The Silver Thatch Inn is one of the oldest buildings in Central Virginia, dating back to 1780. The Inn is a charming clapboard home originally started by Hessian soldiers who were captured during the Revolutionary War at the battle of Saratoga, NY, and marched south to Charlottesville. They built a two-story log cabin on the site of a former Indian settlement. This section of the house is now known as the Hessian Room.

The center part of the Inn was built in 1812 and served for a period of time as a boys' school. In the latter part of the 19th Century, the property passed through several hands, serving as a tobacco plantation and, after the Civil War, a melon farm. In 1937, the final wing of the Inn was added by B.F.D. Runk, Dean of the University of Virginia for 30 years. In 1984, a cottage was added to the site to complement the main building. At present, the Inn includes 7 guest rooms, a restaurant with three intimate dining rooms and a cozy bar.