Freeman Estate, Huntington West Virginia
The Freeman Estate was constructed in 1914 by Charles Hughes Freeman. Freeman was born in Niagara Falls, New York on November 11th, 1854. He was the son of Dr. Russell M. Freeman, a descendant of Edmund Freeman, who came from England in 1635. Edmund Freeman was one of the founders of Sandwich, Massachusetts, where he was a judge and assistant to the governor. Freeman's mother, Sarah Caughill Freeman, was a daughter of Major John Caughill of St. Thomas, Canada, and a direct descendant to Major Goffe a Revolutionary War Officer.
Following the death of his father in 1857, Freeman relocated with his family to Mt. Clemens, Michigan. After completing his high school education he studied law in the offices of Edgar Weeks and upon completion was admitted to the Michigan Bar in 1877. He practiced with the Detroit Law Firm of Meddaugh & Driggs until he relocated to West Virginia. He married Abby J. Stewart in 1890 and had a daughter, Sarah Freeman. Abby Freeman died in 1898.
While in Hamlin, he employed a young school teacher, Zubah Ray (aka Azubah), daughter of Dr. and Mrs. J.M. Ray of Mason County. Later, their business relationship became personal and they were married on March 12th, 1912. Thereafter, the Freemans relocated to Huntington, West Virginia where Freeman began acquire numerous parcels of land adjacent to the southerly boundaries of the city, overlooking Ritter Park. They ultimately acquired approximately 700 acres, of which approximately 250 acres was the site of their new home.
Freeman was a member of the Episcopal Church, BPO Elks, Guyandotte Club, Westmoreland Country Club, the Masonic order, the Detroit Athletic Club, the Moslem Temple of Mystic Shrine of Detroit, the North Channel Fishing Club of Lake St. Clair, Michigan, and the American Jersey Cattle Club. He also served as vice president of the Detroit Tigers and was a shareholder.
The Freemans had three daughters, Ruth, Joan, and Mary. Mrs. Freeman also had a son, Aubrey, prior to her marriage, who Freeman adopted. Mrs. Freeman lived in the home until her death in 1967. Thereafter, it was occupied by her daughter Joan until her death in 1971. Relatives lived in the home until 1977.
In September of 1901, while in Charleston, West Virginia on legal business Freeman took a wagon trip to Boone and Logan Counties. Freeman was in West Virginia to assist his friend and client, New York capitalist, H.W. Yawkey, in assessing the nature and value of certain rural real estate owned by Yawkey's deceased father. On the trip, Yawkey observed a mountain spring flowing from a hillside that was burning. He inquired of Freeman about the cause of the flaming water. Freeman replied that in his studies of geology, he had learned this was caused by oil and natural gas.
Although oil and gas were drilled in the early nineteenth century in West Virginia, it was largely considered a nuisance by salt makers. It was not until the last quarter of the nineteenth century that it was drilled and used on a large commercial scale, primarily in the northwestern parts of the state around Wood and Wirt Counties. This was true for timber, coal, and other resources. Throughout most of the century, there was little attraction for industrial development in the state due to the remoteness. With national industrial growth and the arrival of the railroad to West Virginia's southern counties, however, the abundant resources provided a major incentive. By the 1890s, development of the timber and mineral reserves of the southern mountains was promoted extensively. Thus, Freeman was surprised when he arrived in 1901 that the timber and fossil fuels in the area had not been developed and he quickly resolved to do so. He and Yawkey returned home and set about raising the necessary capital. It has been estimated he brought into the state approximately one million dollars before receiving any return.
Later, Freeman was attracted to the Griffithsville area in Lincoln County, West Virginia, where in 1904 he and Yawkey leased 14,000 acres. "It was as an oil producer that he made what was probably his largest contribution to the growth of Huntington, as well as a large part of this own fortune" (Huntington Herald Dispatch, July 4th, 1920). He located his office in Hamlin after giving up the practice of law. In 1907 he transferred the Lincoln County oil and gas leases of approximately 14,000 acres to Big Creek Development Company, which developed into one of the great oil fields of its time, producing in excess of seven million barrels oil and untold amounts of natural gas by 1915. The holdings of the Yawkey & Freeman Coal Company exceeded 40,000 acres in Boone, Lincoln, and Mason Counties.
