The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast

Downtown Dining in Lynchburg

2009-12-31T12:07:00.010-05:00

We are very fortunate to live just blocks from the historic downtown area of Lynchburg. There is much to see and do and if you love architecture this is the place to explore. Having great food and being able to enjoy it in one of our historic buildings is what locals and especially our guests look forward to as they explore the many great eating places downtown has to offer.

We created the map below for our guests but hope the many locals that read our blog will use to explore the different cuisines that our downtown eateries have to offer. My goal in January is to write a review on each of the restaurants that are featured on this map. Many people start the new year with a resolution to eat less and exercise more, but if I'm going to make my goal of reviewing all of these restaurants then I need to really exercise a lot since I won't be eating less.

If you have a favorite restaurant that is not listed on the map (and is not a chain restaurant) and is easily accessible to the Downtown area, then let me know so I can try it out and perhaps put it on our map.

At the bottom of the map, click " View Dining in Lynchburg-Downtown and surrounding area in a larger map" to get a full screen view of the map or click above.

Happy New Year to all.

Kathy and Mike, Innkeepers
The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast

View Dining in Lynchburg-Downtown and surrounding area in a larger map

Ice Sculptures

2009-12-13T11:22:00.009-05:00

It rained last week and then it turned cold. Not surprising, this is December. Yesterday morning I grabbed my camera and walked the three blocks to the trails at Black Water Creek to see what ice sculptures mother nature created the night before.

Guests of The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast often hike the trails of Black Water Creek. The hike is easy and most of the trails are paved or marked making this a great place to jog or ride a bike. It doesn't make any difference what time of year it is, there is always something to see.

If you are hiking and get off the path, as I did to take these photos, make sure you wear the proper footwear. I stepped in some water and my sneakers got wet and before too much longer my toes were as cold as the ice sculptures I was admiring.

Today it is raining and cold (but above freezing) and this would be a great opportunity to get some great shots, but after yesterday's adventure of frozen toes, I'm going to stay inn and read the Sunday paper. This afternoon we will be touring homes in Diamond Hill that are decorated for the holidays, then off to a party at the Old City Cemetery. There is just too much to do and see around Lynchburg. Enjoy the last couple of shots.

Christmas at Point of Honor

2009-12-07T13:27:00.008-05:00

Yesterday admission fees to Point of Honor were waived to enable the public to get a rare glimpse of Christmas in the early 1800’s. Each year the dedicated staff at Point of Honor spends countless hours decorating the home of Dr. George Cabell, Patrick Henry’s personal physician, for the holidays. Yesterday over 500 people toured the house. The public is not allowed to photograph the interior (a common policy for museums) which is why you won’t see postings of multiple interior photos on this blog posting so you will just have to go there in person to see the holiday decorations. There are some great (non-holiday) photos and lots of history on Point of Honor’s website.

As you drive up to Point of Honor you won’t see metal or plastic reindeer or Santa’s sled lit up with lights, exterior lights will not outline the building, nor will you see a Christmas tree decorating the home. These holiday decorations are modern day displays of the Christmas season. What you will see is garland (the real stuff, straight off a pine tree) wrapped around the front door. Upon entering the home you will see more Christmas greenery and candles around the interior doors in the entry foyer and greenery on the banister going to the rooms upstairs. Keep in mind that in 1815 times were simpler and we couldn’t run to Walmart to purchase all that mass produced stuff from China that we use to decorate our homes today so Dr. Cabell, his family and staff used materials that were native to the area that they gathered from the grounds around his home.

One of the main focal points is the dining room. The table is set with period china and flatware and a typical holiday feast which includes fried apple pies, bread pudding, carrots, beets, oysters, chestnut stuffing, roast venison, pan fried rock fish, hoe cakes and sugar embellishments. With special permission I was able to take this photo (above right). Meals at the Cabell’s home were prepared in the kitchen out back using a fireplace as the stove/oven (right).

