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BEACHLEY HOUSE, THE WHITE HOUSE in Middletown,
The Beachley House is a two-story stone dwelling with a one-and-a-half story stone rear wing. The term "White House" originated with the early white stucco exterior of the house that was used to help travelers find the inn at nighttime.
The plan of the house features a center hall with double rooms on each side. The north facade has two entrances now, one into the central hall, placed there after the Civil War, and one into the east front parlor. This was the principal public room when the building was used as a tavern from 1798 until 1909. In the east tavern room is a pass-through into the kitchen.
The second floor of the main section was partitioned in the late 19th and early 20th century but oroginally had a single room across the front part of the house used as a dormitory for travelers.
The building was in the direct line of the Union Army's advance toward Turner's Gap during the Battle of South Mountain on 14 Sep 1862. It served as a hospital after the conflict.
My Great Great Great Grandfather, Daniel Vincent Beachley (1802-1874) lived on Alt. Route 40 west of Middletown in this stone house at the base of South Mountain.
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