Red Horse Tavern
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Brookside Inn (Red Horse Tavern)
1825–1827. North side of U.S. 50, 1 mile east of Aurora
Henry Grimes built this three-bay sandstone structure with random rubble walls as his house, but it soon became a tavern when Virginia's Northwestern Turnpike passed by the doorstep in 1832. As at Fairfax Manor, taller first-floor windows have nine-over-six sash, while those on the second floor have six-oversix. A stone in the east gable bears the builder's initials and the date 1827. A great deal of early trim, including a bar, remains. Easily seen from the highway, the former inn, again a private home, has long been an important area landmark. Just west of the inn, Cathedral State Park preserves a virgin stand of hemlocks, providing a glimpse of what the area flora was like before the primeval forests were cut. During Aurora's heyday as a summer resort, ten cottages, a stable, and a croquet lawn were nearby.
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