Built in about 1800, this period property ranks among the most historic in southern West Virginia. Its massive timbers were hewn and set in place just after the threat of Indian attack had ended, and sixty years later, generals from North and South headquartered here during the Civil War. Statesmen as influential as Henry Clay and Daniel Webster lodged beneath its roof while travelling across the Alleghenies.

Known historically as “Halfway House” or “Tyree Tavern,” it is perhaps one of the best preserved stagecoach inns of its kind. Located half way between Charleston and Lewisburg on the old James River and Kanawha Turnpike, it was an important stop for more than a century and remained a popular attraction even after the advent of motor-lodging when the turnpike became paved, two-lane highway U.S. 60.

Built on a foundation of hand-worked stone, the building consists chiefly of a 20-by-50-foot rectangle of hewn timber harvested from trees that were centuries old when they were squared and notched. Three massive stone chimneys vent five prodigious fireplaces, each of which boasts a unique hearth. Stone and timber have been exposed ornamentally within the house, which is otherwise known for its carpentered first-floor interior walls, which were likely finished in the 1820s.

Unusual features noted by historians include finished exterior walls along the front veranda, which runs across the entirety of the facade, and a second-floor entrance reached by an exterior stairway off the veranda. Others include a Victorian oriel window added in about 1888, and a back wing that includes a remarkably sloping second-story room legendarily built of a boat.

Of interest to many visitors, the house includes artifacts of its occupation during the Civil War in the form of sword hacks and carvings that appear on the walls, mantles, and door facings. The words “1862—Headquarters of the Chicago Grey Dragoons” is carved over one of the two front doors while “Union” is carved alongside another.

Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, the property has undergone minor restorations and improvements, including the installation of a geothermal heating system and the restoration of a summer kitchen located off the rear wing. As the building is a designated historic landmark, tax credits and matching grants are available to help owners with its repair and development.

Much of the grounds near the house has been preserved. The stone sidewalk to the street-side coach-stand remains, as does a small wellhouse, and a large sycamore—perhaps older than the inn itself. Approximately 65 inches in diameter near its base, it is estimated at 260 years old.