The Stevens Cottage 1890 - Virginia Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

On it's incorporation the eight day of May, 1890, as a land development and sales company, the Shenandoah Land and Improvement Company needed a general headquarters and sales office in Shenandoah.
The president, Mr. C. Powell Noland, engaged Mr. William M. Poindexter, a prominent Washington, Richmond and nationally recognized architect, to design and supervise construction of a shingle style Edwardian period office building. A contract with the construction firm of Ogle and Carroll was drawn up for $1,875 for the construction of the new office building. The "handsome" office building was completed in the fall of 1890.

The early 1890s brought hard times to Shenandoah. Activities of the Shenandoah Land and Improvement Company declined as the 90s progressed. The need for a headquarters office of the size originally built also declined, so it was decided to sell the office building. The Misses Mary E. and Edna C. Stevens "the office" for $250, May 16, 1902, and turned it into a residence.

There was no kitchen in the building when it became a residence, and the first kitchen was installed in the closed-in back porch. Both the original kitchen area and the left rear room of the office are now used as kitchens.

The original office building had no internal toilet facilities and water from the early town's meager system was augmented by a cistern. Early lighting was by gas with electricity coming afterwards. Early heat was supplied by open fireplaces and coal/wood burning stoves with complicated stove pipes connecting stoves to the central flue.

Much of the Stevens sisters' furniture is still in the house including the beautiful old furnace stove, dining room table and chairs, side boards, bed, wardrobe, dressers, trunks, etc. Fireplaces and woodwork are unique to the era.

Miss Mary E. Stevens, affectionately known as "Miss Mamie," began a fifty year teaching career and many of the citizens of this area have been taught by and influenced by this lady. She is spoken of with love and some tell of pretty stern discipline. She taught her entire fifty years at the Shenandoah Elementary School and was known as an excellent first and second grade teacher. Miss Mamie lived in the house until her death in April 1968. She was 93 years old.

Today much of the interior of the cottage has been restored. A room named the "Shenandoah Land and Improvement Company Room" has been set aside to house the original office furniture and letters of the old land company. Here and old roll top desk with matching oak office chairs, a sales lectern, company maps and records, and old typical of the period typewriter, reinforce the character of the room. The restoration of the cottage has been funded in part by matching funds available through the Virginia and National Historic Landmark Commissions.

The downstairs area including halls, stairway and the upstairs hall too, are equipped for wall display of pictures or artifacts. The cottage has frequently been used for exhibitions both privately and publicly owned., The cottage facilities are available for public and private affairs of varied nature. Lamplight Dinners and public sales have been held at regular intervals for the purpose of raising funds for continuing restoration and operation of the cottage facilities. The cottage facilities are available to all.

Marker Number: 000 Marker Title: The Stevens Cottage 1890 Marker Location: City County or Independent City: Shenendoah Web Site: [Web Link] Marker Program Sponsor: None listed

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