25 Stops to Celebrate the Country’s 250th!

THE SITES

Please be mindful that many of these sites are private property and locations where our neighbors live or work. Unless otherwise noted, these local treasures should be enjoyed from your car or sidewalk only. We want to honor the privacy of the stewards of Jefferson County’s rich history.

Christ Reformed United Church of Christ
1839
304 E. German Street, Shepherdstown

Built by the German Reformed congregation of Shepherdstown in 1839, the site had been used for many decades prior.  The square tower, seen at the rear of the building, was part of an earlier structure, dating to 1798.  The graveyard holds the remains of American Revolutionary soldiers and was established in 1774.  Three bells are held in the bellfrey, with the earliest engraved with the date 1732.  Also of note are the stained glass windows.  After 275 years, the congregation folded in 2023 and the Contemporary American Theater Festival took possession of the building. 

Visitors are welcome to park in front of the church and walk the cemetery. 

St. Hilda’s Hall
1891
100 block of E. 3rd Avenue, Ranson

A large, Queen Anne structure built in 1891, the Hotel Powhatan welcomed visitors to Ranson, as well as local lodgers.  The hotel closed in 1900, but the space was converted into the Powhatan College for Young Women.  Sadly, that, too, closed.  By 1915, St. Hilda’s Hall for Girls opened, an academically rigorous and elite all girls boarding school.  Operating under the direction of the Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia, students included those from local families, but also from locations around the country.  Unfortunately, owing to the Depression, the school closed in 1931 and became a boarding house.  Tragedy struck in 1937 when the building burned to the ground.

The original structure is gone, but visitors can see the white, stone pillars that stood in front of St. Hilda’s Hall from the street or sidewalk.

Allstadt House & Ordinary
c. 1790
Allstadts Hill Road, Harpers Ferry

Built c.1790 by the Lee Family, the house was purchased by Jacob Allstadt in 1811 and used as a tavern and tollgate for the road connecting Harpers Ferry and Charles Town.  Enlarged in 1830, the property remained in the Allstadt Family until 1923 when Thomas Allstadt died.  As a teenager, Thomas and his father John were kidnapped by John Brown and held hostage in his “fort.”  Named a National Register of Historic Places in 1985, the property is now owned by the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.

The Allstadt House & Ordinary is not open to the public, but the structure can be viewed from Allstadts Hill Road.

Peter Burr House
1751
176 E. Burr Blvd, Kearneysville

Built between 1751 and 1755 by the first cousin of Aaron Burr, the Peter Burr house is the oldest surviving post-and-beam-construction house in the state.  The tallest portion of the building is the oldest, while the shorter addition was added in the early 19th century.  Originally part of an 800 acre holding, descendants of the Burr family purchased the house and around 9.5 acres and gifted it to the Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission, who maintains the property at present.

Visitors can walk the grounds and read about the property on permanent signage near the entrance.

Charles Town Mining, Manufacturing and Improvement Company
1891
312 S. Mildred St., Ranson

Designed by J.C. Holmes in the Romanesque Revival style, the headquarters of the Charles Town Mining, Manufacturing, and Improvement Company was built in 1891, one year after the business was founded.  The group’s prime goal was to develop 850 acres purchased from the Ranson family, which was spearheaded by D.C. architect and civil engineer D.G. Howell.  Within two years the building was sold to the Charles Town Board of Education and served as the area Graded and High School (for white students only) from 1893 until 1912.  Since then the structure has played host to a candy store, apartments, and the Ranson Post Office.  It now serves as Ranson City Hall.

Visitors can view the building from their car or get out for a closer look.  During regular working hours, please be mindful that it serves as a place of business.

