From the moment you enter the Balcony Downs Estate, you cannot help but feel overwhelming peace and connection to the stunning landscape. Each structure on the estate memorializes its own part of the ongoing story which is Balcony Downs.

The family of William Paxton was among the earliest settlers of Rockbridge County mentioned in the history and cultivation of Balcony Downs dating all the way back to 1776. Over the years and following generations of settlers, Balcony Downs became a thriving farm sprawling over 1,700 acres of corn, dairy, and tobacco production. The ownership of Balcony Downs changed hands among many prominent community members who added their own signatures to the evolution of the property, its functions, and even its architecture. The buildings that remain standing today are a testament to the evolutionary story that is Balcony Downs.

One of the estate's most recognized and unique structures is the massive brick remains of what was once the dairy barn. During the economic boom brought on by the iron industry, bricks were commissioned for the construction of a hotel that was to be built in the neighboring town of Glasgow. When the economy fell, the hotel plans were canceled and W.G. Matthews, who owned Balcony Downs at the time, was able to purchase the bricks at a reduced cost and build his brick barn. In its circa 1890 glory, the dairy barn boasted two copulas, an impressive slate roof, the architectural marvel of two indoor grain silos, and the prestige of being one of only five known brick barns in Virginia. Old Dominion Furniture Company occupied the barn in the 1940s before it was set on fire by an arsonist named Proctor. The flood of 1985 took out the back corner of the barn and the remains were left to the artistic hand of mother nature. Referred to today as “The Ruins”, the romance and mystery of this structure will be preserved and honored as it soon will house a botanical garden for visitors and guests to enjoy while soaking in the rich history of its arch-adorned walls.