Buffalo Tavern Bed and Breakfast

The Buffalo Tavern features 3 large guest rooms and a beautiful three room suite. The Madam's Room , and Flapper's Room are on the second floor along with the President's Suite. The Governor's Room  is downstairs. All rooms feature a private bath with shower, queen size bed dressed with egyptian cotton sheets, a cozy down comforter, and four wonderfully-inviting pillows, electric fireplaces, and a compact disc player. Satellite television and wireless internet is available. All rooms have a two-person antique claw foot soaking tub and beautiful wooden floors from the days when the tavern was built. The suite is carpeted. Each room has its own unique feeling from the era of days gone by.

A delicious full breakfast is served in the Americana Dining Room each morning. During cold mornings, the fireplace is lit. During warm weather, breakfast may be served on the front porch. Guests are asking what Doc serves for breakfast in the Americana Dining Room.... Well, how about Amanda's (Doc's daughter) Raspberry-Filled French Toast with Vanilla Custard, or High Country Breakfast Casserole with Lotsa Cheese and Sausage, or Doc's Sweet Potato Pancakes with Country Ham, or Three Top Tarts with Fruit Garnish and Bacon? You might find a Banana Bread waiting for you or chocolate chip cookies for a quick snack, or warm homemade French Bread with Jam. Doc always has water and soft drinks, candy, popcorn, and cracker snacks available. Doc promises that his guests won't go hungry!

Guests have access to their own refrigerator in the common area. The expansive front porch beckons guests to sit for a while and watch the birds playing in the trees, or spending time looking at Bluff Mountain, or reading a favorite book, or just doing nothing at all. Wireless Internet is now available at the Buffalo Tavern. Bring your own laptop to log on!   Doc, the Innkeeper, is proud to announce that his NC Health Department score is an A (99%) for maintaining a clean and sanitary facility for guests!

Your Innkeeper is Brian "Doc" Adams... just call him Doc for short. Doc spent 30 years in education and retired from that career to begin a new one, innkeeping. He's excited to have the opportunity to welcome guests to Buffalo Tavern and promises to do everything possible to make the experience one in which guests will wish to return again and again.

Spend a little time and read Doc's Blog, "North Carolina's High Country, Ashe County, and West Jefferson". Also, he has a second blog entitled, "It's All About The Dance'" which describes his experiences in planning, opening, and running his B and B. It's a fun diary; Doc has many stories to tell!

The High Country - www.buffalotavernbandb.blogspot.com
It's All About The Dance - buffalotavern.blogspot.com/

"The mission of Buffalo Tavern B & B is to ensure that all who come here arrive as our guests and leave as our friends."

The Buffalo Tavern is a bed and breakfast that is really in the Country. Facing Bluff Mountain to the south, Three Top Mountain to the west towards Tennessee, and Buck Mountain to the east for the sunrise, the Buffalo Tavern is nestled in a beautiful valley and sitting at 3200 feet above sea level. Cool breezes keep Buffalo Tavern comfortable during the warmer months of the year.

The Buffalo Tavern was built in 1872 by George Washington Ray for use as a residence. He built it on 500 acres of land that he had purchased from the state of North Carolina in 1851 for five cents an acre. The house was built with timber that was cut from the 500 acres. Bricks used in the house were handmade on the site, and the stone used was also found on the property.

It was the first house in Ashe County to have glass windows. It is said that people would come to the house just to look at the windows. Many of those same old windows are preserved in a greenhouse-type building sitting at the rear of the property today.

The house has seven fireplaces and two staircases, the back one is said to be the staircase used by the servants in days gone by. George Washington Ray, who was a talented craftsman, did most of the woodwork. A striking example of his work is a champagne glass which is carved out of the top of the newel post at the formal staircase upon entrance to the Tavern.

In the late 1800's, Buffalo Road was part of a major artery of highways from Tennessee to Jefferson and beyond. At that time, the Ray family began operating their home as a tavern. Bedrooms in the house served as rooms for guests. In later years, cottages and a pond were added behind the house for early tourists in the mountains. It is said that two early governors of North Carolina were guests at the Buffalo Tavern. Their identities are not known, but possibly one of them was Zebulon Vance. In their honor, the room on the first floor is named "The Governor's Room."

A large grape vineyard and cornfields provided wine and corn liquor for Tavern customers. The Tavern somehow managed to continue alcohol sales through the prohibition of the 1920's. Could there have been a special agreement between the Rays and local sheriffs? With the depression era came the closing of the tavern.

Well-behaved and well-supervised children above the age of 11 are welcome.

Take 421 towards Boone. Turn right onto 221 North at Deep Gap. Head North on 221 for 14 miles to the stop light in West Jefferson at 194 (McDonald's on the left). Turn Left on 194 and go through the town of West Jefferson. Continue a few miles outside of town to West Buffalo Road. Turn Left onto West Buffalo Road, and go 3.5 miles. We are on the right at 958 West Buffalo Road.