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Altona (West Virginia)
Encyclopedia
Altona, near Charles Town, West Virginia
, is a historic farm with an extensive set of subsidiary buildings. The original Federal style house was built in 1793 by Revolutionary War
officer Abraham Davenport on land purchased from Charles Washington
. The house was expanded by Abraham's son, Colonel Braxton Davenport. During the Civil War
the farm was a favored encampment. Generals Philip Sheridan
and Ulysses S. Grant
both used the house as a headquarters and meeting place.
The farm was sold out of the Davenport family in 1906, but repurchased in 1936. In the interim, a Sears, Roebuck house
was added to the property.
, Claymont Court
and Harewood
. Davenport became a Jefferson County
magistrate in 1801, and was sheriff in 1803. His son, Colonel Braxton Davenport took over the farm in 1830. Col. Davenport added the present brick front to the original house, as well as the impressive stone fence that lines the road between Charles Town and Middleway
. The house was named at this time for Mrs. Davenport's family home in Germany
.
Colonel Davenport, who had served in the U.S. Army during the War of 1812
, followed his father as Jefferson County magistrate, and arraigned John Brown
in his court in 1859. Braxton Davenport was also a Virginia
state legislator, serving four terms.
During the Civil War, Altona became a favorite headquarters for Union and Confederate forces. The front drawing rooms were used for conferences, and Sheridan used the farm's horses and carriage. Altona was therefore saved from the destruction that overtook other nearby estates. Altona served as a refuge when nearby Locust Hill was the scene of fighting and destroyed.
Colonel Davenport's son, Henry Bedinger Davenport had served as a lieutenant of militia in the company that captured John Brown. He served in a similar unit in the Confederate Army. Henry continued to operate the farm after his father's death and extended the stone fence. He died in 1901 . The family sold the farm in 1906. Between 1906 and the re-purchase of the property by Henry Davenport, Jr. the barn was doubled in size and a Sears, Roebuck house was built on the property next to the mansion house. The house remains in the Davenport family.
The interior is oriented around a center hall leading to the kitchen at the rear. The hall is entered through the south porch door, which is topped by a leaded glass fanlight. Two symmetrical living rooms flank the hall at the front. The 1793 portion of the house contains a reception room and a dining room. The second floor is arranged in the same manner as the first, with rooms, doors and fireplaces in the same locations. The main stair continues to the attic. The basement contains a similar room arrangement to the first floor, with fireplaces in the rooms.
, listed in the Sears catalog as "Dream House." The two-story hipped-roof house stands on a local limestone foundation. A plaque in one of the brick piers at the front reads "Dream House 1920."
, early 19th century frame slave quarters, a late 19th century brick smokehouse, and two mid-19th century corncribs. Several other buildings and structures contribute to the ensemble."
Charles Town, West Virginia
Charles Town is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,907 at the 2000 census. Due to its similar name, travelers have sometimes confused this city with the state's capital, Charleston.-History:...
, is a historic farm with an extensive set of subsidiary buildings. The original Federal style house was built in 1793 by Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
officer Abraham Davenport on land purchased from Charles Washington
Charles Washington
Charles Washington was the youngest brother of United States President George Washington. He was a son of Augustine Washington and his second wife, Mary Ball Washington....
. The house was expanded by Abraham's son, Colonel Braxton Davenport. During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
the farm was a favored encampment. Generals Philip Sheridan
Philip Sheridan
Philip Henry Sheridan was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close association with Lt. Gen. Ulysses S...
and Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
both used the house as a headquarters and meeting place.
The farm was sold out of the Davenport family in 1906, but repurchased in 1936. In the interim, a Sears, Roebuck house
Sears Catalog Home
Sears Catalog Homes were ready-to-assemble kit houses sold through mail order by Sears, Roebuck and Company, an American retailer. Over 70,000 of these were sold in North America between 1908 and 1940. Shipped via railroad boxcars, these kits included all the materials needed to build a house...
was added to the property.
History
Major Abraham Davenport, Sr.'s 1793 house was a wood-frame structure built on land purchased from Charles Washington, adjoining several Washington family homes, including BlakeleyBlakeley (West Virginia)
Blakeley, near Charles Town, West Virginia is also known as the Washington - Chew - Funkhouser House, and was built in 1820 by John Augustine Washington II, great-nephew of George Washington and son of John Augustine Washington. It is a contemporary of its neighbor, Claymont Court, built across...
