Harner Homestead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Harner Homestead
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The Harner Homestead
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 Location in West Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | Morgantown, West Virginia |
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| Built | 1852 |
| NRHP reference No. | 84003629 |
| Added to NRHP | January 12, 1984 |
The Harner Homestead is an old and important house located near Morgantown, West Virginia. It's also called the Old Harner Homestead. This historic home is in Monongalia County, West Virginia.
About the Harner Homestead
You can find the Harner Homestead at 1818 Listravia, in an area called Sabraton. This is just east of Morgantown. It was once the home of Philip William Harner, who was a blacksmith (someone who works with metal) and a farmer.
In 1983, two women from the History Department at West Virginia University helped get the Harner Homestead recognized. Nancy Moore and Deloras Fleming gathered lots of information. They helped put the house on the National Register of Historic Places. This special list helps protect important historical sites. The information they collected described the house in great detail. It covered everything from the woodwork to the porches and chimneys.
When Was It Built?
The main part of the Harner Homestead was built around 1852. This makes it one of the oldest houses in the Morgantown area. It's a great example of an I-house style. This type of house often has a long, narrow shape. It also has an ell (a wing that sticks out) at the back. The two-story front porch is a common feature of I-houses.
We don't know exactly when the ell was added to the house. However, people believe Philip William Harner built it himself. He had a very large family with nine children! The extra space would have been very useful for them.
Who Lived Here?
Records from Monongalia County suggest there might have been a smaller house on the land. This was when Philip Harner bought the property in 1850. Before Harner owned it, the land was called the Costolo Place. Samuel Costolo owned it in 1839. Then it was sold to James Johnson, and later to Caleb Dorsey. Finally, Dorsey sold it to Philip Harner in 1859.
The Harner family used the land for farming. Before Philip Harner passed away, he divided much of his property among his sons. However, his will made sure his wife and the house were taken care of.
Tax records show that Philip Harner was taxed for a building in 1851. The value was $200. The very next year, the tax record showed a big change. An extra $2000 was added for the buildings. This suggests the main house was built or greatly improved around 1852. The farm consistently appeared on tax records. It was always noted as being about two miles (3 km) east of the courthouse. Many other Harner family names appear on old maps and deeds for this part of the county.
Later Owners
On August 14, 1888, Philip and Sarah Harner sold the house and about 111 acres to their son, William T. (Taylor) Harner. The sale price was $3356.25. The agreement included special terms for the elder Harners. They could use five rooms, the garden, and have two cows until they passed away.
William and Nancy Harner later sold about 100 acres (0.40 km²) to George Sturgiss. This happened on July 10, 1902, for $20,000. William Harner asked if his family could stay in the house until November 1902. He was building a new house right next door. William kept about 1 acre (4,000 m²) of land right next to the family home. Soon after 1902, he built several other houses there.
The Harner Homestead was officially placed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 12, 1984.
