| Frequently Asked Questions about the Farm * Located in Summit Point, WV, about 1-1/2 hours west of Washington DC * 1740: Farm established by Dr. John McCormick, Scots-Irish immigrant, on 395 acres purchased from Jost Hite, a German land developer. * 1742: Three-room stone farmhouse completed. A springhouse and barn were built about the same time. Barn is the oldest standing barn in West Virginia * 1752: Farm surveyed by George Washington at age 20 with the aid of McCormick's sons * 1768: Bequeathed to son Andrew and operated by Andrew and wife as a tavern * 1807: Farm purchased by John Locke whose brother George ran the tavern * Listed #19790829 79002583 in the National Register of Historic Places * A spring on the property has provided water to local citizens for over 200 years |
| This site last updated April 13, 2011 |
| White House Farm is located in Jefferson County, WV, near the small town of Summit Point, WV, about 6 miles from Charles Town. For more about present-day Jefferson County please click here for a detailed history of the county, click here and to visit the Jefferson County Historical Society, click here. The farm's mailing address is 3735 Summit Point Road, Charles Town, WV, 25414. As shown in the collection of pictures on this and the following pages, the farm consists of a ca. 1742 farmhouse, a stone barn and springhouse of about the same age, a wooden smokehouse, and 60+ acres of pasture and woods. The farm has a rich history as summarized beginning below and on the following pages. On June 17, 1730, John and Isaac VanMeter petitioned the Virginia Colony Council for 40,000 acres in the Shenandoah Valley. In 1731 they transferred 30,000 acres to Jost Hite, a German immigrant, under a patent. The land, then located in Orange County, Virginia, (see 1734 map below) was surveyed by Robert Brooke on 26 March 1734. In May 1740, Mr. Hite sold 395 acres to Dr. John McCormick, a Scots-Irishman. for 8 pounds, 5 shillings. By 1742, Dr. McCormick had built a three-story, two-room farmhouse. Dr. McCormick was a prosperous and prominent country doctor, as evidenced by the inventory of his estate completed upon his death in 1768. His will and the admini- strations are found in the Frederick County archives in Winchester, VA, since Frederick County was formed in 1743. He and his wife Ann had 6 sons (James, Francis, John Jr., William, George, and Andrew) and two daughters (Mary, wife of Magnus Tate, and Jean, wife of James Byrn). James McCormick served as the chain carrier and John Jr. as the pilot on several of George Washington's surveys (1), White House Farm was noted for the horses bred there during Dr. McCormick's lifetime.(2) References: (1) The George Washington Papers, Library of Congress (2) Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, published by the Virginia Historical Society Acknowledgement: Ann Shoemaker, Andrew McCormick's great- great-great-great-grand-daughter contributed information to this history. Note: Dr. McCormick's grandson, Province, whose father was Francis McCormick, established a nearby farm known as Lang Sine in the 1790's, which is presently being restored by the owners and is described on their web site: http://langsinefarm.com |
| WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON AT THE FARM? |
| Typical Virginia Patent House and stone addition. May approximate original appearance of White House Farm |
| Or email us by clicking: cmasonwhf@aol.com |
| History of White House Farm--Part I. |
| This history is continued on 2 web pages which follow. Click on each of the "next" buttons to follow the history from 1742 to the present. |
| Restoration of the stone barn, the oldest standing barn in West Virginia, was completed in January 2005. A detailed description of the restoration can be found by clicking our barn restoration web page For a similar narrative about our 2001 restoration of the springhouse click here |
| The farm as sketched by James Taylor in 1863, showing the springhouse (foreground) and a corner of the blacksmith shop (far right) which attracted troops from both the Confederate and Union armies. From the James Taylor Sketchbook, reproduced with permission of the publisher, the Western Reserve Historical Society. |
| Recent Events April 2011. Well, the biggest event 'round here at the moment is the fact that after 13 years of putting a lot of our hearts, dollars, and sweat into making our home all it can be, we have quietly listed the farm for sale on the Preservation Directory's web site. We hope that the next owner(s) will be sensitive stewards and cherish the history of White House Farm. Some of the warmest experiences we have had include visits from descendants of past owners, from the McCormicks, the Lockes, the Morrows, right on down to the Naylors, Blakes, and Van Tols, with a few in between. The house and its several outbuildings have been restored or constructed much as we think Dr. John McCormick would have done in terms of original design and construction, though in some cases we did use modern technology sparingly to ensure maximum longevity. To visit the sale listing, click here Another activity that folks might be interested in is our photography studio, where you may wish to select a photograph or two to give as gifts or to brighten up your office or home. The photographs are all signed limited addition and can be printed in sizes ranging from 3x5 to 11x14 for your viewing pleasure. Feel free to contact us at 304 724 7008 or cmasonwhf@aol.com if you wish to purchase prints, and please do visit the White House Farm Gallery by clicking here. |
| WELCOME!! to historic White House Farm in the Beautiful "Valley of Virginia" |
| Spring is busting out all over!!! And wow, are we ready for it!! |
| But yes, at the same time, after 13 years of tender loving care and improvements and restorations too numerous to mention here, we are regretfully wanting to downsize, so this lovely historic farm is for sale to individuals who will hopefully assume the same mantle of caretaker/owners as we did. Please visit our listing by clicking here |
