Washington Place, Romney, WV

Romney, West Virginia is located in Hampshire County, about thirty miles south of Cumberland, Maryland. As noted on the sign rewritten below, it was the home of William Washington, who became the first black land developer in West Virginia. The State of West Virginia was established in 1863 after representatives from the 40 western counties which had opposed secession separated from Virginia which had seceded from the Union in 1861.

Washington Place
"Washington Place" is the first house built by free blacks following The Proclamation of Emancipation in 1863. It was built by William Washington and his wife, Annie, 1863-1874. The land was given by Susan Parsons, as a gift for faithful service, to Annie and her family. William Washington acquired other lands, and became the first black land developer in West Virginia with the subdivision known as "Blacks Hill".

Also depicted is one of the homes that existed within the subdivision known as "Blacks Hill". Shown here are Angela Feldstein, on the right, and "Maya", on the left.