The Lafayette Hotel

Built in 1840, The Lafayette on Main Street in Stanardsville, Virginia has had a long and rich history. The hotel was built by William Lafayette Pritchett to accommodate the numerous travelers that streamed through Stanardsville. The Lafayette is directly adjacent to the Spotswood Trail, now U.S. Route 33. Stanardsville was the last stop for stagecoaches and other travelers who headed across the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Shenandoah Valley.  Immediately adjacent to the hotel is a separate two-story building designed in the early 19th century for slaves, which is still standing today. The Lafayette continued as a hotel until the turn of the century, except for a brief time during the Civil War when the building was used as a hospital to house wounded soldiers. Around the turn of the century The Lafayette changed ownership and became a boardinghouse for area teachers and traveling salesmen.

In addition to offering a place to sleep The Lafayette boasted a second floor ballroom for recreating and a store on the first floor to re-supply travelers. The Lafayette also housed a milliner's shop and the first telephone exchange in Stanardsville.