A 15-minute drive south of Lewisburg and White Sulphur Springs, this well-preserved double log cabin on 42 pastoral acres remains one of the landmark residences of the Greenbrier Valley. Including three large bedrooms, a bath-and-a-half, and five stone fireplaces, the home, and surrounding farmstead are imbued with the history of the scenic bluegrass landscape.
ABOUT THE HOUSE
Built in about 1840, this gracious double log cabin, the ancestral home of the Level family, remains one of the landmark residences of the Greenbrier Valley. Renowned for its exceptional size, a rarity among residences built of hewn timber, it includes more than 3,000 square feet of interior space and was described in the 1917 History of Greenbrier County as “a veritable mansion in its day, and as to things substantial and comfortable is not second to some others more palatial of these latter times.” Even today, the house may be considered exceptionally large.
On the upper floor, the residence includes three large bedrooms, each of more than 255 square feet, and, on the first floor, equally large dining, living, and family rooms. A central entrance hall with a hand-crafted stairway leads into all sections of the house, including the rear kitchen wing, which extends to a family room with a massive cooking hearth. Five large fireplaces of handworked limestone grace its principal rooms, all finished in period oak and heart-of-pine. Remarkable in their height, ceilings in the original log sections of the house exceed 10 feet.
A large farmhouse kitchen, a servant’s stair, a screened rear porch, and utility spaces blend indoor and outdoor functionality for country living. A full bath with bright tilework and a convenient half-bath off the stair hall are suitable for residents and guests. The house is heated chiefly with water-baseboard heat. A cellar and hewn-timber smoke house remain adjacent to the rear of the house.
ABOUT THE FARM
The residence sits near the front of a 42-acre tract, the central part of the original 300-acre farm established by James Level in 1840. Like other farms in the region, it is known for its sweet soil, underlain by limestone, which supports rich bluegrass. Its fields have been leased as pasture and grazing land in recent years. Approximately 12 of its acres are fenced for cattle and include a barn of roughly 6,000 square feet. The property is suited to be used for a wide range of animals. A variety of crops can be cultivated in the farm and forest areas.