A solar-powered 1932 schoolhouse on 50 acres of farm & forest— huge original windows, hardwood floors, two ponds with a dock, and a kitchen stocked like it means it. Three bedrooms, two colorful bathrooms, sleeps six. Fireplace. Private hiking trails through the woods, a gas fire pit, and charcoal grill. Fast fiber internet. EV charger. Hidden and private, but 2 minutes from Devils Backbone and right in the heart of the 151 Brew Ridge Trail. An honest-to-goodness one of a kind. Come see it.
This is a one-of-a-kind. The historic Rosenwald-style schoolhouse at Spindle Hill Farm sits at the center of a 50-acre working farm in the heart of Nelson County — solar powered, pond-fed, and unlike anything else you'll find on here. We are the fourth private owner since the school closed, and we've tried to be exceptional stewards of its history: the original enormous window bank, the hardwood floors, and the bones of the building are all intact. What we've added is color, art, comfort, and a kitchen that means business.
It's our beloved family home, and we're excited to share it.
THE GREAT ROOM
The original schoolhouse windows flood the great room with extraordinary light and frame views of two creek-fed ponds and the Blue Ridge Mountains beyond. It's a genuinely stunning space. Hardwood floors from the original construction, original art, locally sourced antiques, a large comfortable sofa, and a dining table that seats 8-10. Built-in bookshelves hold board games, puzzles, and books for children and adults — including a collection of local history and nature guides.
THE KITCHEN: small but mighty!
Incorporated into the great room and stocked like it means it. LG induction stove with convection oven, Bosch dishwasher, full-size fridge, microwave. Drip machine, grinder, French press, and Chemex for coffee. Blender, food processor, rice cooker, and — yes — a tortilla press. China, table linens, pottery, pans for every shape of cake, casseroles galore. Our local wine shop will build you a gourmet meal around exactly the right bottle — pick it up on your way home to the porch.
THE BEDROOMS
Three bedrooms sleep six, with real privacy between them.
The primary bedroom has an organic latex queen bed, an antique chest of drawers, and a large en-suite bathroom with a separate soaking tub and shower.
The pink bedroom is so lovely — windows on two sides, a comfortable double bed, a generous desk for anyone who needs to sneak in some work, and a large closet stocked with yoga and PT supplies. The vibrant teal hall bathroom is right next door, with a tub and shower.
The third bedroom is papered in 1930s wallpaper and has a very comfortable latex Murphy bed — a beautiful, characterful room that’s set a bit apart from the others.
OEKO-tex certified European linen and organic cotton sheets throughout. Environmentally conscious bath and cleaning products. Sustainable paper goods. Pure, delicious well water — leave the bottled water at home. Portable Baby Björn crib available on request.
OUTSIDE
Two creek-fed ponds — one with its own dock for swimming, sunning, and jumping. Inner tubes and balance kayaks provided. A covered porch with outdoor dining and an outdoor shower for post-swim rinses. A large patio has comfortable seating for six, loungers, a gas fire pit, a charcoal grill, and a small outdoor bar area. The grill and bar area are covered by the shed roof, so you can grill in any weather.
You’ll have fifty acres to roam. Dad has built marked hiking trails through the woods, and a gentle mown path circles the hayfield. The farm road connects directly to 5+ miles of the flat neighborhood trails which are our neighborhood treasure. They wind along the creeks and river on our corner of the Rockfish Valley. The only houses on our road belong to the farm — despite being minutes from everything, we are exceptionally privately located.
The goats and hens are up the hill. Come visit. Coordinate with Elise and she'll let you feed them.
THE DETAILS
Fast fiber internet for the work-from-farm dream. Amazon Fire TV. Bluetooth surround-sound stereo. Full laundry. Mudroom. Electricity provided by solar panels in the adjacent hay field.
A curated micro-store up the hill carries farm products, art, pottery, and textiles. Elise is happy to give you a tour of her studio— just ask!
