in the 1830s. Legend has it that he built this and the house next door, known as Minnie Manor, for two of his unmarried daughters (he and his wife had nine). Bowen lived on Spring Creek north of Lewisburg where he operated a gristmill, sawmill, oil mill, and a carding machine. 

Bowen House

Among the many owners of this&nbsp;house was &nbsp;Dr. John Mays (1787-1850) and his wife, Rebecca Mays (1787-1864). John Mays ran the Bell Tavern, was a merchant, and was a member of the Virginia Legislature. He served as Lewisburg's postmaster from 1810-1815.&nbsp; In the 1860s this house was owned by Dr. William H. and Ann E. Syme. Dr. Syme was a physician, lawyer and editor of&nbsp;The Statesman, a weekly Lewisburg newspaper. &nbsp;He wrote one of the first accounts of the martyrdom of David S. Creigh. The house was purchased in 1870 by Sally Stalnaker.&nbsp; Later occupants in the early 1900s were L. Judson and Harriett P. Williams. "Jud" Williams was an attorney, Justice of the the Supreme Court of West Virginia, served on the State Tax Commission and Board of Regents of West Virginia University.

Noted for its attractive imbricated shingles, this house was constructed circa 1835 by William S. and Elizabeth Littlepage .  The original basement kitchen still exists in the house.

Stalnaker House

The house is named for Dr. Hugh Wilson, an early physician. &nbsp;The house was also occupied by Mark and Virginia Spotts. &nbsp;Born in 1812, Mark Spotts held numerous public offices, including deputy clerk of the U S. District Court, Sheriff, County Superintendent of Schools, and justice of the peace. &nbsp;In his obituary in the Greenbrier Independent, it was written:&nbsp;Pure in thought, gentle in manner, upright in deed,&nbsp;conscientious&nbsp;snd honorable in all things, Mr. Spotts was one of nature's noblemen, and died honored and respected by all who knew him. Virginia Spotts was a music teacher. In recent years, the home has been occupied by three generations of the Sydenstricker family.

This lovely painted pink brick home was built in 1834.  It is noted for a fine hand-carved entrance doorway with sidelights and a semi-eplipitical fanlight with delicate tracery.  The doorway is supported by reeded columnns, which are repeated on the inside.  The door still has the original brass box lock. In the rear yard are original log outbuildings. Noteworthy are the sunburst designs on the mantles of the fireplaces in the living and dinning rooms.

Dr. Hugh Wilson House

The original brick house was built in 1834 and was occupied by
John Withrow before becoming a hotel, and was later inherited by his daughter Lettie
Ford. John Withrow was a slave owner, and the log&nbsp;slave quarters still exist behind
the original 1834 portion of inn. One of Withrow’s slaves, “Uncle
Reuben” was hanged on June 28, 1861, for reportedly conspiring a slave revolt
that never happened. The “rise” Uncle Reuben was allegedly planning was scheduled
for April 9th, 1861, and would include the massacre of white people in
Lewisburg after the departure of Confederate soldiers. The same cabin that was
once the slave quarters also was the Confederate line in the Battle of
Lewisburg in 1862.&nbsp;&nbsp;The eastern side of the General Lewis Inn was once an early
brick residence. In 1928, the property was sold by Lettie Ford to a &nbsp;hotel
corporation. After the transfer of ownership, the old brick house residence was
utilized as the end wing of the hotel, a new central portion was built, as well
as a corresponding brick wing on the other end. The
eastern part of the building, including the dining room, kitchen, and the suite of rooms on the first and second floors were originally part of the brick house.&nbsp;Walter Martens, who
also designed the Governor's mansion in Charleston, WV, designed the rest of
the house including the western wing, as well as the main portion of the Inn. &nbsp;Inside in the dining room and lobby are hand carved mantels and the registration from the resort hotel in Sweet Springs.&nbsp;Until August 2014, the General Lewis Inn was owned and
operated by the Hock family that&nbsp;owned the inn&nbsp;for three&nbsp;generations. Aaron and Sparrow Huffman are now&nbsp;the current owners of the
24-room Inn, Many people have claimed that&nbsp;the General Lewis Inn is haunted. The current new owners have not experienced any activity as such, but many of the older employees can tell you some stories. A quick search on the internet will reveal quite a few ghastly tales, including a little girl who reportedly will frequently join you for a cup of tea or a Confederate soldier who can be heard walking along the upstairs hallway.

