House Information

Re. the Central Hall Colonial house above...Thomas Hawkins of Wytheville, VA was a Master Builder of fine reputation in southwest VA. Hawkins built many fine homes including half dozen in Tazewell County. This home is one and has blocks of hand cut local limestone for the foundations of both house and stables.

The attic has awl cut mortise and tendon joists and is notched using Roman numerals. The clapboards are of poplar wood and nails are hand cut. The entire house is hand crafted both when Mr. Hawkins built it and during renovation. 

In 1996, the sun room addition and bath were added by another Master Builder and the outside was built to look original to the house. The floor of the sun room is walnut, from a tree on a neighboring farm. In all bathrooms, floors are 12x12 tiles and the Whirlpool jetted tub is two person with separate walk-in shower.

Farming Information

In upper pasture, a 60 foot round pen for working horses; Morris Knob is in distance. This meadow is used for making hay and grazing. Almost all interior fences are of cattle/hog 16 foot panels, posts at eight foot intervals and are extremely strong.

The farm has five pastures, three of which have had hay cut, kicked and baled in years past. The pasture above is the primary hay meadow and, from December until March is used for additional grazing.

The primary hay meadow, above, has timothy, clover, orchard grass, alfalfa.

All pastures have water and three have run-in shelter. Additionally, there are 2 small lots where round bales are stored, one lot with the livestock scales building and two more behind the granary.

There are 2 cattle chutes for working cattle, both with head locks and corporate made chemicals have not been used on the farm since 2010 meaning organic status could be obtained. 

~ farm map plat ~

The property has approximately 1/2 mile of road frontage both on Maiden Springs Road (state primary road Route 91) and on Cove Road (county secondary road Route 608).  Route 91, Maiden Springs Road, is unique in that it's the only primary dirt road in the entire Commonwealth of VA. The dirt portion goes across the mountain, to Little Tumbling Creek and Tannersville, VA.  The Little Tumbling has been listed as one of the top ten trout streams in the USA and comes out of Jefferson National Forest.

The farm is listed as agricultural use with the county authorities although there are no county zoning laws; 2015 taxes are $1,133.55.

Outbuildings

Most wooden outbuildings have been re-sided in rough cut hemlock. Above, on either end of barn, there are run-in shelters and storage; the loft is above the storage area in center and building has electricity and metal roofs.

 The livestock scales, with metal roof, are antique and inspected yearly by VDACS; electrical are available. Adjacent to this building is a chute for working cattle.

The foundation of the stable is hand cut blocks of local limestone. There are five stalls, a hay loft, run in shelters on either end and storage room for equipment. The left side has a tack room; the entire building has electricity and metal roof.

The granary  has a metal roof and four rooms...two rooms where the windows are separated by a large center room. The upstairs room has four grain bins; this building has electricity and water lines. It is  partially insulated and could be easily made into a two bed room farm cottage for guests or rental income.  The lot behind the granary could be used for horse paddock and the run-in shelter used for animals or vehicle. About six or eight times a year, someone e-mails or calls to inquire if the farm offers a B&B or a farm stay cottage. 

Corn crib.

Metal workshop with cement floor, office room behind window and half bath in rear. Electricity, water and propane heat for main section while office and bath have electric baseboard heater, door has been repainted black. Behind this building is a small lot for round bale hay storage and a chute for working cattle.

In the upper pasture, this structure used to be a water reservoir and is now used for storage.

8x8 former chicken house (electricity available), now garden shed with metal roof. 

12x12 office/studio has a metal roof, is sided in poplar, has electricity, propane heat and a.c. The three windows offer stellar views of the valley.

12x24 Mennonite made single car garage has electricity and loft storage. The roof is metal and building has a ten year warranty.

All sizes are approximate. 

House Photographs

The original footprint of the house has been maintained with few exceptions. A half bath and closet were added under the front stairs, the sunroom and bathroom were added. One widow was removed from the kitchen and is stored in an outbuilding.

The house has R-19 insulation in interior and exterior walls and in attic insulating the house from weather and sound. The original windows are approximately 9x3 feet with new storm windows and screens covering the original windows but not obstructing views.

