Nov. 20, 2010
Guyandotte's Madie Carroll House
By Sandee Lloyd
Guyandotte, West Virginia is a treasure trove of historical buildings, but one in particular was featured in the recent Civil War Days celebration. The Madie Carroll House was part of the historical reenactment, just as it was a participant in the real raid on Guyandotte, Virginia in 1861.
The Madie Carroll House was built in Gallipolis, Ohio before 1810. In 1810 it
was brought to its current location at 234 Guyan Street by James Gallaher, who
floated it down the Ohio River on a flatboat.
In 1855 the house was purchased by Thomas Carroll and turned into an inn. The house also served as the first Catholic Church in Cabell County.
Federal Troops attempted to burn the house during the Raid on Guyandotte, Virginia, on November 11, 1861, but stopped when Mary Carroll barricaded herself and her children in the brick kitchen at the back of the house and refused to come out. At that time soldiers were not allowed to harm women and children. The soldiers did burn outbuildings on the property and half the town of Guyandotte on that day.
Madie was a descendent of Thomas Carroll and lived in the house until her death in 1975. She left the house to her nephew, Lewis Carroll, who rented it to various occupants. Mr. Carroll gave the house to the Greater Huntington Parks and Recreation District on October 10, 1984.
In 1988 Karen Nance asked permission to photograph the house and was told she better hurry because the house was slated for demolition in two weeks. Horrified at the thought of losing this historic house, Karen, along with her husband Johnny and a group of volunteers, received permission to restore the house and formed the Madie Carroll House Preservation Society, which they incorporated and were granted tax exempt status in 1989.
Johnny Nance is President and Karen Nance is Recording Secretary of the Madie Carroll House Preservation Society, Inc. The Society and an ever-changing group of member/volunteers worked to restore the house to its former glory.
I spoke with Johnny Nance and he gave me the following information. Parts of the house were burned by vandals in recent years and had to be torn down, but the main structure was saved. Some rooms are currently blocked off because the flooring is not stable, but the rest of the house is open to the public.
The house has been restored to the way it was in Civil War times. One chimney had separated from the house so the volunteers painstakingly removed it brick by brick, carefully numbering each brick and noting its location. The bricks were cleaned and the chimney rebuilt, with each brick placed in its original position. The wooden roof was replaced with a slate roof.
The house withstood the ravages of the 1937 flood and has what is referred to as "flood floors," a type of oak flooring common to the houses in the area whose floors were ruined by the flood.
On the second floor a portion of the wall is uncovered to show the construction details. Another section is left unpainted so the actual boards can be seen.
The furnishings are from the Civil War era, and there are pictures of the Carroll family on the walls. Examples of clothing are laid out on the beds. One item is a child's nightgown, which is extra long to serve as a blanket as well as a gown.
Mr. Nance told me the house is haunted, and people have seen ghosts. He said the ghost of a man was sitting looking out a window when they first started working on the house. People have reported being pushed and one person claimed to have almost been pushed down the stairs by a ghost. Haunted tours were given during the Civil War Days weekend. Photographers reported mysterious orbs in the pictures taken during the tours.
Outside the house the floodwall is just across the street and has benefitted from another restoration project. Murals depicting life in Guyandotte in historical times were painted on the floodwall by Bill Sayre, former Art Director for Channel 13, who died a few months ago. Started in 1992, the first panels have faded because at that time no one knew how to prepare the concrete to hold paint. Later murals have retained their colors. The Guyandotte floodwall murals were the first in West Virginia.
During the Civil War Days reenactment, Johnny Nance portrayed Mr. Wellington, who tried to defend the Madie Carroll House from the approaching Federal Troops. He was shot for his efforts.
Inside the house, Karen Nance and other volunteers conducted tours throughout the weekend. The house is open for tours during special events and special tours can be scheduled three days in advance by calling 304-736-1655.
The Nances are restoring other buildings in the area and own a business called The Old House Doctor. They can be reached at 304-736-1655 or knnance@comcast.net. The Madie Carroll Preservation Society, Inc. has a website at http://www.madiecarrollhouse.org and welcomes volunteers interested in preserving history. They can be reached at 304-736-1655 or by email at info@madiecarrollhouse.com.