Duffields Depot
1839

Approximately 300 yards from the intersection of Flowings Springs Road and Melvin Road

Constructed in 1839, the Duffields Depot is the second oldest surviving depot used by the B&O Railroad.  Built in two parts, the stone structure was the first and a wood-framed portion was added later.  Richard Duffield was paid $2,500 by the railroad for the right-of-way through his property and he used those funds to build the depot, which was the preferred method by the B&O, as they wished to spend money on the railroad construction and permit private individuals to build the stations.  In addition to serving as the station master’s work space, it was also his home.

During the Civil War, Union troops stood guard, but John S. Mosby’s forces briefly took control in 1864.  On October 14th of that year, the infamous Greenback Raid occurred, where Mosby’s forces sabotaged a train and stole $150,000 in cash.

A non-profit organization, Duffields Station, Inc., purchased the property and sought to renovate it.  Upon their dissolution, the property was deeded to the Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission, which is engaged in ongoing repairs and stabilization.  The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 3rd, 2007.

Visitors can view the structure from their vehicles, but should not walk the grounds due to ongoing work and stabilization.

Halltown African American Free School and Halltown Memorial Chapel
1870/1901
390 Halltown Road, Halltown

The Halltown African American Free School sits on a plot of land purchased by Thomas Edwards from Virginia Bedinger Lucas, who lived at nearby Rion Hall.  Edwards was a formerly enslaved individual, who financed the building of the school.  His desire was to educate his large family which numbered 13 grandchildren.  The school closed in 1929 and became a private residence, owned by Edwards’ daughter, Ada, and her husband, Benjamin Shelton.  Their grandson, Philip Braxton, has worked tirelessly to restore the building.  It was added to the National Register in 2004.

The Halltown Memorial Chapel was built in 1901 on land donated by Daniel Bedinger Lucas, Virginia’s brother.  Volunteers with carpentry and masonry skills worked in the evenings and weekends to build the church, which features Gothic architectural elements.  The congregation folded after World War II, but the space was used for special ceremonies, including weddings in the coming decades.  A dedicated team of volunteers undertook restoration efforts and the chapel is now available for private events.

Visitors may view both buildings from their cars.

Morgan’s Grove Park
Corner of Morgan Grove Road and Kearneysville Pike, Shepherdstown

Description coming soon.

Potomac Mills
1826
Not far down River Road once leaving Shepherdstown

Also known as Boteler’s Mill, after Dr. Henry Boteler, the 18 acre complex was established in 1826 as a grist mill, but soon turned its operations to cement to supply the creation of the C&O Canal.  Union troops set fire to the mill in 1861, but it was rebuilt and in running order again by 1867.  The business ceased operations in 1901 and the buildings fell into disrepair.  In addition to the foundation of the dam, ruins include the mill, multiple lime kilns, and an office building.  In 2014 the property was added to the National Register and is presently maintained by the Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission.

Visitors can view the ruins from their car or park and get out to read the interpretative signage.

St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church
1833
110 Church St., Harpers Ferry

The only church in Harpers Ferry in existence during the Civil War to escape destruction, St. Peter’s offers weekly mass to this day.  Built in 1831, the church saw extensive remodeling in 1896, which led to its present pseudo-Gothic style.  Many of the early parishioners were Irish immigrants who arrived to work on the construction of the C&O Canal and the railroad.

Visitors can walk around the grounds of the church, but are asked to be mindful if visiting on Sundays due to morning Mass.

Shannondale Springs
1820
2.2 miles down Mission Road from old. Rt. 9, Harpers Ferry

The waters of the Shannondale area were used by Native Americans long before white settlers arrived in the 18th century.  The area was part of Thomas, Lord Fairfox’s property and was eventually sold to Thomas Griggs and Benjamin Beeler.  By 1820, a resort and a small number of cabins were built for visitors.  In 1821, business saw an uptick with Dr. DeButts proclaiming the healing qualities of the water.  The growth was short lived, though, due to concerns with repeated cholera outbreaks and the fairly remote nature of the area.

