Gap View Farm
Gap View Farm | |
 Farmhouse in the 1930s | |
   | |
| Nearest city | Charles Town, West Virginia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°20′37.57″N 77°50′55.00″W / 39.3437694°N 77.8486111°W |
| Built | 1774 |
| Architect | Walter Baker |
| Architectural style | Georgian, Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 96001574 |
| Added to NRHP | January 9, 1997[1] |
Gap View Farm, near Charles Town, West Virginia, is a historic farm complex built in 1774. The farm was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 9, 1997.
Origin of name
The property gets its name from its view of the gap in the
History
Walter Baker came to then, Berkeley County, Virginia, in 1770 and began clearing the property.[2] A small limestone house was built by Baker in 1750, on property that was granted to Henry Lloyd by Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron.[2] The main house of the farm was built by Baker in 1774.[2] At Baker's death in 1820, the property was sold by Baker's widow, Jacobina, to James L. Ranson.[2] When Ranson fell on hard times, he sold it to Parker Strode in 1868.[2] In 1871, the property was acquired by Charles Aglionby, who owned the adjoining Mount Pleasant estate and a portion of Media Farm.[2] Over time the house was expanded in four phases. In 1937, the farm was again sold to a family by the name of Barlett.[2]
In 1954, the farm was purchased by
On January 9, 1997, the farm and property were placed on the National Register of Historic Places.[2][5]
Description
Gap view is a two-story three-bay brick house, with prominent stepped parapets at the gable ends. As originally built, it was arranged with a side hall plan, that was later changed to a center hall arrangement.[6]
Conservation
Susannah Mayo Buckles, daughter of Frank Buckles,[7] runs the day-to-day operations of the farm and has made the farm more eco-friendly. In May 2008, volunteers planted over 1,000 trees and shrubs on the farm.[8]
Many local agencies have worked to plant trees and shrubs, as well as wetland species of trees and shrubs, along the property's stream and wetland areas.[8]
Ms. Buckles also installed 15,000 feet of fencing as part land retirement program called the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program.[9] The fencing separated the farm's conservation areas from the farm's other residents, 130 head of cattle.[9]
In July 2009, it was announced that the farm was in the running for the West Virginia Conservation Farmer of the Year, though it is unclear if the farm won.[9] The farm had won Jefferson County Conservation Farmer of the Year in 2009.[9]
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Jean Crolius Ehman (June 1996), National Register of Historic Places Nomination: Gap View Farm (PDF), National Park Service
- ^ a b Henry, Beth (February 2, 2010). "Last living U.S. World War I vet turns 109". The Journal.
- ^ "Rockefeller Honors World War I Veteran Frank Buckles of Charles Town". Office of Senator Jay Rockefeller. March 6, 2008. Archived from the original on March 25, 2009. Retrieved November 11, 2009.
- ^ "Gap View Farm". National Register of Historic Places. Archived from the original on June 16, 2015. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-933202-87-7.
- ^ Susannah Buckles, geni.com.
- ^ NCRS. Archived from the originalon July 18, 2011. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
- ^ a b c d Smoot, Naomi (July 21, 2009). "Farm could earn honor". The Journal. Archived from the original on September 14, 2011.
External links
Media related to Gap View Farm (Charles Town, West Virginia) at Wikimedia Commons- Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. WV-11, "Gap View Farm, Charles Town vicinity, Jefferson County, WV", 2 photos
