Tyree's Tavern, also known in the region as the Halfway House of Ansted, was constructed in 1810 and is the oldest remaining building in the area. Constructed in the antebellum period, this tavern and inn served travelers along the Midland Trail. The building is believed to the be the oldest in Fayette County and was owned and operated by William Tyree. During the war, Tyree became the captain of Company C, 22nd Regiment Virginia Infantry. The tavern would be occupied by both Union and Confederate forces during the war. During the American Civil War, it would also serve as a hospital, homestead, and halfway house. The tavern includes the words "Headquarters of the Chicago Gray Dragoons," above the door. This was carved into the door by a Union Civil War unit that occupied the house.
Tyree's Tavern is the oldest building in Fayette County. The property's origins as an established claim (but not the building) date back to 1792 when Charles Skaggs established a patent of 400 acres. The land was sold to William Tyree in 1834 and built this structure in the following years. The location was perfect for many reasons due to its position. The tavern is located between Charleston and Lewisburg making it the perfect spot for travelers who were making the mountainous journey. Seizing this opportunity, William turned his investment into a tavern and occasional stagecoach stop.
Tyree's Tavern is the oldest building in Fayette County. The property's origins as an established claim (but not the building) date back to 1792 when Charles Skaggs established a patent of 400 acres. The land was sold to William Tyree in 1834 and built this structure in the following years. The location was perfect for many reasons due to its position. The tavern is located between Charleston and Lewisburg making it the perfect spot for travelers who were making the mountainous journey. Seizing this opportunity, William turned his investment into a tavern and occasional stagecoach stop.
Tyree's Tavern is the oldest building in Fayette County. The property's origins as an established claim (but not the building) date back to 1792 when Charles Skaggs established a patent of 400 acres. The land was sold to William Tyree in 1834 and built this structure in the following years. The location was perfect for many reasons due to its position. The tavern is located between Charleston and Lewisburg making it the perfect spot for travelers who were making the mountainous journey. Seizing this opportunity, William turned his investment into a tavern and occasional stagecoach stop.
Tyree's Tavern is the oldest building in Fayette County. The property's origins as an established claim (but not the building) date back to 1792 when Charles Skaggs established a patent of 400 acres. The land was sold to William Tyree in 1834 and included this structure which was expanded in the coming years. The location was perfect for many reasons due to its position. The tavern is located between Charleston and Lewisburg making it the perfect spot for travelers who were making the mountainous journey. Seizing this opportunity, William turned his investment into a tavern and occasional stagecoach stop.
In 1861 the tavern was the headquarters for Confederate General John B. Floyd when he, along with General Henry Alexander Wise, ran an "unsuccessful Kanawha Valley campaign."1 In 1862 the tavern was once again turned into a headquarters but this time for the Union. Captain Charles W. Barker moved his Chicago Gray Dragoons into the area and turned the tavern into Union headquarters. "The original Chicago Dragoons enlisted in April 1861 for three months and were sent to West Virginia in June. Most of the men returned to Chicago when their enlistments expired, but their captain, Charles W. Barker, recruited two companies called the McClellan Dragoons."3
Tyree's Tavern is also located near nine other historical landmarks and marks. The closest being the resting place of Julia Neale Jackson, the mother of Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. Julia Jackson passed in 1831 and was laid to rest in an unmarked grave on the hill behind the tavern. In 1855 Stonewall Jackson stayed at the tavern with hopes of seeing his mother's final resting place. "However, the grave was unmarked, and Jackson was not sure he saw the spot."4 One of Stonewall's soldiers, now a captain, visited the grave and placed a marker so her grave would never be lost again.
1. Tyree Tavern. Historical Marker Project. Accessed Feb. 14th, 2017. http://www.historicalmarkerproject.com/markers/HM14PN_tyree-tavern_Ansted-WV.html.
2. Halfway House. Places of Interest: Ansted, West Virginia. Accessed Feb. 14th, 2017. http://www.anstedwv.com/places-of-interest.html.
3. Captain Barker and the Dragoons from Chicago. Illinois Periodicals Online. Accessed Feb. 14th, 2017. http://www.lib.niu.edu/1999/ihwt9916.html.
