Wes and Martha Richardson found the perfect historic home for their family in the Southside hills overlooking Huntington.
By Amy Deal
HQ 133 | Spring 2026
When you walk into the home of Wes and Martha Richardson, you are immediately greeted with a feeling of warmth and welcome — which holds with the home’s history of entertaining. In 1910, the Whitaker family commissioned architect Edwin Alger to build a home that would serve as their official summer residence. The estate was eventually sold to Herbert Fitzpatrick, a member of the C&O Railroad’s board of directors and benefactor of the Huntington Museum of Art. Upon the purchase, he renamed the home “Open Gate.”
When the Richardsons first learned that the owners were considering putting the house on the market, they asked for a tour and, six hours later, placed an offer. Martha, whose grandmother was an antique dealer, fell in love with the home’s millwork. The doorknobs, thick woodwork and original hardwood floors gave her a sense of family, she said.
Soon after they moved in, the Richardsons began making it their own. Focusing on painting, replacing wallpaper and updating bedrooms, they set about returning the home to its original glory. In fact, they were determined to ensure the home remained as close to its original state as possible. When they uncovered original features, they kept them, including a door that now hangs in the conservatory. Antique pieces fill each room, some belonging to Martha’s grandmother and others collected over the years during their travels.
Martha said she enjoys stepping back in time and thinking about how life once unfolded in the home.
“Who walked these halls? How were the spaces used? What stories does this house hold?” she pondered. “I’m an old soul, and this home fills that quiet space within me.”
Wes has an office in the home where he conducts business as managing partner for Northwestern Mutual West Virginia. Martha, an educator, has incorporated her love of books, filling the built-in bookshelves and creating inviting spaces where one can settle in and get lost in a book.
The house has long been a place of hospitality, and the Richardsons love to entertain. They host gatherings of all kinds: business events for Wes, holiday celebrations, family dinners, school and church events and even Wes’s brother’s wedding. One banquet brought in a food truck; another featured a live band. The home’s kitchen is made for such occasions — spacious enough to serve a crowd, with a butler’s pantry nearby that houses an additional refrigerator and dishwasher.
The side and front porches are the perfect size for outdoor gatherings. When Fitzpatrick lived in the home, the porches were well known for their rocking chairs and conversations with business associates and politicians.
While Wes does enjoy entertaining, he said the quieter moments in the house are the most meaningful.
“While we love to use our house to host our friends, family and community, our best days are when it’s just the five of us in this home,” he said.
Parties aren’t the only entertainment the house provides. A few years ago, the Richardsons refinished the carriage house attached to the garage, allowing them to host a family transitioning to the area. Most recently, a teacher returning from studies in Scotland and his family lived in the carriage house for six months while they searched for a permanent home in Huntington.
“We truly enjoy opening our doors and sharing what has been given to us,” Martha said.
From the beginning, Martha envisioned a house her family could grow into. With its generous space and flexibility, it has done just that. When the Richardsons first moved in, their three children took up residence on the third floor. Each had their own bedroom, with a landing area that became a gathering place, complete with a LEGO creation station. Each room also came equipped with a buzzer that, when pressed, rang downstairs — a throwback to the early days of the home when the buzzers would summon the staff. Wes and Martha soon realized that ground rules were needed for the buzzers. As the kids grew older, their son Jack moved to the second floor, while the girls still occupy the third floor.
The exterior of the home and the surrounding acreage have been a treasure trove for the Richardsons’ kids. Wes and their oldest daughter Audrey built a treehouse deep in the woods, and Audrey later created a looping trail lined with posts and strings, incorporating wood chips from a tree that fell during an ice storm. The trail leads to the hill’s highest point, where one can enjoy a breathtaking view of Huntington. A flower and herb garden, along with a newly added hive of honeybees, completes the idyllic picture.
The Richardsons said they envision their children returning home as adults with families of their own, where a whole new generation will learn the ground rules of the buzzers.
