Form 10-300 UNI TED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE I NTERI OR

(Rev. 6-72) NATI CNAL PARK SERVICE

) STATE:
West Vi rgi ni a
COUNT Y
NATI ONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
Kanawha
I NVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM
( Type all entries - complete applicable sections)
b
I
[I. NAME
1 COMMON:
Holly Grove Mansion
AND/ OR HISTORIC:
1
Hol l y Grove Inn, Ruffner Mansion
2. LOCAT tON
I STREET ANO NUMBER:
1710 Kanawha Boulevard, East
C I T Y O R TOWN: j CONGRESSI ONAL DI ST RI CT :
I
CATEGORY
(Check One)
OWNERSHIP
Third
C OU N T Y :
C O D E
Kan awh a
Charl est on
13. CLASSiFICATlON
0'39
S T A T E
West Vi r gi ni a
' PRESENT USE (Check One or More as Appropriate)
CODE
5 4
C Agri cul t ural @ Government 0 Park 0 Transportati on e Comments
C] Commercial C I ndust ri al Pri vat e Resi dence Other (Specify)
0 Educat i onal C] Mi l i t ar y Rel i gi ous
C] Entertai nment @ Museum Sci ent i f i c
C] Di st r i ct E Bui l di ng
0 Si te Structure
0 Obj ect
14. OWNER OF PROPERTY
-.
/ OWNER' S NAME: 1
Occupied
0 Unoccupied
0 Preservati on work
i n progress
St at e of West V i r g i n i a *
S T R E E T ~hl-0 N U MB E R :
C
Yes:
5 Rest ri ct ed
(7 Unrestri cted
lE9
$I Publ i c *
Pri vat e
Both
Fubl i c Acqui si t i on:
(7 In Process
Bei ng Considered
Charl est on I West Vi r gi ni a
C
P-
GQ
5
-State C a p i t o l .
? ! ~ ~ P & ! # ~ A Q f t i EXISTING SURVEYS
1 I
TITLE O F S U f f V E Y :
[ 5. LOCAiIOM OF i E G+ t DESCRIPTfON
P-
ICOURTHOUSE. REGI STRY OF DEEDS. ETC:
m
r
C I T Y O R TOWN:
Charl est on
DAT E OF SURVEY: Federal Stote County Local
z
D E P OS I T OR Y F O R S U R V E Y RECORDS: C
I
D m
S T A T E : ( C O O F
West Vi r gi ni a 1 54
( Check One)
CONDITION
(Check One)
Al fered 0 Unoltered n Moved W Original Site
) ESCRI BE T HE PRESENT AND ORI GI NAL ( i f known) PHYSI CAL AP P E ARANCE
Hol l y Grove Mansion i s a l a r ge br i c k house wi t h a f r o n t s ect i on made t
accomnodate t hr e e f l o o r s and r e a r s e c t i on housi ng two. The s t one f oundat i o
suppor t s ei ght een i nch t h i c k wal l s of heavy br i c k made i n England, t he wal l
bei ng broken by symmet ri cal l y pl aced windows t hroughout . The main por t i on
has a low hi pped r oof wi t h three-window dormers pr oj ect i ng between hi gh
b r i c k chimneys on e i t h e r s i d e and t he back of t h e uni t . The r e a r s ect i on
has a very gent l y s l opi ng r oof , much lower t han t h a t t o i t s f or e. '
One of t he out s t andi ng f e a t ur e s of t he bui l di ng i s t h e massive two-
s t or y, s emi - ci r cul ar por t i c o a t t he f r o n t ent r ance. Supported by f our whi t
I oni c columns and capped by a f l a t r oof , i t s h e l t e r s a wooden balcony above
t he main doorway. Thi s doorway i s surrounded by t hr ee- quar t er s i de l i ght s
and a f u l l over l i ght and decor at ed cor ni ce. A s i mi l ar des i gn i s followed i:
t h e second-fl oor Pal l adi an doorway which opens ont o t he bal cony. The bui l d,
i ng i s approached by low s t one s t eps .
