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March 31st, 2006. May/Kraus Farm (aka La Paix Herb Farm) named to National Register of Historic Places Complete Application for Historic Registration
National Historic
Registration data
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La Paix Herb Farm is the original homestead of the May's, who superintended the building of the old Weston State Hospital, reputed to be the largest hand cut stone building in the United States. It is now a designated historical preservation site. The Mays were German stone cutters by profession, and lived at La Paix where they farmed in the summers. According to Angela Kraus, descendent, in the winters they moved to area farms where they built root cellars for the owners. The Kraus brothers lived at the area farm for the winter until spring, when they were paid $34. for their labors. They returned home to what I call La Paix Herb Farm. On the lef is a photo of the back of the homestead, showing that it was a separate log cabin. The attachment at the back is now a bathroom, but was a kitchen. The middle photo shows he root cellar on the right which has hand cut stone on the bottom and a board second floor. That is now a small efficiency apartment for an apprentice. On the right is a partial view of the Plantation I Farmhouse (Victorian) which was added to the front of the log cabin in about 1890. The log cabin is about one hundred fifty (150) years old as far as I can research (and may have belonged to the Moneypennies originally). My submission for National Historic Registration was finally completed after three long years of research and procrastination (on my part) in November 2004. With the help of Alan Rowe and Jen Murdock of the W.V. History and Culture Department, I was able to finish the papers and photos necessary. The entire farm was applied for as the May/Kraus Homestead Farm. For progress to date on the nomination please click here. |
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The root cellar, shown here is made of hand cut stone from the surrounding hills. The story goes that when the Mays were making the cellar, they cut the stones from rocks above the house. A Shearer (one of the founding families of the holler', one of whom still lives on Crooked Run) was helping to bring the stones down from the hill with a horse and open wagon. On one trip, one of the hand cut stones fell out and rolled over a steep hill into a ravine. Mr. Shearer figured it might not be noticed, so he continued on his way down the hill. Upon arriving at the site, he said nothing about the lost stone. Mr. May took one look at the wagon full of stones, and asked, "Where is #33?" Mr. Shearer had to go back up the hill and fetch it from the ravine! At La Paix (or the May/Kraus house) the hand cut stone can be seen in the front steps, sidewalks, chimneys and foundation of the Plantation I Victorian farm house. In the back of the farmhouse is the two story log cabin, joined German style. It is reputed to be between 150 and 200 years old. The farmhouse was built in 1890. (Charlie Kraus, neighbor, oral history). |
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The photo to the left shows the front door of the Victorian Plantation I farmhouse. Notice the steps. (there are five in all but only two show here). They are not concrete - they are hand cut stone steps about three feet wide. The gingerbread seen on the house seems to be the original; however there was a porch railing around the bottom (still on the second floor porch) which was not shown in a 1950's photo of the family which I was given by Charlie Kraus. The Kraus's who married into the May family, were carpenters and so many of the fine details in the interior of the front of the house were designed by them. The stair rail, for instance, is of one piece of wood which is slightly crooked, but only upon close observation of hand and eye. A Plantation I farmhouse is very simple. It is two story, with two rooms up and two rooms down, with a stairway and hall in between. |
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There were five families who
moved into Crooked Run about 1835: the Mays, Starks, Gartons, Shearers,
Kinneys and Kraus's. Most were German Catholics. They came from
Webster County in West Virginia, and formed a Catholic community on Crooked
Run. Bernard Kraus donated the land for the local St. Boniface's church
which is Route 33 West. He donated the land about 1850, and I am sure the
cemetery next to the church has many Kraus's and Mays in it. The pioneers
from Webster County each built their own homestead and each had a skill or
profession: there were surveyors, teachers, carpenters, stone cutters,
sheep herders and more. They were independent but mutually helpful.
Together they created a road from their homesteads to St. Boniface's Church
which went directly over the hill. They said the rosary in one another's
home weekly. When I bought what is now La Paix from Lawrence Kraus in
1981, each room at La Paix had a Catholic medal over the door and I have
endeavored to keep most of them in place. I highly respect those who homesteaded this holler'. I honor those who built La Paix's home and outbuildings. It is amazing that the home is built almost compass perfect and although the creek is within 15 feet of the house water has never come near it, even in floods. They knew what they were doing. I am glad when their Reunion at Charlie Kraus's brings them up to La Paix to explore the home and grounds and exchange memories. |
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This photo is of the south side of the log cabin. It shows the huge logs used to construct this two story log cabin. Tools used to raise the logs have been found buried in the ground here. This part of the house is said to have been used in the underground railroad. There is a fool-the-eye staircase going up to the second floor which was purportedly built to trick the inquiring eye. (Angela Kraus - oral history). The upper part of the log cabin is now used as a library and extra guest bedroom in the winter and as a second apprentice quarters in the growing months. |
March 31st, 2006. May/Kraus Farm (aka La Paix Herb Farm) named to National Register of Historic Places Complete Application for Historic Registration
National Historic Registration data
La Paix Herb Farm
3052 Crooked Run Road
Alum Bridge, West Virginia 26321 U.S.A.
(304) 269-7681
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