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

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

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

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

Open courtesy of Asbury United Methodist Church

Location: Town Run Road and Allegheny Street

Locally known as the "Cunningham Place", Westfall was officially listed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1985. Garrett Cunningham (son of Solomon Cunningham who built Hickory Hill), started building the house in the 1840's. Westfall became the primary dwelling of a farm of nearly 900 acres. One of the several substantial farms dating from the 19th century in the South Branch Valley, Westfall reflects the general prosperity of the region during that time. The house, constructed of brick believed to have been fired on the site, is of the Greek revival style, particularly evidenced in the temple style main entrance portico. Another interesting feature of the architecture of the house is the multiple roof lines and extensions-perhaps indicative of the several periods of construction.

A barn that was part of the original farm complex is located on the opposite side of US Route 220. The road originally ran in the front of the home which is why it faces the direction it does now. When US 220 was rerouted in the 1920's, it split the house from most of the farm land.

With nearly 5000 square feet of living space, Westfall is built in an unusual "Z" shape. Four rooms on the first floor and four on the second floor are roughly 20' x 20' with 10' ceilings. There are 4 smaller rooms in what is know as the bachelor wing. A separate wing on the southwest corner contains smaller rooms and is presumed to have served as servants' quarters. Eleven fireplaces originally heated the home. Perhaps the most stunning feature of the house is the flying staircase in the main entry hall. With 38 steps and two landings circling up three levels, the stairway reflects the craftsmanship and artistry of woodworkers in the Valley in the mid 1800's. If you listen closely, you may hear echoes of laughter from generations of children who joyously slid down the long, curving banister. The stair ends in the main hall are in a Greek key design, all hand carved by slaves on the place. Also intriguing are the back narrow stairways that ran from the kitchen to the second floor, and to a secluded bedroom in the back of the house.

Ancestry records indicate Garrett Cunningham never married. Two of his nieces, Betty and Felicia Welton lived with him at Westfall Place until his death. At some period, Westfall passed into ownership of the Chipley family, and for many years was divided into two apartments and rented to various families. The present owner, Harry Fitzwater, who has owned the house and surrounding 7 acres for 37 years, took on the restoration as a labor of love. New electrical, heating, and plumbing systems had to be installed. Then floors were refinished, the walls were repaired and covered with wall paper from the period, and furnishings were purchased that would accentuate the architecture. The only piece of furniture original to the house is a wardrobe that was presented to him by previous occupants. Recently, Mr. Fitzwater has added three new bathrooms complete with the most modern amenities. He says he is "99%" finished with his work. There is a summer kitchen under the house which could still use his handiwork. And then he will be "done." His long term goal is to assure that Westfall will be enjoyed by many generations to come.

Open Courtesy of Harry Fitzwater

Directions: Follow Route 220 South out of Moorefield for approximately 3 miles. Westfall will be on the left side on the ride. Watch carefully as you turn into the parking area.

The South Branch Stock Yard may be a different species from the other pristine homes and buildings open for tour this weekend, but the building and its location has had a significant influence on the layout and destiny of Moorefield, making it the business/social center of Hardy County since its opening in 1935.

On nearly eleven acres in the middle of town, it has seen other businesses and factories come and go, but it held steadfast in its duty to assist local farmers in the sale and purchase of livestock and other items. For some, taking a seat in the stand on Wednesday night has become a ritual and a way to mark the passage of a week.

Early on sheep by the thousands, horses delivered on the train, beef cattle, hogs and other animals were unloaded in the stockyard waiting for the sale. Bud Miley was the manager for about 11 years when he passed away. Other persons associated with the business over the years include Elizabeth and John Coffman, and John's second wife, Katie Coffman. In 2002 , the name was changed to the South Branch Valley Livestock Exchange with Gary Vance taking over the operation. Roger Pratt, who has been working at the stockyard since he was 13 years old, has seen a lot of changes over the years. He indicated that the number of animals being sold has decreased dramatically, and much of the operation has become more technical with farmers able to view the animals online before the sale at www.vacattleco.com . Bids can now come in by cell phones. There is also a Miscellaneous Sale every Wednesday beginning at 8 am and ending around Noon. This precedes the livestock auction and can include everything under the sun including fresh produce in the summer months.

