The house known as Blakeley is situated on the south side of County Route 13/3, facing across the small valley of the North Fork of Bullskin Run Creek near Charles Town. It was constructed in 1820 by John A. Washington II as a two-story masonry building with a gable roof and two end chimneys. Basically Federal in style, it had eight rooms exclusive of two central hallways, one on each floor. In line to inherit Mount Vernon, the owner did not attempt to rival the grander Claymont Court built nearby by his brother, Bushrod Corbin Washington. John left Blakeley to John A. Washington III when he died in 1832.
Blakeley burned in November 1864. The roof was destroyed in this fire, as was much of the second floor except for the outer walls. Owner Richard B. Washington rebuilt the burned portion on the same plan as the original, replacing the wood roof with metal. The house remained in the Washington family for several decades before being purchased and rehabilitated in 1943 by Raymond J. Funkhouser.
Blakeley is important as the home to several prominent Jefferson County families and as a local example of historic rehabilitation as practiced in the earlier part of the 20th century. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Read the National Register nomination.
This Article was written by William D. Theriault
Last Revised on September 12, 2023
Cite This Article
Theriault, William D. "Blakeley." e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia. 12 September 2023. Web. 19 April 2024.
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