John Mathias House

John Mathias House is a residence in Randolph County, West Virginia, constructed from two hand-hewn log sections connected by an open passageway. The older section features a double porch and two stories, while the newer addition was built at a later date.

The older log section was built in the late 1700s when the family first settled the area. The second section followed roughly 30 years later and expanded the living space.

The house shows traditional frontier building methods with hand-hewn logs and techniques passed down through generations of local craftspeople. This style of construction reflects how early settlers here worked with available materials and inherited knowledge.

The house is located along State Road 259 near Howards Lick Road and sits on roughly 2 acres of land. Visitors can see the structure from outside and explore the early building style of the region, with accessibility varying by season and weather conditions.

The most distinctive feature is the open passageway between the two log sections, a building element known locally as the entry and connecting the two parts of different heights. This design solution shows how craftspeople practically joined two separate constructions together.

Location: West Virginia

Architectural style: rustic architecture

GPS coordinates: 38.87750,-78.86750

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:20