For Heritage Weekend, George and Barbara Thomas will open their in-house restaurant/grill to the public, so if a beautifully grilled hamburger and some fries is what you are hankering for, please stop by. Open at 11 am on Saturday and 1 pm on Sunday. The Future Farmers of America and 4-H Club members will be offering tours and re-telling the history of the building.

Located at 341 Clay Street , Moorefield near the intersection of the railroad tracks and Jefferson. Free parking available.

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

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

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

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

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

On Sunday morning at 11 am a special Heritage Sunday worship service will be held including period dress, old style hymn singing and a dramatic presentation by Rev. Marvin Carr, from WV Wesleyan College, appearing as Bishop Francis Asbury, an early Methodist leader and circuit rider.

On Sunday at 6 pm all are invited to Old Fields Church for an old-fashioned hymn sing and prayer meeting to close out Heritage Weekend festivities.

Open courtesy of Duffey United Methodist Church

Location: Corner of Winchester Avenue and Elm Street

Episcopalians trace their presence here to 1753 when the Hampshire Parish of the Church of England in Virginia was established by the same legislative act that created Hampshire County, which then included Hardy County.

"The Revolution saw most Anglican clergy return to England and it was seventy years before Episcopalians again became active in Hardy County," according to a church history. "The Rev. Mr. Thralls of Cumberland, Maryland, by invitation held an Episcopal service in the Presbyterian Church in February of 1875 and in 1876 Emmanuel Parish was formed."

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

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

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

Open courtesy of Emmanuel Episcopal Church

Location: Intersection of Winchester Avenue and South Fork Road

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

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

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

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

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

One of the oldest extant structures in Moorefield, the Higgins House was built 1786-88 by Robert Higgins, a captain in the Revolutionary War.

In 1777, the Virginia General Assembly authorized creation of a town on the lands of Conrad Moore. Called Moorefield, the town's trustees sold half acre lots to settlers on condition that purchasers build a dwelling of at least 18 square feet, with a brick or stone chimney, within two years, a requirement first relaxed to five years and then later to nine years due to "the difficulty of procuring materials."

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

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

In 1983 the Duffey United Methodist Church bought the property with the intent to tear down the house and use the land for a parking lot. A public outcry caused the church to preserve the original structure and only demolish an addition to the left. The structure is now owned by the Town of Moorefield.

Visitors can peruse an exhibit highlighting the contributions black residents made to Moorefield's development.

Open courtesy of the Town of Moorefield

Location: Corner of Elm Street and Winchester Avenue

For more than half a century, McCoy's Grand Theatre operated continuously as a show place for movies and live performances. Restored and modernized, the structure serves as a home to community theater productions and live musical performances. Just as Eunice McCoy wished.

James Curtis and Eunice McCoy built the theater in 1927 and opened it on February 16, 1928 with a showing of "Wife Savers," a slapstick comedy. From that opening day Eunice McCoy dedicated her life to keeping the McCoy alive. Declining health forced her to close the theater's doors in 1982, just a few months before her death at age 82.

Mrs. McCoy left the bulk of her estate to restore the theater. Additional financial assistance from the state and generous donations from private individuals restored the 248-seat theater's interior, replaced the seating and added a modern sound system. A dedication performance by Percussion 80 of West Virginia University brought the theater back to life on May 27, 1988. A new heating and cooling system completed the restoration in 2004.

On Saturday evening of Heritage Weekend the annual South Branch Fiddle, Banjo and Mandolin Contest takes over the stage. Three independent judges use Nashville rules for amateurs, handing out trophies and cash prizes to adult and youth contestants. Audience members will get to select the house favorite.

