Boxwood Farm - Bath County, VA

Virginia is home to thousands of fabulous old properties, many with a deep and interesting history. Boxwood Farm in Bath County, near the Homestead, nestled in the mountains, is one shining example.  People came to Bath County for the famous springs, at Warm Springs and at Hot Springs, and the Homestead was built in the region as so many people were attracted to the area, for "the cure."  All of that for another day. 

The McDannald family built the original Boxwood homestead and had a son who later operated The Warm Springs Hotel, Warm Springs Pools and formed the company that built the toll road over Warm Springs Mountain and down the valley to Hot Springs.  The only remaining Toll House still stands where the old road enters Boxwood's meadows.  Dry stack stone walls line the old carriage path in front of Boxwood.

In 1830, the two story log home was covered with clapboard and a wing was added to either side.  Boxwoods were planted that gave rise to the farm's name.  In 1890 the Ingalls family purchased the house (the Ingalls purchased both the Warm Springs and Hot Springs locations and the hotel in Hot Springs and they brought the railroad to Hot Springs and built The Homestead as we know it today).

Huntington Hartford purchased the house from the Ingalls' family for his bride, Mary Pickford, the movie star and she later married Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Boxwood became one of their homes.

The farm today sits on 43 fenced acres and has an additional 20 acres of woods behind it leading to the George Washington National Forest.  A spring exists behind the house.  If the walls of Boxwood could only talk!  The stories she might tell.

The house is for sale for $2.4M and also boasts a guest cottage, a stable with a five room apartment upstairs.  Would make a lovely "hunt box" don't you think?  What a lovely example of an old country farm that has been lovingly restored and cared for through the years. Anyone interested?