"This is it we both said....."

My husband and I purchased this amazing property Dec. 19th 2016. Yup, we are the crazy ones that made this decision a week before the holidays and being 8 months pregnant. (yeah, great time to move!!) I know it seems crazy and it seems even crazier while I am typing it, but we knew, "this is it..." and we couldn't let anyone else run off with our house. So on December 19th we said, "Good Bye" to our home in Fredericksburg and "Hello" to our next adventure in Mineral. This home filled with so much local history and so many amazing stories is ours now. (YIKES, I think we are insane.) Along with the history comes the hiccups. But we wouldn't have changed a thing. Well...... maybe we could done without the pipes freezing, or Niagara Falls on my sons stairs, or the Giant black snake in the upstairs bathroom, or the sparrows that just wanted to visit...... I consider these hiccups and all part of this amazing journey we embarked on.

The first year was quite the unexpected, laughter filled, sometimes heartbreaking, definitely back breaking and full of LOVE adventure. The holidays came and went, my oldest Killian started his new school, we started getting used to the work commute, we worked through the old house hiccups, unpacked and welcomed baby Finn.

We part now part of this amazing story and this is just the beginning for us.......

History of the house and property----->

Playing many roles over the years – tavern, country store, post office, drug store, home, commissary and having many names – Broadway, Cuzco post office, Uncle Johnny’s Store, Ma and Granky’s home, the Whitlock Store, Colonial Country Store and Gifts and Highland Antiques and Collectibles, the building has a long and interesting history.

William Walton was a farmer and blacksmith before he discovered gold on his land along the north branch of Contrary Creek. Gold had also been found near the Victoria Iron Furnace.

In 1833 Walton leased 50 acres to a local group to explore for gold. The findings of this operation were so promising that in 1835 they formed a company with William Walton as a partner.

It is thought that Mr. Walton built a storehouse on his “Gunter Ware” tract during the mid 1830’s to provide supplies for the mining communities. This tract is located about midway between his own mine and the Victoria Furnace. The Tolersville Tavern was probably the only other store in the area at the time.

The original store was a square building with a second floor accessible by a set of outside steps. By 1842 Walton had added six rooms to the east side of the original building. This served as living quarters for the storekeeper as well as providing rooms to be used as a tavern or inn. In 1842, he applied for and received his first tavern license.

Louisa County Court Record – Monday 9 May 142

On the motion of WILLIAM WALTON who produced to the court the sheriff’s

receipt for twenty dollars, the tax imposed by law, a license is granted him to

keep a TAVERN at his home in this county until the first day of May court next

ensuing the date hereof. The court being of the opinion that the said WILLIAM

WALTON is a person of good character, not addicted to drunkenness or gaming

and that he will keep an orderly and useful house of entertainment. He having

together with approved security entered into and acknowledged bond in the

penalty of one hundred and fifty dollars conditioned as the court directs.

Louisa County Minute Book 1842-1844, Page 32

In 1843 he renewed his license, but in the meantime, he bought land on the Ellisville Road and operated a tavern at the fork of the Ellisville Road and the main road to Charlottesville. Son George married Maria L. Minor of Sunning Hill, and later that same year he applied for a tavern license. It is assumed that George and his bride took over the tavern of Victoria Furnace Road after his father moved to Louisa where William Walton lived until his death in the winter of 1861.

At the sale in 1867, William Walton’s “Gunter Ware” tract was bought by the Ira F. Jordan Company which operated the Victoria Iron Furnace. In the summer of 1872, one of the partners in the Ira F. Jordan Company died and in settling his estate, the company sold off some of its real estate. Lewis H. Butler bought 74 acres of the “Gunter Ware” tract along the Victoria Furnace Road and adjoining his own land. The deed states that J. H. Whitlock was operating a store on the property at this time. John Henry Whitlock was the Military Agent at Trevilians depot during the War Between the States from 1861 to1865. Two years later in 1876, the 74 acres with the store building was deeded to John H. Whitlock, who married Susan Jane Butler in 1867. Mr. Butler was Mr. Whitlock’s father-in-law. John H. Whitlock received his first license to keep an ordinary at his home on Tuesday, the 10th day of December 1872.

At a county Court of Louisa County continued and held at the courthouse thereof

on Tuesday the 10th day of December 1872.

On the motion of JOHN H. WHITLOCK who desired to keep an ordinary at his home

in this county, this day applied to the court for the certificate required by law and the

court being satisfied that the place where it is to be kept is suitable and convenient

and that the applicant is a person of sobriety and of good character and the court

sees no objections to such a certificate being granted, it is ordered that a certificate

of that fact, be furnished to the said JOHN H. WHITLOCK.

