View source for West Virginia Governor's Mansion

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NRHP
| name          = West Virginia Governor's Mansion
| nrhp_type     = cp
| nocat         = yes
| image         = The West Virginia Governor's Mansion in Charleston LCCN2015631768.tif
| location      = 1716 Kanawha Blvd., [[Charleston, West Virginia|Charleston]], [[Kanawha County, West Virginia|Kanawha County]], [[West Virginia]], [[United States]]
| coordinates   = {{coord|38|20|10|N|81|36|53|W|display=inline,title}}
| locmapin      = West Virginia
| area          = {{convert|21000|ft2|m2}}
| built         = 1925
| architect     = [[Walter F. Martens]]
| architecture  = [[Georgian architecture|Georgian Colonial]]
| added         = December 31, 1974
| partof        = [[West Virginia Capitol Complex]]
| partof_refnum = 74002009<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2009a}}</ref>
}}
The '''West Virginia Governor's Mansion''' (or '''West Virginia Executive Mansion''') is a historic residence located next to the [[Kanawha River]] in [[Charleston, West Virginia|Charleston]], [[West Virginia]] and is the official residence of the [[governor of West Virginia]].
The [[Colonial Revival architecture|Colonial Revival]] (Georgian Revival) building was completed in 1925 by Charleston architect [[Walter F. Martens]] and is part of the [[West Virginia Capitol Complex]], which also includes the [[West Virginia State Capitol]]. The building itself has a [[red brick]] exterior, with a columned [[portico]] at the entrance. The foyer was inspired by the [[White House]], with checkered black-and-white marble flooring and dual staircases. The first floor of the mansion includes the [[drawing room]], ballroom, state dining room, library, and a [[sitting room]]. The second floor houses the governor's own rooms, as well as those of his family, while additional bedrooms are on the third floor.<ref name="dhr"/> In all, the structure has 30 rooms.<ref name="Mansion">{{cite book|last=Liberman| first=Ann| title=Governor's Mansions of the South| publisher=University of Missouri Press| location=Columbia| year=2008| page=230| isbn=978-0-8262-1785-1}}</ref> The mansion also features walled gardens, a separate garage, and servant quarters.<ref name="dhr">{{cite web| url=http://www.wvculture.org/shpo/nr/pdf/kanawha/74002009.pdf| title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: West Virginia Capitol Complex / West Virginia State Capitol, West Virginia Executive Mansion| first=James E.| last=Harding| date=April 11, 1974| access-date=2010-12-15| website=West Virginia Capitol Complex| publisher=State of West Virginia, West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Historic Preservation}}{{dead link|date=November 2023}}</ref>
The total cost of the mansion, including land, construction, and furnishings, was approximately $203,000 at the time of its construction.<ref name="Mansion"/>
==History==
The first Governor's Mansion was bought by the state in 1893 from a private company,<ref name="dhr"/> using $22,000 appropriated by the state with the help of outgoing governor [[Aretas B. Fleming]]. The first governor to live in this mansion was [[William MacCorkle]], who succeeded Fleming. The building, a large, wooden, white, two-story structure in the [[Queen Anne style architecture in the United States|Queen Anne]] style, was built originally as a private residence for local merchants. It served eight different governors, from 1893 to 1925.<ref name="Mansion"/> Prior to its purchase, governors of West Virginia were responsible for their own housing. A fire on January 3, 1921, resulted in the destruction of the old state capitol building in Charleston. As a result, a 1921 session of the [[West Virginia Legislature]] created a seven-member "Capitol Building Commission". On July 23 of that year, [[Cass Gilbert]] was chosen to direct construction for the new complex, which was to include a capitol building as well as an executive mansion. The location for the complex was chosen on December 20, 1921. Groundbreaking for the complex occurred on January 7, 1924, and the entire state capitol building was completed in 1932. Three parcels of land for the actual mansion were acquired on July 7, 1921, at a cost of $64,270,<ref name="Mansion"/> and construction began in 1924 and ended in 1925. The work was overseen by local architect Walter F. Martens, but he was not greatly involved in the design of the neighboring capitol building. Compared to Gilbert, who was already an accomplished architect, Martens had less experience and had never worked on a project of this size.<ref name="dhr"/> However, Martens had traveled to [[New York City]] to talk with Gilbert about designs for the project, and both had similar ideas for the building's Georgian style. Martens also traveled to see the White House, which was to be a model for the new mansion.<ref name="Mansion"/> His visit allowed him to learn how to create a [[floor plan]] able to accommodate heavy traffic of guests, as many as 2,000 visitors at once.<ref name="Mansion"/>
[[File:WVGovernorsMansionFoyer.jpg|left|thumb|The foyer has checkered marble flooring and dual staircases.]]
