Beauchamp - Newman Museum

The Beauchamp-Newman Museum, long known as the "Old Red Brick" is the oldest brick building in Elizabeth. It was built around 1835-40, by Alfred Beauchamp, grandson of the first settler in this area, William Beauchamp. The bricks were made by slaves during that era from local clay deposits on his land.

On January 19, 1848 Alfred Beauchamp was honored by the Virginia Assembly in a bill creating Wirt County from Wood and Jackson Counties. The county was named for author and political leader, William Wirt. Elizabeth was named the county seat for his wife.

On May 23, 1848, the first Wirt County Court convened at the Beauchamp home.

On April 4, 1848, the first Circuit Court convened there. The first Wirt County Bar was instituted at that meeting. Arthur I. Boreman, obtained permission to practice law in the commonwealth of Virginia. In 1863, Boreman became the first Governor of the State of West Virginia.