After moving into the house in 1914 Freeman continued to manage his business enterprises; including the Big Creek Development Company, Yawkey & Freeman Coal Company, Pond Fork Coal Company, Yawkey & Freeman Drilling Company, and Boone Drilling Company. All the while, he maintained his hobbies of breeding of White Leghorn Chickens, Shropshire Sheep and Jersey Cattle. He died in 1920 still heavily involved in southern West Virginia's natural resources.
In 1915, an article in the Huntington Advertiser about Freeman and the grandeur of his estate read:
(The Huntington Advertiser, 21 September 1915)
Freeman's obituary was similar, reiterating his importance to Huntington and this part of the state. It read:
(Huntington Herald Dispatch, 4 July 1920)
The Freeman Estate in one of the few remaining "grand estates" of the pioneer industrial developers that once resided in Huntington. Many of the remaining "grand homes" are situated on small tracts of land with all of the original acreage having been subdivided and sold for home sites. The Freeman Estate, with its 42 acres, is the largest home site remaining in the Huntington, West Virginia area and even includes its original stone wall/entry gate as well as an original cobblestone pathway. Not only has it survived as a "grand estate" within the city limits, but it is also an excellent example of Craftsman-style architecture.
The Craftsman style, sometimes referred to as Arts and Crafts, was popular in this part of the country between 1900 and 1925. The Arts and Crafts movement was in large part a reaction to industrialization and a concern for reform in the arts. Those who embraced the philosophy of the movement favored craftsmanship, simple design, and natural materials in architecture. Houses of the style often had low-pitched gable roofs, wide overhangs supported by knee braces, exposed (false) rafter tails, large stone or brick chimneys, multi-paned upper sash windows over single-pane lower sash, full-width porches with large columns, and beamed ceilings on the interior. They were often covered with stucco, cement, or wood shingles.
The Freeman Estate house displays a number of Craftsman-style characteristics as described above including the large porch and posts, exposed (false) rafters and braces, multi-paned windows, stucco covering, and beamed ceilings. The Freeman estate is significant architecturally in Huntington as an extremely large Craftsman-style house and an excellent example of the style.
The only exterior changes to the home have been the removal of a small back porch to accommodate a bay window and the lowering of the windows in the den to accommodate another bay window.
Verus T. Ritter, a Philadelphia architect, who designed many substantial, commercial buildings in Huntington, was employed to design and supervise the construction of the residence. Plans called for a masonry home, utilizing poured concrete and street paving bricks for most walls and the foundation. All floors are poured concrete covered with quarter-sawn, narrow-width, oak hardwood flooring in the public areas. Ceramic tiles were used in the five baths. Electric conduit and gas piping supplied each light fixture with both electricity and gas. Over twenty-four electrical circuits were utilized in wiring the home. The home even had a built-in vacuum cleaner and a private intercom system as well as a multi-station electrical servant call system. The interior trim is primarily Cuban Mahogany.
In 1915 the house and estate was featured in the Huntington Advertiser as "An Imperial Domain: The Palatial Home of Mr. & Mrs. C.H. Freeman." One photo caption read, "The handsomest exemplification in West Virginia, in its pinnacle location, and a triumph in architecture." The article continues on, describing nearly every detail of the home and property. The house was featured as part of section titled "Beautiful Huntington: Her Villas, Sites, Homes, Parks & Suburbs." In addition to the architecture of Marshall College (now University), the Frederick Hotel, and First National Bank, the Freeman Estate was featured along with only one other house; that of Mr. and Mrs. C.L. Ritter, a local businessman.
Although many of the original outbuildings are non-extant or have been modified, the property does include an original stone wall and gate as well as a cobblestone pathway.
Building Description
The Freeman Estate is situated on the crest of the hill overlooking Ritter Park on McCoy Road within the City of Huntington, Cabell County, West Virginia. The driveway of approximately one-half mile winds up to the home, where a graceful porte cochere greets arriving autos. The house presently sits on approximately 42 acres, of which approximately 18 acres are in lawn. The balance, most of which is quite steep, is wooded. There are many mature trees and two creeks at the bottom of the hill on the North and South sides of the property.
The Freeman Home is a two-and-one-half story, Craftsman-style dwelling, constructed from 1912 to 1914. The massive 11,000-square-foot masonry home has a red, clay-tile roof where. The upper, flat, non-visible, portion of the roof is built-up rubber. The bulk of the exterior walls are covered with cement stucco over street paving bricks and concrete, anchored by several feet of exposed, hand-cut, sandstone at the bottom. The full basement is constructed of poured concrete and street paving bricks.
