Union home originally built in 1825 restored to former glory

UNION, W.Va. (WVVA) - A nearly 200 year-old home in Union, W.Va. finished being restored on Saturday -- as neighbors and workers gathered for the reveal of the home originally owned by Confederate soldier Christopher Beirne.

The home’s current owner, Chris Wszolek said “everything that was here remains,” speaking on the many aspects of the home which were able to be restored instead of replaced, such as flooring, banisters, doors and more.

Wszolek purchased the home one and a half years ago, and said his first priority was to preserve the history behind it.

“Our first purpose is to restore it and save it,” said Wszolek. “The key here is it’s not really about generating profit. It’s about what positive effect can be brought to a community.”

Wszolek has restored historic buildings in town before, experience he was able to put to work in the year-plus effort of restoration here.

“It’s important to look at the details that exist in an old building, to see which ones go back to the earliest times and choose a reference point for where you want to preserve to,” said Wszolek. “So in the case of this house...We decided to just stay with the 1825 look and feel.”

A more in-depth look at Beirne and other historic figures in Union can be found here.