OVERVIEW

The Perry Homeplace on the Greenbrier River is a piece of Wild and Wonderful Greenbrier County. A lovely setting and a fine home are the main elements in this beautiful Greenbrier River home retreat located at 201 John Perry Lane, Fort Spring (Ronceverte), West Virginia. The property includes direct exclusive step-in river access. Fish, kayak, canoe, boat, or swim and enjoy the long summer days. The beautiful elevated four-bedroom, two-bath home is ready, awaiting the new owner. The house was constructed circa. 1964 era is a brick ranch-style home situated on 2.53 acres with approximately 310 feet of direct river access. The home is about 1496 square feet, with four bedrooms and two bathrooms. The house was elevated in 1997 and now has a full unfinished basement with tall ceiling heights that can be utilized for numerous uses. The home features oak hardwood flooring, vinyl replacement windows, living room fireplace with a wood stove insert. This property is an excellent full-time residence with a large inviting lawn, colossal garden space, mature orchard, and beautiful heritage trees.

REMARKS from Randy S. Burdette

It is my great honor to have the privilege of presenting this fantastic property for sale. John Mark Perry, aka the mayor of Fort Spring, was an icon in the Greenbrier Valley. I have personally known Mr. Perry my entire life, and my first motorcycle ride was with John on his Harley Davidson. John lived an incredible life and made a little better place anywhere he went. John grew up in Fort Spring (and Spring is singular per Mr. Perry); he would serve his nation and was an adjutant under General Douglas MacArthur. John would later retire as the beloved librarian at Greenbrier East High School. John was continually active in supporting the local community; he served in his home church Grace United Methodist and was also faithful at revivals at the neighboring Baptist Church. John was one of the kindest and most gracious men I have ever known. In the early 1990s, as I formed an auction company, John served as my auction clerk, did a fantastic job, and was meticulous in making sure the buyer, item, and price were recorded correctly. Several years ago, John passed from this life, but his memories are ingrained in thousand of students and friends across the Greenbrier Valley. John’s heirs wish the property’s new owner all the best and to be active in the Fort Spring Community.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Perry Homeplace 2.53 acres +/-
• Fully elevated brick ranch home
• Approx. 310 feet of fantastic waterfront
• NO HOA, not in city limits
• Located on John Perry Lane with a meager local traffic count
• Direct frontage and easy walk-in access to the Greenbrier River
• Excellent section of the lower Greenbrier River
• Swim, fish, boat, canoe, float, kayak, and enjoy
• Outstanding community of Fort Spring
• Terrific cobblestone beach
• Convenient location, only minutes to stores
• Superior access from the state-maintained road
• Home was elevated in circa. 1997
• Circa. 1964 brick ranch home
• 4 Bedrooms
• 2 Baths, one full, one half with a utility
• Approximately 1496 square feet
• Full unfinished basement with tall ceiling height and concrete floor
• Large living room
• Spacious kitchen
• Splendid view of the river
• Great rear deck with Sun Setter canopy
• Out of city limits
• Wonderful spacious covered front porch
• Wood stove fireplace insert
• Electric baseboard heat
• Ceiling fans
• 50-gallon electric water heater
• Spacious maple kitchen cabinets
• Oak hardwood flooring
• Sunroom
• Lots of natural light
• Newer metal roof
• Vinyl replacement windows
• Stacking washer and dryer unit
• Appliances included
• Full-size unfinished basement with concrete floor and tall ceiling height
• 48-inch steel access basement door
• Lots of storage in the basement
• Private well water
• Private septic system
• Detached two car garage with side entry door 22 x 26
• Storage outbuilding
• Separate storage outbuilding 12.2 x 15
• Large lawn, great play and relaxation area
• Mature orchard with multiple trees
• Huge sycamore trees near the river
• Landscaping
• Large rear patio
• Youth concrete patio under the front porch
• Ample storage building
• Cute swing on the back lawn for river gazing
• Excellent location for a boat launch
• Superb river bank for fishing and swimming
• The property across the river is a steep mountain cliff, an excellent habitat for large birds and other wildlife, and is unlikely to develop.

THE HOME

A solid stick-built four-bedroom, a two-bath home constructed in 1964 and was elevated in 1997. The approximate square footage is 1496, plus a full unfinished basement. The house has a modern metal roof and brick exterior with a vinyl-sided sunroom. The home is situated on 2.53 acres in the Irish Corner tax district in the quaint community of Fort Spring.

