Lowell WV

The Graham House -- Built 1770

Lowell is just a "wide spot" in the road, State Rts. 3 and 12, as it wends its way up the Lower Greenbrier River Valley. You have either just left Alderson and are on your way to Talcott (see John Henry Legend post) and Hinton, or Visa Versa. It would probably escape notice, except for this one building, known of today as "The Graham House."

Colonel Graham (the rank indicates his rank in the militia) built this house in 1770. At the time, there were few British Army outposts in this area. Graham and a few friends moved south from Fort Union (modern-day Lewisburg [see posting] ) and built this 2 story structure to be not only a house, but also a kind of fortress for himself and his neighbors. In 1777, what feelings of security the house had created were completely dissolved as warriors from the Shawnee tribe attacked the house and killed a friend of the family who had fled to the house for shelter, and Col. Graham's 10 year old son. In addition, Col. Graham had a 7 year old daughter captured. He managed to rescued/ransomed her from her captors in 1785, near present-day Maysville KY. It is reported that they escaped home in part because Col. Graham stopped and re-shoed his horse so that the shoes were on backwards. His think was that any party following him would be confused by this and would go 180 degrees opposite to the actual direction he took. Whether because of this ruse, or other reasons, Col. Graham and his daughter returned home.

This house, one of the oldest West of the Alleghenies, is owned and maintained by the Graham House Preservation Society Inc. It is open only on occassion depending upon how much financial resources and volunteer help the Preservation Group can secure. In years past it has been opened on weekends for limited hours, but I do not know if that is the case this summer. 9It was not open the day we stopped by this summer but then, that was on a Friday.)

In addition to the house, the Preservation Society also moved an nearby one-room school building to the grounds. On days when the house is open, the school house is open as well.