Wide hal l ways a r e found on a l l f l o o r s i n t h e f r ont s ect i on, but t he
second-fl oor a r e a has been short ened by a p a r t i t i o n pl aced t o form a room
behind t he bal cony ent r ance. Fi r epl aces s er ve t he main s s c t i on, and t he
house cont ai ns no l e s s t han t h i r t e e n rooms. Column-supported, one-st ory
porches a r e on t he west s i d e of t he main u n i t and t he nor t heas t cor ner of
t he r e a r s ect i on.
Conforming t o a s t y l e popul ar a t t he t i me ( c . 1815) i n Vi r gi ni a, Holly
Grove was o r i g i n a l l y a square, t wo-st ori ed s t r u c t u r e wi t h a br i c k di ni ng
room wing ext endi ng i n t he r e a r almost t o t he s epar at el y housed br i ck
ki t chen. The l a r g e windows were trimmed wi t h green s hut t e r s , and a smal l
por t i co covered t h e f r o n t doorway which opened i n t o a wide c e n t r a l h a l l
whose r e a r door l e d t o t he br i ck- f l oor ed di ni ng room.
Hi gh-cei l i nged, squar e rooms open upon each s i de of t h e hal l way, t hose
on t he r i g h t bei ng connect ed wi t h wide f ol di ng doors, above which an el abor .
a t e cor ni ce, s i mi l a r i n des i gn and wor hans hi p t o t he f r o n t doorway, ext end;
t o t he c e i l i n g . A f i r e i n 1832 dest royed most of t he i n t e r i o r woodwork, bu:
t he wal l s remained undamaged and t he rooms were r es t or ed.
Af t er s a l e of t he pr oper t y i n 1902, t he new owner made numerous a l t e r -
a t i ons which gi ve t he house i t s d i s t i n c t i v e appearance of today. I n or der
t o make i t s u i t a b l e f o r t he us e of two f ami l i es , he worked out a cl ever
p a r t i t i o n i nvol vi ng no not i ceabl e e x t e r i o r changes or i n t e r i o r di s f i gur e-
ment. A t t h i s t i me t he roof was r a i s e d and t he former a t t i c convert ed i n t o
a us abl e apart ment . Other changes i ncl uded t he removal of t he long di ni ng
room wing and t he s u b s t i t u t i o n of an i ndoor ki t chen f o r t he separ at e k i t c h e ~
bui l di ng. The s mal l f r o n t por t i co was r epl aced by t he pr es ent s emi - ci r cul a~
ent r ance porch wi t h i t s massi ve whi t e columns. The red br i c k wal l s were
pai nt ed gray, and t he s t r u c t u r e took a revi ved gr ace among t he gardens,
hol l y t r e e s and boxwoods which adorned t he pr oper t y.
The St a t e of West Vi r gi ni a i s c ur r e nt l y consi der i ng acqui r i ng t he hou.31
f o r us e i n conj unct i on wi t h s t a t e f unct i ons . I t s l ocat i on i s very near t he
Execut i ve Nansion and St a t e Capi t ol , and t h i s makes i t i d e a l f o r expansion
of t he government complex.
