Scanlon Farm
Encyclopedia
Scanlon Farm is a late 19th-century loghouse
and farm overlooking Three Churches Run east of the unincorporated community of Three Churches
, West Virginia
. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
on February 3, 1988.
Scanlon family in the 1860s. It is a folk house of the Midland tradition, in the early German settlement era pattern. The house is one room deep and linear in design with external chimney
s on both gable
ends of the house. The logs in its construction are squared, hand-hewn, and laid horizontally, notched on the ends, and with narrow chinking. (Chinking refers to the mortar
between the logs). There are vertical end logs that serve to anchor the structure's four corners. The two massive stone chimneys are original to the house, although the east side has been partially rebuilt. The side-gable roof is moderately pitched
and is composed of slate
. The Scanlon Log House was constructed in two sections: the east side being the original section built by the Larimore family and the western half was added around 1865 by Thomas Scanlon shortly after the Scanlon family acquired the property. To the rear of the house and slightly to the west stands the remains of a large stone chimney. This chimney (circa 1840) served the detached kitchen which itself disappeared in the 19th-century.
are exposed on the interior, and the interior walls are composed of unadorned vertical wood siding. A wooden mantelpiece
graces the end of the first floor parlor. Much of the furnishings on the interior are original Scanlon family pieces.
, gable roof smoke house with wide vertical siding. Next to it is a slightly smaller gable roof wood outbuilding that serves as a privy
. The privy is characterized by whitewash
ed vertical narrow boards and some slightly decorative woodwork
over the door and along the roof line on the exterior. Also on the Scanlon Farm is the two-story gable roof wood sided barn
constructed in the 19th-century.
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
and farm overlooking Three Churches Run east of the unincorporated community of Three Churches
Three Churches, West Virginia
Three Churches is an unincorporated community in Hampshire County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The town is located north of Romney along Jersey Mountain Road at a crossroads with Three Churches Hollow Road...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on February 3, 1988.
Exterior
The farm's main structure is the Scanlon Log House, a two-story log structure built around 1840 by the Larimore family and acquired by theScanlon family in the 1860s. It is a folk house of the Midland tradition, in the early German settlement era pattern. The house is one room deep and linear in design with external chimney
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
s on both gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
ends of the house. The logs in its construction are squared, hand-hewn, and laid horizontally, notched on the ends, and with narrow chinking. (Chinking refers to the mortar
Mortar (masonry)
Mortar is a workable paste used to bind construction blocks together and fill the gaps between them. The blocks may be stone, brick, cinder blocks, etc. Mortar becomes hard when it sets, resulting in a rigid aggregate structure. Modern mortars are typically made from a mixture of sand, a binder...
between the logs). There are vertical end logs that serve to anchor the structure's four corners. The two massive stone chimneys are original to the house, although the east side has been partially rebuilt. The side-gable roof is moderately pitched
Pitched roof
A pitched roof is a roof for which one or more roof surfaces is pitched more than 10 degrees, and alternately a roof with two slopes that meet at a central ridge. Some definitions are even more general, including any roof with a sloping surface or surfaces....
and is composed of slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
. The Scanlon Log House was constructed in two sections: the east side being the original section built by the Larimore family and the western half was added around 1865 by Thomas Scanlon shortly after the Scanlon family acquired the property. To the rear of the house and slightly to the west stands the remains of a large stone chimney. This chimney (circa 1840) served the detached kitchen which itself disappeared in the 19th-century.
Interior
The interior of the Scanlon Log House consists of a "two rooms over two rooms" arrangement with a narrow winding staircase connecting the two floors. The two bedrooms on the second floor are slightly smaller than their corresponding rooms on the first floor, with a small connecting room. Overhead beamsBeam (structure)
A beam is a horizontal structural element that is capable of withstanding load primarily by resisting bending. The bending force induced into the material of the beam as a result of the external loads, own weight, span and external reactions to these loads is called a bending moment.- Overview...
are exposed on the interior, and the interior walls are composed of unadorned vertical wood siding. A wooden mantelpiece
Fireplace mantel
Fireplace mantel or mantelpiece, also known as a chimneypiece, originated in medieval times as a hood that projected over a grate to catch the smoke. The term has evolved to include the decorative framework around the fireplace, and can include elaborate designs extending to the ceiling...
graces the end of the first floor parlor. Much of the furnishings on the interior are original Scanlon family pieces.
Contributing structures
To the rear of the Scanlon Log House are two adjacent outbuildings, both dating from the 19th-century. One is a one-story wood frameFraming (construction)
Framing, in construction known as light-frame construction, is a building technique based around structural members, usually called studs, which provide a stable frame to which interior and exterior wall coverings are attached, and covered by a roof comprising horizontal ceiling joists and sloping...
, gable roof smoke house with wide vertical siding. Next to it is a slightly smaller gable roof wood outbuilding that serves as a privy
Outhouse
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 :...
. The privy is characterized by whitewash
Whitewash
Whitewash, or calcimine, kalsomine, calsomine, or lime paint is a very low-cost type of paint made from slaked lime and chalk . Various other additives are also used...
ed vertical narrow boards and some slightly decorative woodwork
Woodworking
Woodworking is the process of building, making or carving something using wood.-History:Along with stone, mud, and animal parts, wood was one of the first materials worked by early humans. Microwear analysis of the Mousterian stone tools used by the Neanderthals show that many were used to work wood...
over the door and along the roof line on the exterior. Also on the Scanlon Farm is the two-story gable roof wood sided barn
Barn
A barn is an agricultural building used for storage and as a covered workplace. It may sometimes be used to house livestock or to store farming vehicles and equipment...
constructed in the 19th-century.
See also
- List of historic sites in Hampshire County, West Virginia
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Hampshire County, West VirginiaNational Register of Historic Places listings in Hampshire County, West VirginiaThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Hampshire County, West Virginia.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Hampshire County, West Virginia, United States...