Beverly Heritage Center Blog

Aries Hill’s store building was built between the courthouse and the Bushrod Crawford house in 1907, in the space where the circuit clerk’s office had been. For about thirty years it was a general store with an upper floor dwelling; it has also been a pool hall. Its front (north) facade is stamped metal, with decorative moldings on the upper windows and pediment. It has two storerooms on the first floor and living quarters above. After being closed during rehabilitation for several years, this building was reopened as part of the Beverly Heritage Center.

In June 1808, a committee was appointed to contract tobuild a brick courthouse to replace the original log one on Court Street. This building cost approximately $1200, including $35 for hinges and other ironwork paid to Solomon Collett. The courthouse was completed in 1815, and the wing on the south, which contained the county clerk’s office, was completed in 1838.A separate addition on the east side housed the circuit clerk’s office. Thomas J. Arnold describes tells of the court in its heyday, “These Courts were attended by prominent lawyers from Staunton, Clarksburg, Weston, and elsewhere. Aside from jurors and witnesses,…