ANNA JARVIS BIRTHPLACE
GENERAL McCLELLAN'S HEADQUARTERS

This wooden two-story structure was built in 1854 by Granville Jarvis and occupied by him and his family for eleven years through one of American history's most exciting periods. His wife, Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis, was instrumental in saving thousands of lives by teaching women in her Mothers Friendship Clubs the basics of nursing and sanitation which she had learned from her famous physician brother James Reeves, M.D.

The house became a focal point of the Civil War when General George B. McClellan used it as his headquarters and his troops were encamped across from the house in what is now Ocean Pearl Felton Historic Park.

Webster was an important depot for both troops and supplies and Route 250 (which runs in front of the house) was called the Wheeling-Staunton Pike connecting the two biggest cities in what was then the state of Virginia.

After the war, it was Mrs. Jarvis who soothed ill-feelings among opposing families by holding a remarkably moving service for soldiers and their families once again uniting communities torn apart by the war. It was her wish that a day be set aside to honor all mothers and her daughter, Anna Jarvis, established the first internationally celebrated holiday, Mother's Day, in her honor using the anniversary of her mother's death as its date.

The Anna Jarvis Birthplace was restored by Thunder on the Tygart Foundation, Inc. using no federal, state, or county funds. It took two years to restore the house which had been unoccupied since 1958 and was in a considerable state of disrepair.

Thunder on the Tygart, Inc. is a non-profit foundation begun in 1994 to create jobs in West Virginia, preserve historic sites, and educate today's youth about their heritage and the wealth of history that occurred here in the great state of West Virginia.

The Anna Jarvis Birthplace is just the first of many locations that the foundation hopes to restore with the help of your tax-deductible donation. Thunder on the Tygart was named after the local farmers' description of the sound of cannon fire as the battle raged at Philippi, the first land battle of the Civil War.

The house is located in Webster, just 4 miles south of Grafton, WV, on U.S. Route 119 South.

Open Tuesday to Sunday
March 1 - September 30, 10 am to 4 pm
September 30 - December 24, Hours vary, Call ahead

Mothers Day Founders Festival Weekend, 2nd weekend in May

Old Fashion Christmas Tour during month of December

Bus Tours are welcome and parking is ample. If arranged in advance, a tour guide can accompany buses to historic sites.

Call 304-265-5549 for more information.

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