Vine Forest, also known as Forest Oaks, Forest Tavern, and The Inn at Forest Oaks is a historic home located near

Natural Bridge A natural arch, natural bridge, or (less commonly) rock arch is a natural landform where an arch has formed with an opening underneath. Natural arches commonly form where inland cliffs, coastal cliffs, fins or stacks are subject to erosion fr ...

Rockbridge County, Virginia Rockbridge County is a county in the Shenandoah Valley on the western edge of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,650. Its county seat is the city of Lexington. Rockbridge County completely surrounds the ...

. The original section was built in 1806 by Matthew Houston, the cousin of famous Texan,

Sam Houston Samuel Houston (, ; March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general and statesman who played an important role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two i ...

. The original house served as a store, tavern, and home for the Houston family, the primary dwelling on their sprawling plantation. In 1812, Houston expanded the house with substantial

Colonial Revival The Colonial Revival architectural style seeks to revive elements of American colonial architecture. The beginnings of the Colonial Revival style are often attributed to the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, which reawakened Americans to the archi ...

additions, adding a two-story center hall with a full arched ceiling, reminiscent of the nearby

. Surviving the ravages of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, the house stood virtually unchanged over the following century. In 1916, the property was purchased by Ohio architect Curtis Walton and his aunt Lilly who transformed the original federal style structure into an English country manor reminiscent of Lilly's British ancestry. The two-story center hall remained, however the original arched ceiling was removed and replaced with stunning oak woodwork and arches salvaged from an English estate. Two-story frame wings and a two-story rear

verandah A veranda or verandah is a roofed, open-air gallery or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front and sides of the structure. Although the form ''veran ...

were also added. In addition, the Walton's built three Greek revival cottages on the property. an
''Accompanying photo''
/ref> The largest
Vine Cottage
served as a temporary home as the Manor House was being renovated. Vine Forest was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1987.

The Inn at Forest Oaks

In 2011, the estate was purchased by Chris Walker and Cliff DeVito who began the long labor-of-love to restore the property to its former grandeur. In 2017
The Inn at Forest Oaks
newly restored, opened to the general public. Operating as a bed and breakfast, the Inn offers 6 private guest rooms, gourmet breakfast, library, billiards, and onsite bakery and antique shop. The Vine Cottage is also offered as a vacation rental on the property.

References

Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia Federal architecture in Virginia Colonial Revival architecture in Virginia Houses completed in 1806 Houses in Rockbridge County, Virginia National Register of Historic Places in Rockbridge County, Virginia U.S. Route 11 1806 establishments in Virginia {{RockbridgeCountyVA-NRHP-stub