Our historic, fully furnished farmhouse is available for
vacation rental to families, vacationers, hunters, and fishermen.
Located in the midst of the Jefferson National Forest in
beautiful Botetourt County, Virginia, the area offers remoteness,
lots of wildlife, a pristine mountain river loaded with
fish, miles of hiking
trails, and an abandoned rail bed for biking. The land
on which the house is located has been in the Surber family
for five generations. In the early 20th century the Craig
Valley steam train traveled through the area, hauling iron
ore, passengers, mail, and other goods. Surber was a whistlestop
station on the Craig Valley line, and the little post office
was located in the house for a time.
Staying here is like a trip back in time. Furnishings are
mostly from the 1920s and 1930s, including a working 1930s
wood cookstove in the kitchen. (There is also a vintage
electric stove.)
The house has four bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. The downstairs
master bedroom, with an antique iron double bed, is the
lower floor of the original log cabin and is decorated in
primitive cabin style. It contains a gas fireplace. The
upstairs bedroom of the original log house features an alcove
queen bed complete with bed curtains. A second upstairs
bedroom, completely paneled from floor to ceiling in original
wood planking, has two double beds. The third upstairs bedroom
has a double bed. The upstairs full bath has a walk-in shower,
and the downstairs full bath has an old-time footed slipper
tub, great for a relaxing soak. There is also a cute half-bath
under the stairway.
The comfortable parlor (living room) is equipped with a
second gas-log fireplace and a DVD/VCR and CD player, along
with a library of movies. The dining room/library seats
8 comfortably.
For those with laptops wantng to get e-mail or browse the
internet, we have a dial-up Wi-Fi internet connection. Signal
strength is excellent in the kitchen, dining room and the
bedroom suite located above the kitchen.
Outside in the old wellhouse is a unique outdoor shower
with hot and cold water. (The original functioning outhouse
is also available, for those who REALLY want the "back in
time" experience!)
Several bicycles, two Grumman canoes, and numerous inner
tubes for floating are available for use. Firepits provide
a place for stargazing and marshmallow roasting, and singing
silly songs. Plenty of camping space is also available,
for groups in which some people want to camp and others
want to sleep in a comfortable bed. A very friendly and
helpful retired couple live in a second house on the property
and take care of the place. They are available if anything
is needed. Other neighbors are a half-mile away. (The owners
live down the old rail bed about a half mile.)
