By Bev Davis
How did a log cabin that could be more than two centuries old suddenly appear on the side of the road at Mount Tabor in Raleigh County?
The Rev. Andrew Davis of Beckley and his family always knew it was there.
“It was what we called the old Phipps place,” Davis said. “It’s been in our family for about 200 years. It was built by an ancestor on my dad’s mother’s side of the family.”
Its current owner is his mother, 88-year-old Glenna Davis of Charleston.
Over time, a new section was added, and the home was “modernized” with paneling and wallpaper on the inside and vinyl siding on the outside.
Davis said some landscaping changes had caused water runoff that was damaging the structure. Recently, he and family members tore off the shell and pulled away everything but the old log cabin and a stone fireplace.
“People say to us all the time, ‘You’re not going to tear this down, are you?’ We don’t want to tear it down. We’d like to restore it to as much of its originality as possible, but we simply don’t have the money to do that,” Davis said. “It’s so full of rot and mold.”
A Christian family, the Davises have prayed for “a God-honoring way to use the cabin so it won’t be an embarrassment to the community,” Davis said.
“We don’t want it to be an eyesore, but we can’t leave it like it is. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done, and most of that work will be quite costly,” he said.
Davis contacted David Sibray, a member and adviser to the Raleigh County Historical Society, and Scott Worley, a commissioner on the Raleigh County Landmarks Commission, to ask for advice.
“I believe that may be one of the oldest, if not the oldest historic structure in Raleigh County,” Sibray said. “I suggested we make the recommendation to get the cabin listed on the National Register of Historic Places. If that happens, there would be a good possibility of securing grant money to restore the cabin.”
Sibray is compiling an inventory from deed books as far back as the deeds are recorded. The information will go to the deputy director of the state Historic Preservation Office.
“It’s also most likely this is potentially a national historic site,” he said. “It’s in a great location just off the interstate. We need more historical tourist sites on that end of the county. Lots of travelers really get excited about places with this kind of authenticity,” Sibray said.
Worley said the cabin is “the real deal.”
“When I first saw the cabin, I was in awe,” he said. “It’s not something you see very often in southern West Virginia. What excites me the most is we found a lot of nails that had been hand-forged by a blacksmith. Usually they would be rusted. These look like there were just driven right into the boards.”
The history buffs were also surprised to find the mud daubing still between many of the logs.
“It’s a pretty rare find,” Worley said. “I’m glad the Davises are aware of the historical value and are actively seeking to get the cabin and the property restored.”
By the presence of a spring on the property and information in deed books, Worley said he believes the property was located on the former Logan Turnpike.
“We believe the cabin was built quite a while before 1870, which is the oldest recorded date we can find. We’re still in the process of investigating and trying to turn up records that will validate the dates and history of the property.”
Davis has covered the roof with heavy tarp, and additional efforts will be made to protect the structure from the weather.
While the family waits for official word about the historic potential of the cabin, they’re seeking experts in protecting the cabin without destroying its integrity.
“I’m sure a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into this cabin over the years, and several of my ancestors died there, so there’s a great deal of sentimental value for our family, but I think it would also be good if we could preserve this part of history for new generations to come,” Davis said.
— E-mail: bdavis@register-herald.com
