This Victorian House reminds me of a castle with it’s intricate features and the way it sits in the valley with the mountains watching over it. The landscape is rural and picturesque giving us a glimpse of a bygone era. With the rounded porch on both corners, the turned spindles and decorative details, this home is right out of a storybook.

John Campbell Miller constructed over 100 elaborate homes in West Virginia during his 37 years as a homebuilder; he also erected schools, churches and stores. His homes are still being widely talked about and marveled over in their beauty to this day. I’m planning a trip this spring to photograph some more examples of his work. Miller built this house for Dr. Lewis M. Campbell but Dr. Lewis never lived here, he lived in another home built by Miller. It is thought that Dr. Campbell’s brother, Judge Charles William Campbell (1856-1935) may have resided here at one time. It’s also possible that the house was built for his parents, Robert Dunbar Campbell (1818-1895) and Mary Catherine Johnson Campbell (1830-1904), who are buried on the mountain top above the home along with Dr. Lewis M. Campbell and his wife.

Allen Madison Long (1849-1935) purchased the property in 1915, and throughout the following years three generations of Longs called this valley home. Can you imagine how beautiful the seasons must be here in the Appalachian mountains? I’m sure it wasn’t an easy life but I bet it was a wonderful place to raise a family.