By HANNAH AUSTIN
Contributing Writer
A framed photo, measuring 19×22 inches, that dates to about 1910 prompted Gwendolyn Stevens Graham to reach out to The Fincastle Herald with the idea readers might be interested in seeing part of Troutville more than a century ago.
The photo is a copy of an original hardboard photo.
In the early 1900s, Route 11 was a two-lane dirt road, which can be seen in the foreground of the picture. The two small children playing along the roadside are from two of the oldest Botetourt County families, Layman and Firestone, Graham said.
In the background is Troutville Baptist Church, which still houses a congregation to this day. The house in the foreground remains a residence.
Graham, a descendant of the original owners of the house, did some research about the photo to share with The Herald readers.
Her research, as well as information she knew simply from growing up at the house, has turned up information not only about the home, but about the earlier years of Route 11 and Troutville.
This house was built in the 1800s by the Kessler family and was passed down through relatives of the family until the mid-1900s.
When the house was built, it had only four rooms, two upstairs and two downstairs in what is a traditional two-over-two box house style favored by many builders all the way up until the 1860s.
This was the design of the house until John W. Layman purchased the house and farm from his grandmother. He then added several rooms, altering the footprint and size of the home. In 1927, Susie Layman Stevens and her husband bought the farm from her father.
The first hard surfaced highway known as Number 11 was constructed in 1923 and 1924. Steam shovels and drag pans pulled by mules were used in that construction.
In 1936, the State Highway Commission took land on both sides of the paved road to add a cement lane on either side, making a four-lane highway known as US 11 Lee Highway.
“I was born in ’28,” says Graham, “That’s the reason I remember that road. I can remember that I was walking on those cement roads one time, and it was still wet!”
For many months, homeowner Susie Stevens rented rooms with meals to about 12 men who worked with the construction company. “I helped with that, I remember it well. I remember we had the dining room full, and all the rooms full,” Graham continues.
The house in the picture stands across from the Troutville Cemetery, land which was once owned by the Kessler family as well, but was given to the Town of Troutville.
Graham said the original picture hung in the hallway of the house from 1910 until 1990 when the property was sold. The present owners stated the picture was gone when they moved in. However, this piece of history is still preserved in the copy and in the memory of the people who used to call that house “home.”
In the sharing the story and history, Graham said she hopes to preserve the legacy of the family, as well as share her memories of the earliest days of Troutville.