The General Lewis Hotel now the General Lewis Inn,  was established in the 1920s by the Hock family. The property was originally a private residence owned by John Withrow and then his daughter, Lettie Ford. The original brick home is still incorporated in the architecture of the hotel, and the other structures on the property were liquidated and used as materials for the Inn. . Other amenities on the property include a reflection pool and a pergola that were added recently. Also noteworthy, is the Yellow Buckeye tree in front of the inn.  At over 100 feet tall, it is the largest recorded Yellow Buckeye in West Virginia. Today the Inn is owned by the Aaron and Sparrow Huffman.

General Lewis Inn

The John Wesley Church was built in 1820 and is one of the oldest public buildings in Lewisburg. John Weir who is believed to have built the church,&nbsp;also constructed many of the early buildings in Lewisburg. The bricks used in the construction of the church were made on site under Mr. Weir’s direction. The original size of the church was 58’ X 47’, however the church was enlarged in 1835, probably&nbsp;under the direction of John W. Dunn.&nbsp; Both the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church South congregations used the church prior to the Civil War. Following the Civil War these two congregations united and moved to another location in Lewisburg. These congregation's either sold or gave the building to freed slaves who had previously worshiped in the gallery. Members of the current congregation are the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of these former slaves.&nbsp; In May 1862, during the Battle of Lewisburg, the Confederate lines were just to the east of town, while the Union lines were on the hill just west of town near the current location of the Confederate Cemetery. The John Wesley Church was directly in the line of fire and was struck by a cannonball fired from the Confederate artillery stations in the hills just east of town. The cannonball struck the outer wall of the church near the gallery stairs, which were used by&nbsp;slaves who worshiped there. Following the battle, &nbsp;the John Wesley Church, like several other churches in the area, &nbsp;was used as a hospital, and treated wounded soldiers from both sides.&nbsp; Today, the John Wesley Church is recognized as one of the most historic buildings in Lewisburg and is still used as a house of worship.&nbsp;

Also known as First Methodist Church, this structure was built in the 1820 with additions added in 1835, probably by John Dunn.  The church installed an interior slave gallery on one side and a slave entrance in the back. During the Battle of Lewisburg, May 23, 1862, the church was struck by a cannonball on the southwest corner, and the repairs to that corner are still visible. The church has been in continuous use since it was first built, and services are held each Sunday.

John Wesley Methodist Church

John Dunn, builder of the house, was a skilled mason who built many of Lewisburg's fine brick homes and the Greenbrier County Courthouse. Inside, mantels in the living room, dining room, and den were carved by Conrad Burgess (1806-1850), a skilled Greenbrier County craftsman whose woodwork may be found in many of the area's fine homes. John North (1794-1857) was the Clerk of the Court of Appeals for Virginia and Clerk of the Court of Chancery for Greenbrier County. He was a farmer, businessman, and owner of large land holdings. He served as a private in the War of !812. Charlotte (1806-1883), John's wife, was at the time of her death the longest attending member of the Old Stone Presbyterian Church where she and John are buried. In the 1930s the house was owned by Hetty Landers, a widow. With her three children and two servants, she operated the Travelers Inn.

This brick house was built by John Dunn in 1835. The two-story front porch and arched doorway with decorative glass make for an attractive entrance. Inside are the original oak and tiger maple floors and hand carved woodwork. It is a fine local example of Federal style architecture with Greek Revival elements.