The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast is located just two blocks from Point of Honor and our guests just love taking the tour of this magnificent home. As part of the Lynchburg Museum System you can purchase a ticket to tour the home or a combination ticket to tour the home and the museum in the old courthouse at the top of the steps of Monument Terrace on Court Street. We highly recommend both tours to our guests as well as locals interested in learning more about our wonderful city’s past. One special note about the old courthouse, the bell on the clock in the bell tower started ringing again this past Saturday at the opening of the Christmas Parade down the street of downtown Lynchburg. The old clockworks are scheduled to be on display in the museum sometime next year.

Farwell to the D Street Bridge

2009-12-01T10:18:00.008-05:00

Built about 100 years ago, the D Street Bridge linked Rivermont Ave. to the historic Daniels Hill neighborhood. It was built when the major mode of transportation was the horse and buggy and the occasional automobile. The graceful arches tower about 150 feet above the ground and used to cast its shadow on a neighborhood of homes that have been gone for decades. Today the bridge is flanked by an army of bright yellow construction equipment. Like a military exercise, there is equipment to the north and south. A large piece sits at the bridge entrance and at the other end; the construction trailer sits where an army of workers plot the bridges destruction.

About 18 months ago during a routine inspection major cracks were discovered and it was determined not to be safe and it was closed. From a selfish point I hated to see it closed as this was the easiest and quickest way for visitors to The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast to reach us. Simply turn off of Rivermont onto the D Street Bridge and you will arrive at our home on the corner of D and Cabell. Now visitors have to that a longer and less scenic route to reach us.

Saying goodbye is never easy, but like the mythical phoenix, from the ashes of the old bridge, a new one will emerge and open mid December 2010. We are already planning a bridge opening party tentatively scheduled for December 17, 2010.

Over the next 12 ½ months we will keep you posted (with photos) on the progress of the destruction of the old bridge and the construction of the new one.

Day at the Point

2009-11-23T12:25:00.010-05:00

Point of Honor, home of Dr. George Cabell who was Patrick Henry’s personal physician, recently celebrated its annual Day at the Point where the historical home is open to the public free of charge.

This year’s event drew hundreds of people to see the home and experience life as it would have been in the early 1800’s. There was a blacksmith and trapper, explaining their life in the early 19^th century. Also on hand were people in period garb, cooking demonstrations, period music and much more.

If you missed this year’s day at the point it will return again next year, but if you are in the area on December 6^th from 12:00-4:00pm you won’t want to miss Christmas at Point of Honor. This is your opportunity to see how the home would have been decorated for Christmas in the early 1800’s. Admission is free.

If you are traveling to the area and will be in Lynchburg on 6 December, The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast is just two blocks from Point of Honor and would be the ideal place to spend the evening before continuing your travels.

Meeting and Event Center Opens

2009-11-19T11:59:00.015-05:00

It was a day years in the making, but the Meeting and Event Center in the old Carriage House at the Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast in historic Daniels Hill in downtown Lynchburg finally took place. Mayor Joan Foster and Vice Mayor Bert Dodson assisted innkeepers Kathy and Michael Bedsworth with the ribbon cutting officially opening Lynchburg’s newest event venue on 27 October 2009.

The Meeting and Event Center encompasses the lower level of the carriage house and totals about 1300 square feet. The largest meeting room in the new facility is where the carriages and later automobiles were housed. The old stables were converted into a lobby and smaller conference room or breakout room. The old coal storage area and tack rooms now house the refreshment/beverage center, powder rooms and caterer’s kitchen.

During the construction process, the main focus on the final product was to create a multi-purpose space while keeping the integrity and character of the building. To that extent, the original tongue and grove ceiling in the meeting areas was preserved, antique lighting fixtures were installed and wood salvaged from the stables was used as wainscoting in the smaller conference/breakout room. Electrical outlets are spaced ever three to four and 15 data points were installed in the space. A 55 inch LCD screen allows speakers or trainers to show their presentations in brilliant color.

