Mavis Manor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mavis Manor |
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An Appalachian example of the Gilded Age in America
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne; Victorian house |
| Town or city | 122 Grayson-Raleigh-Wythe Historic Turnpike Flat Top, West Virginia |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 37°35′22″N 81°06′24″W / 37.58944°N 81.10667°W |
| Construction started | 1890s |
| Completed | c. 1897 |
| Cost | $5,000 |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | concrete foundation; Chestnut/Oak frame; |
| Size | In excess of 4,200 sq ft (390 m2). on 2 floors (excluding basement) plus tower; 12 rooms |
Mavis Manor is a beautiful old house built in the Queen Anne style and Victorian era. It's located in Flat Top, West Virginia, in Mercer County. The house sits on about 33 acres of land on Flat Top Mountain. Today, the Marchese family has carefully brought this historic home back to life.
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History of Mavis Manor
Mavis Manor was built around 1897 for the Lilly family. The house is on Flat Top Mountain, which is one of the highest points in southern West Virginia. Dr. L.L. Lilly used part of the manor as a small hospital. He could even keep patients overnight who needed care.
Building the Manor House
The house was mostly built using strong Chestnut and Oak wood. This wood came from nearby Summers County. It was then cut into lumber in Hinton, West Virginia. From there, horse-drawn wagons carried the wood along the Grayson-Raleigh-Wythe turnpike to the building site.
The idea for Mavis Manor came from Dr. Lonnie Lilly's wife, Miss Sue Tickle. She was from the Bluefield area. She had visited Bramwell, West Virginia and was inspired by the homes there. Miss Tickle even drew the plans for their new home herself.
Inside Mavis Manor
The house has twelve rooms and two long hallways. There are also ten closets and seven fireplaces! Dr. Lilly had a special office for his patients. In his office, there was a secret trap door. This door led to shelves in the basement. He used this to keep his medical supplies cool before refrigerators were common. Building the manor cost $5,000, which was a lot of money back then.
Mavis Manor Grounds During the Civil War
The land where Mavis Manor now stands played a role in the American Civil War. In 1862, a Union Army camp called Camp Flat Top was located here. Soldiers drilled and moved around this area.
A Soldier's Letter from Flat Top Mountain
On June 3, 1862, a soldier named R. wrote a letter from Flat Top Mountain. He described the mountain as a boundary line during the war. It separated loyal West Virginia from rebellious West Virginia. He felt safe at the camp, saying, "Here we are safe as a bug in a rug."
The soldier also wrote about a scary lightning storm. During supper, lightning struck nearby. The sentinel (guard) staggered, and some horses were knocked down. Several trees were hit. About one hundred men felt a shock, but amazingly, "nobody hurt." The soldier hoped the war would end soon, but he knew it would take patience.
Mavis Institute
The Mavis Institute Co-Op is a special non-profit organization. It's an educational farm located on the grounds of Mavis Manor. The institute teaches about permaculture, which is a way of farming that works with nature to create sustainable systems.
Learning at the Institute
The Mavis Institute focuses on teaching people through Outreach programs. It's also a working farm that covers 33 acres. Besides permaculture, you can take classes on many topics. These include beekeeping, different gardening techniques, and how to care for farm animals. The main goal is to help people learn how to create their own sustainable food supplies.