, Claymont Court
Claymont Court
Claymont Court or simply Claymont is a Georgian style brick mansion, the grandest of several built near Charles Town, West Virginia for members of the Washington family. The current house was built in 1840 by Bushrod Corbin Washington, grand-nephew of George Washington, to replace a house that was...
and Harewood
Harewood (West Virginia)
Harewood is one of several houses in the vicinity of Charles Town, West Virginia built for members of the Washington family. The house was designed by John Ariss for Samuel Washington in 1770. Washington moved from his farm on Chotank creek in Stafford County, Virginia to Harewood, accumulating ...
. Davenport became a Jefferson County
Jefferson County, West Virginia
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 53,498. Its county seat is Charles Town...
magistrate in 1801, and was sheriff in 1803. His son, Colonel Braxton Davenport took over the farm in 1830. Col. Davenport added the present brick front to the original house, as well as the impressive stone fence that lines the road between Charles Town and Middleway
Middleway, West Virginia
Middleway is an unincorporated census-designated place in Jefferson County, West Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 census, its population was 441.-History:...
. The house was named at this time for Mrs. Davenport's family home in Germany
Altona, Hamburg
Altona is the westernmost urban borough of the German city state of Hamburg, on the right bank of the Elbe river. From 1640 to 1864 Altona was under the administration of the Danish monarchy. Altona was an independent city until 1937...
.
Colonel Davenport, who had served in the U.S. Army during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, followed his father as Jefferson County magistrate, and arraigned John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
in his court in 1859. Braxton Davenport was also a Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
state legislator, serving four terms.
During the Civil War, Altona became a favorite headquarters for Union and Confederate forces. The front drawing rooms were used for conferences, and Sheridan used the farm's horses and carriage. Altona was therefore saved from the destruction that overtook other nearby estates. Altona served as a refuge when nearby Locust Hill was the scene of fighting and destroyed.
Colonel Davenport's son, Henry Bedinger Davenport had served as a lieutenant of militia in the company that captured John Brown. He served in a similar unit in the Confederate Army. Henry continued to operate the farm after his father's death and extended the stone fence. He died in 1901 . The family sold the farm in 1906. Between 1906 and the re-purchase of the property by Henry Davenport, Jr. the barn was doubled in size and a Sears, Roebuck house was built on the property next to the mansion house. The house remains in the Davenport family.
Main house
The main house is a two-story five-bay brick house, painted white on a local limestone foundation, with a hipped slate roof. The roof was raised in 1936 and dormers were added. Paired chimneys rise on the east and west sides. The weatherboard 1793 house remains as the rear portion of the main house, but was clad in brick in 1936. The 1936 renovation also added formal entry porches on the south and east sides. Windows are typically six-over-six double-hung sashes with brick flat arches.The interior is oriented around a center hall leading to the kitchen at the rear. The hall is entered through the south porch door, which is topped by a leaded glass fanlight. Two symmetrical living rooms flank the hall at the front. The 1793 portion of the house contains a reception room and a dining room. The second floor is arranged in the same manner as the first, with rooms, doors and fireplaces in the same locations. The main stair continues to the attic. The basement contains a similar room arrangement to the first floor, with fireplaces in the rooms.
Bank barn
The 198 feet (60.4 m) long bank barn is built on a cut local limestone foundation, with weatherboard forebay and upper level. Two large square cupolas are placed over old and new sections of the barn. The original brick gable of the old barn remains in the interior where the old and new sections join. Stalls are found in the old section, while the newer section is a large loafing shed.Sears Roebuck house
The Sears house to the west of the main house is an American FoursquareAmerican Foursquare
The American Foursquare or American Four Square is an American house style popular from the mid-1890s to the late 1930s. A reaction to the ornate and mass produced elements of the Victorian and other Revival styles popular throughout the last half of the 19th century, the American Foursquare was...
, listed in the Sears catalog as "Dream House." The two-story hipped-roof house stands on a local limestone foundation. A plaque in one of the brick piers at the front reads "Dream House 1920."
Garage/Guest house
The 1936 garage is a two stories, with a basement. A 1967 addition added expanded guest quarters and altered the interiors."Accessory structures
Other structures on the property include a late 19th century limestone outhouseOuthouse
An outhouse is a small structure separate from a main building which often contained a simple toilet and may possibly also be used for housing animals and storage.- Terminology :...
, early 19th century frame slave quarters, a late 19th century brick smokehouse, and two mid-19th century corncribs. Several other buildings and structures contribute to the ensemble."