By Akilah Frye

Staff writer

A rural landmark in northern Isle of Wight is gone.

The former J.W. Jordan country store on Reynolds Drive in Carrollton was demolished in June after a judge agreed with county officials’ assessment that the long-abandoned structure was unsafe and unfit for habitation.

Circuit Judge Matthew A. Glassman issued his order in April.

The property owner, Noreita W. Burton, was not able to cover the cost of demolition, so in response, the county condemned the property and had it demolished. 

According to the Isle of Wight Historical Society, the store was built in 1848. J.W. Jordan bought the store from J.D. Wails in 1877 and died in 1933, leaving the property to his seven children or their heirs.

“I knew it would be lost, demolished by neglect and a prime target for vandalism,” said Carolyn Keen of the Historical Society. “The history of the J.W. Jordan store history is remarkable and will survive the building.”

Kane Brushwood, son of the property owner, said the county “gave us an ultimatum to either renovate the building or let the county demolish it.”  

“We begrudgingly opted for the latter, as we couldn’t afford to renovate,” he said. “Now the land is for sale, but there has been little to no interest.”