Virginia Hotel: former hotel now David Eddy’s gift shop

The old Virginia Hotel retains its three levels and porches in this photo from the early 1900s.

Situated here at the corner of North Main and West Cameron streets as early as 1813, the hotel/tavern went by various names including the Fairfax

Hotel, the Virginia, the Old Virginia, the Belmont, the Culpeper and the Virginia House.

Today’s building owner David Billett said the middle story of the building was dropped to street level in 1933, achieving its current appearance. He bought the building in 1973 and has run his gift shop, David Eddy’s, downstairs since 1966.

The old building today houses apartments upstairs and a range of street level businesses like Culpeper Music Store, Radishes and Roses, Triple Image, On-Site Computers and North Main Barbershop.

Since purchasing the building 40 years ago, Billett has added central air and heat. Last year, he upgraded the awnings.
He said it’s a solid old building that started as a stagecoach stop.

Any ghosts?

“I never met any,” said Billett, who loves living downtown. -Allison Brophy Champion