Martinsburg is a city of significance in West Virginia’s history and geography. County seat of Berkeley County. Largest city in the Eastern Panhandle. Established during the Revolutionary War. Gateway to the Shenandoah Valley. And it follows that the founder of this town, Adam Stephen, would be of some significance himself. He is, and, in a quiet neighborhood in a forgotten corner of Martinsburg, West Virginia, you can still visit his estate – and the two (yes, two!) house museums located on it.
The Adam Stephen House was built in the late 1700s (between 1772 and 1789) out of limestone. It is located at 309 East John Street in Martinsburg.
General Adam Stephen House / Facebook
It was almost lost to history but was salvaged and restored from its state of extreme disrepair in the 1960s and is now a historic house museum that’s open to the public.
General Adam Stephen House / Facebook
Interestingly, the Adam Stephen house is built on top of a cave! Although that cave has mostly filled in with dirt, it is being excavated, and visitors are sometimes allowed to follow the steps down into the basement to explore it.
Martinsburg-Berkeley County CVB / Facebook
But a stop at the Adam Stephen House isn’t an end in itself, because there’s a second historic museum located on the grounds of the Adam Stephen House! It’s the Triple Brick Museum, a massive house built into a hill next to the railroad tracks.
Martinsburg-Berkeley County CVB / Facebook
The Triple Brick House was built in 1875 and has been used a variety of ways in its long history, including as a residence and as a kitchen for the railroad.
Martinsburg-Berkeley County CVB / Facebook
Both sites are decorated with a variety of period furniture and artifacts, and they have both been listed on the National Register of Historic Places for their significant role in early West Virginia pioneer history.
General Adam Stephen House / Facebook
To learn more about the Adam Stephen House and the Triple Brick Museum, and to plan a visit to these two hidden historic West Virginia gems, check out the Adam Stephen House page on the City of Martinsburg’s website. The Adam Stephen House isn’t the only fascinating house museum in West Virginia, either! Try the Boggs House Museum, for example.
General Adam Stephen House / Facebook
Martinsburg-Berkeley County CVB / Facebook
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Address: General Adam Stephen House & Triple Brick Museum, 309 E John St, Martinsburg, WV 25401, USA
