Location: Oriskany, Virginia, USA (45 Minutes from Roanoke, 15 Miles from Route 220)
Accommodations: Farmhouse, 4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths (Sleeps 10)
For a real back-in-time experience, stay at Olde Surber Station, a 19th-century restored mountain farmhouse on scenic Craig Creek. Located on 90 acres in the midst of the Jefferson National Forest in Botetourt County, Virginia, Olde Surber Station offers remoteness, lots of wildlife, a pristine mountain river great for swimming, tubing, or canoeing and loaded with fish, miles of hiking trails just for you, and an abandoned rail bed for biking.
In the early 20th century a steam train traveled through the area, hauling iron ore, passengers, mail, and other goods. Surber was a whistle stop station on the old rail line, hence the name Olde Surber Station.
Furnishings are mostly from the early 1900s, including a working 1930s wood cookstove in the large, eat-in kitchen. (There is also a vintage electric stove from the 1940s.)
Four spacious bedrooms provide sleeping space for 10 people. The downstairs master bedroom, with a comfy antique iron double bed, is the lower floor of the original 1860s log cabin and is decorated in primitive country style. It contains a gas log 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 stand-up shower, and the downstairs full bath has a old-time slipper tub, great for a relaxing soak. There is also a cute half-bath under the stairway.
The house also has a comfortable parlor (living room) with a second gas-log fireplace and a DVD/VCR and CD player. The dining room/library seats 8 comfortably. 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. Fire pits provide a place for stargazing and marshmallow roasting, and singing silly songs.
A retired couple live in a second house on the property and help to caretake 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 quarter mile.) Craig Creek access is about 150 yards from the house. The owners' creek camp, about 1/4 mile down the railroad bed, is also available for day use, with a beach, lawn area, shelter and firepit.
The owners have intended for Olde Surber Station to provide a rustic, remote place for folks to get back to nature. This is not a place for those looking for lots of modern conveniences, like air-conditioning, dishwashers and satellite TV! But if you're looking for wilderness, wildlife, clean air and water, beautiful mountain views, and LOTS of peace and quiet, this might be your place.
Kids and well-behaved pets are welcome. Even though the house is filled with antiques, this is a house to be lived in, not a place where you’re afraid to put your feet up!
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Air Conditioning: window units
- Washer
- Dryer
- Linens Provided
- Parking for RV/Boat/Trailer
- Gas Fireplace (2)
- Wood Stove
- Beds
- Queen Bed
- Double Bed (4)
- Entertainment
- DVD
- Video Library
- CD Player
- Music Library
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen
- Cooking Utensils Provided
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Catering Available
- Outdoor Features
- Charcoal BBQ Grill
- Deck/Patio
- View/Location
- Waterfront, not Lake/Oceanfront. Ask for details
- Mountain View
- Communications
- Telephone
- Suitability
- Pet Friendly: Well-behaved pets allowed with owner approval.
- Kid Friendly
- Minimum Age Limit for Renters
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities (on site and nearby)
- Sightseeing
- Boating
- Swimming
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Hunting
- Rock Climbing
- Other Activities
- canoeing, fly fishing, four-wheeling
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
$95/night or $575/week for 4 people.. .. Two-night minimum
$10/night ea additional person or pet. Kids under 17 free.
One-time $20 cleaning fee.
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
Property Photos
- Olde Surber Station view of back porch and stone chimney - Virginia Vacation Rental
- Spacious country kitchen - Virginia Vacation Rental
- bathroom with footed slipper tub - Virginia Vacation Rental
- downstairs log bedroom
- Pristine Craig Creek is ideal for tubing, swimming, fishing, canoeing
Guest Comments (20)
First (10) of (20). View all comments
Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #143738
There have been 11941 visitors to this page since the counter was last reset in 2007.
This listing was first published here in 2007.
Date last modified - October 07, 2009
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kenneth blevins , roanoke,va.
Homeowner Response:
Thanks, Kenneth. We enjoyed having your group, and hope to see you again soon! Carol
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Dennis A. Cooley , Lynchburg, VA
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Jessica , Marion, SC
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Thank you for the experience of a lifetime! Surber Station is a beautiful home! You have done a great job decorating and preserving Surber. Thank you again. We had a wonderful stress free weekend! P.S. Loved the books! Especially Robert Frost's poetry!
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I thank God for you both. Thank you for letting us "take over" the Olde Surber Station. Truly God is here in the quiet of the morn! I pray that He would bless you with His presence and bring you both ever closer to Him.
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A good comfortable historic home beautifully restored. And not a museum. A real living house where it is lovely to live. The charm of "travel time" works perfectly. Congratulations for the absence of TV and dishwasher, both noisy disturbances.
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Being a Botetourt native now transplanted to Quebec, Canada, it's been really special to come back to my roots. ____ and I left 1 foot of SNOW behind so you can imagine how the warm weather (up in the 80s some afternoons) and all these glorious spring flowers have uplifted our spirits... so much beauty all around!! Of course, your homeplace is a real gem and we've loved living here this week doing things we like the best: Day #1 - biking the old rail bed as far as we could. Day #2: canoeing with you two...the greatest of guides. Day #3: Hiking Roaring Run and the Iron Ore Trail. ... Wow, what more could one wish for?
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Thank you so much for the wonderful stay. We couldn't have had a better time. Our time here was like a little piece of heaven.
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Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful homeplace! Staying here brought back so many childhood memories of staying at "Grandma's". Picking bluegrass music in the old cabin room was a special treat. We love what you have done to preserve this piece of history! We are looking forward to future stays at Surber Station.
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Your hard work and attention to detail in restoring Surber Station have made this a super vacation spot. For 31 years I've been coming to the area--this is the best visit ever. The forests have never been prettier or our hunt more enjoyable. What great people you are!