The arrival of the railroad and new management led to the reopening of the resort in 1838.  Throughout the next two decades, Shannondale Springs became a haven for high society balls, firework exhibitions, and even jousting matches.  Tragedy struck in 1858 when the resort burned to the ground.  For the next thirty years, the property was used for Methodist church services, retreats, and outdoor pursuits.  A few cabins remained, having escaped the fire.  In 1888, the land found a new owner and the resort was rebuilt within two years.  By 1909 the resort had again been lost to fire.

In the 1930s, water from the springs was bottled and sold for $1 per five gallons.  The property was purchased in 1937 by Thornton T. Perry, Sr. and his heirs donated 580 acres to the Nature Conservancy.  Today the property is owned and maintained by the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources.

Visitors may walk a trail in the Shannondale Springs Wildlife Management Area.  A brown sign denotes the appropriate lane and is approximately 2.2 miles down Mission Road.  Visitors are reminded this is an active hunting area and should be avoided during hunting season.

Murphy Farm
1906 Niagara Movement Conference site
123 Murphy Road, Harpers Ferry

This 99-acre property was originally the home of Edmund H. Chambers.  In 1862, Confederate General A.P. Hill forced the surrender of around 12,000 Union troops on this site.  Murphy Farm also became the temporary home to the firehouse-cum-fort of John Brown, after it was moved out of Harpers Ferry.  Partially owing to its presence, Murphy Farm was chosen as the end stop for the Second Niagara Movement’s pilgrimage, organized by W.E.B. DuBois in 1906.  (The organization would later become the NAACP.) 

In 2002, the farm became part of the Harpers Ferry National Park, to save it from a planned large scale residential subdivision.

Visitors may park and walk the trails on the property. 

Charles Town Potters Field Cemetery
1836
Corner of E. Avis and S. Seminary Streets, Charles Town

Sold by Andrew Hunter to the City of Charles Town for $50 in 1836, the 90 square foot site was designated as a burial ground for area African Americans.  Historical records indicate hundreds of individuals were interred here.  In 2023, a ground penetrating radar survey was conducted and 48 unmarked graves were found.  It is possible some bodies were exhumed and moved to the Fairview Cemetery at some point.  On August 17, 2025, the property was officially designated as an African American cemetery.

Visitors may view the site from their car or approach on foot. 

Johnsontown
1848
2546 Johnsontown Road, Kearneysville

Founded in 1848 by George and Betty Johnson, Johnsontown is the earliest settlement established by free African Americans in West Virginia.  The couple and other residents built a series of homes, as well as a school, which doubled as a community center.  Church services were also held at the school until 1898 when Zion Baptist Church was built.  The property on which the church sits was purchased from the Coyle Family in 1892 for the sum of $1.00.

The church holds yearly homecoming celebrations and work has been ongoing for several years to stabilize the belltower and offer other repairs.

Visitors can tour the churchyard but the church is not open to the general public.

Twin Ridge Orchard
Continually farmed since 1750
Located on Ridge Road on either side of the intersection with Luther Jones Road, Shenandoah Junction

Located on land that has been continually used for agricultural pursuits since the 1750s, the Hockman Family has run the orchards for four generations.  Twin Ridge grows apples, peaches, plums, cherries, nectarines, and blackberries, which can be purchased at various local farmers markets.

The property now maintains a Farmland Protection easement, meaning it is protected from development.  The still-thriving business is a reminder of the once extensive orchard business throughout Jefferson County.

Visitors may view the orchards from their car but are not permitted to access the property.

The C.L. Robinson Ice and Cold Storage Facility
1914
Located on the 300 N. block of Preston Street, Ranson

The C.L. Robinson Ice and Cold Storage Corporation began construction, in 1914, of a facility to produce ice and store apples in Ranson to complement its Winchester, Virginia operation.  Local apple growers could now store their produce and sell it at their discretion over time, rather than as soon as the apples were picked.  Around 50,000 barrels of apples could be stored and 36 tons of ice could be produced daily.  C.L. Robinson was originally from Indiana, but moved to Fairmont, WV to begin work in the coal and ice industries.  In 1901 he purchased the W. H. Palmer ice plant in Winchester and later acquired a similar business in Berryville, VA.  His son, Frank, ran the Ranson plant and it remained viable for nearly 50 years.

