Fontville, West Virginia facts for kids

Fontville was the name of a town that was planned a long time ago in a place now called Sweet Springs, West Virginia. It was the big idea of a man named William Lewis. He had two famous brothers, Andrew Lewis and Thomas Lewis.

Fontville: The Town That Was Never Built

A Dream for a New Town

Back in 1790, William Lewis had a dream. He wanted to build a brand-new town. This town was going to be located where Sweet Springs, West Virginia is today. William Lewis was part of a well-known family. His brothers, Andrew and Thomas, were important people in Virginia at the time.

Making the Plan Official

On December 16, 1790, the government of Virginia passed a special law. This law was called an "Act of Assembly." It said that 30 acres of land near Sweet Springs, owned by William Lewis, would be set aside for the new town.

The Town's Location and Leaders

This land was in Botetourt County, Virginia at the time. The law said that the land would be given to a group of important people. These people were James Breckinridge, Martin McFerran, Henry Bowyer, Matthew Harvey, John Beal, John Wood, John Smith, Robert Harvey, John Hawkins, Thomas Madison, and Sampson Sawyers. They were like the town's first leaders or trustees.

Laying Out the Town

Their job was to divide the land into many small pieces called "lots." Each lot was planned to be half an acre in size. They also had to create streets so people could get around. The new town was officially going to be named "Fontville."

Selling the Land

Once the lots were ready, they were going to be advertised in a newspaper called the Virginia Gazette. After two months of advertising, the lots would be sold at a public auction. This means they would be sold to the person who offered the most money.

Rules for Building Houses

The law also had rules for anyone who bought a lot. They had to build a house within five years of buying the land. The houses had to be at least 16 feet wide and 16 feet long. They also needed to have chimneys made of stone. The town leaders were in charge of solving any arguments about property lines. They also made rules about how houses should be built.

Important Restrictions

The law also said that no one person could own more than two lots in Fontville. Also, the town leaders were not allowed to sell the land where William Lewis had already built his courthouse or his tavern.

Why Fontville Never Happened

It's a bit of a mystery why the town of Fontville was never actually built. We don't know the exact reason. But even though Fontville didn't become a town, William Lewis didn't give up on his dreams.

William Lewis's Other Projects

Instead of building Fontville, William Lewis focused on another big project. He developed a very successful resort called Sweet Springs Resort. He even tried to get the local court to move its meetings there. To do this, he finished building a courthouse and a jail on his resort property.

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  Sweet Springs, General View

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  Main building "Sweet Springs Hotel", State Route 311, Sweet Springs in 1933