Shepherd Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Shepherd Hall
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Shepherd Hall in April 2010.
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 Location in West Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | Monument Place and Kruger St., Wheeling, West Virginia |
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| Area | 4 acres (1.6 ha) |
| Built | 1798 |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000661 |
| Added to NRHP | December 18, 1970 |
Shepherd Hall, also known as Monument Place, is a historic house in Wheeling, West Virginia. It is a special place listed on the National Register of Historic Places. You can find it in the Elm Grove area of Wheeling.
Contents
Discovering Shepherd Hall
Shepherd Hall is a grand old house with a long history. It was built way back in 1798. Over the years, it has been known by a few different names, including Stone Mansion and Monument Place.
The Shepherd Family's Story
The house was built by a man named Moses Shepherd. He was born in 1763 and passed away in 1832. Moses and his wife, Lydia Boggs Shepherd (1766–1867), lived here. They owned a large farm, called a plantation, around the house.
Moses Shepherd's family moved to the Wheeling area around 1771. His father built a fort, Fort Shepherd, on this land. The fort was later burned down by Native Americans. Moses inherited the land in 1795 and built Shepherd Hall where the old fort once stood.
Moses met Lydia Boggs during a battle at Fort Henry in 1782. Both their families were seeking safety inside the fort. Moses and Lydia married around 1783. They were married for almost 50 years but did not have children.
Building a Home and a Legacy
Moses and Lydia Shepherd moved into Shepherd Hall in 1798. They became very successful. They ran their farm and a mill that ground grain. Moses also built bridges, like the Elm Grove Stone Arch Bridge in 1817, which is still used today!
The Shepherds were well-known and important people. They often traveled to Washington, D.C., and met many famous leaders. Presidents like Andrew Jackson and James K. Polk visited them at Shepherd Hall. Even the Marquis de Lafayette, a French hero, is said to have visited in 1825.
They were good friends with Henry Clay, a powerful politician from Kentucky. With his help, they convinced leaders to make the National Road pass through Wheeling in 1818. This important road goes right by Shepherd Hall!
Changes Over Time
Moses Shepherd died in 1832 from a sickness called cholera. A year later, Lydia, who was now a wealthy widow, married Daniel Cruger (1780–1843). He was a Congressman from New York. Lydia changed the house's name to Stone Mansion during their marriage. Daniel Cruger passed away in 1843.
Lydia Boggs Shepherd Cruger lived in the mansion for another 24 years. She lived to be 101 years old, passing away in 1867. She was one of the last people who remembered the early days of Wheeling.
New Owners and a New Name
After Lydia died, the large farm was divided into smaller pieces of land. This area became known as Elm Grove. In 1870, Alonzo Loring and his wife, Mary Caldwell Loring, bought Shepherd Hall. They renamed it Monument Place.
The house eventually went to their daughter, Lucy Loring Milton. She added more parts to the mansion in 1907. Later, in 1926, the Osiris Shrine Temple bought Monument Place. They still own it today.
The name Monument Place comes from a monument Moses and Lydia built in 1820. It honored Henry Clay for helping bring the National Road to Wheeling. The monument is no longer there.
The street in front of Shepherd Hall is called Kruger Street. It was meant to be named after Daniel Cruger, but his name was misspelled! The street has kept the name Kruger Street ever since.
Resting Place: Stone Church Cemetery
Moses Shepherd, Lydia Boggs Shepherd Cruger, and Daniel Cruger are all buried in Stone Church Cemetery. This cemetery is in Elm Grove, on a hill overlooking Shepherd Hall. The land for the cemetery was once part of the Shepherd farm. Moses Shepherd's father, David Shepherd, gave the land for the church and cemetery in 1795. He and Moses's mother are also buried there. Many other families connected to the mansion, like the Lorings and Miltons, are buried in this cemetery too.
See also
