Swannanoa Palace: The Jewel of the Blue Ridge

When driving through the Appalachian Mountains, either the Blue Ridge Parkway or the Skyline Drive, you teach yourself to expect the unexpected – a deer about to cross your path, a fallen tree, hikers looking for a ride into town. However, you probably would not expect to come across a marble Italianate palace. Nevertheless, at the peak of Afton mountain sits the decadent Swannanoa Palace, dubbed the Jewel of The Blue Ridge.

The story of this mansion begins in 1911, when Major James Dooley approached a farmer named J.B. Yount about purchasing 1,000 acres that covered the Afton mountaintop. The rather large purchase was not so burdensome for Dooley who had lived a very profitable life. Dooley graduated from Georgetown University and enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1862. After the war, he returned to Georgetown to receive his law degree. He then became the head of the Danville Railroad, making him one of the lesser known, but still successful industrialists of the South. He and his wife, Sally May, moved to Richmond and built their home, Maymont, in 1890. While living in Richmond, Dooley served as mayor and as a member of the Virginia legislature.

The palace is said to have been constructed as an act of love by Dooley to his wife Sally May – a sentiment that is reflected in the Tiffany stain glass window at the top of the main staircase, which features the image of Sally May. Other lavish details are the Italian Carrera marble that make up the interior of the palace, and the white Georgia marble that covers the exterior. The estate included the main house, a lookout tower, servant’s quarters, various fountains, and elaborate three-tiered garden. The main house itself is made up of 52 rooms and 23,000 sq. ft.

Tiffany stain glass window of Sally May Dooley. View from the inside of the mansion.

View of the look-out tower behind the gardens and mansion.

View of the main staircase. 

View of the second floor from the main staircase. 

After the deaths of both Major Dooley and Sally May, the property was left to Dooley’s two sisters, who then sold Swannanoa to the Valley Corporation in 1926. The Valley Corporation had intended to make the property a country club, but the business closed after only 3 years (1929-1932). Skyline Swannanoa, Inc., formed by A.T. Dulaney in 1944, then purchased Swannanoa. During this time, specifically 1949, the mansion was leased to Walter and Lao Russell, who used the property for their School of Science and Philosophy. Their organization gave up their lease in 1998. After their leave, Skyline Swannanoa, Inc. started renovations on the property.

I contacted the current property owner, Phil Dulaney, who also owns the Inn at Afton and other properties on the mountain to learn more about the current state of the property.

Dulaney commented that, “There are very elaborate plans in the works. We’ve already put in about three million dollars over the past 7 years. You know, this is the 2^nd worst economy we’ve had in our [nation’s] history and it’s just hard to get things going.”

Suzi Foltz, the author of this piece, stands in the fountain behind the mansion.

Richard Stephens, a visitor to Swannanoa, stands under one of the garden terraces. 

Dulaney informed me that the property hosts about 60 events every year, including about 20 weddings during 2013 and a handful of open houses that charges an admission of $4 per person. For 2014, Dulaney intends to host 16 additional open houses. More can be learned about these by visiting http://www.virginia.org/Listings/Events/SwannanoaPalaceOpenHouse/