House of Many Additions
Mrs. Katrina Rhodes McGhee was a busy lady. She ran a boarding house for the VPI male students from the 1930 to when she sold the house to Christ Church in 1967. We think four brave souls lived in her basement and perhaps two to three on the main floor. She also ran a Tea House.
In the 1990's the house was extensively renovated so that the church could rent out rooms (not in the basement) to the Canterbury Ministry students. Some of you may have helped with the renovation? I would like to collect your memories of your time in the house. Any photos?
Jack Davis toured the house with the 1997 plan in hand. He pointed out a few new clues that we had not observed. Not all that was proposed was completed.
The plan below is of the existing structure prior to the renovation. Note that a large enclosed back porch was where the current back deck is situated. The side deck was a also a covered utility room with access to the basement.
What is the original house and when was it built?
This question has dogged us for many years. It is obvious from close inspection of the basement that the house was added onto in multiple stages. The front two rooms with central hall appear to the be oldest. It has so many similar features to the Siebold house that is dated to the late 1800's. It is clear that the front room corner fireplace was built at a different time than the one built in the adjacent room. We wonder if the house originally was set up with a shed roof off the two room with central hall. The back shed room was removed to make room for the expansion.
The 1921 Sanborn Fire map shows the roofline that closely follows the house prior to the 1997 remodel. We stitched the Sanborn map together and colored the different structures that are on the block. The McGhee house is light blue. A side note: notice that Penn Street extends beyond Jackson St. Progress Street was not built at this time.
Gibson Worsham's Survey of Historic Architecture in the Blacksburg Historic District, Montgomery County, VA 1997
An interesting 1997 report written by Gibson Worsham about Blacksburg architecture, including Katrina’s neighborhood. Check out page 42 and 43 which features the McGhee house.
Gibson Worsham’s sketch of the McGhee house plan in 1996-97. His document states that the house was used as a boarding house. This sketch is not accurate, but provides a glimpse of his impression.
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