ROOMS

Living room  24.2 x 14.8 with fireplace and stove insert
Primary bedroom 13 x 12.8
Hallway full bath 9.3 x 6.5
Bedroom (2) 10 x 12
Bedroom (3) 11.3 x 8.2
Bedroom (4) 11.3 x 13 with lavatory sink
Kitchen, eat-in 15.6 x 13.2
Half Bath and utility room with stacking washer and dryer and laundry sink 5.1 x 7.2
Sunroom 8.7 x 12.3
Center hallway 14.10 x 3.1
Covered front porch 19.9 x 9.10
Back porch deck 32.8 x 12.3 offset 3.11 x 13.7 (the central area includes Sun Setter canopy)

BASEMENT

There is a full unfinished basement with a concrete floor and a steel 48-inch-wide access door. The exterior dimensions are 46 x 30.

GARAGE

A 22 x 26 foot detached two-car stick-built garage with concrete floor sits near the home. The garage has a side entry door.

OUTBUILDING

The property includes a 12.2 x 15 foot wooden outbuilding

HISTORIC FORT SPRING

Fort Spring is an unincorporated community in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. It is situated along the Greenbrier River within the Greenbrier River Watershed. Once, it was a substantial portion of the Chesapeake and Ohio railway through the Gravel Gertie route from Hinton in Summers County to Clifton Forge, Virginia. The name is derived from its main export, Mississippian limestone from Snowflake Quarry, sent to Clifton Forge. The main road going through the small town was once the original rail line but was moved.

Fort Spring was initially called “Mann’s Ferry,” and the community’s current name refers to the old settler fort that has been lost to history. The rock cliff, or bluff, seen just before the primary two train tunnels when traveling eastward, was named ‘Wilson’s Bluff’ due to a family settled there. Colonel John Stuart, who shipped Ice Age sloth bones (Megalonyx jeffersonii) to Thomas Jefferson, noted the presence of saltpetre caves in the area. The area combines karst topography, riparian floodplain, and ancient riverbeds with limestone (karst) outcropping mixing with farmlands and deciduous forest.

Due to recent West Virginia tourism promotions, Fort Spring is a known spot for setting down kayaks and other types of boats for day trips to the nearby town of Alderson.

HISTORY OF THE GREENBRIER VALLEY

Greenbrier County was created by an act of the Virginia General Assembly in October 1777 from parts of Montgomery and Botetourt counties. It was named in honor of The Greenbrier River, a 173-mile-long tributary of the New River. This great river forms at Durbin and flows through Pocahontas, Greenbrier, and Summers counties, at which point it merges with the New River above the town of Hinton.

Part of Greenbrier County’s beauty exists in its rich history, preserved in the architecture, artifacts, and stories passed down from one generation to the next. Although we can trace life in the valley back thousands of years, evidence of our European colonization began more recently.

The 1700s – During this time, the Greenbrier Valley was uninhabited. Downtown Lewisburg was a small outpost, developing around a significant Native American thoroughfare of the time: the Seneca Trail (US Route 219) and the Midland Trail (US Route 60).

1750 – It was the beginning of western migration, but colonists found their attempts to settle the Greenbrier Valley met with hostile Native American attacks. It was not until 1769, with the backing of military firepower, that permanent structures were erected. Several original native limestone buildings still stand today, including the Lewis Spring House and Old Stone Church.

1763 – Colonial settlements were erected in the areas now known as Alderson, Lewisburg, and Ronceverte. In June 1763, Cornstalk, a young Shawnee Chief, led a band of 60 tribesmen into the county. He pretended to be friendly and gained the settlers’ confidence living at Muddy Creek, the town now known as Alderson. When the colonists’ defenses were down, Cornstalk’s warriors killed the settlers. The next day, Cornstalk repeated the attack killing more than 50 settlers at the Clendenin Settlement near Lewisburg.

1774  After continued Native American raids on the valley, Governor Dunmore of Virginia instructed Colonel Andrew Lewis to gather “willing and able” men to go to the great Kanawha River — current day Point Pleasant — and stand against the Native American forces. Over 1,490 men were assembled, including General Lewis’s brother Charles, who was later killed in battle. Lewis and his men reached Point Pleasant before Dunmore and his troops. Lewis and his men were surprised by heavy fire from Native American forces at dawn. Lewis rushed in reinforcements to overcome the Native Americans, and the battle raged with increased intensity until nightfall. Lewis moved companies to the rear of the Native American attackers, opening with intense fire. Mistaking this for Dunmore’s reinforcements, the Native Americans retreated. Many historians believe this is one of the first battles of the Revolutionary War.