******************

On the motion of JOHN H. WHITLOCK who desires to sell by retail, wine, ardent spirits,

malt liquors, cider or any mixture of any of them at his store in this county this day

applied to the court for the certificate required by law and the court being satisfied

that the place where it is to be sold is convenient and suitable and that the applicant

is a person of good character, it is ordered that a certificate of that fact be furnished

to him.

Louisa County Court Order Book 1870-1872 Page 570

Whitlock’s store grew in importance to the community as the mining activity increased. Here the miners bought their groceries and other supplies. They came here to pick up their mail, to visit and get the latest news to see who had found the latest and richest “pay dirt” during the week.

Being able to pick up the mail at the store was one of the fringe benefits given to the store customers. Someone from the store made the trip to the depot at Tolersville each day to pick up supplies and while there, picked up the mail for the local people.

In 1884, with all the increase in population along the Victoria Furnace Road, the post office department made Whitlock’s store an official post office with the name “CUZCO” and its own cancellation stamp. At least two envelopes with the CUZCO stamp dated 1902 survive. These were letters written by Miss Eugenia Whitlock, the postmaster’s daughter, to her cousin, Miss Maggie Butler of Mineral City.

It is not certain how the name CUZCO came about, however, there is one given reason which may be the answer. Expert miners from Peru, South America were employed at the mines in Mineral and there is an area called Cusco, Peru, located in a mining area with important deposits of copper, gold, iron ore, lead, silver, Sulphur and zinc, much like the minerals found in this area.

In 1904 the post office department established Rural Free Delivery Route 1 from Mineral north along the Victoria Furnace Road to Dickinson’s Store at Wares Cross Roads and back to Mineral along what was known as the “Chopping’s Road” – today’s Route 623. With the establishing of RFD #1, CUZCO lost its official standing as a post office. John Henry Whitlock was its only postmaster. However, many of the people continued to pick up their mail at “the store”.

The Whitlock’s prospered and raised a large family in the 8 rooms behind the store. A son, John Calvin began working for his father when he was 13 years old. On October 30, 1901, he married a Miss Nuchols and they moved into a house next door to the store but on the same property. When his father died in 1914, J. C. took over the business. When both parents had passed away, they moved to the old family home place attached to the store and resided there until their deaths. They also reared their family there. Whitlock’s Store remained in operation for the next 48 years or so except for a short period during the Depression years of the 1930s. When he retired, he had 70 years of mercantile experience behind him. The property remained in the family for 90 years. Many people remember J. C. Whitlock from their childhood when he would give them penny candy.

Through its long life, the store has served the community in many ways. Records show that it has been used as a voting place and many sales of real estate and other property were held here. The second story over the store was used as a rest stop for many miners and the walls, never having been painted, still show the writing on the walls from many of those who used it as a “flophouse”.

In October of 1964, the store property was sold to Mr. James P. Downer. He and his wife, Sally, lived there but did not operate the store. They owned the property for several years, three of which were left idle after Mr. Downer was killed in an automobile accident, and the property was put up for sale.

The next owners were Roger and Betty Sue Brooks of Mineral who bought 6 and ½ acres which included the store and dwelling in June of 1981. They cleaned up the property and restored the store and tavern to its original appearance. On November 13, 1982, they opened Cuzco General Mercantile, selling a variety of colonial country crafts and collectibles.

The property was later sold to Toby Chittum who used it as storage for furniture and antiques and dismantled ceilings to exposed floor joists and mantle pieces.

Then William and Sharon MacDonald purchased it in 1999 and proceeded to repair its neglected state. It was inspected by a structural engineer and deemed to be sound. The mantles were found in a shed and matched to the 6 fireplaces from which they came. Woodwork was replaced and ceilings were installed. Stone foundation work was done. New plumbing and wiring was added to the enlarged kitchen and laundry side of the house. The rusted J. C. Whitlock sign was found and refurbished and replaced on the building. They added heating and air conditioning systems, insulation, and woodwork. Floors were repaired and the kitchen enlarged. Porches were added, as was a large deck. Although the storefront at one time had a full across the front porch, because there was no permanent foundation found, Bill and Sharon were unable to get a variance from the county to rebuild it due to the nearness of the current road. An extended set of steps was added instead with an overhang to give a porch effect.

There is a cemetery in the back yard which is sometimes visited by family whose departed are buried there. The owners of the property are entrusted with the care of the plot.

***This information was compiled from information given by word of mouth and from Louisa County Court and Minute records; CUZCO by William Kiblinger, The Central Virginian, July 21, 1983 article “Old Store, Post Office, Tavern, Home Restored, Now Country Store, Craft Shop”; Lake Anna Observer, December 15, 2000, article, “couple restores home-store in Mineral and turns it into an antique shop”; and The Central Virginian, December 21, 2000, article, “A new life for an old timey tavern”.

We love talking about the property, the history and our adventure so feel free to ask when you stop in.

#antiques #memorabilia