GNIFICANCE
PERI OD (Check One at .Wore as Appropriate)
0 Pre-Columbian l i J 16th Century 0 18th Century iJ 20th Century
0 15th Century 0 17th Century 19th Century
SPEC1 F I C OATEt SJ (If Appl i cabl e and Known)
AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE:
(Check One or Mora aa ~ppr opn' st e)
Abor i gi nal Education a Politico1 C] Urban Plonninq
0 Prehistoric 0 Engineering 0 Religion/Phi- 0 Other (Specify)
0 Hi stori c a Industry losophy
0 Agri cul hrn Invention (7 Science
a Architecture 0 Landscope 0 Sculpture
0 Art
Commerce
Archi tecture 0 Socia VHuman-
Li terature
i tari an
0 CornmunicotionS C Mi l i t ar y 0 Theorer
a Conservation Musi c 0 Transportation
r T AT EMENT O F SI GNI FI CANCE
~ o l l y Grove Mansion was o r i g i n a l l y t he home of Dani el Ruffner, one of
a fami l y which hel ped devel op t h e e a r l y s a l t i ndust r y i n t he Kanawha Val l ey
Being a s l a r ge a s it was i n an a r e a r ecent l y wi l derness, t he house ser ved
a s an or di nar y a s new r oads opened through t he ar ea. To add t o i t s renown,
i t s owner was hol der of a number of o f f i c i a l appointments, i ncl udi ng one a s
j u s t i c e of t he peace and anot her a s hi gh s h e r i f f of t he county.
Joseph Ruffner had purchased l and i n t he pr esent Charl est on, West
Vi r gi ni a, ar ea about t he t u r n of t h e ni net eent h cent ury and moved h i s f ami l
t h e r e from t he Shenandoah Val l ey of Vi r gi ni a. Joseph' s sons, David and
Joseph, put t he s a l t i ndus t r y on a paying ba s i s by 1808, and Dani el , f i f t h
son of Joseph, pa r t i c i pa t e d i n t h e t hr i vi ng busi ness which suppl i ed t h e
needed comodi t y t o much of t he e a s t and t hen t o t he west by way of t he
Ohio Ri ver. As t h e s a l i ne s prospered, Dani el b u i l t t he s ubs t a nt i a l Hol l y
Grove f o r h i s fami l y on t he s i t e of h i s par ent s ' l og homestead, a t t e s t i n g
t o i ndus t r y and personal good f or t une.
Holly Grove was o r i g i n a l l y a pl a nt a t i on wi t h i t s barns, shops, gr anar y
and ot her out bui l di ngs pl aced acr os s an open expanse where t he West Vi r gi ni
Capi t ol and Execut i ve Mansion now st and. As t he ar ea grew and t he James
Ri ver and Kanawha Turnpike opened t o Richmond and t he e a s t , t he Ruffner
house became a popul ar s t op. With numerous bedrooms and ext ens i ve acr es
f ur ni s hi ng ample food f o r man and be a s t , Dani el Ruffner coul d a dve r t i s e i n
1826 t ha t :
The subscr i ber has opened a house of pr i vat e ent ert ai nment a t
h i s commodious r esi dence, s i t u a t e one mi l e and a ha l f from t he town
of Charl est on on t he road l eadi ng t hence t o Lewisburg. Every e f f o r t
w i l l be made t o render t he l odgi ng of t he t r a v e l l e r comfort abl e,
and h i s d i e t pal at abl e. Hi s pas t ur es a r e ext ensi ve and cor n abundant.
He w i l l t her ef or e be amply prepared t o accomodate [ s i c] t he c a t t l e
-
o r hog merchant. For t r a v e l l e r s on horseback, o r i n car r i ages , he
wi l l be abl e t o f ur ni s h good s t a b l e s wel l suppl i ed wi t h a l l ki nds of
provender f o r hor s es .
%i l y . t r a d i t i o n hol ds t h a t numerous persons of prominence were ent er t ai ned
:here, i ncl udi ng Daniel Boone, Henry Clay, John J. Audubon and Andrew
Jackson.
AS ~ a n i e l ' s pos i t i on i n t h e corninunity became i ncr easi ngl y s o l i d i f i e d
md t he a r e a grew i n popul at i on, t he governor of Vi r gi ni a agreed t o appoi nt
l i m a s j u s t i c e of t he peace and l s t e r as hi gh s he r i f f of t he county. The
t uf f ner fami l y was dominant i n t he Kanawha Val l ey f o r many year s a f t e r 1800,
and Henry Ruffner, a c l os e r e l a t i v e of Dani el , became nat i onal l y known wi t h
t he p~bl : cat i on of t he s o- cal l ed Ruffner Pamphlet on t h e s l aver y i s s u e i n
the 1840s.