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

Location: 110 North Main Street

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

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

During the war, the church was occupied at various times by Confederate and Union troops and both armies used it as a hospital. In 1914, the U.S. government paid the church $800 for damage done by Union troops, including burning pews and stabling horses inside the sanctuary.

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

A Civil War Trails marker in front of the church provides more information.

At the 11 am Sunday morning service, the Rev. Katherine C. Jackson will lead an authentic period worship.

On Sunday at 6 pm all are invited to Old Fields Church for an old-fashioned hymn sing and prayer meeting to close out Heritage Weekend festivities. See page 30 for directions.

Open courtesy of the Moorefield Presbyterian Church

Location: 109 South Main Street

Generally recognized as the oldest extant structure in West Virginia, Stump Cabin is a must-see for anyone wondering what life was like in the untamed frontier of the mid-1700's.

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

In October 1746 a survey crew which included Peter Jefferson, father of Thomas Jefferson, reached Stumps Run. Needing provisions, they found "but one family of poor Dutch people from whom we could have no Supply." Those  poor Dutch people" likely were the Stumps. And it was not the last visit of a historic figure from the colonial era.

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

The cabin grew larger as the Stump family added members. Stump or his son added a second cabin joined to the first by a center front door. A massive central chimney expels smoke from hearths serving both cabins. The second story came later.

The property remained in the hands of the Stump family until 1973, when John Buhl purchased the property. Considering himself more of a caretaker than owner, Buhl has preserved the cabin as an important piece of local and state history. The cabin is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Open courtesy of John and Beverly Buhl

Directions: About 13 miles south of Moorefield on South Fork Road (Route 7). Watch for the green flag on the left. Turn in, cross the bridge and go one mile.

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

On Sunday evening at 6 pm all are invited to an old fashioned hymn sing and prayer meeting to close out Heritage Weekend festivities.

The church was built in 1812 on land donated by Isaac and Elizabeth VanMeter, early settlers in Old Fields who, in 1832, built Fort Pleasant, an 18-room mansion of mixed Georgian and Federal styles nearby. The original deed for the church stipulates that while the property was owned by the Methodist Church, it would be available for use by any denomination at any time.

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

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

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

Open courtesy of the Duffey United Methodist Church of Moorefield

Directions: US 220 north from Moorefield for about 4 miles, turn left at grey barn (just north of Fish Pond Rd.) and at historic sign and farm gate. Watch for green flag, drive through field on left.

The chapel dates from 1916, when A. J. and Susan Heishman donated land for the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. Charles L. Combs, James Teets, William Miller and Philip Heishman were trustees. Their descendants still live in the area.

Construction of the chapel proceeded because, in part, times were good in the Lost River Valley. The faithful had the resources and the Valley's population was growing.

The tannery in Lost City employed hundreds and needed a constant supply of bark and cord wood. Expanding railroads required timber for railroad cross ties. High prices for cattle and corn sustained large families through the winter months. Roads improved, the telephone eased communications.

Goodwin Godlove and Lewis Mathias drove over to Maysville, WV and purchased the pews from an old church.

Once a month a circuit preacher visited and held church services. An early photograph shows about 80 men, women and children in attendance. All the women and young girls appear in white, head to toe.

For one woman who grew up while going to the Chapel, a particular memory stands out. After the Christmas program someone dressed up like Santa Claus would hand out an orange and a bag of hard candy to each child.

The deed stated that if the church ceased to be used for church services, the building would revert back to the Heishman heirs. Sometime in 1990 the church closed its doors. For seventeen years the chapel sat empty. Services started anew on a periodic basis in 2007.

Open courtesy of Janet Heishman Barrick

Directions: Three miles south of Baker on Route 259, on the right. Almost four miles north of Lost River on Route 259, on the left.

The Inn at Lost River sits on property originally owned by William (Billy) Harper, an early landowner in the Lost River Valley. Harper operated a Gristmill and General Store - commercial and social centers of activity for the Lost River Valley.

