Morgan's Grove facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Morgan's Grove
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Springhouse at Morgan's Grove
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 Location in West Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Shepherdstown, West Virginia |
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| Built | 1775 |
| Architectural style | Georgian, Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 99000286 |
| Added to NRHP | March 19, 1999 |
Morgan's Grove is a special historic area near Shepherdstown, West Virginia. It's called a "rural historic district" because it's a countryside area with many old buildings and farms that tell an important story about the past. This place is famous for its many natural springs.
Several historic houses and farms are found here, including:
- Old Stone House and its springhouse, built around 1734. This was the home of Richard Morgan, the first settler of the area.
- Rosebrake, also known as Poplar Grove. It was built in 1745. It also has old barns and other small buildings.
- Falling Spring, built between 1831 and 1837. The woods nearby were used as a camp during the American Civil War. This property belonged to Jacob Morgan and his son William.
- Springdale, built around 1760. This was the home of William Morgan, Richard Morgan's son. A place called "Morgan Fort" was once located here.
- Fountain Rock in Morgan's Grove Park. You can still see the foundations of the Fountain Rock house. It was burned down in 1864 by soldiers during the Civil War.
Contents
History of Morgan's Grove
Early Days: The 1700s
Richard Morgan (born around 1700) bought land in 1730. This land included much of what is now Shepherdstown. In 1734, he received a large piece of land, about 500 acres (2.0 km2), from Lord Fairfax. He sold some of this land to Thomas Shepherd, who then started Shepherdstown.
During the French and Indian Wars, Richard Morgan helped gather soldiers from the area.
Revolutionary War Heroes
The American Revolutionary War began in 1775. Local men started training in Shepherdstown. Two groups of riflemen were formed in July 1775. This was asked for by the Continental Congress, which was the government of the new American states.
By this time, William Morgan was a colonel in the Continental Army. Under his command, these troops began a famous journey called the Bee-Line March. On July 17, 1775, they marched from Morgan's Grove all the way to Boston. They covered about 600 miles (970 km) in just 24 days! These brave soldiers joined George Washington's army on August 11, 1775. They were the first units from the southern states to join the fight for American freedom.
Later Years: The 1800s
During the American Civil War, many soldiers camped in the Morgan's Grove area. Both Confederate and Federal (Union) armies used the land. Famous generals like General John B. Gordon and General George Armstrong Custer were here during the Valley Campaigns of 1864. Around this time, the Fountain Rock house was owned by Confederate Colonel Alexander Boteler. It was burned by Federal troops led by General David Hunter.
Morgan's Grove Fairgrounds
By the late 1800s, the Morgan's Grove area became a popular place for a fair. It even had its own train track connected to the Shenandoah Valley Railroad. This made it easy for people to visit.
In 1889, the Morgan's Grove Agricultural Association bought the Fountain Rock property. They used it for the fairs. In 1900, William Jennings Bryan visited. He was running for President at the time. He gave a speech to a huge crowd of about 15,000 people!
Fairs continued to be held here until 1931. Then, the land was sold, and the fair buildings were taken down. Today, a part of this historic site is a county park.
