Echoes of the Past: A Blackburn Tour
Every building tells a story—but few have stories as layered as The Blackburn Inn & Conference Center. We invite locals and visitors for a behind-the-scenes tour of our historic property. This guided experience peels back the layers of The Blackburn’s past.
Every building tells a story—but few have stories as layered as The Blackburn Inn & Conference Center. We invite locals and visitors for a behind-the-scenes tour of our historic property. This guided experience peels back the layers of The Blackburn’s past.
This isn’t your average hotel tour. You’ll walk through halls that once echoed with the footsteps of patients and prisoners, craftsmen and caretakers. Along the way, you’ll hear how this retreat-style mental health facility evolved from Thomas Blackburn’s 1825 architectural masterpiece into the reimagined boutique inn you know today.
The tour begins at the main building, where you’ll learn about the Greek Revival architecture and design legacy of Blackburn himself, a protégé of Thomas Jefferson. Next, we will explore one of the unrenovated buildings, the Trades Building. Here generations of patients and prisoners learned skilled trades like tiling and woodworking.
Tour Details:
- Saturdays beginning June 7
- 1:30-2:15 pm
- Meet in the hotel library
- $35 per person
- Solid sole shoes recommended (boots or sneakers). Buildings can be cooler inside, so dress in layers. Masks will be provided.
Make a Weekend of it at The Blackburn
Turn your tour into a weekend getaway by exploring all that Staunton has to offer—from historic landmarks to culinary gems and cultural treasures.
Begin your Saturday at Second Draft Bistro, located right inside The Blackburn Inn. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast (served until 11 a.m.) in the sun-drenched dining room or out on the garden patio. Then, take a morning stroll through our tranquil, tree-lined grounds.
Explore Staunton's Historic Gems
Staunton is a history lover’s dream. While you're in town, don’t miss:
- Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Included free with our Queen City Package, this museum offers insight into the life and legacy of the 28th president, born right here in Staunton.
- Frontier Culture Museum
Engage with costumed interpreters as you explore the lives and customs of Virginia's Native American tribes, early European settlers, and the enslaved Africans brought to the British colonies.
- Historic Walking Tours
Join a free guided Saturday stroll through four of Staunton’s historic districts and explore the city’s architectural and cultural evolution—from Beverley’s Mill Place to a bustling 19th- and 20th-century hub.
Return and Unwind
After your tour, come back to The Blackburn for some well-deserved relaxation. Unplug in the library where your experience began, book a spa service, or sip wine on the patio as the sun dips behind the hills.
Whether you’re a history buff, a lover of architecture, a life-long learner, Echoes of the Past offers more than just facts—it offers perspective.
Come walk the halls where history happened—and where stories continue to unfold.