The C.L. Robinson Ice and Cold Storage Corporation remains a testament to the historical presence of the apple industry in Jefferson County.  Around the turn of the 20th century, nearly 50  apple orchards existed, including Rellim Farm, the oldest continually operating, family owned orchard in Jefferson County.  The Ranson branch of the C.L. Robinson company closed in the late 20th century and the structure is now vacant.

Visitors may view the plant from the road, but may not access the property.

Kearneysville Presbyterian Church
1869
15117 Leetown Road, Kearneysville

A Presbyterian congregation existed in Kearneysville for several decades before a church was built.  In the 1860s Henry Bitner donated land and a church was opened on March 7th, 1869.  An active part of the community, the church and grounds saw many events including strawberry festivals, lawn suppers, and ice cream socials.  Major renovations were made to the building in 1899.  A small graveyard is connected to the church.

As members died or moved away throughout the late 20th century and early 21st century, the congregation made the decision to leave the Presbyterian faith and become a “Bible” church.

Visitors may view the building and walk the graveyard, but are advised that services occur on Sundays.

Zion Episcopal Graveyard
1815
301 E. Congress Street, Charles Town

An Episcopal Church has utilized this property since 1815, with the current church dating to 1851.  The graveyard includes over 1,500 gravesites including those of two WV Supreme Court justices, over 70 Washington Family members, and multiple Episcopal bishops.  Elsie Murphy, the noted philanthropist and founder of the Charles Town Library is also buried at Zion.

Visitors may park on Congress Street and walk the churchyard.

Prosperity Baptist Church & Jamestown
c. 1870
273 Jamestown Road, Summit Point

The village of Jamestown was settled around 1870 and served as a community for African Americans, closely situated to the Jefferson/Clarke County line.  The Prosperity Baptist Church had a less than straightforward path to becoming a community center for Jamestown.  Originally located in nearby Summit Point, the existing congregation dissolved.  At the time, residents of Jamestown held church services in the local school.  Several overtures were made to purchase the Prosperity building, but nothing materialized until 1921, when Rev. L.A. Laws, who was also a carpenter, decided to relocate the building.  It was cut in half and transported from Summit Point to Jamestown by horse and carriage and reassembled.  The community opted to place it on a plot of land that was purchased in 1908 to be used as a cemetery.  In the 1970s extensive renovations occurred including the addition of a choir room, central air conditioning, and more.

Visitors may drive through Jamestown or stop and admire the church. 

Star Lodge No. 1
1795
218 S. Lawrence Street, Charles Town

Built in the 1790s, the Star Lodge No. 1 is one of the oldest remaining buildings in Charles Town.  Charles Washington sold the land to John Locke and it remained in the family until 1877.  In 1885 the structure was purchased by the Star Lodge No. 1 and the Queen of the Valley Lodge No. 1558 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.  The Star Lodge No. 1 Order of the Free and Accepted Masons was chartered in 1877 and traces its roots to the African Lodge No. 459, one of the oldest African American organizations in the state.

The space is still used for meetings and events.

Visitors may view the Lodge from the car or inspect it on foot.  There are interpretive materials to be read on the grounds.

