DESCRIPTION

The Island Creek Farm is approximately 150 +/- acre multiple use property located in Mercer County West Virginia. The farm offers gorgeous long range views and multiple building sites. In 1975 the old homeplace was dismantled and most of the beautiful original oak framing and sheathing lumber was used in the construction of the new home. There is an old fashion large barn that dates to the late 1920’s and is in excellent condition.

The farm is well suited for raising horses, cattle and sheep. Mature timber and abundant wildlife make for an idyllic country setting. A grape arbor with mature vines is located just outside the side patio.

The small town of Athens, which is home to Concord University, is just 15 minutes away. Princeton, the Mercer County seat is 25 minutes’ drive. In Princeton, you will find banking, excellent healthcare facilities, pharmacies, big box stores galore, grocery shopping and great restaurants.

The Charleston Airport is located just 90 minutes away and is served by most major airlines. The world famous Greenbrier Resort is about 45 minutes’ drive and Winterplace Ski Resort is just 30 minutes’ drive.

LOCATION

The Island Creek Farm is located in Mercer County, West Virginia, about 15 minutes east of Athens, WV. Elevation of the farm ranges from 2167’ on the knoll on the southern boundary to 1768’ at the ponds and the bottomland on the northern boundary.

Google Coordinates for the house are:
LATITUDE 037.443057 N
LONGITUDE 080.9092842 W

HOUSE

In 1975 the old homeplace was dismantled and most of the beautiful original oak framing and sheathing lumber was used in the construction of the new home. Native stone collected from the property was used for the exterior siding of the home.

Lot Acres: 150+/- Acres
Ranch Style – Native Stone Exterior
Year Built: 1975
Total Finished Sq. Ft. – 1946’
Crawlspace
Bedrooms: 3
Sunroom/family room: 1
Family Room/ Living Room: 1
Bathrooms: 2
Laundry Room: 1
Heating/Cooling: 5 Ton Carrier Heat Pump with AC, Yodel Wood Stove, Franklin Wood Stove
Sewer: Septic System – Block
Water: Well – 70’-80’ deep
Porches: Front – Covered. Rear – Patio
Foundation: Cinderblock faced with stone gathered on the property
Floor: Carpet, Linoleum
Items to Convey: Refrigerator, Washer/Dryer, Oven/Stove,

BARN & OUTBUILDINGS

2 Story 30’x50’ Barn with hay loft
20’x20’ Detached Carport
20’x20’ Cinderblock Shop building with ½ bath and shower
20’x60’ Pole building
10’x30’ Open Garden Shed
10’x20’ Utility Shed

AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES

The Island Creek Farm contains approximately 150 total acres of gently rolling meadow, hay field, pasture, woodlots and garden area. Past farming history included cattle and sheep grazing in the pasture area and the production of hay in the upper hayfield. Much of the hay land would be suitable for growing corn or other grain crops. The soils and elevation would be well suited for establishing a vineyard or fruit orchard. There is only 400’ in elevation change across the entire one mile distance from the northern to southern boundary. The perimeter of the property runs for over 15,000 linear feet.

Breakdown of the open land:
Hay field – 28 acres
Pasture/Meadow – 45 acres
Bottomland hay field – 20 acres
Two Ponds – 2 acres

The fencing is spotty in most areas of the farm and would need to be improved before turning in livestock.

PONDS – STREAMS

There are two beautiful ponds of about 1 acre each are located on the northern end of the farm. These ponds are fed by Little Island Creek and are stocked with some very large bass, catfish, crappie and bluegill. Little Island Creek is a blue line, year round stream, which drains over 2000 acres of the area upstream of the farm. Stoney Run is also a blue line stream and is located on the southeastern side of the property.

FOREST RESOURCES AND WILDLIFE

The Island Creek Farm has about 54 acres growing in very beautiful forest in three separate woodlots. Some of the trees are very old, dating back to the 1800’s. A 20 acre portion of the woodland located on the southeast corner of the property was selectively thinned under the supervision of a professional forester about 12 years ago and the remaining 15 acres has not had any harvesting activity for over 50 years. One extremely large Sugar Maple (Acer Saccharum), growing just above the old spring near the house, has a circumference of over 7 feet. Several large hickory, white oak and red oak produce an abundant crop of nuts and acorns in the Fall which the deer and turkey enjoy.

Some of the species found on the property are Black Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar, Red Oak, Sugar Maple, Hickory, Sycamore and Ash. No forest pests such as Gypsy Moth or Emerald Ash Borer have been found on the property.

The farm is home to a wide array of wildlife which includes a variety of song birds, owls, hawks, woodpeckers, ravens and wild turkeys. White tailed deer, raccoon, opossums, rabbits, chipmunks, coyotes and bobcats may be seen on a regular basis.

MINERALS RESOURCES

The Marcellus Shale underlies the property at a depth of 5000’+. The east coast Marcellus Shale Region is thought to contain enough natural gas to power the United States for over 100 years.

Currently the oil and gas rights are not leased. All mineral rights the seller owns will transfer to the purchaser at closing. All prospective purchasers are encouraged to have an attorney do a title search prior to purchasing. There are no known coal reserves underlying the property.

CEMETERY

The Bailey Family Cemetery is located on the southeastern portion of the property and the family will retain a right of way to the cemetery. The small cemetery encompasses about 1/5 of an acre.

TAXES AND DEED INFORMATION

The property is assessed in the name of Junior and Carley Bailey, 10266 Red Sulphur Turnpike, Princeton WV, 24740, located in Plymouth District (#9), on Tax Map 20, parcels 8 and 17 consisting of approximately 150 acres.

Taxes for 2011 were assessed as Class II property in the amount of $592.67.

The deed is recorded in the Mercer County Courthouse, Princeton, WV in Deed Book 390, page 589.

ZONING

There is currently no county zoning in this area of Mercer County. All prospective purchasers are encouraged to contact the Mercer County Health Department for answers regarding installation of septic systems and water wells. Further information on county zoning may be answered by contacting the Mercer County commissioner’s at mercercocommission@frontier.net

UTILITIES

There is electric and phone service on the property. Public water, sewer or cable is not available at this time.

There is a well and septic system already in place serving the farm house.

Satellite providers such as Hughes Net provide high speed internet service. Television reception may be provided by either DIRECTV or Dish Network.

Cell phone coverage is adequate in most places on the property. Weekly trash pickup, daily newspaper and daily mail delivery is available at roadside. UPS and FedEx service this area also.

ACCESS, BOUNDARIES AND SURVEY

Access to the property is excellent and is served by a year round, state maintained paved highway. The property fronts on the Red Sulphur Turnpike for over 1 mile. Public school buses run daily when school is in session.

There is not a current survey for the property. The deed calls for a total of 203.5 acres being contained in the boundary. However, there may be more or less acreage than that stated in the deed. Therefore, the property is being sold by the boundary and not by the acre.

The property is bounded by old fence in various stages of repair, field edges and county roads. Some of the property lines in the woodlands do not have any demarcation.

MERCER COUNTY INFORMATION

All about Mercer County http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercer_County,_West_Virginia

Mercer County Government http://www.mercercounty.wv.gov/Pages/default.