History

A National Historic Landmark, The Omni Homestead Resort has been a celebrated holiday destination for generations. The history of this fantastic vacation getaway dates all the way back to America’s colonial age. In 1764, he had acquired a land grant of some 300 acres in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley for his service to the British Crown in the French and Indian War. This location featured close to a dozen mineral springs that had long carried a reputation for their alleged medicinal properties. Bullitt and two of his associates—Charles and Andrew Lewis—moved their entire militia company to the area shortly thereafter, who subsequently settled the land over the course of two years. During this time, Bullitt and his compatriots raised a rustic log hotel near a few of the mineral springs in the hope that it would attract travelers and their business. The captain and his family went on to operate the hotel for the next several decades, even after the Bullitt’s death during the American Revolutionary War. Over time, the Bullitt family hotel and its mineral springs built a reputation as a luxurious secluded retreat. Many prominent Americans visited in order to experience both a physical and spiritual rejuvenation. The most significant of these guests included Thomas Jefferson, who stayed at the hotel in 1818. The former president had become plagued by rheumatoid arthritis by that point in his life, and eagerly sought out the soothing mineral springs of the Bullitt family hotel. The trip proved to be so uplifting that Jefferson praised the entire location as being one the best places to vacation in the whole country.

But in 1832, a prominent physician named Thomas Goode purchased the hotel from the Bullitts. Taking heed of the mineral springs’ great medical qualities, he quickly introduced a system of European spa therapies that maximized their healing potential. One of the most famous treatments—known as “The Cure”—involved a salt scrub that was immediately followed by a relaxing Swiss shower. This fantastic service is still offered today. Dr. Goode passed away in 1858 and upon his death, the family managed the hotel for the next 30 years. They then sold the location to M.E. Ingalls, a notable lawyer from Cincinnati who had originally travelled to the area to survey it on behalf of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. Ingalls had acquired the necessary capital to complete the sale by gradually partnering with a group of likeminded investors. Among the most active of these entrepreneurs was the legendary financier, John P. Morgan. Ingalls, Morgan, and the other investors then raised an additional $1 million to redevelop the building into a spectacular resort. Their plan encountered a temporary setback though, when a accident affected much of the site in 1901. Only a handful of the buildings that they had created managed to survive fully intact, such as the spa, casino, and a couple of cottages. Undeterred, the men decided to push forward with their dreams. Within a year, the resort’s Main Building—also known as the “Great Hall”—once again dominated the local landscape. M.E. Ingalls and the rest of his family managed to buy out the other stakeholders by 1911, becoming the sole owners of the resort.

The Ingalls then continued to expand upon the location, constructing a series of massive wings and event halls throughout the 1910s and 1920s. But their greatest contribution to the resort was the development of The Tower in 1929. This beautiful new addition quickly became the resort’s most iconic feature. Designed by architect Charles D. Wetmore of the renowned architectural firm Warren and Wetmore, The Tower displayed a wonderful blend of Colonial Revival-style architecture. The massive building cost the Ingalls family some $1 million to construct. Other magnificent facilities followed soon afterward, as well, including the development of a large ski area that is currently the most historic of its kind in all of Virginia. The resort only continued to grow in popularity under the Ingalls watch, as many prominent American luminaries vacationed there often. Sightings of U.S. presidents became common, too, with the likes of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan stopping by every so often. Known today as “The Omni Homestead Resort,” the destination has been a part of Omni Hotels and Resorts since 2013. This wonderful historic getaway continues to be among the nation’s most prolific resorts, attracting dignitaries and celebrities from around the world. In fact, Omni Homestead Resort achieved an accolade unheard of for any hotel, inn, or resort located in the United States—celebrating its 250th anniversary back in 2016! Historic Hotels of America is proud to count the resort as one of its charter members.

History of The Omni Homestead