Most of the rooms are approximately 20x20 and prior owners used the house with six or eight bedrooms; we've used it with four bedrooms.

This upstairs room was a sitting room with bedroom beside and used by the cook/housekeeper;  we've used it as a second office and now sitting room. Throughout the house, ceilings are nine feet high and the sun room ceiling is eight feet.

Bedroom, top of front stairs, with two windows and facing driveway. The iron bed is empty because the mattress and box springs were given away. 

Upstairs, former bedroom, now used as office and television room. 

Upstairs bedroom, front of house, over parlor. Another bedroom is upstairs, across the hall from this one.

Upstairs has 3 bedrooms, 2 offices, laundry room, bathroom and hallway with two windows.

Front of house, downstairs parlor, two windows.

Downstairs bedroom, across the hall from powder room, behind parlor. This door leads to back porch and room could be used as office with separate entrance; room also has a window. 

Downstairs has 1 bedroom, parlor, dining room, family room, kitchen, sun room, handicapped bathroom, pantry and mudroom.

Front porch, rear porch and sun room all have metal roofs and sun room has small porch facing head of valley.

Farm Photos

This partial view of the farm and house is across Cove Road or county road 608. Morris Knob, around 3400 feet, is the tallest mountain in the area. The Appalachians are some of the oldest mountains on earth, some say 300 to 500 million years. In comparison, the Himalayan Mountains are said to be 40 million years old. For more history on Tazewell County and the area, click here.

The Clinch Mountain Range circles the Cove and on the other side is the Jefferson National Forest. It's not unusual for the fog to spill over the mountain and, eventually, drift into the valley. 

The farm has a dedicated, approximately 9 acre hay meadow. There have been years we've gotten three cuttings but lately, I've opted for one cutting of 30 to 40 5x5 round bales that weigh about 1000-1100 pounds each. This hay has been used for horses, sheep, alpacas and cattle; what's not used on the farm is sold. During winter, animals are turned onto this pasture to graze; all pastures have access to water and three pastures have run-in shelter. 

The rear view of the house shows, from far left the white poplar sided studio, small brown garden shed, treated with water seal, and the roofs of the barn, garage and stable. 

The stables were sided in rough cut hemlock and, with the hand cut limestone foundation, should last another hundred years. There are five stalls inside and on building left is equipment storage in front and, in back, animal run-in shelter. On top, the hay loft is able to store a few thousand square bales of hay and on the right is more equipment storage and a run-in shelter. In the rear of this building are two small, fenced lots, both with water access. 

Downstairs Photos

Working kitchen fireplace  

wormy chestnut mantle

Fireplace re-built using bricks made on farm

Hand crafted birch cupboard, 

shelves can be repositioned

1914 Acorn cook stove

7 propane gas burners

3 electric ovens and 1 warming oven

(restored by Erickson's Antique Stoves)

Hand crafted sun room, approx. 33x16
hand crafted walnut floor with wood cut from neighboring farm

2 person Whirlpool jetted tub, next to sun room, 

Handicapped accessible shower in tiled bathroom, 

propane heater

all 2.5 bathrooms are tiled

Woodstock soapstone stove
Fireplace and chimney liner are new and chimney cleaned yearly.

fireplace was made with slave made brick from the 1800's

Lassie was filmed in this valley and is the farm shown on the poster.

Downstairs front hall with

refinished heart pine floor.

Original heart pine floors throughout house

Front porch, toward head of valley

Front porch , toward intersection of Rt 91 and Rt 608

Farm and Land Photos

The farm's 27+ acres are across County Rt. 608 and are on the corner of State Rt 19 and County Rt 608. There is approximately 1/2 mile of road frontage on both roads; Morris Knob is in the background left, elevation approximately 3400 feet. Most of the land in this valley has been in the same family for many generations, some eight or nine generations. This farm has been owned by two families since the War Between the States. In the 1880's, Mr. Shadrach White bought the original brick house, barns, stables and other outbuildings plus a few thousand acres of land for $300.00 in back taxes. Yes, that's three hundred dollars! His family sold the farm to Mr. Gillespie, Dave's family on his mother's side, and in 1995 we bought the house, buildings and 27 1/3 acres.