The main room can be set up theater style, classroom style, banquet style or U shaped depending on the nature of the event. This is the ideal space for local businesses to have meetings training sessions or conduct budget or strategic planning meetings. Likewise the community could use the space for bridal or baby showers, small weddings, birthday or anniversary parties. In the future wine and beer tastings, chocolate tastings and a host of other events will also be held here. Small weddings, elopement ceremonies, recommitment ceremonies and civil unions can also be held in this space.

Real value in a bed and breakfast

2009-04-04T21:13:00.000-04:00

Kathy and I just returned from Atlanta where we attended the Professional Association of International Innkeepers (PAII) conference. We stayed at the downtown Hyatt on Peachtree Street. It is a beautiful hotel with a 23 story atrium and all rooms in the hotel open onto the atrium. On our way home we started to compare the costs/value of such a fine hotel to our Bed and Breakfast, The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast in Lynchburg, Virginia.

The first thing we noticed when we arrived at our room was the $6.00 bottle of water. This generic brand of water is filtered water not some exotic water being shipped to the States from a spring in the Alps. At our Bed and Breakfast we provide our guests free bottled water. If you wanted a can of Coke (sorry Pepsi, Coke has a strong hold on the Atlanta area) that would also cost you a $2.75 at a bar or restaurant or a little less at one of the vending machines on each level. Again soda is complementary at our establishment. There was no refrigerator in the room but the hotel would be happy to put one in your room for a one time charge of $25.00. Our guests have access to one of our refrigerators at no charge. When it came time to check email I connected to their server and was greeted with a message offering to sign me up for their service. The least expensive (slowest) service was $12.95 per day with a discount for signing up for more days. Again, using our computer is free as is the wi-fi connection in our facility.

Breakfast in one of their onsite dining establishments could easily run $20.00 per person and more than likely it would be closer to $25.00 per day or $50.00 for the both of us. Our legendary three course breakfast is included in our room rate. A glass of wine in the afternoon was cheerfully provided along with a charge of $7.00 per glass. By now, you guessed it; a glass of wine is complementary at The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast. I almost forgot to mention the cost of parking your car at the Hyatt was $27.00 per day! Of course there were no complementary slippers or bath robes for us to use while staying there and there was no turn-down service or chocolate on our pillow at night. I didn’t check into charges for faxing, copying, scanning, or making long distance calls (we don’t charge for these) but I am confident there is a charge for utilizing those services, something many business people may need to do while staying at the hotel. The Hyatt charges $.75 for local calls and they are complementary at our Bed and Breakfast

The room was comfortable and somewhat clean although Kathy found a 6” hair on the bathroom floor and there was mold or mildew growing under the caulk surrounding the bath tub and under the soap holder in the tub, but my experience is that is somewhat normal in hotels. I do applaud the Hyatt for being green (as we are) and we did take advantage of them not changing our towels and sheets every day so that we could do our part to help the environment.

The conference was fantastic and I took away a lot of great ideas. I can’t say I wouldn’t stay there again, but next time I travel to Atlanta I might look at staying at a bed and breakfast instead. Even if the room rates are the same, one could easily save $75.00 or more per day with the add on charges that many hotels are now charging to make up for lower occupancy rates or perhaps just to increase their bottom line.

As you can see, staying at a Bed and Breakfast is a great value. Even if the room rate is a little higher you get so much more and the cost could end up being a lot less than a hotel. The experience of staying in a bed and breakfast and interacting with the innkeepers gives the guest so much more insight on the area. Many bed and breakfasts are in historical properties, as is ours, and you just don’t get the same ambiance out of a modern hotel room. Next time you travel I would recommend checking out a bed and breakfast and if you are traveling to Lynchburg, Virginia please book your room with us at: www.TheCarriageHouseInnBandB.com.