Although the Grist Mill no longer stands, the Lost River General Store, on the National Register of Historic Places, continues to provide a "sense of place" for residents, guests and travelers.

William Harper's Lost River General Store "Daybook" or "Ledger", circa 1870, will be on display at the Inn, courtesy of Gatha Souder.

In the late 1880's, James Garrett purchased the Harper Grist Mill and a portion of the Harper property. Garrett and his son, Ferg, constructed the wood frame lath and plaster home which later became the Inn. The Garretts operated the Mill and farmed the property for a number of years.

A major renovation and restoration of the Inn began in mid 1990 and concluded 20 months later.

Today, the 120-year-old soft pine floors, milled from local forests, still grace the center hall. With the removal of fourteen coats of multi-colored paint, the center hall banister once again shines as a woodworker's masterpiece in walnut.

Out buildings include an original smokehouse used for curing meats and a reconstructed springhouse once used for cooling milk and other perishables.

During Heritage Weekend, relax and enjoy afternoon tea and Heritage confectionaries in the Inn. Also enjoy the Lost River Artisans Cooperative and the Lost River Museum, a short walk away.

Open courtesy of Ted and Toni Mathias-Harvey

Location: On Route 259 at Mill Gap Road

The Lost River Artisans Cooperative is the eastern headquarters for Heritage Weekend. Visitors may purchase tickets, get information and hear about last minute changes in the Heritage Weekend schedule.

The Artisans Cooperative and Museum share the 163-year-old Harper Barn. Upstairs, the Artisans Cooperative offers for sale juried handcrafted furniture, pottery, glass, baskets, weaving and other crafts, plus paintings and photography, books, and music.

Downstairs, the Lost River Museum featuring special exhibits of antique spinning wheels, looms and the tools of other fiber arts that have been restored to working order.

This year visitors can view artifacts from Native Americans who lived in the Lost River Valley. Entitled "Those Who Came Before: 9,500 BC - 1650 AD," the exhibit is supported by the West Virginia Humanities Council.

Around 1847 Samuel Harper constructed the barn into an earthen bank so he could drive his wagon into the upper level to unload and then drive out the other side, unhitch his team and lead them into the stable on the lower level.

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

During Heritage Weekend, there will be juried Appalachian craft demonstrations and artisan's crafts for sale on the lawn of the historic Harper Barn. Bids will be accepted during a silent auction of crafts donated by artisans. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Lost River Educational Foundation, which underwrites student field trips to the Museum and art scholarships.

Open courtesy of the Lost River Artisans Cooperative

Location: In Lost River at the corner of Route 259 and Mill Gap Road, next to the red brick Harper House

With the opening of a large tannery and several other enterprises in the 1890s, residents envisioned a city growing up along the banks of the Lost River. They named their community Lost City, and it indeed thrived for a time. A Presbyterian congregation was organized and the church was named for its first pastor, Ivanhoe Robertson.

The congregation grew through the heyday of Lost City, surviving the closing of the tannery in 1927, the Great Depression, the chestnut blight, the end of lumbering, terrible droughts, forest fires, depressed agriculture prices and World War II, which drew its young men from the valley. The church today continues to be an active center of worship.

The original church was a lovely building with gothic-style windows and carpenter gothic detailing outside and beautiful oak paneling inside. Over the years, the congregation has upgraded the facilities but maintained the historic sanctuary in its original form. The original pump organ still occupies a corner in the sanctuary, and sometimes it is played.

In the fellowship hall, the church displays historic photos and other memorabilia. During Heritage Weekend, a bake sale will take place on the grounds. The congregation welcomes visitors to its 11 am Sunday service and for a covered-dish supper following the service.

Open courtesy of the Ivanhoe Presbyterian Church congregation.

Directions: Route 259 to Lost City, turn onto Lower Cover Road at the Post Office, church is on the hill, to the left.