1778 – Despite an agreement, Native Americans continued to raid, including an attack on Fort Donnally. Dick Pointer, an enslaved African American, held off the invaders long enough to give settlers time to awaken and defend the fort. Today, his grave is marked beside Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg, and his gun is on display at the North House Museum.

1781 – The first organized religious affiliations in the county are attributed to Rev. John Alderson Jr, Rev. John McCue, and Rev. Ben Brigsby. Alderson settled in the former Muddy Creek region. His newly organized congregation met regularly at Alderson’s Old Greenbrier Baptist Church. Around this same time, McCue and Brigsby organized Presbyterians in Lewisburg, Union, and Spring Creek. In 1796, a fire destroyed the Presbyterian Church, and the congregation campaigned to build a more significant and permanent structure. That facility is now known as the Old Stone Presbyterian Church in Lewisburg. It is the oldest, unrestored church still in continuous use west of the Alleghenies.

1808 – The Presbyterian minister John McElhenny and his wife Rebecca Walkup opened the first school in Lewisburg. Classes were initially held in their living room. In 1812, the community finished the construction of a two-story brick schoolhouse. Later that same year, Lewisburg Academy was commissioned as an independent co-educational institution. The Academy was considered progressive for its day because it served both men and women equally.

1862 – The Civil War divided the nation, and Lewisburg did not escape the war unscathed. In May 1862, Federal Colonel George Crook took control of the town – the Battle of Lewisburg — from a small garrison of the Confederate Calvary. Although the region was considered a Southern outpost, Confederate General Henry Heth could not retake the town. Old Stone Presbyterian Church served as a hospital throughout this period. It was in the center of the battle; however, it remained untouched by fighting.

1884 – White Sulphur Springs is the home of the first organized golf course in the United States. The famous Montague family from Scotland established their club and practice in 1884, where sheep roamed freely to keep the greens mowed. The course was named Oakhurst Links after the estate of Russell Montague, where the system was designed. They hosted games where competitors would face off for the “Oakhurst Challenge Medal during its earliest years.” The USGA recognizes it as the earliest known golf prize in the United States.

1906 – Lumber was a predominant industry in Greenbrier County throughout much of the 20th century. The Meadow River Lumber Company operated in Rainelle from 1906 to 1975. It was named after the lumber company’s founders, the Raine brothers.

It was the largest hardwood sawmill of its type in the world. The mill could produce 30,000,000 board/foot lumber annually and make finished lumber, flooring, furniture, and even shoe heels. Known for the quality of its oak hardwood flooring, the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City and the Governors Reception Hall in the WV State Capitol building were shod in Greenbrier County Lumber.

HISTORIC RONCEVERTE

In the City of Ronceverte, we are defined less by boundaries on a map than by the sense of shared values our residents hold dear. Small town values, guided growth, and preservation of historical, cultural, and natural heritage are just a few of the core principles that make the City of Ronceverte a wonderful place to call home.

The Friendly River City

“A community in Greenbrier County, Ronceverte, WV, was first laid out in 1871 by Cecil Clay but not incorporated until 1882. A.E. White served as the town’s first mayor. By 1906, Ronceverte had a population of about 1,500 and was an important shipping point for railroad ties, lumber, and agricultural products. The town sits on the north bank of the Greenbrier River on US Route 219 and is located on the mainline of the CSX railroad.”

Like many small industrial towns, Ronceverte has seen its difficulties. The demise of the river logging industry hit hard, and the city became just another rural stop on the railroad. Recently, through the efforts of local entrepreneurs and like-minded organizations, Ronceverte has been experiencing a resurgence in popularity. Improvements to the downtown have been a cause for growth after a lengthy period of stagnancy.

SHOPPING IN RONCEVERTE

Everything on a daily need basis can be easily accessed in the Ronceverte area. The town includes a landmark hometown hardware store; Martin and Jones, Peoples Bank, Eateries, Kroger with Pharmacy and gas, Sherwin Williams, Ollies, Wendy’s, Truist Bank, McDonald’s, clothing stores, convenience stores, auto repair shops, tavern, Exxon, Dollar General, Tractor Supply, NAPA, Carwash, Tri-County Produce, and Grocery, Ripco, Southern States, Greenbrier County Recycling Center, and other businesses and professionals.