The most notable feature on the exterior is the grand, front porch floored with red quarry tile, located on the North side of the house. The porch extends approximately 80 feet across the entire front of the home and wraps around its left side. The wrap-around section is enclosed by numerous large, double-hung windows, to form a marvelous sunroom. On the right side of the porch are steps granting access to the porte-cochere. As part of this entry a large stone, approximately 4 X 8 feet 2 feet thick, was installed adjacent to the steps to accommodate those arriving in "touring cars" whose running boards were approximately three feet off the ground. At some point in time, the entire front porch was screened. The screen wire and its frames became rotten and were removed when the present owner began to renovate the home in 1980. The porch also had a wooden railing on it roof, supported by masonry columns. The railing was removed probably in the 1930's because of maintenance concerns.
On the west is a side door designed as the rear door for "the family." In addition to the porte cochere, there is a large window well, furnishing light to the basement vault room. The billiard room in the basement also has three westerly-facing windows at ground level and two other ground-level windows facing south. The den or perhaps the original servant's dining room on at the southwest corner of the first floor has a large bay window which replaced a smaller window in 1980.
The south-facing exterior or rear of the home has a small porch leading to the den. This originally was an entrance for the servants. There had been another rear entrance leading to the "refrigerator room," a small storage area, and the kitchen. This back entrance and refrigerator room, etc. were removed in the process of enlarging the kitchen and adding a bay window.
The east side of the home has a large bay window serving both the first-floor dining room and the second-floor master bedroom. There is a side entrance from the sunroom and three window wells supplying additional light for the basement.
The home was constructed with large double-hung sash windows glazed with ¼ inch plate glass. The windows were "factory built" in Dayton, Ohio, and are still in excellent condition with steel weather stripping that makes them airtight.
The front door is 42" wide with side lights. The door opens into a central hallway approximately 14 x 40 feet. The 48" wide, open half-turn staircase ascends to the second floor on the West side of the hall. The stair treads are of hard, red Cuban Mahogany. The balustrade is of cast iron, topped by a Cuban mahogany handrail. To the right of the center hall is the massive living room with its six-foot fireplace capped by an elegant mantle. The woodwork is all Cuban Mahogany as are the coffered ceiling beams and crown molding. All the woodwork has been stripped and refinished to its original color. All the floors in the "public areas" are narrow, quarter-sawn oak that have been refinished. Large glass paned doors permit the living room, library, and dining rooms to each be separated from the hall.
On the left side of the central hall is the library with Cuban Mahogany trim and wainscoting. Most of the light fixtures in the home were removed and sold at public auction. The lights on the front porch, master bath, butler's pantry, and front hall are original. The other light fixtures in the public areas are as similar to the originals as could be found, based on old photos.
The room next to the library is the dining room. Similar to the library, it has mahogany trim, wainscoting and a cornice. The silk wall covering became rotted over the years and was replaced by a "French style" hand-painted mural. The silver-plated hardware can still be seen in several places. The dining room will seat 14 comfortably and can be expanded to 20 by opening the double doors into the front hall.
Adjacent to the dining room and toward the front, on the east side of the house is the light and pleasant sunroom. Three sides of the room are principally small, glass-paned windows and doors. This was Mrs. Freeman's favorite room where she enjoyed her needlework. Early accounts refer to this room as the "Breakfast Room".
To the rear of and adjacent to the dining room is the butler's pantry, with its original cabinets and "German silver" sink. The original pine floor was covered with blue linoleum in this room and the kitchen was replaced by the current owners with large red hexagonal clay tile. The original light fixture remains.
The kitchen was suitable for the servants of 1914, but most impracticable for a servant-less family of the twenty-first century. It was gutted and completely redesigned with cabinetry and appliances compatible with the home.
A breakfast area has been constructed where the refrigerator and storage rooms were located. A new bay window has replaced the old back door and a small porch with matching stonework as its base. The kitchen ceiling has been lowered from 10 4 to 10 feet in order to install a forced air heating and air-conditioning system which services a large part of the first floor and part of the second floor. Modern, concealed lighting has been installed as well as an electrical upgrade to handle the increased kitchen demands.
A doorway had been cut between the kitchen and the den which makes the kitchen-den area more user friendly.
The full basement is accessed from the front hall, the kitchen, and an outside stairway from the rear of the house stairways. On the West side is located the massive billiards room with its refinished oak, quarter-sawn wainscoting, pool cue closet, and ceiling crown molding. The floor in the public areas which was formerly plain concrete is now covered in slate. On the South end of the billiards room is a large ceramic fireplace and mantle containing the Freeman Coat of Arms.
