The history of the farm goes back to before the Revolutionary War when the area that the farm sits on was originally one of the largest Shawnee Indian settlements in the area. The indians fled west across the Ohio River as the Virginia Militia advanced into the area. On October 9, 1774 the Shawnee Indians led by Chief Cornstock came down Campaign Creek and crossed back over the Ohio River in the middle of the night. Campaign Creek is directly across the river from the land that is Old Town Farm today. It is on this land that the Shawnee Indians assembled for their planned attack on the militia that was camped out on the point where the two rivers meet. This point is what is known as Tu Ende Wei today. In the early morning of October 10, 1774 two militia men who were tired of eating dried stale beef decided to sneak out and hunt for fresh meat to eat. They did not know the direction in which they were going would bring them directly to the area where the indians had assembled. The morning fog had hindered them from being able to see the indians until it was too late. This was the start of the Battle of Point Pleasant.
When Colonel Charles Lewis left his family in Virginia to come to this area with the army he also left behind a pregnant wife. Colonel Charles Lewis ended up dying in the Battle of Point Pleasant. He was never to see his unborn child - a boy, who was to become his namesake. That son, Charles Cameron Lewis is the person who settled this farm in the year 1800. Over the years Old Town Farm became the largest dairy in the state of West Virginia and one of the largest dairies east of the Mississippi River. In it entirety the farm spanned 1,344 acres encompassing as much land as the City of Point Pleasant. The farm existed in the Lewis family until 2001 when it was divided up into 12 parcels and auctioned off by the remaining descendents of the Lewis Family. It was then that the Simon's acquired 150 acres of the original farm which included the Italianate Revival Mansion built in 1866 and what was known as "the Lower Dairy".
Today, the Simon Old Town Farm exists as a joint family venture with Dr. Mel P. Simon, Lydia S. Simon, Paul R. Simon and Dr. Agnes A. Enrico-Simon as equal owners. Through their hard work the farm is in a constant stage of tranformation. They now run a beef operation raising pure bread registered black angus cows. A team of horses and several goats can also be found roaming the fields.
Extensive work has been done to the grounds to transform the farm into more of an estate. Visitors wil be greeted by entrance monuments, privacy gates and a newly paved drive that extends for over half a mile leading you to the circle in front of the main house.
The main house is a visit back in time as you walk through the 1866 Italianate Revival Mansion that has been extraordinarily decorated in antiques and priceless works of art. This is also the personal residence of Paul R. Simon, Dr. Agnes A. Enrico-Simon and their baby boy, Jacob Paul Simon.
Since the land the farm sits on was originally one of the largest Shawnee Indian settlements, The Simon's have decided to recreate an original Shawnee Indian Village on a bluff over looking the Old Town Creek. Here living historians will share, with visitors to the farm, the way the indians used to live that were once indiginous to this area.
The Simon's feel it is important to share the history of the farm and the area with the local community and visitors from all over. As the farm continues to transform the Simon's will allow more access to the estate for tours, functions and historical reenactments to occur.