MY PARENT'S HOUSE "HOME" PAGE
This was my parent's house in Charleston,
West Virginia. They bought it in 1987 right after I got married. When we saw it
for the first time, my wife told my dad "You have lost your mind!" To put it
bluntly, it was a mess! This grand old house had been turned into 5 apartments
in 1941.
My dad is an architect specializing in historic preservation.
He has always wanted to live or work in an historical building, and when the
opportunity presented itself to purchase this house, he couldn't resist. He
told mom about the house, and when she saw it, she said "I know you're
kidding." But, she had faith in him, and they restored it with a few minor
changes. Until Dad retired, it was their house and an office - the
best of both worlds!
HISTORY
This house, named "Breezemont",
was built in 1905 by Cornelius Clarkson Watts, who was a former Attorney
General of West Virginia. It is said that this house was Watt's way of "keeping
up with the MacCorkles". Watt's friend and political ally, former Governor
William MacCorkle, had built "Sunrise" (a majestic mansion which is now a Bed
& Breakfast), which stands a little over a mile away in South
Hills.
Built of quarried stone, with huge columns
gracing the wraparound front porch, and Italian tile on the roof, it has a
commanding view of the city of Charleston and the capitol building. The
architectural style of this house is Neo-Classical. It has 7,800 square feet,
with 10' high ceilings, and three floors plus a cellar. There are 18 rooms,
some in an octagon shape, and 56 windows (most at least 6' high). The two
upstairs porches are supported by large concrete pillars and have wooden
ceilings.
RECENT
The house has now been
mostly restored to near it's original glory, and is listed on the National
Register of Historic Places.The first floor contains the office for the
business. A large foyer greets visitors and clients, with a large conference
room on the left and the offices on the right. The conference room is separated
from the foyer by a large "pocket door". A framed painting of Mr. Watts hangs
in the conference room, overlooking the business and the house.
The
upstairs contains the residence, with the master bedroom and bath, living
room,dining room, kitchen, and den. The top floor contains a pool room, a music
room, and a guest bedroom. |