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS

Ronceverte Island Park and amphitheater
Alderson AMTRAK Station
Camp Cupcake FPC Alderson
The Alderson Public Library
The Alderson Strawberry Festival
The Ronceverte Public Library
The Ronceverte River Festival
The Ronceverte Christmas Parade
Historic Lewisburg
Greenbrier State Forest
Moncove Lake
The Greenbrier River hike and bike trail
The Lewisburg Chocolate Festival
Civil War Trails
The Salt Cave and Spa
The North House Historic Museum
The State Fair of West Virginia
American Heritage Music Hall
Organ Cave
Lost World
The Greenbrier
Smooth Ambler Spirits
Carnegie Hall
Greenbrier Valley Theatre
Greenbrier Valley Brewing Company
Greenbrier Valley Airport
The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
The Greenbrier Clinic
Bunker Tours at the Greenbrier Resort
The Monongahela National Forest
Sherwood Lake
The Alderson 4^th of July Celebration
Sunset Berry Farm

LOCATION

Google Coordinates: 37.746303°(N), -80.538498°(W)
Address: 201 John Perry Lane, Ronceverte, WV 24970
Elevation Range: 1609 ft. to 1624 ft. +/-

WILDLIFE

The river contributes to the local ecosystem richness and diversity for both plants and animals. Great fishing is found in the Greenbrier River, with smallmouth bass, red eye, crappie, catfish, and bluegill present in good numbers.

The river and its surrounding aquatic plant life create a water-supported community with a wide variety of wildlife. Nearby islands help support the marine food web and provide shelter for wildlife. The plant life associated with the river bottom includes rushes, sedges, cattails, duckweed, bee balm, and algae.

Many animals live in the water and around the edges of the river and islands, including raccoons, opossums, blue herons, bald eagles, Canadian geese, wood ducks, mallards, minnows, fish, turtles, salamanders, newts, crayfish, muskrat, beaver, bullfrogs, and redwing blackbirds.

Of course, there is the insect and microscopic world, including butterflies, dragonflies, water skaters, water beetles, damselflies, hellgrammites, tadpoles, and various insect larvae.

WATER

The property is ideally located on the free-flowing Greenbrier River, about halfway between the towns of Ronceverte and Alderson. The property includes 310 feet of direct private river frontage with easy step-in access to the water. The home is supplied with water from a private drilled well.

MINERAL RESOURCES

West Virginia is one of the states in the US that has two ownership titles, those being SURFACE RIGHTS and MINERAL RIGHTS. A title search for mineral rights owners has not been conducted. All rights the owner has will convey to the property. A title attorney could perform a mineral title search simultaneously as the surface title search is fulfilled.

BOUNDARIES AND SURVEY

The property was surveyed in March 1964. The owner’s deed shows a metes and bounds description prepared from that survey. The property is being sold by the boundary and not by the acre.

UTILITIES

Water: Private well
Sewer: Private septic
Electricity: First Energy
Telephone: Frontier Communications
Internet:  Frontier Communications DSL may be available, and Hughes Net
TV: A Direct TV receiver is in the backyard.
Cellphone Coverage: Average
Trash pickup: Weekly curbside is available

ACCESS/FRONTAGE

The property has frontage on John Perry Lane, and the property driveway connects directly to John Perry Lane.

ZONING

Greenbrier County is subject to some zoning and subdivision regulations. All prospective buyers should consult the County Commission and the Health Department for details regarding zoning, building codes, and installation of wells and septic systems.

Information can be found at the county website: http://greenbriercounty.net/ordinances.

DEED and TAX INFORMATION

Deed Information: DB 480 Pg. 321
Greenbrier County, West Virginia
Acreage: 2.53 acres +/-

Real Estate Tax ID/Acreage/Taxes:
Greenbrier County (13), West Virginia
Irish Corner District (8)
Tax Map 8D Parcel 3; Class 2

2021 Real Estate Taxes: $381.14

SCHOOLS

Greenbrier County School District

Public Elementary School:
Alderson Elementary School

Public Middle School:
Eastern Greenbrier Middle School

Public High School:
Greenbrier East High School

Colleges:
New River Community and Technical College (Lewisburg campus)
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine

Private Schools:
Greenbrier Community School (PK-8)
Greenbrier Valley Academy (2-8)
Lewisburg Baptist Academy (PK-12)
Renick Christian School (2-7)
Seneca Trail Christian Academy (PK-12)