Slate Hill School House in Fort Valley, Virginia

The historic Slate Hill Schoolhouse in Fort Valley started serving local farming families prior to the Civil War. However, the School House had to be rebuilt after a fire in 1871. Many local children attended between 1871 and the closing of the school in 1939. Attendance records from 1904-07 indicate that the children ranged in age from 7 to 18 years old, with a median age of 11.

A thorough renovation was completed in 2013, and the Slate Hill School House is now furnished and equipped to serve as the perfect place for a quiet and restorative getaway. Set in pastoral farmland, you can enjoy views of the ridges of Massanutten Mountain from the porch or the fire pit. From the other side of the house, you may on occasion see horses roaming inside the fences of Glenmont Farm across the way. There are several outdoor recreation options nearby, including many hiking trails in the George Washington National Forest and fishing at Passage Creek.

In the School House living room you'll find a travel display on the wall that includes a folded map of the dozens of hiking trails in the surrounding area. Just five miles south of the School House on Fort Valley Road, you’ll find the Fort Valley Post Office and the Fort Valley Country Store which sells gasoline, extra firewood, and other conveniences, including made-to-order deli sandwiches.

The School House is less than 30 minutes to Front Royal if you travel East on Route 55. And it's less than 30 minutes to Strasburg traveling West on Route 55. The historic districts of each town have restaurants, breweries, and points of interest that you might like to keep in mind for rainy days in particular. Strasburg has one of the biggest antique emporiums in the area.

If you're up for traveling 40 minutes or more, the family might enjoy Shenandoah Caverns. Across from the building entrance to the caverns, you'll find the one-of-a-kind "America on Parade" Museum. It's opened seasonally, and it houses an amazing collection of huge floats from major parades such as presidential inaugurals and the Pasadena Rose Parade. Within 30-45 minutes there are several sites for Civil War buffs, including the Cedar Creek Battlefield, Hupp's Hill, and Belle Grove. Also about 40 minutes away are the historic towns of Edinburg and Woodstock. The Edinburg Mill houses numerous collections on several levels that inform on life in the Shenandoah Valley during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

A couple of notes for potential guests:
Sprint and AT&T have cell signals in Fort Valley, but if your cell provider is Verizon, you will not get a good signal, or any signal at all. You'll want to connect your phone to the WiFi at the house.
You'll notice from the reservation schedule that Monday and Tuesday nights are always blocked off. This is to accommodate the cleaning schedule. However, if you wish to extend a weekend stay to include a Monday night, that can usually be easily arranged. Simply inquire.
Enjoy a Shenandoah Schoolhouse Stay!