The Alexander Campbell Mansion, also known as Campbell Mansion or Alexander Campbell House, is a historic house on

West Virginia Route 67 West Virginia Route 67 is an east–west state highway located within Brooke County. The western terminus of the route is at West Virginia Route 2 on the southern edge of Wellsburg. The eastern terminus is at the Pennsylvania state line eas ...

just east of

Bethany, West Virginia Bethany is a town in southern Brooke County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 756 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Weirton–Steubenville metropolitan area. It is best known as the home of Bethany College, a private liberal ...

. Built in 1793 and repeatedly enlarged, it was the home of minister Alexander Campbell (1788–1866) following his marriage in 1811. Known as the "sage of Bethany", Campbell was one of the most prominent early leaders of the

Restoration Movement The Restoration Movement (also known as the American Restoration Movement or the Stone–Campbell Movement, and pejoratively as Campbellism) is a Christian movement that began on the United States frontier during the Second Great Awakening (17 ...

in United States Christianity, beginning in 1812, which resulted in formation of numerous congregations of the Disciples of Christ and Churches of Christ. The house, now a museum maintained by Bethany College (founded by Campbell in 1840), was designated a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

in 1994.James H. Charleton (December 9, 1993) , National Park Service and

Description and history

The Campbell Mansion is located a short way east of Bethany, on property that is partially crossed by West Virginia 67. The main house and outbuildings are set just on the north side of the road, while the small Campbell cemetery and a small orchard historically associated with the Campbells are on the south side. The main house is a rambling -story frame structure, its central portion encrusted by additions on both sides. That portion was built in 1793 by John Brown, the future father-in-law of Alexander Campbell. It is an unusually high-quality example of Federal architecture for what was then a very rural setting. It originally had a porch on the west side, which was enclosed by Alexander Campbell in 1819, adding a second story to provide dormitory space for his seminary. The right-side addition was made in 1836–40, in order to accommodate Campbell's regular parade of visitors. Standing near the house is a small hexagonal stone building, which Campbell used as a library and office. Alexander Campbell was a native of

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

who came to the United States in 1809, where he joined his father Thomas as a religious minister in western

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. He married Margaret Brown in the parlor of this house in 1811. The Campbells were both influential religious leaders, responsible in part for the formation of the

of the 1820s. Campbell founded Bethany College in 1840, and served as its president until his death; its graduates seeded many new schools and churches across the country. The property remained in the Campbell family until 1913. Its next owner donated the property, with furnishings intact, to a memorial association in 1920. It worked in association with Bethany College to maintain the property, and the college is now responsible for its care. The college offers guided tours of the house; admission is charged.

References

External links

*
Alexander Campbell Mansion, National Historic Landmark Nomination, at West Virginia Division of Culture and History
3800kb scanned PDF file * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Campbell, Alexander, Mansion Biographical museums in West Virginia Historic American Buildings Survey in West Virginia Historic district contributing properties in West Virginia Historic house museums in West Virginia Houses completed in 1793 Houses in Brooke County, West Virginia Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia Museums in Brooke County, West Virginia National Historic Landmarks in West Virginia National Register of Historic Places in Brooke County, West Virginia

Description and history

See also

References

External links