West Virginia Dept. of Highways v. Sickles

Neely, Justice:

Warren and Birdie Sickles owned a 29-acre farm in Monongalia County. About 1952 they had built a residence, barn, and other outbuildings on this property where they raised cattle and thoroughbred Togganburg goats. The residence was a one and one-half story house with four rooms, a bath, and basement. Most of the land was cleared, part of it was wooded, and like most West Virginia land, it was divided between hillside and flat land. The property fronted for a distance of 1700 feet on Aarons Creek Road, approximately two miles from the City of Morgantown.

In April 1971, the State…