November 2003

Backyard Vacations

Historic inns nearby make a short vacation jaunt as convenient as your backyardÑand more fun

by Robyn Klesath Robertson

Remember when all it took was a pup tent in the backyard to bring on a mixture of excitement, adventure and contentment? Now imagine going back in time, recapturing bygone days of childhood while enjoying a few adult amenitiesÑin your backyard.

If you relish the idea of getting away but don’t have the time or energy to make it happen, then consider the following local vacation destinations. Some you may know and some may surprise you, but one thing is certain: these unique retreats can provide you with a welcome respite and a dose of backyard telemetry.

The Boxwood Inn

Built in the late 1890s, The Boxwood Inn is the only bed and breakfast located in Newport News. The original owner was Simon “the boss man” Curtis of Warwick County, a turn-of-the-century tax assessor, tax collector and treasurer. He also ran the hardware store, grocery store, freight office and post office. Upon retirement, his sons brought in the area’s first Ford dealership and service garageÑand then turned the upstairs bedrooms of their home into a hotel for Camp Eustis officers during World War I and World War II.

One hundred years after it was built, the house fell into disrepair and was condemned. If not for the efforts of Bob and Barbara Lucas, a retired Air Force couple, the dwelling would have been torn down and rebuilt as a Burger King. In a labor of love, the Lucases renovated the dilapidated property and became only its third owners in 107 years.

It took the Lucases two years to finish renovations and move into this 10,000-square foot home, which opened in 1998 as The Boxwood Inn, bed and breakfast. Barbara Lucas describes the house as “very plantation style with a center hallway, four rooms downstairs and four rooms upstairs.” Situated on two acres, the inn boasts 14-foot ceilings, and has all the original hardware, glass and flooring.

While busy season is typically summertime, the inn also does an exceptional wintertime businessÑand you don’t even need to spend the night to enjoy the fun.

“Last year we had 27 bus tours come through the home,” says Barbara. “We run a special called the Dickens Dinner where we turn the clock back to the Victorian era every night of the week. We have costumed carolers, we offer an authentic wassail toast and we serve a festive Christmas dinner with Olde English roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.”

For the rest of this story, you can order the November 2003 issue of Hampton Roads Monthly magazine.