Contact Us Vacation Guide Check Availability STAY MEET EAT EXPLORE JOIN WYNDHAM REWARDS CAREERS About Us We Have an Exciting Announcement! We're proud to announce that the Natural Bridge Historic Hotel & Conference Center will undergo a $750,000 renovation one our way to becoming the newest member of the Trademark Collection by Wyndham hotel brand! Click below to learn more about this exciting announcement! Learn More We are Natural Bridge Historic Hotel In 1774, Thomas Jefferson purchased 157 acres of land, including the Natural Bridge, from King George III of England for 20 shillings. He called the majestic, 30-story solid rock bridge “the most sublime of nature’s works.” Jefferson built a two-room log cabin nearby, with one room reserved for guests, to use as a retreat. While President in 1802, he personally surveyed the area. Many famous guests stayed here, including John Marshall, James Monroe, Henry Clay, Sam Houston, and Martin Van Buren. One of the most popular New World tourist attractions during the 18th and 19th centuries, Natural Bridge drew guests from all over the world with many arriving on horseback or horse-drawn carriages to explore the countryside. In 1833, a new owner erected the Forest Inn to accommodate the increasing number of visitors. The Bridge had considerable notoriety during the 19th century with Herman Melville comparing the size of the Bridge to the white whale, Moby-Dick: “But soon the fore part of him slowly rose from the water; for an instant his whole marbleized body formed a high arch, like Virginia’s Natural Bridge…” William Cullen Bryant, another American literary figure, said that Natural Bridge and Niagara Falls were the two most remarkable features of North America. During the 1880s, Natural Bridge was a resort owned by Colonel Henry Parsons, who also owned the nearby Rockbridge Inn. Parson’s first hotel was an expansion of a small “roadhouse hotel” that was owned by Captain Stevenson. Soon after the expansion around 1890, Parsons went up the hill to the present day location of the historic hotel and built the first main hotel associated with Natural Bridge - it was called the Appledore. In the early 1900s, the Appledore was expanded to accommodate more guests and the name changed to The Natural Bridge Hotel. The Natural Bridge Hotel thrived up until it caught fire on April 24, 1963. While the exact origin of the fire is still unknown today, it is rumored to have started in the kitchen. In 1964 construction began on the present-day hotel under the watchful eye of James N. Hunter and the new hotel opened its doors to the world with great pomp and circumstance in 1965. View Our Rooms Accommodations Weddings Meetings & Events Vacation Guide Contact Us Natural Bridge Conference Center 15 Appledore Lane Natural Bridge, VA 24578 Phone: (540) 291-2121 Email: info@naturalbridgeva.com Facebook Instagram Useful Links Rooms Specials & Packages Free Vacation Guide Colonial Dining Room Red Fox Tavern Amenities & Policies Contact Us Careers Privacy Policy Join Our Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter to learn about specials, upcoming events, and local happenings. Signup Here Natural Bridge, VA Weather 48° overcast clouds 82% humidity wind: 5m/s WNW H 52 • L 46 48° MON 54° TUE 52° WED 62° THU 55° FRI © Natural Bridge 2021. All Rights Reserved. Marketing & Website Design by Q4Launch.