Batteaux Festival

2008-06-15T13:21:00.000-04:00

Before you can set sail you have to sink the batteau

Lynchburg has been a city that has re-invented itself several times over the past couple hundred years. In the late 1700’s through the mid 1800’s tobacco was king making Lynchburg was a very prosperous town. After the fields became unusable (they didn’t know about crop rotation) Lynchburg became the largest shoe manufacturer east of the Mississippi. For a period of time during the teens and 1920’s Lynchburg made/assembled automobiles. Today education and nuclear research are major industries, but going back in time to when tobacco was king there needed to be a means of transporting tobacco to the market in Richmond.

Tobacco and other cargo was transported from Lynchburg to Richmond on the James River in sleek flat bottom boats called batteaux. The boats are made of white oak, and can carry about 8,000 pounds of cargo. A long pole is used to push the batteau downstream and rudders is in the front and rear to help steer the batteau. Before the batteau is launched for this trip it must first be sunk. The water expands the wood and the expanded wood makes the boat water tight by sealing all the cracks. After being submerged for a week or so water is bailed out and the interior dried out and the journey begins. During the next seven days an armada of batteaux will make their way down the James River stopping overnight in towns along the way.

Yesterday the re-enactors took to the water in period garb in reproductions of the batteaus that once were a very important part of our history. This festival is held every year in June and is well worth the trip to downtown to send off the dozen plus batteaux, including one batteau with an all woman crew from Charlottesville. Over the next week the batteaux will retrace the journey stopping in towns along the way until they reach their final destination, in Richmond. This year's batteaux festival was the 23rd. Don't miss next years festival, book your room today at The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast.

Happy Earth Day--April 22, 2008

2008-04-20T20:13:00.000-04:00

When Mike and Kathy Bedsworth purchased the historic Watts House (The Carriage House Inn Bed an d Breakfast) in 2003 they embarked on a restoration project that has led them into a career as innkeepers and has distinguished them as the only green lodging facility in Lynchburg. Buying and restoring a historic home is something they always wanted to do, operating a green bed and breakfast just happened.

After four plus years of restoration the Watts home was starting to regain the glamour and grandeur of years past and Mike and Kathy decided they needed to find a way to share their home with locals and visitors, thereby opening the Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast. During the restoration process everything they did to the house was done with the idea of saving natural resources. When closets were added, they searched architectural salvage yards to find matching doors. When porch repairs were required they used products made from recycled materials for the repairs. Recycled antique glass was used to replace many of the broken windows. When it came to adding air conditioning they refused to allow duct chases to be built around the ceilings so they ended up with a 5 zone system that allows them to turn off the air conditioning in part of the house that are not in use. The use of recycled materials or energy savings wasn’t initially done with the idea of saving the earth; it was more a matter of preserving the feel and look of the house. “Why use new materials that don’t match the original materials when you can buy antique doors, hardware, glass, heat grates/vents, etc. and preserve the look and feel of the house,” explained Mike Bedsworth.

After the first winter they realized that other items needed to be done to save energy as their heating bills rivaled the federal government’s national debt figures. They replaced their antiquated steam boiler system with a new high-efficiency water boiler which not only heats the home using the original radiators with valves added to regulate the flow of water thereby regulating the temperature in each room, it also provides their domestic hot water. Attic insulation was added and even though they weren’t able to replace their windows with energy efficient windows because they are in a historic district they were able to add replacement windows to the interior side of the windows thus preserving the historic exterior appearance.

When the kitchen was remodeled, they purchased only energy star appliances and likewise the washer and dryer use less water and energy to operate. All the toilets were replaced. Using the home as a bed and breakfast it was important that the 1.6 gallon toilets worked properly. Having to flush two or three times negates the water savings so the most important criteria they used in purchasing toilets was flushability.

After they opened they realized they met the requirements set forth by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to be certified as a green lodging facility so they applied and were given this designation. As Kathy Bedsworth says, “This is good news and bad news. The good news is we are the only green lodging facility in Lynchburg and the bad news is we are the ONLY green lodging facility in Lynchburg. I suspect that next year when we celebrate Earth Day there will be more green lodging facilities in Lynchburg.”