Form 10-#Ma UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTER108
(July 1969) NATI ONAL PARK SERVICE
NATI ONAL REGI STER OF Hl STORl C PLACES
(Number a11 enrriee)
8. SIGNIFICANCE (Continued)
Holly Grove, the home of Daniel Ruffner and his descendants, was an
important center of comerce and industry in the Kanawha Valley during the
first half of the nineteenth century, and its owner was a prominent citizen
who played a substantial part in the development of the area.
G P O 9 2 1 - 7 2 4
I NVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM
(Continuation Sheet)
Kanawha
FOR NPS USE ONLY
ENTRY NUMBER DATE
I
-
. - * -
-
*
f 9. MAJOR BlBLfOGRAPHICAL REFERENCEf
-
h b l e r , Charl es H. and Fest us P. Summers. West Vi r gi ni a: Mountain
-
St at e. 2nd. ed. Englewood Cl i f f s , N. J . : Pr ent i ce- Hal l , Inc. , 1958.
(pp. 127-28)
Dayton, Ruth Woods. Pi oneers and Thei r Homes on Upper Kanawha. Charl es-
t on, W.Va.: West Vi r gi ni a Publ i shi ng Co., I nc. , 1947. (pp. 103-09)
wr i t e r s ' Program, Work Pr oj ect s Admi ni st rat i on. West Vi r gi ni a: A h i d e
- --
t o t he Mountain St a t e . . New York: Oxford Uni ver si t y Pr es s , 1941.
--
( p . 190).
Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds
N W
0 0 w
38' 2 0 ' 1 0 . 2 ' 81" 3 6 ' 5 5 . 3 '
N E
0 w 0 .
S E
0 . 0 w
SW Q ? I
* P P R o x I MA T E ACREAGE O F NOMI NATED PROPERTY:
4 a c r e
L I ST A L L ST AT ES AND COUNTI ES FOR PROPERT I ES OVERLAPPI NG S T AT E OR COUNTY 80UNOARI ES
STATE: CODE COUNT Y CODE
STATE: CODE COUNT Y: CODE
) T AT : CODE COUNT Y: CODE
STATE: CODE COUNTY: CODE
I I I
El f . FORM PREPARED BY
I
N AM AND TI T L E:
James E. Harding, Research Anal yst
ORGAN1 Z AT I ON D A T E
West Vi r gi ni a Ant i qui t i es Commission ( May 13, 1974
S T R E E T AND NUMBER:
Old Nount ai nl ai r , West Vi r gi ni a Uni ver s i t y
CI T Y OR TOWN: S
1 Morgantown
f12. STATE LI AI SON OF F ~ C E R C ~ R T ~ F ~ C A Y I W
I
As the desi gnat ed St at e Li ai son Officer for t he Na-
t i onal Historic Preservat i on A c t of 1966 (Publ i c Law
89665) . I hereby nominate t hi s property for i ncl usi on
i n t he Nat i onal Regi st er and certify t hat it has been
eval uat ed accordirq to t he c-iteria and proce&res s e t
forth by the National Par k Ser v~ce. The recommended
l evel of si gni fi cance of t hi s nomina#
U l ~ e o n a r d M. Davis
~ i ~ l ~ St a t e Hi s t or i c Pr es er vat i on
G f f i c e r
a Hay 13, 1974
T A T E CODE
West Vi r gi ni a 5 4
NATIONAL REGISTER VERi F ICATION
I hereby certify that this property is included in t he
Ne?ional Regi st er.
Di rector. Of f i ce of Archeology and Hi st or i c Preservation
C.3 te
ATTEST:
Keeper of The National Regi st er
Lat e
G P O 931.89