Historic Dahmer

Step Back In Time and Explore

Imagine hunting for treasure or playing an immersive game of MTAG on an old Appalachian Farm rich with history. This will be your experience at Mountaineer Adventure Park in Franklin, WV.

Where Legacy Meets Adventure

Welcome to the historic community of Dahmer, the only town by that name in the U.S. Three generations of the Dahmer family occupied this land from 1872 to 2007. The Dahmer post office is what put the town on the map, serving the neighborhood from 1896 to 1941. Originally, the post office operated out of the first white house (built in 1884) you pass when entering the property. In later years, the post office operated out of the white house (built in ~1920) currently utilized for the MTAG Arena. John Dahmer was named as the postmaster, but locals say his wife did the actual work.

Prior to the Dahmers, a moonshiner named Thomas McQuain lived on the land. He was robbed and murdered during a trip to the bank in Harrisonburg, VA and is buried on a nearby hill, along with many of the Dahmer clan. After moonshiner McQuain’s death in about 1864, John George Dahmer and his wife Eliza bought the property and the family lived for a time in McQuain’s log house. As a growing self-sufficient Appalachian family, you’ll notice they needed many buildings for various functions. There are barns, storage buildings, a cellar house, granary and cob house, a small spring house, a wash house, hog house, chicken coops, and most importantly – a 2 hole outhouse. 

The Dahmer Family Story

The Dahmer's were a respected family in the area. John George Dahmer was a Justice of the Peace (aka Squire Dahmer), Postmaster, and teacher. His son, John Dahmer, was also a Postmaster and teacher. John Dahmer’s son, Johnny Arvin Dahmer, was the local historian. John and later Johnny Arvin wrote a column titled “The Dahmer Letter” for the local paper. It ran from John’s start in 1898 until 1982 under Johnny Arvin’s pen. 

John George was also known as a “witch doctor” who aided many in the community with health and occult troubles (i.e. making or breaking spells). He had a family cure book which had been passed down through the men in his line. John George’s grandfather brought the cure book to Pennsylvania  from Germany in the 1790s. The book was titled, Signs, Cures, and Witchery: German Appalachian Folklore. It was written by Gerald Milnes and details occult practices in the area. Johnny Arvin provided much of the information. Some noteworthy entries: passing babies through holes in trees, milking dish rags, whipping toads to get winter chicken eggs. 

Local Lore & Mountain Traditions

Occult beliefs were a way to make sense of natural phenomena and cope with illness. Healing herbs were grown in many a garden or foraged in the hills.

Another way to manage malaise and use what was handy was to make hard cider, and sometimes distill it to make even stronger moonshine. Making ‘shine was a common practice in these hills for centuries. The secluded ridges and ‘hollars’ gave cover from the T-men and revenuers. You’ll note there are still many large apple, cherry, and pear trees on the property. Juice was pressed and put up in barrels to ferment. Ole’ Ananias Pitsenbarger across the road was known for his excellent and strong hard cider. When it was really good, it was said that it “had the bugs in it” and made for some good times with dancing, fiddlin’, and accordion playing. Many farms (like the Pitsenbargers’) had a still house, and brandy was a good source of income or barter coin. 

More history and local lore and legend can be found here. Additional newspaper clippings, books, letters and historical documents can be viewed on-site.