Prior to Anglo's coming here, the valley was home to a Shawnee tribe; across the road from the house, the scorched earth of village fires are still visible. One of southwest Virginia's major Civil War battles was fought along State Rt 19, bordering the farm, and across the mountain to Saltville.

360 degree stellar views. The property line goes to the tree at edge of State Rt. 91, in the distance, to the right of the chicken house or garden shed. This building does have electrical lines. 

Front yard has mature Oak, Sugar Maple, Tamarack and Norwegian spruce trees.

On other side of wooden fence is County Rt. 608. Land across the road belongs to neighbors. The drilled well is 650 feet and delivers 75 GPM (gallons per minute). The drilling company believes they may have hit an artesian aquifer.

View from side yard includes two pastures belonging to farm and land beyond belonging to neighbors.

On left, house with sun room, 12 x 12 studio building with heat and a.c. to the rear and mature walnut tree on right. The mountains beyond are owned either by a neighbor or are part of the Jefferson National Forrest. Little Tumbling is across the mountain and is one of the top ten trout streams in the USA.

Photo taken February 2014 and includes two farm pastures and beyond, land belonging to neighbors. Clinch Mountain Range is on left and is part of Jefferson National Forrest.

Quick Overview

* Oral history says these 27+ acres are what’s left of a King George I land grant farm. 
* Approx. 5500 sq ft house w/R19 insulation 
* Built 1900-1902 by Thomas Hawkins, Master Carpenter 
* Owned by 3 families since War Between the States 
* ½ mile primary and secondary road frontage 
* Real estate taxes $.57 per $100
* No zoning restrictions 
* 50 year roof put on in 1997 
* Extensive hand crafted renovations 
* 1914 Acorn cook stove, one of two in existence; other said to be in Ralph        Lauren's CO kitchen 
* Maytag refrigerator, dishwasher, washer and dryer 
* Ceiling fans in 12 rooms; 10 foot ceilings 
* Woodstock soapstone wood stove 
* Gas logs, fireplace & heater 
* Central oil heat with oil fired furnace 
* Heat pump 
* House generator 
* Mobile phone booster 
* Original 9x3 windows with storm windows & screens 
* 4+ bedrooms approximately 20’x20’ each 
* 2.5 tiled bathrooms, one handicapped equipped 
* Whirlpool 2 person tub & original claw foot tub 
* Heart pine & walnut floors 
* Sun room & bath addition 33’x16’ 
* 3 porches, 2 with metal roofs 
* Updated electrical 
* 650’ drilled well giving 75 GPM 
* Incredible views in all directions where Lassie was filmed 

* 27+ acres 
* 4 lush pastures, 1 hay field all w/water, 3 small lots
* VDACS certified antique livestock weigh scales 
* 2 cattle chutes 
* Detached Mennonite made 12'x24' garage w/electricity, storage loft , metal roof w/10 year warranty 
* Original buildings recently sided with hemlock & all w/metal roofs 
* Barn w/5-stall stable w/2 storage areas, loft, 2 run-in shelters, electricity 
* Barn w/storage, loft, 2 run-in shelters, electricity 
* 4 room granary w/electricity, disconnected water, could be made into 2 bed farm cottage 
* Metal workshop, cement floor w/electricity, heat, lavatory, hot water, separate office 
* 12x12 poplar sided studio w/electricity, heat, a.c. 
* Garden shed 
* 3 stock water troughs, one with electricity for de-icer 
* Mature apple & walnut trees 
* Young apple, peach, cherry trees 
* Thornless blackberry, raspberry, blueberry bushes 
* Large garden lot 
* 60 foot round pen 
* $499,950.00 

e-mail southwestva13 at gmail dot com - use @ for at and . for dot -

Viewing by appointment only with bank pre-approval letter. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed; buyer to verify. This is an historic property and being sold As Is.