The Margaret Keller House ~ Sprawling Historic Home in Downtown Romney, WV

The whole group will enjoy easy access to everything from this centrally located American Four Square Home in historic Romney, WV. Bring the whole family to celebrate or just relax as you explore all that Hampshire County has to offer. With generous seating for up to 16 people in the Dining room, and an eat in kitchen for 6, there's a place at the table for everyone. A fully stocked game shelf in the media room and wifi (and a Firestick) means hours of fun for the whole family!

THE SPACE: Modern amenities and updates with the historic charm and details you'd expect, The Margaret Keller House is just a click away from being yours for a time. Situated between Shaffer Funeral Home and American Legion Post 91, this impressive home also has some impressive neighbors. The building that houses Post 91 is one of the oldest in the town, and Shaffers is located in the former home of Governor John J. Cornwell. In addition, just two houses down is the headquarters of General Stonewall Jackson during his time in the South Branch Valley.

The yard of the property is small but accommodating. It boasts a grand wraparound north porch with rocking chairs, an outdoor sofa, chairs, and a small bistro table, perfect for coffee or a lovely lunch. The east porch is wonderful for gatherings and yard games, with a sofa, chairs, and a long table for dining. The homes west porch is completely screened in and is situated by a generous raised patio. The patio can seat 6 comfortably.

Upon entry to the home on the east porch, you will step into a large semi-open concept living room/eat-in-kitchen. The west porch entrance is located immediately across the room. Bathroom one is downstairs off the kitchen and features a standard tub/shower combo with a detachable shower head. The dining room, affectionately known as "The Something Blue (& Gold) Room, is the epitome of historic elegance. A large table makes for a comfortable dining experience, and the mirror wall provides a gorgeous backdrop for post-meal time conversation (or a fantastic photo op for the whole bridal party). Through the pocket doors of The Something Blue (& Gold) Room you'll enter into the parlor. This room remains much as it did when Grandmother owned the home, and pays homage to our family's history, as well as the history of the family that built our home, the Kellers. Walking through the second set of pocket doors, which I should add, allows one to completely close off the parlor, you enter the formal foyer. Our kids called this space the dancing room because it was perfect for family dance parties.

The grand staircase, made from wood from one of Romney's first orchards, shines in this space. It craves family photos or a stunning bride. This room makes the best "First Look" space for either groom or Father of the Bride. To ascend to the second floor, one has two options in the Margaret Keller House. For a more stately rise to the top, you might choose the grand staircase in the foyer. In contrary, a quick and convenient alternative would be to take the "Butler's Staircase" off of the kitchen. Either way, once you've reached the top, you'll arrive in the main landing of the home. To your left is the "Yellow Room," appointed with a bright, flowery design and comfy queen bed. Straight ahead you will find the updated second floor bathroom with Rain Shower. To the left of the bathroom (and beside the Yellow Room) is the "Farm House Room." This room features a unique built in shelf (common for the time), and a glorious queen sized canopy bed. To the right of the bathroom and straight across the from the Farm House Room is the Magnolia Room. This is the main bedroom of the home, and features a king size Serta iComfort bed. This space is a spectacular bridal retreat, with lots of light and space for getting ready for your big day!
At the top of the staircases, the room immediately to the right will lead you to the rest of the sleep spaces. The "Pass Thru Room," as our kids called it when we lived here, is now appointed as an office for out of town guests that need to do a little work. Wifi information is posted in several locations through the home, and when you get to work you will find that it is indeed very fast! If you pass straight through, you will enter the "Media Room." You will find a queen bed and a full size bed, as well as an oversized king Corduroy bean bag couch. For those traveling with little ones, this is the perfect family crash space, as the parents can sleep near to small ones that may be fearful. Further, there is a pack n' play available upon request at no additional charge, and a glider rocker calls the media room home, as well. The Media Room is the only room in the house with a television, and also features a fully stocked game shelf. Passing back through the Pass Thru Room, you'll notice another stairwell behind a door in the corner. This stair well will lead you to the "Pink & Blue Room." This is the perfect space for a gaggle of cousins, or a bridal party. With 3 twin beds tucked into dormers and a full sized bed in the heart of the space, this room screams sleepover, and is our take on the traditional bunk room. Each bedroom in the home features a dresser, a sitting space, and a place to hang up your clothes (old homes often lacked traditional closets as we known them). All of the rooms with the exception of the Pink and Blue Room have blackout curtains and get VERY dark. Don't worry though, we also have alarm clocks that you can set to help you get up after a good night's rest! The Pink and Blue Room is a bright space that would best suit those that don't mind the sun peeking in during the morning.

GUEST ACCESS: The main entrance of the house is on the the east porch (on the Shaffer side of the property). This is where the key pad is for entry into the property. We kindly ask that guests use only the numbered spots in the Shaffer Funeral Home parking lot nearest to the property. There are 4 spots for this purpose. Additional parking may be found on the street behind the property (Gravel Lane). Further, it may be possible to arrange additional spots in the lot provided they are not needed for a service or visitation. There is a coat closet in the foyer of the home under the grand staircase for your outerwear.

OTHER THINGS TO NOTE: There are 2 "owner's closets" in the home which will remained locked (one in the Magnolia Room and one in the Something Blue (& Gold) Room. In addition, the doors to the cellar and the garage will be locked and inaccessible to guests.
On the top of every exterior door in the home is what we call a "top lock." These were installed to ensure that our (at the time) 2 year old could not escape and run out into the street. These are particularly helpful for that purpose, but also add a layer of security (though not necessary) at night. They were installed with the sole purpose of keeping babies safe. Please feel free to use them (or not) during your stay. To disengage the locks, simply grip the top and bottom, pull parallel to the door and out (towards you). It's a tad tricky, but doable (so much so that our 7/8/9 year old figured it out).