Meet the House

Built in 1895 by William G. McDowell, Paxton House is a three-story Victorian at the corner of Nelson and Lee in the heart of Lexington, Virginia’s Historic District. For much of its early life, it was home to the Paxton family. More than a century later, it remains part of Lexington’s living history, with members of the Paxton family still nearby.

In the late 20th, the house took on a livelier chapter as home to Washington & Lee fraternities, including Pi Kappa Alpha. By the 1990s it was nicknamed “Münster House,” a nod to its Gothic silhouette and well-worn condition. Nearly every room once had its own bar, the attic was packed wall to wall for parties, and a second entrance allowed for discreet late arrivals. Students even painted their presence in fluorescent colors high in the turret. The front porch, now known for quiet mornings, once hosted band parties that spilled into the night. Time and careful restoration have returned the house’s dignity, though a bit of that spirited youth still seems to linger.

We purchased the house in 2018 to give our daughter and her friends a place to live during their senior year at Washington & Lee. What began as a short-term college rental became something much more. As we restored it, we fell in love with the house, the town, and its stories. Today, Paxton House is one of our family’s home away from home, and we open its doors to guests who love its location and its charm.

  • 122 W Nelson photographed by Lexington native and historic photographer Michael Miley

  • Portrait of William McDowell, the local Lexington architect of 122 W Nelson

  • 1975 WLU Pi Kappa Alpha, sourced from the WLU The Calyx yearbook

  • 1977 WLU Kappa Pi Alpha, sourced from the WLU The Calyx yearbook

  • 1979 WLU Pi Kappa Alpha, sourced from the WLU The Calyx yearbook

  • 1994 WLU "Munster House" Residents, sourced from the WLU The Calyx yearbook

  • 1995 WLU "Munster House" Residents, sourcedthe from WLU The Calyx yearbook

A family of six people, four women, one man, and one teenage boy, gathered on a wooden staircase, smiling and holding hands there for a photo.

Meet Your Host

women standing on the front porch of a house, hugging and kissing a young boy who is smiling and in the center. The house has white stairs and railing, a brick exterior, and patriotic decorations including a red, white, and blue bunting. The women are dressed casually.
A man and a woman sitting on a porch, both drinking from cups. The man wears a white shirt, black pants, and a navy cap, while the woman wears a patterned dress and is barefoot with her sandals on the porch floor. Behind them is a street with parked cars and trees.

We are a Florida-based family who originally purchased Paxton for senior housing for our WLU c/o ‘20 daughter. After she graduated, its proximity to WLU and VMI led to steady requests from visiting families during milestone weekends. After accommodating one stay at a time, it became clear the home could serve a wider purpose. Rather than treat it casually, we chose to make Paxton House official. Today, we operate it with the standards of a boutique property while preserving the character of a private historic home. We spend many months each year at Paxton and are honored to share it with you, hoping it feels just as comfortable and welcoming to your family as it does to ours.