Many Thanks to WVTim, GR8Caches and The Wandering Panhandlers for their guidance, support, cache page design and cache placement for the Villages of Berkeley County Trail. We hope you enjoy yourself!
Poor House Farm- NOLLVILLE
What better indicator that Indians once live on these lands than the name of the creek that provided water for development of the area-Tuscarora.
In 1737 Richard Beeson, a Quaker, purchased 2,000 acres of land extending from North Queen Street to Poor House Road. The creek wound its way thru this area providing power to run the mills as well as to provide sparking water for the many distilleries in the area.
This site is part of the early area called Nollville which now has two districts on the National Register of Historic Places, the Tuscarora Creek District and the Ridge Road District.
Both areas have large, memorable houses built as early as 1735. The area is home to the first Quaker meeting house in the state, built in 1741. There were mills operating from the mid-1700’s to as late as the 1900’s. One mill ledger lists soldiers purchasing flour during the Civil War.
In 1796 the water was said to “run uphill” . This was done by the construction of a mill race built by Edward Rumsey, brother of James Rumsey, the inventor of the steamboat.
This farm was significant for its architecture, and outstanding complex of stone buildings. In 1850 the Overseers of the Poor purchased this farm and moved the Poor House from Race Street to this area. It has been in continuous ownership by Berkeley County since 1850. It has also been a home for the aged and one for wayward boys before becoming part of the Parks Department.