On June 25, eight members of the Valley Girls Red Hat Society of the Dayton, Virginia, chapter motored to Franklin to the Historic McCoy House B&B, where Katie VanMeter, proprietor, graciously served a delightful formal tea to the group in the lovely Heirloom Tea Room. On three-tier serving trays, the main menu consisted of cucumber with spinach spread on Texas toast, deviled egg salad on sourdough, cranberry chicken salad on brioche, and traditional ham salad on a Hawaiian roll. An assortment of dainty desserts adorned the trays. There was also a large variety of specialty teas to choose from.
Following the tea, the ladies were given a tour of the newly renovated and furnished Pre-Civil War mansion, with explanations and history. In 1848, construction on the house started. During the Civil War, Union forces used the main house as a telegraph station, which was connected to Moorefield by wire.
This beautiful stately home, sitting in the heart of beautiful downtown main street, narrowly escaped being destroyed by the 1924 Franklin fire. Today, it still stands tall and majestic. (submitted by Frances Conrad Morgan)
