Mountain View Cottage Tourist Home

"Though only listed for three years, the Cottage’s inclusion in this state and national network signals its presence in more rural settings, as well as the tourist industry’s draw to Rockbridge County’s namesake icon. Tourist amenities at the Bridge were nationally advertised in mid-20th century, before and after the catastrophic fire that destroyed the iconic Natural Bridge Hotel. The large hotel segregated access and provisions for its “white” and “colored” guests. But attention to Mountain View Cottage’s welcoming of African-American lodgers opens another vital chapter in chronicling four-century tradition of Visiting Natural Bridge: stretching back to the ownership of Thomas Jefferson, and his free black caretaker at the Bridge, Patrick Henry (for a recap of RHS memorable joint program on this topic in 2015, see our website’s RHS Newsletter Archive).

 

NOTE on the above: the property was listed from 1939 - 1941 and 1946 - 1949, 7 years, not 3.