In July of 2019, we traveled to Point Pleasant, West Virginia. One of our stops was the Tu-Endie-Wei State Park. In the middle of that park sits, the Mansion House Museum. Fortunately, the museum was open when we stopped for the visit.
You can find out more about the location and hours on the blog post that we did about the Tu-Endie-Wei State Park by viewing the blog post we did about the park.
Although it’s now a museum, the Mansion House was originally a tavern. Yep— it was built in 1796 by Walter Newman before it eventually transformed into a museum for the relics of its time. Inside, you’ll find 150-year-old 4-post beds and a piano that is believed to be one of the first ever brought across the Allegheny Mountains.
The home was originally built by Newman on a promise to his wife. She only agreed to come west “if you build me a mansion.” This led to the name of the home, the Mansion House. Newman came over the Allegheny Mountains and fought in the Battle of Point Pleasant, right where the house currently stands. After the conflict, Newman built the home and awaited his wife to join him.
During this waiting period, the home served as a tavern and inn for travelers in the area. While it does not appear large from the outside, it contains a basement, two stories, and an attic. Within its’ walls are contained some of the first items of their kind to come west, and a collection of items significant to local history and the time period. One of the oldest clocks to cross the mountains resides on the mantel in the main sitting room.
Marianne took several photos from inside of the mansion at the various relics. Here are just some of them, but if you click on the "More Photos" at the bottom of this post, you will see many more photographs that were taken that day.
Also, if you would like to learn more about the park and see some video footage from inside the house, check out our paranormal history profile video below.
If you have been to the park and visited the Mansion House Museum, please let us know and share your experiences down in the comments section below.