St. Philip’s Parochial and Industrial School
1875
411 S. Lawrence Street, Charles Town

St. Philip’s Episcopal Church was opened in 1887 and played host to three different educational institutions over the course of its history.  The St. Philips Sewing School was the first, which taught African American girls how to sew, under the tutelage of Mrs. William Craighill.  In 1900, the St. Philip’s Parochial and Industrial School opened.  This co-ed school offered classes in academic basics, as well as religion, carpentry, sewing, and printing.  The staff included Rev. John Deacon, Mrs. Sarah D. Tolbert, and Mrs. J.N. Deacon.  One of the student projects was to print the church’s newsletter.  Tuition ranged from 25 cents to 45 cents a week.  In 1918 an emergency hospital was opened to help cope with the influenza epidemic.  The 1920s and 30s saw the creation of St. Philip’s Academy aka St. Philip’s Day School.  Other than standard academic courses, printing was also taught.  Owing to the Depression, the school closed.

The church still has an active congregation and the parrish hall is used for community meetings and events.

Visitors may view the church and hall from their car or approach on foot.  Please be mindful that regular services take place on Sundays.

Fort Drive-In Theater
1950
The corner of Rt 340 and Millville Road

The Fort Drive-In was one of several drive-in theaters in the Eastern Panhandle.  Opened in 1950 by Elwood F. Lane, who previously managed the in-door theater in Harpers Ferry, its initial capacity was 100 cars, although this was later increased to 132.  The box office was built to resemble a fort often seen in western films.  The theater closed in 1983 and the property was later used as an outdoor flea market, with the fort still visible, although in disrepair.  The flea market ceased operations in the 21st century and the property was sold to the Civil War Trust.

One interesting note, in September of 1979, the theater’s box office was robbed at gun point.  The thief made off with $750 in cash.  It is unclear if he was ever apprehended.

Visitors can view the land where the fort and theater once operated, but can not access the property.

Sam Michaels Park
20th century
235 Sam Michaels Lane, Shenandoah Junction

The land that became Sam Michaels Park was farmed and maintained by Sam Michaels, who was born in 1885 and attended Shepherd College.  A close personal friend of President Franklin Roosevelt, Michaels kept a myriad of animals on the property, including buffalo, llamas, peacocks, monkeys, white deer, and more. 

During his lifetime the farm held a manor house, a barn, and other assorted outbuildings.  The house was lost to fire in 1981.  Upon his death, he stipulated the property was to be maintained and available for the public.  Today, 130 acres makes up Sam Michaels Park with various activities and recreational opportunities for county residents, as well as the administrative offices of the Jefferson County Parks and Recreation Department.

Visitors are welcome to tour the park at their leisure.

Scollay Hall
1760s
7198 Queen St., Middleway

John Smith, an early Quaker settler of Smithfield (later known as Middleway), acquired the land on which Scollay Hall sits in 1734.  A log cabin was built prior to the Revolutionary War and later covered with clapboards.  The property was sold to Nicholas Shaull, who added a brick addition.  During Shaull’s ownership, Lutheran services were often held at Scollay Hall.  From there it was sold to Captain Charles Lowndes.  When his daughter married Dr. Samuel Scollay, Lowndes added a further brick addition for them.  Scollay remained at the property until his death in 1857.  Since the Civil War, the property has changed hands many times, including in 1953 to two sisters who were descendants of John Smith.  They operated a restaurant called the Scollay Hall Dining Room.  Later it became a private residence once more.

Visitors may view the home from their cars.  Please be mindful this is a private residence.

The Swimley School
1891
Approximately ¼ mile northeast from the intersection of Cherry Meade Road and Box Factory Road, Summit Point

The Swimley School still stands as an example of rural education in Jefferson County.  Small, community schools dotted the countryside in the 19th and first part of the 20th centuries.   Built in 1891 at a cost of $545 by J.L. Clendening, the Board of Education also authorized the purchase of 20 desks for the school, for the sum of $54. The new building replaced a previous school on the same spot. By 1933, the school closed its doors and students were bused to  Summit Point.  The plot of land and building were deeded to Stanley Hardesty, who owned the farm around the school at that time.  While now vacant, Swimley has served as a private residence in the past. 

Visitors may view the building from the car, but may not approach the building.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE DRIVING TOUR ON GOOGLE MAPS