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

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

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

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

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

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

It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places Nov. 24, 1978. The Civil War Trails marker in the front yard provides more information.

Open courtesy of Mathias Homestead Inc.

Location: On Route 259 at Howards Lick Road

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

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

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

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

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

Open courtesy the WV Department of Parks

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

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

The current owner purchased the church, farmhouse and property in 2000. The church is now a woodworking shop but the essential outlines of the old church interior are preserved.

The entire compound pays tribute to a compatible mixture of rural heritage and modern creativity.

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

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

Lewis Loury provided land for a cemetery on a hilltop just above St. John's. The earliest marker carries the date April 8, 1894, for Arthur Loury.

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

Open courtesy of Joshua and Gianna Miller

Directions: From Route 259, about 1.6 miles south of Mathias, take Crab Run Road. After 1.3 miles, turn right onto Cullers Run Road. St. John's is at 460 Cullers Run Road, on the right.

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

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

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

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

Open courtesy of the Cullers Run School Association

Directions: From Route 259, about two miles south of Mathias, take Crab Run Road. Turn right onto Cullers Run Road. The school is four miles down the road on the left.

Visitors to the Claggett House and Reymann Memorial Farm will be treated to several activities on this Tidewater-style plantation which is now operated as a cutting-edge farm by the West Virginia University Agriculture Extension Service.

Tours of an experimental fish hatchery, breeding trophy sized brook trout, and the barns will be conducted by hayrides on Saturday at 10 am and 2 pm, and on Sunday at 12:30 pm docile animals will be available for children to pet. New this year is a hydroponics greenhouse which allows researchers to experiment with new ways of growing vegetables.

At 2 pm, the farm will also be the site of Cow-Chip Bingo. Chances available at Antiques Etc., Wardensville.

Hezekiah Claggett and his wife Louisa Baker built this Greek Revival home between 1840 and 1850 on the farm land inherited by Louisa. Claggett become on the largest landowners and hog and cattle farmers in Hardy County. The Claggett family sold the property to H. Riley Orndorff in 1900, and he sold it in 1911 to Anton Reymann, an industrialist from Wheeling who had a summer home at Capon Springs. Reymann raised pure-bred Ayshire cattle and made several improvements, including drainage ditches under 300 to 400 acres of the land.

On December 30, 1916, Reymann gave the 962-acre farm to the West Virginia Agricultural Experimental Station with the goal of making West Virginia "known as the hope of the Ayshire in this country." That didn't happen. And the herd was moved to a farm near Morgantown in 1937. WVU continues to use Reymann for livestock, poultry, and crop research.

The house with its distinctive red brick, gable roof, curved stairways, fireplaces, pine flooring and high ceilings was renovated in 2001 after being uninhabited for 17 years. One of the rooms of the house will be open with a display of the history of the farm.

Open courtesy of Jerry Yates, manager, Reymann Memorial Farm.

Directions: Traveling north of Wardensville on route 259, it is on the left.

The first Lutheran congregation in Wardensville was formed by Pastor John Hamilton on April 18, 1840. The early years of the church were difficult.

Most Hardy County residents were loyal to the Southern cause during the Civil War. When Union troops marched through town, the Rev. Peter Miller and members of the congregation gave themselves as hostages to insure the good conduct of the townspeople and prevent soldiers from burning the town, according to a church history.

Services were held in the Old Union Church until 1870 when a new brick church was built under the direction of of Rev. Miller. The church collapsed in 1934 due to the deterioration of the homemade bricks.

Rev. L.B. Williamson directed the construction of a new church of native sandstone obtained from the Winfred Tharp property. Church members contributed labor and materials, holding total costs to $8,000.

St. Peter congregation is part of the Capon North River Lutheran Parish, which consists of Hebron Church at Yellow Springs, Ebenezer Church at Rio and Fairview Lutheran Church at Gore, Va.

Enjoy the music of the church organist Saturday morning.

