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| Poe Haus (formerly the Halloran Home) Hinton, WV Photo by Rachel Weaver |
On the corner of Summers Street and Fourth Avenue in Hinton sits a beautiful and well-loved Queen Ann Victorian home. Now known as the Poe Haus, this magnificent piece of history and architecture dates back to 1896 when it became the family home of Dan Halloran, his wife Emma, and their seven (I think!) children.
Dan was born in Washington, D.C. on July 4th, 1864, to parents John and Ellen, who hailed from Ireland. At the age of sixteen, he moved to Montgomery, WV where he got a job with the C&O Railroad as a car repairman. He was promoted to fireman in 1886, and then to engineer in 1887. The following year, he married Emma Humphreys, and within a few more years, the couple moved to Hinton and built their home.
Emma, who was born on March 23, 1872, near Montgomery to Thomas and Melissa Humphreys, raised seven children at the Summers Street home. Known for her skill at baking, the Halloran home was a popular party spot and after-school hangout for the local kids and teens. Mrs. Halloran made sure no one went away hungry; donuts, walnut fudge, cakes, candies, and other pastries were always in abundance. So was popular music. The Halloran family was a musically inclined one, with several of the children becoming proficient at the piano and son, Earl, taking up the banjo and the sax. Those who weren't playing an instrument sang and hummed along to favorite tunes of the day.
But, the children would grow up and the parties would wind down. Two of the sons, Linville and R. Overt, went to medical school and became well-known physicians. Daughter Vera, married Dr. R.G. Broaddus. Earl, the banjo/saxophone playing son, was incredibly mechanically inclined. He enjoyed ham radio and aviation. In a controversial move, he piloted a plane 'rented' by coal operators during the mine wars to spy on miners' activities. On a return trip to Hinton from Logan in 1921, the plane crashed, and Earl narrowly escaped with his life. After settling in the Hinton area, he opened up an Oldsmobile dealership and garage with a partner, and later operated the Victory Bus Lines in town.
Throughout it all, Dan Halloran continued to work as an engineer for the C&O Railroad, as did many men who lived in Hinton at the time. That almost all ended in 1909 when Mr. Halloran was involved in a major accident. A train derailment left him pinned under the fire box of the engine. When he was pulled out, he was unconscious with no pulse and had been vomiting blood. He had severe head and internal injuries and was burned severely on the back. It was assumed he would not make it when he was brought to the local hospital. However, miraculously, Halloran slowly recovered. He was able to go back to work and remained with the C&O until his retirement in 1933.
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| Dan Halloran's Tombstone Greenbrier Cemetery Photo by Find-a-Grave user (D. Mack) |
Death would eventually find Mr. Halloran. After suffering from paralysis for several months, he passed away on July 16, 1942, at Raleigh General Hospital. He died around 3 am, with the official cause of death being pneumonia, a complication from the paralysis. He was buried in Greenbrier Cemetery in Hinton.
After living in the home on Summers Street for 40 years, Emma moved to another beautiful home in the Bellepoint area. It is there that she died on November 23, 1960 at the age of 88. She was buried alongside her husband in Greenbrier Cemetery.
Beginning in 1935, the Dillon Family became associated with the old Halloran home. In 1951, they were mentioned in the local paper for completed EXTENSIVE apartment renovations on the house. In fact, since 1931, rooms were being offered for rent at the 401 Summers Street address. A few of the names who were mentioned as living at this address over the years are as follows: 1935--S.B. Coleman and family (who welcomed a baby daughter), 1945--Mary Carden, 1945---Edna Hall (husband still on deployment at the time), 1947--Robert Sims (who also welcomed a daughter born in the house), 1947---Claude Scott, 1950---Mrs. Minnie Farr, who had taken in a Korean refugee (16 year old Insoo "Skippy" Kwak) after her son and the boy's guardian, Guss Farr, was killed in action, 1954---Sadie Steele, 1959---W.A. Womack, 1960---Dewey Ranson who complained of chest pains before heading to bed and died of a massive heart attack on arrival at the hospital, and 1973---Katherine Redden who started the Restlawn Cemetery with her husband and was a member of multiple civic organizations such as the Eastern Star, the Silver Leaf, and the White Shrine.
In the early 2000s, ownership was under Larry and Sue Carmichael. However, in September of 2010, Mike and Alisha Segars opened up the Chestnut Revival. The coffee shop/tea room would have made Emma Halloran proud, as fresh-baked goodies were available each day, along with an extensive tea menu. Guests could enjoy the fare in a beautifully renovated sitting space and on occasion, experience live music and other events. Services were expanded to renovate the upper areas of the building into a B&B space.
Today, the Halloran house has resorted once again to a private family home and is being lovingly cared for, inside and out by Les Haas and family. Bursting with unique pieces of art, Victorian furnishings, plants, family, friends, and some adorable kitties, the home is the perfect combination of historical living space and museum. And, with many of Hinton's historic homes, the newly minted 'Poe Haus' may have a few ghosts lingering about.
In preparation for the upcoming Hinton Haunt Fest Creepy Crawl on September 13, 2025 (Facebook Event Page Link HERE), members of Appalachian Ghost Tours were graciously invited to explore the home in search of paranormal activity. We were not disappointed! Outside the home, shadow figures had been seen, lurking around the surrounding streets, that were once part of a bustling railroad town. Inside, phantom scents came and went, shadows moved under doorways, and some pretty strange stuff came across the spirit box. At one point, a member even got locked in the restroom! Some of our more intuitive members also picked up on several different entities that call the Poe Haus home, including Emma, who is the lady of the house, and possibly Dan. What was interesting is that several of us picked up on Mr. Flanagan, who lived at the other end of the block in what is now the Campbell-Flanagan-Murrell House Museum! Through cursory newspaper archive research, there is definitely a family connection between the two families, and the two men did work on the C&O together. Mr. Flanagan has not once attempted to speak or make his presence known to me over the multiple times I've investigated the CFM House Museum, so it was exceptionally weird that I tended to pick up on him down the street.
As the new owners have not lived in the house long, and our investigation wasn't a full one, there are still many more mysteries to uncover and (hopefully!) many more spooky experiences to share at the Poe Haus! And, on September 13th, you'll have your own opportunity! As part of Hinton Haunt Fest, AGT will be hosting a city-wide paranormal investigation at FIVE different locations. Between 8pm and midnight, you may stop at our locations, listed below, and join us in an investigation. Pick one favorite to stay at the entire time, or "crawl" to each location when you're ready. The cost is $25, which also gets you access to all speakers and workshops being held throughout the day.
CREEPY CRAWL DESTINATIONS:
1. Campbell-Flanagan-Murrell House Museum (422 Summers Street)
2. The Poe Haus (401 Summers Street)
3. Summers County Library (201 Temple Street)
4. The Reachh House (411 Temple Street)
5. Historic Wilson Warehouse (501 Commercial Street)
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