History of Stonewall Jackson Inn

The Stonewall Jackson Inn is a restored mansion (circa 1885) that is unique to the Shenandoah Valley. While lodging at the Inn provides the feeling of a historic Civil War-era home, the design and materials are unlike any other Harrisonburg, Virginia bed and breakfast. Two architects from Boston (Richardson and Emerson) creatively adapted the traditional Queen Anne architecture to a stone-and-shingled New England cottage style. Thus, our Inn looks and feels like an old summer coastal home at Newport or Bar Harbor. The Mansion stands on two acres, landscaped with rose bushes, flowerbeds, and the old horse and carriage barn to complete the picturesque sight.

Just who the Inn’s builder was is obscure, but it is believed to have been a New England sea captain who moved to the area after marrying a valley debutante. Built into the mansion were techniques of construction familiar to the shipyards of the time: voice tubes for communication, distinctive beam structure, and separate family and servant living quarters and staircases. Also of note, the stairways and doors were made wide to accommodate the hoop skirts of guests entering from their carriage. Indeed, the building was constructed to entertain on a grand scale.