The McCoy Farmstead was built by one of the descendants/in-laws of the Dunlap clan, who early on acquired about 5,000 acres of land in the Virginia Millitary District in what is now north-central Ross County, Ohio. Several of their farmsteads remain, most fairly well preserved. The clan had a pronounced preference for brick I-Houses, with only two of the eight I know of being anything other than that.
This farmstead has been abandoned probably for at least 30 years, and neglect and vandalism are taking their toll. ...Cattle, too - the yard is part of a cattle pasture, and they enjoy good back-scratches on any vulnerable architecture.
The location can be viewed on a
USGS topographic map or in an
aerial photo in the map frame of the county auditor's website.
* All Images are linked to large-sized versions. *
McCoy House
An 1838 central-passage I-House with integral side rear ell
Slightly smaller than usual for a central-passage I-House, and with only one window to each side of the rooms, instead of two (a three-bay facade instead of five).
Though built in time for the Greek Revival, the house is minimally Federal. A robust carved lintel over the front door proclaims the date of the house, and sports rare "reticulation" carvings in the patera blocks at each end.
McCoy Log House
A collapsed, probably double-pen 1.5 story log house
Probably the original residence on the site, the house was clearly demoted into a service building after the brick house was built in front of it.
Enough of the corners of the logs must have rotted away to allow it to collapse. There was apparently a lean-to porch on the south side. Shutters for the brick house were stored in this building, and are now sandwiched between the roof and floor.
The large brick fireplace withstood the collapse, and its large cooking fireplace still has its hardware.
McCoy Barn
A hewn-log three bay Yankee Barn with livestock and hayloft additions
Decently preserved - but not for long, with the roof starting to be intermittently blasted off.
The two log pens are visible through the threshing bay doorway.
The added hayloft door on the east end has "owl holes" cut above its doors.
McCoy Service Outbuildings
A Wood-Frame Combination Smokehouse / Storage Shed(?), and Brick Dry Cellar(?)
Barely standing is the apparently original wood-frame combination smokehouse and storage shed, placed to the side of the house, and behind the brick shed. Cattle are probably rubbing this building to death, as they scratch and massage their flanks on the rough wooden edges.
The wooden privy, probably predating the unbiquitous WPA privies of the Great Depression, is better preserved than most of its age.