While everyone can implement one or two things to become a little greener, Mike and Kathy have plans to do even more. They hope to start recycling rain water for irrigation purposes, installing geo-thermal heating and cooling systems when they restore the carriage house, build an organic garden and produce fruits and vegetables for their guests and they will continue to use recycled or earth friendly products on their next project.

To celebrate Earth Day, they are opening their house for tour on 22 April 2008 from 10-4 to allow visitors to see that being green has not altered the beauty or architecture of the Watts House. While there is more that could be done to conserve energy, living in a historic district puts some limitations on what you can and can’t do. Basically you can’t do anything to the property that alters the exterior appearance of the property, but they will continue to make improvements that will continue to save our natural resources. In addition, they are preparing vacation packages for locals that don’t want to spend a fortune on gas for their summer vacation and for visitors to Lynchburg. Imagine spending 3-5 active days in Lynchburg and having to use less than a tank of gas while participating in at least a dozen different eco-friendly and historic/educational activities.

Below is a partial list of green items they are currently doing:

We added a 5-zone central air conditioning system to save energy by not cooling sections of the house that are not being used.

We added flow controls on radiators to regulate temperature in each room.

We installed low flow shower heads to save water.

We installed high efficiency low flow toilets to save water.

We recycle glass, plastic, paper, metal, aluminum, and cardboard to save space in our land fill.

We compost yard and kitchen waste to use compost in our garden.

When we need to replace a light bulb we replace it with a high efficiency compact florescent light bulb to save electricity and fossil fuels.

When practical we purchase locally grown foods to save gas/diesel fuels.

We offer our guests optional laundry/linen service, i.e., washing sheets and towels every third day of a multi-night stay to save water and energy.

We insulated attics to save natural gas and electricity.

We installed energy efficient windows where possible to save on gas and electricity.

We installed solar shades on windows to reflect the heat during the summer months to save on electricity.

We purchased recycled/used building products for the restoration saving natural resources and space in land fills.

We purchased only Energy Star appliances to save electricity.

We purchased an energy efficient washer and dryer to save electricity and water.

We minimize the use of bleach and chlorinated chemicals to protect the environment.

We re-fill reusable shampoo bottles to save space in the land fill.

We use dishware and glassware to minimize use of disposables to save space in the land fill.

We use electronic correspondence and forms to conserve trees/paper.

We purchase durable equipment and furniture to preserve our natural resources.

Use reused building materials or those from sustainable sources

We use latex paint to eliminate harmful fumes and promote clean air.

We reuse and utilize proper recycling/disposal of thinners and solvents to protect the water table and save the land fill.

We practice preventative maintenance on all appliances, HVAC systems, plumbing systems and vehicles to make sure they operate at peak proficiency thus saving energy.

We use the least toxic materials to protect the environment.

We purchased a high efficiency dishwasher to save water and electricity.

We installed ceiling fans were possible to cut down on the use of air conditioning to save electricity.

When possible we use natural lighting to save electricity.

We purchased Energy Star computers and office equipment to save electricity.

First day of spring

2008-03-20T17:16:00.000-04:00

Today is the first day of spring and our saucer magnolia is in full bloom, the grass is starting to green up and before long the trees will once again be full of leaves. In a couple of weeks everything will be lush and green. Speaking of green, The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast is, we are proud to say, the only Green Bed and Breakfast in Lynchburg.

We have just completed a complete overhaul of our website and added a calendar of events under our “Area Attractions” page. Besides our website update, quite a bit has happened since the first of the year. We received an award from the Lynchburg Historical Society for our four and a half year restoration of the interior, we were voted the best Bed and Breakfast in Lynchburg by the readers of Lynchburg Living, we were just featured in Showcase Magazine as a get-away destination and we are currently participating with the folks from Cotton and Hallmark Magazine in a national sweepstakes where the grand prize is…, you guessed it, a trip to The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast!!! We were asked to participate because we are a “Green” Bed and Breakfast as well as a woman owned facility. For more information on these and other awards/recognition please check our website.

