Heritage Center: History
The Anderson Township Trustees purchased the 5.28 acre tract of land in 1991 to save the historic home on the premises and preserve the bulk of the tract as Green Space. Restoration of the house into the Anderson Township Community Heritage Center has been accomplished as a permanent legacy of the Township’s celebration of its 1993 Bicentennial. While the Anderson Township Government has retained ownership, the property is maintained and managed by the Anderson Township Park District. This facility is truly an outstanding testament of early life in Anderson Township.
According to research by members of the Anderson Township Historical Society, ownership of the tract traces back to an original charter to the State of Virginia from James I, King of England, in 1609. Following the Revolutionary War, the State of Virginia appropriated the land containing this tract to satisfy the claims of her soldiers who had fought in the war. Any soldier given such a land warrant could locate wherever he chose within these “Virginia Military Lands”. The size of each grant varied, depending upon the rank and time of service of the soldier recipient.
The parcel of real estate making up the Heritage Center grounds is a part of the patent granted to Abraham Hite in May 20, 1797, number 608 and containing 1,000 acres.
James Bellville and family were the first to settle and build on this site beginning in 1813. The current structure was built in several phases, but dates back to the period 1815 – 1825. Since then, several renovations of the interior have taken place.
The renovation of the Heritage Center building and grounds started in August of 1992. During the initial renovation period, several facts were determined regarding the development of the current structure:
- The current meeting room in the rear of the structure was the site of the original one-room cabin with a connected stable.
- Evidence of a rock fireplace and chimney was found under the flooring in the center of the meeting room.
- The stable was converted over the years to a porch, then a kitchen. The cabin became the dining room with a new fireplace after the completion of the front section of the house.
- The additions to the house included the current living room with the cherry mantel (1815 – 1820); the entry hall and the office areas (originally a parlor and a bedroom) shortly after 1820.
- The original upstairs consisted of two large rooms with the stairway located next to the fireplace in the living room. Evidence of this can be seen by the bruised wood outlining the shape of the stair landing in the living room and the different wood in a rectangular shape in the front bedroom upstairs.
- When the current stairway was added in the early 1900’s, the upstairs was modified to include the smaller bedroom.
- Another bedroom and bathroom was located on the second floor above the current meeting room. This may have been built even before any other expansion. It may have been part of the original cabin area, but no information has been located to allow a determination to be made.
- The cellar area is interesting to view because it adds insight into some of the information described above. Hand-hewn beams on one side and milled lumber on the other; the sub-structure of the living room fireplace, heating system chronology and finally, some of the original logs that supported the original cabin are all available for viewing.