The building's first occupant, [[Ephraim F. Morgan]], who had first proposed to the state the construction of a new residence,<ref name="Mansion"/> only lived in the new mansion for one week because his term expired during 1925. In 1926, servant's quarters were added atop a garage, along with private gardens. Since its completion, the mansion has had several redecorations, including one in 1937 and one in 1958. The original building plans for the mansion included a third story, but one was not added until much later, in 1946. Before this addition, the second floor had been covered with a roof composed of tin, but it was replaced by one made of slate.<ref name="dhr"/><ref name="Mansion"/>
From 1965 to 1969, during the term of [[Hulett C. Smith]], the mansion underwent a thorough renovation process, with a total of $300,000 spent in both structural improvements and historic preservation efforts. In 1985, during Governor [[Arch A. Moore, Jr.|Arch Moore]]'s third term, First Lady [[Shelley Riley Moore|Shelley Moore]] established the West Virginia Mansion Preservation Foundation, which raised funds for the maintenance of the mansion's interior and furnishings.<ref name="Mansion"/><ref name="Access 1">{{cite web| url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-8842915/west-virginia-governor-mansion.html| title=West Virginia governor's mansion: in collaboration with the state's Preservation Foundation, Carleton Varney revitalizes a historic building in Charleston| date=March 1, 1990| last=Geran| first=Monica| magazine=[[Interior Design (magazine)|Interior Design]]| access-date=March 6, 2010}}{{dead link|date=November 2023}}</ref> Later, in 2005, Governor [[Joe Manchin]] cited structural defects as a reason for repairing and remodeling the mansion. Their efforts, which cost an estimated $1.2 million, used both leftover campaign money as well as private funds.<ref name="Mansion"/> In 2006, the addition of a large banquet hall was proposed. The hall, which would be able to hold 335 guests, would be connected to the mansion and also have barracks for the governor's [[security detail|security personnel]] in its basement.<ref name="Access 2">{{cite news| url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-144660488/addition-mansion-proposed-banquet.html| title=Addition to mansion proposed: Banquet hall would have room to host up to 335 guests| last=Kabler| first=Phil| date=April 19, 2006| newspaper=[[Charleston Gazette-Mail|The Charleston Gazette]]| access-date=March 6, 2010}}</ref> Later that year, in July, it was announced that the total cost of renovations to the building had exceeded $3 million, excluding furnishings.<ref name="Access 3">{{cite news| url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-148114937/mansion-upgrade-costs-top.html| title=Mansion upgrade costs top $3 million: Furnishings not included in figure| last=Kabler| first=Phil| date=July 12, 2006| newspaper=The Charleston Gazette| access-date=March 6, 2010}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*{{commons category-inline|West Virginia Governor's Mansion}}
* [http://www.wvgov.org/firstlady/sec.aspx?id=3 Official site]
{{US Governor Mansions}}
{{National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia}}
[[Category:1925 establishments in West Virginia]]
[[Category:Colonial Revival architecture in West Virginia]]
[[Category:Gardens in West Virginia]]
[[Category:Georgian Revival architecture in West Virginia]]
[[Category:Government buildings in West Virginia]]
[[Category:Government buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia]]
[[Category:Governors' mansions in the United States]]
[[Category:Historic district contributing properties in West Virginia]]
[[Category:Historic house museums in West Virginia]]
[[Category:Houses completed in 1925]]
[[Category:Houses in Charleston, West Virginia]]
[[Category:Museums in Charleston, West Virginia]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Charleston, West Virginia]]
[[Category:Museums on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia]]