The lower center hall, located at the bottom of the front basement steps, was used by Mr. Freeman as his office. This room contains the 24 electrical circuits, cartridge fuse box where each circuit has its own brass identification plaque. The long-abandoned central vacuum system and central intercom system were formerly located in this room. On the North side is located the 10 X 60 foot double steel door, vault. Inside are located two five-foot high double doors, fire safes, and room for all the family valuables.
On the East side is the large family room with added bar and wine racks. The original kitchen cabinets have been relocated to this room and are used for storage. To the South and rear is a small hall where the back steps come down from the kitchen. Beyond that point is a recently constructed self-contained one-bedroom apartment, complete with full kitchen and bath. It has its own private entrance via the outside stairway The basement also has a separate room for the 1914 coal, converted to gas, highly inefficient, gravity hot water furnace, the modern gas-fired hot water tank, and washer and dryer for the apartment. The furnace still heats the home through a system of hot water radiators, assisted by the modern high-efficiency gas-forced air furnace located in the southeast rear closet on the second floor.
The second floor contains four large bedrooms; two smaller servants' bedrooms and three baths. One bath services the master bedroom; the other three guest bedrooms utilize the hall bath. Both of these bathrooms have been remodeled in a style compatible with the home. The servants used the small bath in the rear which remains in its original state. One of the servants' bedrooms has been converted into a laundry and office area in 1995. The laundry chute in the back hall has been converted into a storage closet.
The floors in the public areas are similar to those on the first floor. The floors in the servant areas have had the linoleum removed and recovered with oak, prefinished flooring.
The third floor has been insulated and finished, a full bath installed, a sitting room created at a lower level, electric heat and window air conditioning installed and the floors carpeted. Electrical wiring has been upgraded throughout the home. Air conditioning is supplied by the first floor forced air system and the second floor is served by several window units.
A two-story, three-car garage, with a full basement, has been constructed adjacent to the home on the Southwest side in approximately 1984. The building is stucco with a red shingle roof. The trim on the building mirrors that of the home. There is a deck off the rear of the second floor, facing South which cannot be seen from the home. The two-bedroom apartment on the second floor is accessed from a side door and the basement is accessed by an interior stairway and by a large garage door on the lower West side.
The first floor of the garage houses three autos; a gardener's sink; a furnace room and stairways to the second floor and basement. The walls are finished and cabinets are properly located. The second floor contains a large living room with double glass sliding doors leading to the deck; a full kitchen; full bath with washer, dryer area and two bedrooms, one of which has a door to the deck and several closets. The basement is the workshop and tractor storage area.
A modern stone wall with six flowerpots curves along the driveway to the modern garage.
The shed, built in 1980, is a modern, open-air, building with a flat, corrugated metal roof. It is supported by steel posts. The shed has one stucco-covered wall with a door and two windows. The foundation is historic stone. The shed was constructed on the site of the original house on the site.
The 1914 dairy barn was constructed of sandstone, similar to the house. The roof is of the same red tile as on the home. It contained approximately six cow stalls on the first floor, a modest hay loft on the second floor, and a large manure pit adjacent to the structure, on the south side. The manure pit has been converted into a sitting room and bedrooms have been constructed on the upper floor. All utilities are underground. Before commencing the remodeling substantial foundation repair had to be completed. The exterior of the original barn is unchanged except for the addition on the south end of the structure. It is an attractive guest quarters or a marvelous art studio for the present owner.
As constructed in approximately 1914, the barn had electric lights, running water and the interior walls were plastered. Each of the six cow stalls had their own metal hay rack. The concrete floor had drains in it. The barn is now converted into a dwelling with the addition of four baths, three kitchens, and several living areas. There is a bedroom, bath, and closet on the original second floor. The main kitchen is a rustic design, suitable for the structure.
A stone wall with a metal entry gate runs adjacent to the roadway along the northeast portion of the property and was constructed when the house was constructed.
An historic cobblestone pathway extends from the gravel driveway to the barn and continues down the ravine to a creek. It has been partially rebuilt near the barn.
View looking south (2008)
Stone wall looking south (2008)
Stone wall and entry gate (2008)
North (main) elevation (2008)
East (side) elevation (2008)
Front porch (2008)
South (rear) elevation (2008)
Southwest corner detail (2008)
Original barn, and cobblestone path (2008)