John A. North Second House

Richard F. Tyree was an innkeeper and had the first boot and shoe business in Lewisburg in 1810. John Dunn was a highly skilled brick mason who built many of Lewisburg's fine homes and the Greenbrier County Courthouse. Later known as the Renick house, this&nbsp;building was vacant for many years and had deteriorated. &nbsp;In 1999 the building was purchased by Ann and John Wade Bell III.&nbsp;It was expertly restored by Mr. Bell, a local contractor, in 2000-2001 and now&nbsp;houses an interior decorating firm. During the restoration, Mr. Bell determined the roof originally had white oak shingles.

This building was originally two houses.  The stone part of the structure was built with local stone by Richard F. Tyree in 1805. The stone mason may have been Christopher Foglesong who is credited with building the Old Stone Church and County Jail.  John Dunn built the brick portion of the house, now covered with stucco, circa 1834. it has been used as a store, dance hall, boarding house and real estate office.

Richard F. Tyree-John Dunn House

This house was built by General Thomas H. and Jennie Johnston Dennis in 1884, and they lived in the house the rest of their lives. General Dennis served as a private in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. &nbsp;He attended Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) and the University of Virginia Law School. &nbsp;He was an attorney, owner-editor of the Greenbrier Independent newspaper, speaker of the House of Delegates, and Superintendent of Schools. He was a Major General Commander in &nbsp;the Division of WV United Confederate Veterans. Gen. Dennis (1846-1933) was a proponent of public education. &nbsp;In 1870 he wrote, "There may be some doubt as to whether the Free School system is the best to educate the masses, but as we have this system, secured in the fundamental law, there can be no doubt that we ought to have such Schools as will secure to the people the full benefits of the School tax paid by them." Jennie Johnson Dennis (1854-1926) was from Monroe County and in her obituary it was written she was "prominent in the religious and social life of the community." Mr. Frank Anschutz purchased the house about 1926.

Built by General Thomas H. Dennis in 1884, this home displays the style of Italianate architecture. The asymmetrical facade features projecting eaves supported by corbels, elaborate columnn capitols, bay windows, and a porte-cochere or carriage port. The wide central hall opens into large high-ceilinged rooms whose tall windows extend to floor levels. The handsome doors are made of solid walnut.

Dennis-Anshutz-Tuckwiller House

Robert Flourney Dennis (1823-1897) graduated from Washington College (now Washington &amp; Lee University) and studied law at the University of Virginia. He settled in Lewisburg where he practiced law, served as Clerk of the Circuit Court of Appeals and of the Court of Appeals of Virginia, and prosecuting attorney of Greenbrier, Pocahontas, and Fayette counties. He was a prominent Democrat and served in the State Senate. He was a trustee of Washington &amp; Lee University. Capt. Dennis raised the first company of volunteer infantry, Greenbrier Rifles,&nbsp;from Greenbrier County that entered the Confederate Army. He was ordered to Harpers Ferry where he was attached to the Stonewall Brigade. After retiring from service in the field due to his age, he took a position in the transport department when he was captured. &nbsp;He&nbsp;was a prisoner of war at Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio. Martha Jane (North) Dennis (1828-1895) studied at the Flushing (NY) Ladies Institute. In her obituary, she was described as having a cultivated mind to which she added the rarer qualities of a sterling common sense.

John A. North and his wife, Charlotte, conveyed the land upon which this dwelling stands to their daughter, Martha, and her husband, Robert F. Dennis, in 1853. The house was probably built in the same year. The property was conveyed by Dennis' executors to the Caldwell family in 1899 and remained in the ownership of that family until 1994. 

Capt. Robert F. Dennis-Caldwell House

The fountain in the green space was dedicated to Dr. Connie Bradley Mann, a much-beloved local psychologist.

The building that originally stood on this lot was built in 1845 and had been used as a tinner's shop, a drug store, and for general merchandising. The building survived the great fire of 1897 that destroyed much of downtown, but it did not survive a fire in 1997. Today it is used as a public park.

