generation 3

Acquired by our grandfather in 1965, The Happy Hippie Cottage has remained a family treasure for 3 consecutive generations.

history

The Happy Hippie Cottage was originally purchased in 1965 by our grandfather. He and our grandmother longed for an escape from their life in the city of Richmond, Virginia. Along with their two sons, our father and our uncle, they would spend many a summer day on the shores of the soft, perfectly salty Rappahannock River.

At one point or another, our grandmother, uncle and father would all temporarily call The Cottage home. 

The third generation, two sisters, would spend most of our summer days riding our bikes up and down Pops Lane, Norton Point Road and the surrounding streets and eating Grandma’s grilled cheese sandwiches in the sunroom amidst games of Gin Rummy. We would make friends at Forney’s Corner and down Muddy Gut Road. We would gear up and trek it down to “The Point” – which looked tremendously farther away 30+ years ago – to seek out the other kids of families who still reside down these worn gravel roads.

What everyone who visits The Cottage will tell you – both present day as well as over the course of the past 55 years – is that there is something truly magical about it. The peace and relaxation that it offers are immediate, the good times are almost certain to roll and it is truly a gem and magical little space!

Then, in 2003

hurricane isabel slams virginia

washed away

The Cottage was one of almost 1,200 homes in Virginia that were destroyed by Hurricane Isabel’s incredibly destructive path back in 2003. Through her tears and devastation we will always remember hearing our grandmother say that she saw her television floating down the mighty Rappahannock. 

There was nothing left of the original cottage to salvage; like a totaled car, the insurance company said to tear it down and start all over.

Despite the fact that we would never again step through the doors of the original cottage, we were fortunate to be able to rebuild. The new cottage, the home that is there now, was smartly redesigned to offer more light, more privacy and, obviously, newer amenities.

For years, The Happy Hippie Cottage was occupied with year-round residents. With the increased usage of websites like Airbnb and VRBO, the prospect of once again keeping the cottage to ourselves AND allowing others to come bask in its glory finally became reality!