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Around the house...
The house is decorated with period furniture, antique wall coverings and vintage photographs, including those of O. Winston Link. Link's photographs document the golden age of steam railroading in the region. William King Arts Center and the Historical Society of Washington County cooperatively maintain a revolving exhibit of Link photographs at the Abingdon Depot, just across the tracks.
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Wall Street Room (kitchen)
The kitchen is comfortably outfitted with standard amenities, which also include coffee maker, handmade pottery table settings and service for 8. Antique door knobs, faucet handles, and bentwood chairs are from the old Belmont Hotel which stood on Depot Square. Adjacent to the kitchen is the downstairs bathroom. The antique cigarette stand in the bathroom is also from the Belmont Hotel.
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Train Room
The picture of Section Foremen from across the region is from N&W magazine, who were displaying their awards from the yearly judging on care given each section of track. Above this picture are train parts and a lantern, found in the framework of the house during restoration. The two pictures between the sideboard and the door show how Wall Street looked in the 1950s.
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Childress Room
The cabinet with marble top and the black floor basket are from the Belmont Hotel. The 611 train picture is an original train calender left in house. The photograph is of Capt. Bill Childress - the last Section Foreman to occupy this house. Capt. Bill purchased the house from N&W when his job was eliminated from the railroad. The sofa is an original dating to the turn of century. The piano is the only furniture which remains from the Childress family. It is said that they purchased it at an auction in Dublin. Va., where it had belonged to a doctor that was railroaded out of town due to performing an abortion.
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Grace Room
This room is named for Capt. Bill's wife who dearly loved the house. The picture is of Grace as a child with her Father, who she called "Poppy." Grace was twelve when he was killed by a boar hog. As Grace passed from this life she sang and spoke to Poppy as if he was by her side, holding her hand again as a child.
The oval mirror is from the Brent Remsberg Estate. Brent Remsberg was Abingdon's town manager for many years. The lamp with the black base is from a Martha Washington Inn tag sale in the 80s. The sewing rocker is from the Belmont Hotel.
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Elsie Room
The brass double bed with comfortable quilt, along with the heirloom bedside table, provide the guest with home comfort in the Foreman House.
This room is named for Capt. Bill's daughter, Elsie, one of nine Childress children. Like her mother, Elsie loved this house, and inherited it when she was grown. As you might guess, her favorite color was red. A sister to the tubular brass bed sold on E-Bay for &8000.00 last year! The oval wrapped wire library table at the top of the stairs is from the Belmont.
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Ratcliff room
Named for Capt. Bill's grandson Robert, and Robert's children. Enjoy all the old newspaper articles, magazines, and books of interest. The closet connecting the two rooms has it's own story. If you are curious enough you will find the story in some of the newspaper articles about the house.
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Pullman room
In sleeper railroad cars you slept in bunks, with curtains for privacy. I hope you get the same cozy feeling. The wall lamps are from the Martha Washington Inn, and the marble top chest is from the Belmont. The small child's chair and tall chest are from the Edna Casteel Estate.
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European Room
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Read more about the 1857 Foreman Guest House:
an article in the Abingdon Virginian newspaper
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