Replica of first log courthouse west of the Alleghenies erected in North Franklin
After Tim Moore was approached by North Franklin Township officials about building a replica of the West Augusta District Courthouse 鈥� the first dedicated judicial building west of the Alleghenies 鈥� he felt pressure about how to get the project off the ground.
So he went to the field next to North Franklin鈥檚 new municipal building and thought a bit about where to begin while channeling a higher power, whether it be spiritual or with a little help from his ancestors who settled here.
He thought about his fifth great-grandfather, William Huston, who was one of the first white settlers in what is now Washington. And then he got started on the planning.
Moore, who owned All Ways Moving in Washington for more than 30 years before retiring in 2017, was used to the physical labor that would be required, but this would be something much different to get a replica of the courthouse built in 1776 just right.
鈥淔ortunately, the best people in western Pennsylvania came together,鈥� Moore said.
First, he found Mike Curtis, who owns High Lonesome LLC that specializes in building 18th century log structures to help construct it. Then, he reached out to John Stavovy, who was a brigadier general in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, and his daughter, Andrea, of Mesa Woods Homebuilding, to perform the architectural design and make it as historically accurate as possible. Finally, he found some help from 84 Lumber to provide the labor to help build it.
With a $25,000 American Spirit grant from the Washington County Tourism Agency to celebrate America 250 and a matching $25,000 grant from North Franklin Township, the project took off. The township donated use of the land near its new municipal building, and the Washington County Historical Society owns and maintains the replica courthouse. Numerous sponsors and others came through to help get the project moving.
Moore, who is a board member with the historical society, got to work in early February debarking nearly 200 logs over the next 35 days to prepare for the build. After more than four months of work, the replica courthouse is ready to shine with an open house from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, with speakers and historical reenactments at 2 p.m. People are encouraged to park at the North Franklin Township Municipal Building at 345 Franklin Farms Road and walk the pathway to the log courthouse.
The replica is just a 鈥渟tone鈥檚 throw鈥� away from where the original was built 250 years ago. Its current location offers a picturesque view of the township鈥檚 walking trail and the reservoir lake at its new park.
Moore was working on some last-minute items Friday and marveled at the log structure while giving a reporter a tour of the two-story building. He showed off the upstairs room where the judge would鈥檝e worked, and the downstairs jails cells that would鈥檝e held prisoners.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the most accurate recreation of the western frontier courthouse in the country,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 more accurate than most (replica) courthouses are.鈥�
The West Augusta District Courthouse was built by the Virginians in the heart of the disputed territory in what is now Western Pennsylvania.
鈥淚t鈥檚 round on round. They were just dropping trees and building them as quickly as possible,鈥� Moore said of the hastily built courthouse in which workers did not square off the logs. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e rushing it because they鈥檙e late.鈥�
It opened for court on Aug. 6, 1776, and was in service for a year or two before Virginia broke up the territory into three counties, necessitating three other courthouses to be built.
All the while, Pennsylvania laid its own claim to the land with its settlement of Catfish Camp in present-day Washington. Virginia countered with its own settlement known as Augusta Town in what is the Gabby Heights area of North Franklin Township
鈥淚t was a poke in the eye of the Pennsylvanians,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to put our courthouse right in your camp.鈥�
Eventually, Virginia ceded the land to Pennsylvania in 1780, and Washington County was formed the following year.
Moore said people should look at the West Augusta District Courthouse as something larger than a local phenomenon because it was the first dedicated courthouse west of the Alleghenies, making it historically significant just as the country was being founded.
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 just about Washington. This isn鈥檛 just about the county,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淭his is about the country.鈥�
Washington County Historical Society Executive Director Clay Kilgore said his organization has always had an interest in the West Augusta territory and Augusta Town specifically, with the organization in possession of the original records and ledgers from those first court sessions. Having a replica of the courthouse makes telling the story of this area feel that much more real, Kilgore said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 something we鈥檝e always been close to and had a great interest in,鈥� Kilgore said. 鈥淲hen Tim said he had been approached (to build the West Augusta District Courthouse), we jumped on it. We have the records to go with the building. It鈥檚 not just a big deal for the historical society or the county, but for the country. It鈥檚 showing the settlement of the west.鈥�
The 80,000-pound log courthouse is now meant to be a permanent structure to offer educational and possibly even recreational opportunities for the public. Kilgore envisions school groups and tourists visiting the site, and maybe even having a sitting judge reenact the first court proceedings.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very important piece of our American history,鈥� Kilgore said. 鈥淚 want to make sure we鈥檙e using this to educate the region. It鈥檚 an historic site that people can learn from and visit on a regular basis.鈥�
There will also be sponsorship opportunities, including one for $1,776 that will allow people to choose one of two native trees to be planted next to the courthouse that will have an engraved nameplate in front. Another engraved nameplate will go into a time capsule and the names will be included on a signboard outside the courthouse, while sponsors will also receive a 1775 flag and a miniature replica of the courthouse created by local artist Toby Fraley. Information about the sponsorship opportunities will be available on the historical society鈥檚 website at www.wchspa.org following Sunday鈥檚 dedication.
Looking back, Moore said he enjoyed the journey while thinking about his ancestors who settled here before America was even a country.
鈥淭his is my last build. It鈥檚 my first and last build,鈥� he said with a laugh. 鈥淓veryone fell into place. It was meant to be.鈥