Community Green Space

Known for many years as Flanagan's Barber Shop, this building sits on part of Lot 24 of Lewisburg's original town lots. &nbsp;The earliest indication of a building on this site was in 1860 when a deed refers to a store house. &nbsp;There is some evidence the store house served as a saddle shop and tobacco shop before becoming a barber shop. The first evidence the building served as a barber shop was in 1891 when Frank Anderson Perkins bought it. &nbsp;Perkins was an African American and related to Nancy Perkins Callender, a former slave who owned a restaurant on Washington Street. &nbsp;Perkins sold the building to Edward Carter, also an African American barber. According to Dr. John Montgomery, local historian, men would go to the barber shop for a weekly and sometimes daily shaves. The shop was filled with colorful shaving mugs that belonged to the patrons. It was a favorite gathering spot for senior citizens who came to socialize and catch up on the local news and gossip.&nbsp;

Built circa 1860, this building may have housed the Lewisburg Post Office between 1865 and 1881.  This location has been in continuous use as a barbershop since 1891.

Old Barber Shop

The fire of 1897 destroyed most of two blocks of Lewisburg's downtown commercial district. &nbsp;The fire began in the back of H. T. Bell's clothing store and spread rapidly. Lewisburg had no fire fighting equipment or organization. The Ronceverte fire engine was summoned but delayed due to a misunderstanding. The fire was fought by men and boys with buckets and wet blankets. Women of the town "worked like Trojans" carrying furniture, goods, etc. out of buildings and standing guard over them until their owners could claim and stow away their property. Two banks and several stores were destroyed, but there were no fatalities.&nbsp;

This building was constructed in 1897 to replace buildings destroyed in the fire of the same year.  It replaced the burned Bank of Lewisburg that later became the Greenbrier Valley Bank. For many years, Lewisburg had the only bank between Staunton, Virginia, and Charleston.  It was designed by James M. Lee of the Lee Military Academy and built under the supervision of Joseph F. Wright of Huntington.  The woodwork was done by William L. Wetzel of Lewisburg.  The building was initially trimmed with blue sandstone that was brought from Cleveland, Ohio. In addition to the bank, it was built to accommodate a retail store and post office on the ground floor and rental offices on the second floor.  Today, it houses Lewisburg's City Hall and two retail stores. Noteworthy is the bracketed cast meal cornice atop the facade with a centered pediment bearing the date 1897. 

Greenbrier Valley Bank Building

Dr. Thomas Creigh (see Justice Homer A. Holt House) sold the lot on which building rests&nbsp;with a log house in 1804 to Albert G. Williams who erected a three-story house and store. it may have been built by master mason, John Weir.&nbsp; Williams sold the building in 1874 to Thomas A. Henning (1786-1875), a well-known local chair and spinning wheel&nbsp;maker, who occupied the second floor as his home&nbsp;while his merchant son, George W. Henning, utilized the ground floor.&nbsp; In the 1880s it was a drug store and residence.&nbsp;

This three-story painted brick building has been used for various mercantile businesses as well as a restaurant, hotel, gift shop and drug store. An attractive wrought-iron second-floor balcony has been removed. The building now houses a number of offices.