Open courtesy of St. Peter Lutheran congregation

Location: 60 West Main Street

Experience the ambiance of the Wardensville Jail, enjoyed by prisoners from 1930 through the 1950's. Not many towns could boast of a jail where families kept in touch with a captive relative during a leisurely stroll down Main Street.

Prior to its use as a jail, John Cline, Sr. and his son, C. H. Cline, used the building as a blacksmith shop from the 1830's until 1895.

Wardensville was founded in 1832. A map of that year listing ownership of town lots shows Lot 2, the location of the jail and the white house next to it, as having been owned by John Cline, Sr. The lot is still in the Cline family.

The original structure was built of hand dressed stone, held together with lime mortar. The rear section collapsed years ago but the front section remains secure enough for prisoners, even today.

Since the windows were handy for friends to pass a bottle, prisoners often came out drunker than when put in.

Open courtesy of Margaret Harrison

Location: On West Main Street, to the right of 164 West Main Street.

Brothers John and Wilbur Hahn started working together in 1939. Mostly they cut, milled and hauled timber. They transported axes, cross cut saws and a portable mill to where the trees stood, cut for weeks and then moved on to the next site.

Their last portable saw mill, The Double-O'Frick, sits now at the old Hahn homeplace. It hasn't moved for 25 years. A gasoline motor from a 1949 Buick Roadmaster powers the 52 inch blade. Even today, the mill operates much as it did 60 years ago.

On a good day the Hahn brothers could produce 3,000 board feet of lumber. When business prospered, they took on as many as seven employees. But competing against the big mills, producing millions of board feet of lumber each day, meant the Hahn brothers could not rest.

As recently as 2005, the mill produced railroad ties, furniture boards and flooring. The heavy snows in 2010 damaged the mill shelter.

The two-story clapboard house where the Hahn brothers grew up sits empty now. And yet, beyond the out buildings, past the family cemetery and above the fields once filled with vegetables and grains to sustain a family of ten, The Double-O'Frick rumbles to life: a historic country mill in a digital age.

Open courtesy of the Hahn Family

Location: The Hahn Homeplace, Dutch Hollow

Directions: From Corridor H between Baker and Wardensville: exit at Pinnacle Drive (to the right from Baker or to the left from Wardensville); turn right onto Route Old 55; turn right onto Sauerkraut Road; Hahn Homeplace is about four miles on the right. Follow signs to the mill.

The restoration of this one room school is so authentic that former student Austin Ludwig said: "The only things missing are the broken water cooler and the ink wells we used to dip the girls' hair in."

Dutch Hollow families sent their children to this school from 1904 to 1949. John Hahn, a veteran of the Confederate Army, donated the land for the school.

Carpenters used locally grown and milled chestnut lumber to enclose a space roughly 24 by 36 feet. Lighting came from a coal oil lantern hung in the center of the room. Students carried water from a well across the road. A large wood stove provided heat. Jake Hahn split wood and stacked logs under the front porch, charging the Board of Education $5 per year. An outhouse behind the school still stands.

A succession of teachers instructed first through eighth grades. During a typical day the dozen or so students rotated from front to back of the room, with instruction for 15 - 20 minutes per grade in the front and then work time in the back for the rest of the day. Subjects included reading, writing, math, history and penmanship, the latter practiced on small chalk boards.

The school year extended from mid September to mid April. Students enjoyed morning and afternoon fifteen minute recesses and one hour lunch breaks. Upon graduating the eighth grade, students who went on to high school enrolled in Wardensville or Romney.

Except for the winter months, it was not uncommon for students to walk barefoot to school and home again, sometimes miles.

Open courtesy of the Hahn Family

Location: On Sauerkraut Road, near the intersection with Dutch Hollow Road.

Directions: From Corridor H between Baker and Wardensville: exit at Pinnacle Drive (to the right from Baker or to the left from Wardensville); turn right onto Route Old 55; turn right onto Sauerkraut Road; school is about four miles on the left.