Letter from the
As we enter the New Year , I find myself walking the halls of the historic home that will soon become the office space to not only the West Virginia Executive but all our families ’ small businesses , and it leaves me excited about what is ahead .
The stately Victorian that stands at 1210 Kanawha Boulevard on Charleston ’ s Historic East End needs a great deal of work . It is hard and expensive work , but like most hard things , it will be worth it . We have been working full time on the property since August 2023 and have found some magnificent surprises during our historic renovation .
The Frank Woodman House was built in 1891 , and it ’ s obvious no expense was spared during the construction . With the help of local historian Billy Joe Payton , I was able to find out a bit more about the home and the Woodman family .
Frank Woodman was born in Wisconsin in 1849 and moved to Charleston in 1875 . He quickly became a titan of industry with ownership in manufacturing companies that included brickmaking , furniture , wool , lumber and iron . By the 1890s , he was a director of the Charleston Clendenin & Sutton Railroad alongside future West Virginia Governor William Alexander MacCorkle . Woodman and his wife , Nannie , had two daughters who never had children , so in the 1950s the house was purchased by the United Mine Workers of America to be used as the welfare fund of the 17th district . In the 1970s , Old Colony purchased the house and renovated it to become commercial office space . The space had been largely untouched until my rockstar sister , Brett Hamilton , sold the rest of the family on the idea of buying it and bringing it back to its former glory .
Brett is not only the project manager for this massive renovation but is also an insurance agent for Black Horse Financial and mom of four small children . As many of us know , that is no easy task ! Aside from the magazine and
Black Horse , my brother-in-law ’ s company , Deacon & Deacon Insurance , will also call the new space home .
We all spend as much time as possible putting in our sweat equity , but we have been really blessed to have a spectacular three-person crew helping bring the vision to life . They , like us , can ’ t want to see the finished product .
While stripping trim , painting and sanding , I often think about what history the house has seen in its 133 years . I also imagine what is yet to come . With seven young children in our family and many years of celebrations and holidays ahead , I hope our family will breathe new life into the space and the house will help leave a legacy of traditions and time spent together with our children .
My hope is to give an update once the project is complete , but for now , please enjoy a few progress pictures . •
Kensie Hamilton Fauber Publisher
January 2024
September 2023
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE