A Hidden Signature from 1913: The Bell Tower Board That Tells Corton Lodge’s Story
When restoring Corton Lodge — a historic 1913 church turned peaceful West Virginia vacation rental — every detail felt like peeling back a layer of time. But nothing compared to the day we discovered a single, weathered board tucked into the bell tower ceiling truss.
Written in faded but still legible pencil, the board reads:
“Barren Creek Church. Oct 20, 1913, Will Smith.”
And no — this isn’t the Will Smith from the movies. This Will Smith didn’t slap anyone at an awards show or save the world from aliens — he helped build a church on the banks of the river, a role just as worthy of a standing ovation in our book.
We now know that Will Smith was one of the trustees of the church committee responsible for building Barren Creek Church. He was also part of the large Smith family who lived in an area known locally as Smith Bottom — a riverfront stretch starting just a quarter mile east of the lodge and running about a mile upriver.
The Smith family has deep roots here. For generations, they lived, worked, and worshipped along this bend in the river. Even today, the descendants of those early Smiths still gather for family reunions, keeping alive the same community spirit that built the church more than a century ago.
It’s amazing to think that Mr. Smith might have imagined — even for a fleeting moment — the possibility that someone, far in the future, might one day discover his signed board. If so, his hope was fulfilled. That day came in the midst of our restoration, more than 110 years later.
Holding that board, it’s easy to picture Will Smith in 1913 — hammer in hand, pausing for a moment to leave his mark on the structure he and his neighbors were raising together. It’s a tangible reminder that this building wasn’t just constructed with lumber and nails, but with pride, fellowship, and purpose.
Today, the board hangs proudly on the living room wall of the Bell Tower Suite, where you can see it for yourself during your stay. It’s more than a relic — it’s a bridge between past and present, a story written in wood and pencil that continues to be told every time someone visits.
When you stay at Corton Lodge — whether for a weekend getaway, a West Virginia wedding, or a riverside retreat — you’ll find this rare piece of living history still rooted in the same West Virginia soil and family tradition that gave it life in 1913.
Plan your stay and add your own chapter to the Corton Lodge story: www.CortonLodge.com
