J. Sidna Allen Home

03/15/2017

Frank Levering's original play about the courthouse tragedy, "Thunder in the Hills", will be presented every weekend in April, starting April 7th on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. (The week of Easter, it will be on Thursday, Friday and Saturday). A portion of the proceeds will go toward the restoration of the J. Sidna Allen House. To purchase tickets, call the Carroll County Historical Society at 276-728-4113. Previous plays have sold out early, so order your tickets without delay.

03/01/2017

02/21/2017

The foundation phase of restoration is nearing completion. Concrete footers were poured and a cinderblock foundation was built for stability. At this point restoration will stop until sufficient funds are raised to continue. When funding permits, the foundation will be brick cased. Courthouse Productions will be presenting the play “Thunder in the Hills” on all weekends in April with a portion of ticket sales going to the Sidna House fund.
Tickets will go on sale February 28th at the museum. Call 728-4113 for ticket information. Tax deductible donations may be made to Carroll County Historical Society, memo Sidna House Fund P.O. Box 937, Hillsville, VA 24343.

01/20/2017

The Sidna Allen house is now sitting on it's new foundation. I walked in the house to check on things and the floors felt very sound and solid. They also poured new pillars under the house to replace the logs that had rotted away over time.

12/25/2016

As of yesterday, the house is getting a new foundation. The footer has been poured and now the cinderblocks are being laid to complete the new foundation.

12/20/2016

The CCHS board members outside the Sidna Allen House surrounded by construction (and mud).

11/28/2016

http://www.roanoke.com/life/famous-sidna-allen-house-getting-its-makeover/article_1ddfe305-6408-5ff9-a174-96bb880f4731.html

FANCY GAP — Gold coins did not come spilling out of the walls when Sidna Allen’s old house was lifted off the ground.

11/09/2016

Wolfe House movers are placing lifting beams under the house to lift the house to a level, allowing a foundation to be built. The lifting should be accomplished by the end of this week. We're hoping the new foundation will be finished before the winter weather sets in.

11/04/2016

Come on out and help support the restoration of this beautiful home.

11/02/2016

http://thecarrollnews.com/news/2447/allen-house-repairs-in-full-swing

After years of stagnation, repairs to the historic Sidna Allen House in Fancy Gap have

10/28/2016

Here are a few pictures of the work being done on the house.

10/28/2016

The J. Sidna Allen Home was completed in 1911. At that time, it was one of the finest homes in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Sidna and Betty Allen would only live in the house for one year before the Carroll County Courthouse Tragedy of 1912.

The Courthouse Tragedy involved a courtroom shootout between members of the Allen Family and courthouse personnel. Five people were killed. For his part in the episode, Sidna Allen was sentenced to prison. Later, he received a pardon from Virginia’s governor.

The “Queen Anne-style” Allen Home was donated to the Carroll County Historical Society, Inc.. an Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The society hopes to preserve the house for current and future generations.

According to Ed Stanley, society president: “We’re making progress on restoring the Allen Home. We’ve worked out highway access issues with the Virginia DOT. We’ve placed the stained and beveled glass in storage for re-installation at a later time. We’re raising the house to put a proper foundation under it. BUT, we’re low on funds and need the public’s help! Please send donations, large or small, to the Carroll County Historical Society. P.O. Box 937, Hillsville, VA 24343. Please indicate Allen Home on the memo line of your check. Donations are tax-deductible. Thank you.”