This is a historic schoolhouse and a beloved family home. We try to be exceptional stewards of it, and we hope you will too.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Devils Backbone is 2 minutes away. Blue Toad Cidery is 3. The Blue Ridge Parkway is 8 minutes. Shenandoah National Park is 25. Our Saturday farmer's market is wonderful. Before you arrive, we'll send our locally curated guide to All The Best Things — little-known hikes, nearly-unknown treasures, honest neighborhood recommendations.
A guest recently told me it was the best Google Doc she'd ever read.
BY CAR:
Devils Backbone Brewery: 2 min
Blue Toad Cidery: 3 min
Bold Rock Cidery: 4 min
Caihailian Vineyard: 5 min
Three-Notch'd Brewery & Distillery: 6 min
Nellysford (grocery, restaurants): 7 min
Blue Ridge Parkway & Appalachian Trail: 8 min
Hilltop Berry Winery: 10 min
Wintergreen Resort: 10 min
Silverback Distillery: 13 min
Blue Mountain Brewery: 15 min
Wild Man Dan Microbrewery: 15 min
Veritas Vineyard: 20 min
Afton Mountain Vineyard: 22 min
Hazy Mountain Vineyard: 22 min
Flying Fox Winery: 23 min
Skyline Drive / Shenandoah National Park: 30 min
SPINDLE HILL FARM
If you have children, they might enjoy walking up the hill to visit our colorful hens. Our miniature goats are easily accessible from the Schoolhouse— their paddock is a bit up the hill.
EV CHARGING
A NEMA 14-50 plug and J1772 EV charger are available for guest use. We also use the charger (it’s connected to the farm’s solar panels) so we may be in touch to coordinate charging our EV.
WALKING & HIKING
My father has been building lovely trails through our acres of woods, and they are clearly marked. We also have an easy-to-walk mown path around our hay field with splendid mountain views. Our neighborhood also has wonderful system of flat walking trails, following the Rockfish River and its streams, which are accessible by foot.
ART STUDIO TOURS
Elise's art studio is up the hill, and includes a small store with her current ceramics and paintings, open by request.
You'll have a private view and plenty of space, but Elise and Preston live in the farm house a short walk up the hill if you should need anything, and we’re quick to respond to texts & messages.
This listing, and our home, is a safe space for people from all minority and marginalized groups. We welcome guests of all races, faiths, genders, and sexual orientations.
Learn more about our neighborhood here.
HEATING & COOLING
The Schoolhouse is air-conditioned and heated by mini-splits. The gas fireplace serves as an additional heat source in the winter— it heats very efficiently, and cannot be left on if the house is empty. The master bathroom’s bathtub can take a while to heat up. We recommend using the tub in the smaller bathroom.
MOBILE COVERAGE & INTERNET
We cannot promise that your cell carrier will cover you here. Most do, though. Please be aware of your plan’s coverage. The School House does have VERY high speed fiber internet— it’s great for remote working. If you're booking last minute, know that we do keep the calendar up-to-date, so you can trust the availability you see here.
DEVIL'S BACKBONE
Devil’s Backbone Brewery, which is an easy half-mile walk away, occasionally hosts live music events. Weekend guests may hear live music from the brewery while in our property (often from well known bands). Most guests love this, but if you want silence, you might check their event schedule online. Conversely, if you're too cheap to buy tickets, you can see some great acts from our dirt road!
IDEAL GUESTS
Our most satisfied guests seem to be couples, small groups of friends, or families. Please be aware the Schoolhouse is just that-- a converted 1932 School House. It has quirks! Those seeking suburban accommodations will perhaps be happier at the ski resort. But those seeking stylish simplicity & quiet will be very happy here— this is a reader’s cottage. It's truly a uniquely lovely space on a beloved piece of property.
WILDLIFE
We live in the mountains, and humans are the minority species here! Urban dwellers may be surprised to see some insects inside, depending on the season. We vacuum these bugs away, and a lightweight vacuum is provided for guests to do the same. We do set traps and use targeted sprays, but at certain times, especially in the spring and fall, lady bugs and stink bugs are impossible to fully eliminate, despite our best efforts.
