The Duff House Offers Two Historic Virginia Homes in One

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If this 19th century Antebellum farmhouse doesn’t capture your senses, wait until you see the log cabin inside that predates the Revolutionary War.

Located at 21276 Alvarado Drive in Abingdon, Virginia, this 4,410-square-feet home on 3.68 acres is a striking blend of two eras in American history. Despite modern restorations and amenities that recent owners meticulously added over the years, the sprawling interior with three bedrooms, four baths, and multiple living areas maintains its rustic appeal and circa 1830 Colonial style.

The Log Cabin

Since the log cabin subtly makes up the dining room in the large farmhouse, one can only imagine how small it must have been. But it played a big role in the lives of Reverend Samuel Duff and his wife Mary as well as visitors and the community.

The Duffs, who were first-generation immigrants from Ireland, constructed the cabin. Not only were their children and grandchildren born there, but the small log structure was also a stopover for pioneers traveling the tedious Virginia Creeper Trail stretching from North Carolina to the western front via White Top Mountain.

The Farmhouse

Preserving history and heritage ran deep in the Duff family. When the Duff’s grandson, Thomas Jefferson Duff, ultimately inherited the log cabin, he planned to build a large farmhouse on the land where he and his new bride, Ann Elizabeth Ketron Duff, could build a life together. But he couldn’t bear to destroy his birthplace, so he opted to incorporate the log cabin in the interior design of the couple’s new home.

Duff House History

The Duff’s neighborly and welcoming tradition in that little log cabin extended to the Antebellum farmhouse where thousands of guests have visited. During the Civil War, the house served as a hospital that treated Union and Confederate soldiers alike, and at peak times throughout the year, it was a seasonal boarding house for loggers, railroad construction workers, and pioneer travelers passing through.

For generations, the artesian spring that runs through the property year-round was the community water source, and in the early 1900s, a steam engine train made its daily water stops from the spring.

The Duff House is represented by Matt Smith with Highlands Realty Inc. The listing price is $498,900. Click here to see more photos.

 

Deb R. Brimer

Deb R. Brimer