Our Story

Now in Our Fourth Century!

Established in 1728, the Red Fox Inn and Tavern stands at the crossroads of Middleburg, Virginia, a historic village in the foothills of the Blue Ridge and Bull Run mountains. Situated in a valley steeped in the lore of both the Revolutionary and the Civil Wars, the Red Fox Inn and Tavern carries on traditions of days past by providing locals and travelers with a timeless setting. Here they can gather in the village, and enjoy hearty meals and rich conversation while experiencing the allure of the 18th century.

Throughout the years, the Inn has been used for numerous notable events and remains a popular destination for anyone seeking a romantic hideaway in the heart of Hunt Country. The J.E.B. Stuart Room once served as the stage for a rare press conference by President Kennedy and as a meeting room for hopeful Democrats hosted by Ambassador Pamela Harriman, a local foxhunting resident. Elizabeth Taylor often graced the Tap Room both during the courtship and after her marriage to a local gentleman, Senator John Warner. The lovely and kind Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis frequently stayed at the Inn during foxhunting holidays each fall.

Over the past four decades, the Red Fox Inn and Tavern has been owned and operated by three generations of the Reuter family. Currently managed by Matilda Reuter and Jonathan Engle, the couple took over operations in 2008. Combining their passions for regional history, local food and attentive customer service, they enjoy welcoming friends and guests to the Inn and Tavern.

Join us today for a taste of the Piedmont in a true Virginia landmark.

Timeline

1728
Joseph Chinn built a tavern out of the local fieldstone at the halfway point between Alexandria, Virginia, and the frontier town of Winchester, Virginia, along what is today known as the John Mosby Highway. Chinn’s Ordinary, as it came to be called, soon became a popular stopping point for weary traveling colonists.
Circa 1748
An enthusiastic young surveyor named George Washington visited Chinn’s Ordinary.
Revolutionary War - 1775 to 1783
Both young colonists with visions of independence and smartly uniformed British soldiers were invited to forget battles while sheltered within the buildings 30-inch stonewalls.
1787
Chinn’s Crossroads and fifty acres were sold to the newly chartered town of Middleburg for $2.50 an acre. Middleburg, so-named because it was a day’s ride by coach or on horseback from Alexandria and another day’s ride from Winchester in the Shenandoah Valley, provided the overnight resting stop for travelers making the 70-mile journey. While Middleburg prospered and grew in reputation as the nation’s foremost area for foxhunting, Thoroughbred breeding, and horse racing, Chinn’s Ordinary remained the focal point for the area’s social and economic activities.
1812
Chinn’s Ordinary was christened the Beveridge House. It was enlarged to 35 rooms and an extensive new wine cellar was added.
Civil War - 1861 to 1865
The Beveridge House was often used by the Confederates. Most notably, it was where General Jeb Stuart met with Colonel John Mosby and his famous Mounted Rangers. And at the beginning of the Gettysburg campaign, as fierce cavalry battles raged around Middleburg, the Inn served as both headquarters and as a hospital for the Confederates. While strategy was planned upstairs in what today is the Jeb Stuart Room, wounded soldiers were cared for in the tavern rooms below. The pine service bar, currently in use in the Tap Room, was made from the field-operating table used by an Army surgeon who served with General Stuart’s cavalry.
1887
The Beveridge House was renamed the Middleburg Inn, and continued offering fine food and accommodations in the best Virginia tradition.
1937
A local citizen saved the venerable building from the wrecking ball and renamed it the Red Fox Inn. The historic structure was remodeled with the help of a then-young local architect, William Dew.
1976
Purchased by Nancy Reuter, the Red Fox was transformed into the successful inn and tavern it is today.