National Register Listing

Darkesville Historic District

US 11 at Middle Creek, Darkesville, WV

The town was laid out by James Buckles in 1790 on a plantation he had acquired from his father, Robert Buckles, who was a Revolutionary War soldier. For some unknown reason, James Buckles sold his 496-acre plantation minus the town lots in 1796 to Edward Beeson, a prominent Quaker, and Trustee of Martinsburg. David Ridgeway, a brother-in-law to Edward Beeson, then became part owner. A division of the 489-acre tract of land was made in 1803. By 1810 there were 30 dwelling houses, 4 taverns, 3 stores, 2 blacksmiths, 2 weavers, 1 tailor, 1 cabinet maker, and 1 distillery. A Methodist Church and cemetery had been established by 802; a grist mill in 1791 and a fulling mill in 1805.

When James Buckles started selling lots he named the town Jamestown, however, it was quite often referred to as Backlestown. When the General Assembly established the town by an Act on December 7, 1791, it was named Darkesville in honor of General William Darke, a gallant Revolutionary War soldier. General Darke owned no land in Darkesville and resided in present Jefferson County. Traditionally, General Darke had a headquarters in Darkesville. This reconstructed building has been included because of its historical, association significance with the town and its name. The development of the town was almost stagnated by the division of the Buckles farm. The original plans were to develop the side street, however, the mill was sold with one tract of land on the east side. This became its boundary line. On the west a sale of another tract which became part of another farm when Mr. Wickersham established his woolen mill on Middle Creek. A common name given to the town by area residents was "Stringtown-on-the- Pike." On the northeast corner of the town was James Buckles's log $642-2 and stone plantation house which has been included along with the early stone smokehouse, stone spring house, and the scenic area where spring run empties into Middle Creek. On the northwest, Darkesville was bounded by Spring Run Farm Richard Bryarly acquired the spring with 900 acres in 1802. He deeded off 300 acres to his son Thomas Bryarly and 300 acres to his son Robert. Deed records indicate that the stone house was built in 1814.

Richard Bryarly paid $4.05 per acre in 1819 for 300 acres $540.00 value; in 1820 $8.63 per acre for 300 acres $690.00 value plus $1,000 for building. The stone smokehouse and spring house were constructed around the same time. Richard Bryarly was the ancestor of a well-known, prominent family in the Darkesville area. They owned in the antebellum days 1,510 acres. Two of the Bryarly mansions which joined the spring run farm have been 642-44 destroyed in recent years for an industrial development area. The Richard Bryarly house was left to his son Thomas who had no issue. The Spring Run Farm was sold out of the family in 1850. Included in the nomination are the stone fence and headwater pond. A 1752 survey plat for 331 acres shows Spring Run with the main road running in back of the spring and present house. Remains of this road are evident today and are included along with the cabin site above the spring which may be the site of Samuel Patton's cabin which would ate pre-1751. Adjoining the John Fryatt" house is the site of the early Methodist log church and cemetery established in 100 This church served the community until 1854 when a church was erected in the town. Traditionally, the church was burned during the Civil War, however, it would have been abandoned. Methodism has been the principal doctrine of the community since its very beginning until this year when the abandoned Methodist Episcopal Church South building was purchased by an independent denomination. The log cabin site on Moses Street, the section of the early wagon road, the Spring Run cabin site, the woolen mill, site for the Methodist Church are all being included as historic archeology sites for the possible artifacts they may contain to provide material for an in-depth study of the life of the early people of the Darkesville area. James Buckles gave a strawman deed to their son John Buckles in 1790 4 acres; 14 acres. This land was then sold back to James Buckles, Edward Beeson, and Benjamin Shipman and a partnership agreement was set up on 21 Aug. 1790 whereby a grist mill was to be erected by September 1791. The mill on the 14 acres was to be completed within 2 years. After the division of the land this 14 acres was included in a sale to Jonathan Wickersham in 1805, who erected a fulling mill which was operated for many years and then changed to a grist mill. This clearly shows that James Buckles was in the process of setting up 2 businesses for his town. The town of Darkesville is almost surrounded by stone fences. These are all included. Darkesville has been associated with such notable persons as Belle Boyd with her father, Ben R. Boyd, opening a store in Darkesville when he first moved to Berkeley County from Baltimore, Md. It is the scene of much Civil War history being used several times as a camping ground from the beginning of the War in 1861. At times it had up to 10,000 camped around the town. For many years it served as a rural town for the surrounding neighborhood. With the coming of fast transportation, it has now principally become a residential small town.

Darkesville developed around Middle Creek and Spring Run. Some area residents refer to the north end around Spring Run as Buckles town and the south end where Gen. Darke had his headquarters as Darkesville. The earlier densest population was around Middle Creek.

Though there are a few older houses along Route 11 in the north center section of the town, the majority are of recent construction and do not conform to the rest of the area, and have not been included in the district. Boundary lines have been established to include the most historic buildings and sites of the village.

Local significance of the district:
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1980.