Aspen Hall
a.k.a. Beeson, Edward, House
End of Boyd Ave., Martinsburg, WVAspen Hall is very significant for its Georgian architecture. It's the largest, most Legant, and one of the oldest, if not the oldest, house ia Martinsburg, built high on a hill above the Tuscarora Creek. Its 300 acres border the land that Adam Stephen laid out for the town of Martinsburg. Its builder, Edward Beeson II was a wealthy, prominent, and influential Quaker. It was Edward Beeson who owned the "Red House" where the first Berkeley Court met in 1772, where he was residing, while he was building his fine mansion. While other Quakers were dismissed from the Quaker church for furnishing supplies during the Revolutionary War Edward Beeson was paid for furnishing supplies and still remained a prominent, active member. Edward Beeson II's grandfather, Richard Beeson, Sr., was among the early prominent Quaker settlers of the State of West Virginia, settling bere long the Tuscarora Creek in 1735 from Lancaster Township, Chester Co., Pa.' He purchased a large tract of land of 1,650 acres (actually closer to 3,000 acres whes surveyed) taking in about 1/2 of Tuscarora Creek. Edward Beeson II acted as one of the early trustees of Martinsburg. He operated a grist mill on his Aspen Hall plantation and acquired 631 acres on the plantation and other lands in Berkeley County. In 1813 he paid tax on 954 acres in Berkeley County. He died in May 1827. He bequeathed over $72,000 to his heirs.
Aspen Hall was sold by his executors in 1821 to Mathew Ranson of Jefferson County. It then passed to another prominent, influential Berkeley Countian John W. Stewart who was prosperous and owned much property in both Berkeley and Jefferson Counties. At his death, Aspen Hall went to his son William T. Stewart who resided there. I was sold out of the Stewart family in 1926. The Charles Shimp family has owned Aspen Hall since 1929. It was later rented as apartments. The 1798 house tax for Berkeley County, Va., which included all of present Berkeley and Jefferson Cos. and 3/4 of present Morgan Co., lists Aspen Hall as the second most valuable house in Berkeley County, valued at $2,362.50.
Aspen Hall is one of the finest buildings of its period that can be found anywhere in the United States. Built by a very wealthy family, its classic architecture is significant. The entrance hall is 40 feet long.
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.