Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 04/21/1987
NRHP Listing Date 01/19/1989
NRHP Reference Number 88003204
Set in the mountains west of Lexington, this former resort was once one of Virginia’s most noted antebellum spa complexes. In its heyday Rockbridge Alum ranked second only to the White Sulphur Springs in Montgomery County in prestige and popularity. The mineral spring itself is at the base of a cliff and is housed in a columned pavilion topped by a statue of Hygeia (pictured above). The original complex, consisting of a central hotel flanked by cottages and service buildings, has mostly disappeared. At the time of its listing in the registers in the late 1980s, the owner restored four original buildings and the spring pavilion. In their pastoral wilderness setting, they form a nostalgic image of a happy and active place. The springs were originally developed by Alexander Campbell. Most of the buildings of the formerly thirty-six-building complex, were erected after 1852 by John W. Frazier.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: December 10, 2021