The Old City Courthouse was just reopened and houses the Lynchburg Museum and is a must see. Poplar Forest, Thomas Jefferson’s summer home, opens on 1 April and garden day at the Old City Cemetery is on the 24th of April. Not only is spring the time plants spring back to life, life around Lynchburg kicks into high gear. There are numerous events at the Academy of Fine Arts, all of the colleges and universities have lecture series open to the general public and in a couple of weeks you can take a class in tombstone repairs at the Old City Cemetery.

The Watts House, aka The Carriage House Inn Bed and Breakfast turns 130 years old this year. Built in 1878 by RT Watts this Italianate Mansion survived with many of its original architectural elements in place. The four original bath tubs are still in use. Two of the original bathroom sinks are here. Many of the original light fixtures, doors, moldings, mantels, mirrors, and bathroom cabinets are still here. To celebrate we are offering all of our rooms at $130.00 per night (taxes and gratuities are additional) when you stay a minimum of two consecutive nights Sunday-Thursday! We will guarantee you a room with a private bath but the room assignment will take place when you check in. You can choose any room you want that is available. PLEASE MENTION THIS PROMOTION WHEN YOU BOOK YOUR ROOM.

Interested in old homes? There is a tour of historic homes in the Daniels Hill section of Lynchburg on Sunday, 28 September from 1-4:30. Our home will be one of the homes on tour. This would be a great opportunity to see several homes in various stages of restoration. Call us now to make your reservation for that weekend. October 23-25th there will be a ghost walk tour in the Rivermont section of Lynchburg and this is always a lot of fun. Again, if you wish to be here for this call us for a reservation and if you book two nights during the week you get the promotional price (above).

Why Lynchburg

2008-03-02T11:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my Blog. I’m writing this to describe the joys and frustrations of restoring a historic home which we have now turned into a bed and breakfast. The first question I am often asked is why Lynchburg? Are you from here? Do you have family here? Did you go to school here? The answers to the last three questions are no, so why Lynchburg?

I obtained my real estate license in 1972 and have always enjoyed buildings and architecture, especially the character of older homes. From the late 1980’s I have always wanted to live in and restore an old home so our quest began. Everytime we traveled outside the Northern Virginia area we visited the older parts of cities and towns looking for the right house. We found beautiful homes, in cities that were declining or great properties out in the country, next to the land fill trailer park or worse so we continued to keep looking. Our quest for the right property took us as far north as Michigan south to Georgia. Finally one day while searching the net looking for homes 100+ years old we saw an interesting property in Lynchburg. We made arrangements to drive down and look at it, and while it had possibilities, it wasn’t quite right. That home was originally built for a family by the name of Watts who was in the hardware business in the late 1800’s While looking at this property we noticed that the City of Lynchburg was being revitalized so we decided that while that house wasn’t the right one, Lynchburg was on our list of possible places to relocate. A year went by and we kept searching for the right property until one day another Internet search located another old home in Lynchburg. We called a local Realtor and made arrangements to look at the house and immediately knew this was it. Ironically, this home was also originally built for the Watts family who was in the hardware business in the late 1800’s. Evidently both of the Watts brothers along with a fellow by the name of Jones established a chain of hardware stores in the Lynchburg area after the Civil War.

We hadn’t made it upstairs while looking at the home when we knew that this was the place for us. We went back to the Realtor’s office and wrote the contract and became the proud owner’s of what would ultimately become our new home.

We are often asked, Why Lynchburg? The simplest answer we can give is this is where the house is. When we found “the” house it happened to be in Lynchburg, a small city that has the charm of “small town America.” It is a great place to live where the people are friendly, the City officials go out of their way to assist you and the quality of life is great. We were fortunate to find “the” house in a great place. That was in the spring of 2003. The home wasn’t in bad shape and I foolishly thought I could have most of the restoration completed by the following summer (2004). Little did I know what was in store for me…