Photo by Heather Bell
Photo courtesy of Dr. Steve Cox
From the governess and deaconess to The Whole You
Heather Bell
RADFORD – Radford has a lovely inventory of distinctive historic buildings that, when you see them – La Riviere, Glencoe, the Harvey House and the house with the unique windows on Second Street to name a few – you know you’re in Radford.
One of those structures is 644 West Main Street, built in 1899, with its corner turret and impressive size, and the sense of history that radiates from the building. Over the years, the building has served in many capacities, the office of New River Community Action and other businesses, private homes and now, the home of The Whole You Massage, Yoga and Wellness Studio.
“My husband and I bought our house, 715 Second Street, 12 years ago, and I immediately noticed the “castle” and called the number on the for sale sign to see if I could rent a room for massage,” said Kelly McCoy, owner of The Whole You. “The answer was no, and I proceeded with my life with many twists and turns that led me right back to the same building.”
In the intervening years, the “castle” at 644 West Main St. was sold to Dr. Steve Cox, owner of Oakmont Atlantic, LLC, and a retired civil engineering professor at Virginia Tech, who said in a recent interview at the historic building he had noticed the building for years on his visits to Radford from Blacksburg,
“Building and building restoration is a pleasure for me,” said Cox. “I saw this building for years and thought it was so interesting.”
Cox bought the building in 2021 and began painstakingly restoring the exterior, removing layers and layers of paint and exposing the original brick. A limewash was added to blend the various colors of bricks and mortars that had been used in repairs and additions, giving the building a cohesive look.
And while that work was being done, Cox embarked on a search to find out the building’s history, starting in land records in Montgomery County and the City of Radford. Along the way, he enlisted the help of friend John Marshall, a graduate student at Virginia Tech and musical director and assistant pastor at New River Fellowship Church who shares Cox’s love of history.
“Though we are not finished with the historical research, unraveling the building’s history has been as exciting as it has been unexpected,” said Cox. “Though the building has been a landmark for more than a century, little was known of the history. We are eager to share these stories that connect our community to its past. We also hope readers might have a photograph or a story or two of the building; we have not been able to locate a single pre-1978 photograph of the property or an early account of personal experience with the building.”
Cox and Marshall’s research led them to discover the first inhabitant of the building, Blanche Adams.
“She’s a remarkable woman with quite a story,” said Marshall.
Marshall wrote a synopsis of the building’s history and Adams part in it.
“Construction at 644 West Main Street in Radford began in 1890 on land acquired from General Gabriel Wharton and his wife, Anne Radford Wharton,” he wrote. “The building was to be the earliest bank in West Radford, a vision that was interrupted by the economic downturn of the Great Panic of 1893-1897, which brought widespread adverse economic impacts across the United States.”
“The earliest private owner of the building was Blanche Adams, an English woman who purchased the building in 1899 for the sum of $1575,” he continued.” At the turn of the 20th Century, single women were unlikely to own property. It is likely that this considerable sum was inherited from her father, Robert Adams, a successful English gun manufacturer. The Adams revolver was used extensively by both the British and United States armies during the late 1800’s.”
Adams had viewed the building from across the street at Glencoe Mansion, where she was serving as governess to children in the Wharton family. Marshall and Cox believe she may have purchased 644 West Main St. to use as an orphanage, but those plans did not come to pass. She owned the building for 20 years, during which time she “was actively involved in charitable and religious service in Radford,” according to Marshall. She was ordained as a deaconess in the Episcopalian church during that time.
“Her name is memorialized on a stained-glass window at Grace Episcopal Church in Radford, recognizing her contributions to the community,” Marshall said. “In 1908, Blanche became a missionary and relocated to work among coal miners in Keokee, Lee County, Virginia.”
Adams’ connection to Radford was so strong her body was laid to rest in the city when she passed away at the age of 79 in Roanoke and was buried at West View Cemetery. Her epitaph reads, “She Hath Done What She Could.”
Adams sold 644 West Main St. in 1908 when she moved to Lee County. Cox is looking to fill in some blanks in the history after Adams’ time there. The building was owned by the McDonald family for 48 years and was purchased by Clark Cunningham in 1977, after which it was used as a commercial space, including serving as the offices of New River Community Action for several years.
Now, as the home of The Whole You, McCoy says she still feels the presence of Adams in the space.
“I believe that Blanche, as well as a few other important women from our area, have been guiding me, unconsciously at first, for a very long time,” said McCoy. “I don’t believe I’m unique or special in this. I see many in our wellness industry, pulling away from norms, nourishing ourselves in ways that used to be accepted and practiced daily, that we collectively have gotten away from for too long now. I think greater forces are at work. Those of us that understand this, can tap into a source of abundance and wisdom that’s to be shared with humanity, or at least those that want it.”
Oakmont Atlantic plans to continue to research, document, and preserve the building’s history. They invite anyone interested in touring the property to contact Steve Cox at oakmontatlantic@gmail.com. They also welcome any photographs or personal accounts anyone has with the building. Oakmont plans an open house later in the year.
