Greetings my fellow history buffs! I'm so glad that you decided to stop by my blog again this week, because it's time for us to explore another historic site together--Hooray! Only this week I'm taking you on a journey to a not-so-obvious landmark. Somewhere hundreds of people walk past every single day without ever noticing its historic significance. In fact, this historic site isn't a notable battlefield or an active museum--it's actually a present day restaurant and inn! I found my tour of this unlikely historic site to be incredibly impressive, and I'm so excited to share it with all of you. So enough with the introduction, let's start the tour.
The historic Red Fox Inn & Tavern is located in the charming town of Middleburg, Virginia. Built in 1728 of local fieldstone, the tavern was constructed in Middleburg due to its strategic location halfway between Alexandria and Winchester. Its ideal location meant that the tavern quickly became a popular stopping point for travelers, including a young surveyor at the time by the name of George Washington.
But the tavern's historical significance certainly doesn't stop there. As the American Civil War swept across the country and divided the states, the conflict came right to the tavern's doorstep. As the fighting in and around Middleburg intensified in the spring and early summer of 1863, the tavern was used as a military headquarters. In the room pictured above, Confederate General JEB Stuart met and discussed critical battle strategies with Confederate Colonel John S. Mosby.
But while General Stuart and Colonel Mosby conducted important conversations in the upstairs quarters of the Red Fox Tavern, downstairs the building was converted into a Civil War hospital. In the photo pictured above (now a part of the modern restaurant area of the tavern) the bar top counter I'm standing next to is actually original to when the tavern was a Civil War hospital. The bar top was used as an operating table for the numerous arm and leg amputations that were performed at the tavern.
But the Red Fox Tavern's vast and notable history truly does travel across centuries. As the town of Middleburg continued to grow and prosper throughout the 20th century, the area soon became a scenic and sought-after destination, famous for its rich culture and prestigious fox hunting. President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jackie Kennedy visited the Middleburg area regularly. Jackie quickly became a frequent overnight guest at the Red Fox Inn & Tavern, and President Kennedy even held a press conference in the room pictured above.
In fact, the Kennedys loved the Middleburg area so much, they decided to build a home here. A quick drive beyond the Red Fox Tavern through the outskirts of town reveals an estate which Jackie Kennedy named "Wexford." The Kennedys loved spending their weekends here, and Jackie fondly referred to it as the only home that she and President Kennedy ever built together. After President Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963, however, Jackie sold the home and property. Because the home is privately owned today, I was only able to view Wexford from the gate (as seen in the picture I took above). But it was still fun to drive by and imagine when the Kennedys once lived here.
But now, back to the Red Fox Tavern. Although Jackie sold the Wexford estate after President Kennedy's death, Jackie (an avid lover of horses) still frequented Middleburg to attend fox hunting events and festivities. And every time Jackie came to Middleburg, she always stayed at the Red Fox Inn & Tavern.
Once, Jackie wrote an affectionate note of gratitude to the owner of the Red Fox, which (like me) you can get a copy of when you visit the tavern today. "You have the coziest, most enchanting house in Virginia," Jackie wrote. "It just exudes happiness, all the warmth and loving care that went into making such a home. I feel very grateful. Thank you more than I can possibly express," Jackie penned on a piece of the tavern's stationary.
Indeed, the Red Fox Inn & Tavern has been a silent witness to literally centuries of American history. From its very rooms have echoed countless important conversations that have changed the course of history, and on its very floors have walked the likes of George Washington, JEB Stuart, Jackie Kennedy--and even Hollywood icons such as Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, and Robert Duvall.
Each room in the Red Fox tells a story from the past, and the building itself is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Still an active restaurant and inn, today the Red Fox invites us inside to make our own memories, while still tempting us to imagine the memories of times gone by. So don't forget to take a walk through the next time you find yourselves in Middleburg, my friends, and if you decide to stay for lunch, don't forget to order their sweet potato french fries--on my recommendation, of course :)