Williams-Neely Building

The congregation of the Mount Tabor Baptist Church traces its roots back to the 1780 and is one of the oldest Baptist Congregations in what is now southern West Virginia. In about 1777, John Alderson, Jr., whose father was the pastor of Lynville Creek Baptist Church in Rockingham County, Virginia, moved westward and settled on the banks of the Greenbrier River. The settlement that would follow took his name and the town of Alderson, West Virginia was born. During the years that followed, Mr. Alderson set about establishing the Greenbrier Baptist Church. From this congregation came several other churches, including the congregation that was established in Lewisburg.  In 1832, the Lewisburg congregation began construction of a new brick church. At this time, the congregation numbered only about 30 members and was ministered to by John Spotts, an instructor at the nearby Lewisburg Academy. For the years preceding the Civil War, the Church was known as Lewisburg Baptist Church and several different pastors ministered to the congregation. Lewisburg Baptist Church was used as a Confederate hospital and barracks during the Civil War. After the Civil War, the Black members of the congregation remained while the white members joined other churches in the area. The Black members of the congregation repaired the damage to the building and organized Mt. Tabor Baptist Church. “For the next fifteen years, the Black congregation worshiped peacefully in the same building where they had worshiped segregated from white owners, when they were slaves.”1In 1884, William Foglesong, the only remaining trustee of Lewisburg Baptist, attempted to sue Mt. Tabor and use the funds to build a new Baptist church in Ronceverte; however, the Greenbrier County Circuit Court ruled that Mt. Tabor rightfully owned the church. The church was rebuilt in 1900 and electricity and running water were installed after 1903. Along with these modern renovations were pews from the Old Stone Presbyterian Church, a wooden walkway that spanned the block, a new church bell and a baptism pool. In 1976, Mt. Tabor Baptist Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Mt. Tabor Baptist Church is a historic African American congregation who worship in a building that predates the Civil War. The original congregation was predominantly white and dates back to the oldest Baptist congregation west of the Allegheny Mountains. In the antebellum period, this building was home to the Lewisburg Baptist Church, which was established shortly after the American Revolution. This church structure was the second for the congregation and was utilized as a hospital and barracks by Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. The building was damaged during the war. In response, most of the white members joined other congregations while African Americans who had once worshiped alongside their masters in this church decided to repair the structure and start their own congregation.  After the Civil War,  the name was changed to Mt. Tabor Baptist Church.  

Mt. Tabor Baptist Church, Lewisburg 

Prior to the Civil War, it was illegal in the state of Virginia to teach slaves of free Blacks to read and write. After the Civil War ended and Lewisburg became a part of West Virginia, the Freedman’s Bureau established a free school for African American children. Originally housed in the Masonic Greenbrier Lodge No. 19 after the Civil War the school taught 113 students by 1896. The Lewisburg Colored Junior High and Graded School was renamed Bolling Junior High and Elementary School in 1933, after Professor Edward A. Bolling. Bolling graduated from the Richmond Normal School on June 12th, 1874, and started his career as both a teacher and a principal three years later. Throughout his 55-year career, Bolling taught students at Lewisburg Colored Grade School, later known as Lewisburg Colored Junior High School, and was awarded the West Virginia No. One Teacher’s Certificate.



The one-room school model was replaced by graded classrooms over time. By 1935, the school had twelve grades and a formal high school program operating under the name Bolling High School. This was only the fourth publicly-supported full high school for African Americans in West Virginia at that time. As a result, Black students who lived near Lewisburg before this time were forced to live with relatives in places such as Harpers Ferry during the school year if they wanted to complete a full high school program. Bolling High School taught the entire Black population of Greenbrier County and had 25 graduating classes.&nbsp;The wooden structure that was Bolling High School burned in 1936, and students were taught in local churches for four years while the structure that is now known as Bolling School was constructed. Bolling School existed in this structure from 1940 to 1963 until integration was fully enacted in Lewisburg and the structure became Lewisburg Middle School. The building was empty and many of the African American teachers lost their&nbsp;positions when the white schools of the city were opened to African American students. In the 1970s, the school building was utilized once again and home to Lewisburg Intermediate School. The building later served as a community center. Following years of the building&nbsp;being vacant and plans for the building's redevelopment stalling, the school was sold in 2018 to the Greenbrier Episcopal School.&nbsp;

Bolling School was officially established in 1933 and named in honor of a local African American educator, but the institution dates back to the schools established in this area by the Freedman's Bureau for the African American youth of the city in 1869. This building replaced the first Bolling School, a wood frame structure that was destroyed by fire in 1936. Construction of this school was complete in 1940 and the building served as Bolling School from 1940 to 1963. After integration, the structure became Lewisburg Middle School for a number of years and the building was later home to a community center. In 2018, Greenbrier Episcopal School acquired the building and announced a two million dollar restoration plan. The school plans to include historic photos and artifacts related to the history of Bolling School when they complete the restoration and renovation process and open the building as a school once again for the fall 2020 semester. 

Lewisburg Historic District Walking Tour

Old Stone Cemetery

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information