Pictures show the Madie Carroll House, Johnny Nance, Karen Nance, the interior of the house with its period furnishings, and the floodwall. These pictures and others of the Civil War Days celebration can be seen at http://lloydphotography.ifp3.com.
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By Sandee Lloyd
Guyandotte, West Virginia is a treasure trove of historical buildings, but one in particular was featured in the recent Civil War Days celebration. The Madie Carroll House was part of the historical reenactment, just as it was a participant in the real raid on Guyandotte, Virginia in 1861.
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In 1855 the house was purchased by Thomas Carroll and turned into an inn. The house also served as the first Catholic Church in Cabell County.
Federal Troops attempted to burn the house during the Raid on Guyandotte, Virginia, on November 11, 1861, but stopped when Mary Carroll barricaded herself and her children in the brick kitchen at the back of the house and refused to come out. At that time soldiers were not allowed to harm women and children. The soldiers did burn outbuildings on the property and half the town of Guyandotte on that day.
Madie was a descendent of Thomas Carroll and lived in the house until her death in 1975. She left the house to her nephew, Lewis Carroll, who rented it to various occupants. Mr. Carroll gave the house to the Greater Huntington Parks and Recreation District on October 10, 1984.
In 1988 Karen Nance asked permission to photograph the house and was told she better hurry because the house was slated for demolition in two weeks. Horrified at the thought of losing this historic house, Karen, along with her husband Johnny and a group of volunteers, received permission to restore the house and formed the Madie Carroll House Preservation Society, which they incorporated and were granted tax exempt status in 1989.
Johnny Nance is President and Karen Nance is Recording Secretary of the Madie Carroll House Preservation Society, Inc. The Society and an ever-changing group of member/volunteers worked to restore the house to its former glory.
I spoke with Johnny Nance and he gave me the following information. Parts of the house were burned by vandals in recent years and had to be torn down, but the main structure was saved. Some rooms are currently blocked off because the flooring is not stable, but the rest of the house is open to the public.
The house has been restored to the way it was in Civil War times. One chimney had separated from the house so the volunteers painstakingly removed it brick by brick, carefully numbering each brick and noting its location. The bricks were cleaned and the chimney rebuilt, with each brick placed in its original position. The wooden roof was replaced with a slate roof.
The house withstood the ravages of the 1937 flood and has what is referred to as "flood floors," a type of oak flooring common to the houses in the area whose floors were ruined by the flood.
On the second floor a portion of the wall is uncovered to show the construction details. Another section is left unpainted so the actual boards can be seen.
The furnishings are from the Civil War era, and there are pictures of the Carroll family on the walls. Examples of clothing are laid out on the beds. One item is a child's nightgown, which is extra long to serve as a blanket as well as a gown.
Mr. Nance told me the house is haunted, and people have seen ghosts. He said the ghost of a man was sitting looking out a window when they first started working on the house. People have reported being pushed and one person claimed to have almost been pushed down the stairs by a ghost. Haunted tours were given during the Civil War Days weekend. Photographers reported mysterious orbs in the pictures taken during the tours.
Outside the house the floodwall is just across the street and has benefitted from another restoration project. Murals depicting life in Guyandotte in historical times were painted on the floodwall by Bill Sayre, former Art Director for Channel 13, who died a few months ago. Started in 1992, the first panels have faded because at that time no one knew how to prepare the concrete to hold paint. Later murals have retained their colors. The Guyandotte floodwall murals were the first in West Virginia.
During the Civil War Days reenactment, Johnny Nance portrayed Mr. Wellington, who tried to defend the Madie Carroll House from the approaching Federal Troops. He was shot for his efforts.
Inside the house, Karen Nance and other volunteers conducted tours throughout the weekend. The house is open for tours during special events and special tours can be scheduled three days in advance by calling 304-736-1655.
The Nances are restoring other buildings in the area and own a business called The Old House Doctor. They can be reached at 304-736-1655 or knnance@comcast.net. The Madie Carroll Preservation Society, Inc. has a website at http://www.madiecarrollhouse.org and welcomes volunteers interested in preserving history. They can be reached at 304-736-1655 or by email at info@madiecarrollhouse.com.
Pictures show the Madie Carroll House, Johnny Nance, Karen Nance, the interior of the house with its period furnishings, and the floodwall. These pictures and others of the Civil War Days celebration can be seen at http://lloydphotography.ifp3.com.
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