About The Quarries
A community of neighbors in the woods of Schuyler, Virginia, sharing trails, old soapstone quarries, and a commitment to building lightly on the land.
From soapstone to woodland
Schuyler sits on one of the largest soapstone veins in the world, on the line between Nelson and Albemarle counties. For much of the twentieth century it was a quarrying town, with dozens of quarries at its busiest, and its stone became acid-proof sinks, laundry tubs, and electrical switchboards across the country.
As the quarrying wound down, the forest grew back. Here, the old quarries are now pools of water ringed by hardwoods, their cut stone walls rising out of them.
Founded as an ecoVillage
The Quarries was laid out in 2000 as private wooded lots around shared land, with covenants built on one idea: every home should fit the forest, not the other way around. Studios, workshops, and home businesses are welcome, and each lot may have a guest cottage.
Every lot owner belongs to The Quarries Association, which cares for the common land and trails, and every house plan is reviewed by the Architectural Resource Team before it goes to the county.
How homes are built here
The covenants ask a lot of a house. These are the ideas behind them; the documents have the details.
Sited for the sun
Homes are placed to make the most of passive solar heating and cooling, and to keep privacy from roads and neighbors.
The big trees stay
Large trees come down only with the Architectural Resource Team's approval, and wide buffers along roads and trails stay wooded.
Native, not lawn
Natural vegetation is encouraged and grassy lawns are not. Native plants are preferred, invasive ones avoided, and living roofs welcome.
Light on the ground
No paved driveways, and as little concrete as possible, so rain soaks into the ground instead of running off.
Dark skies
No bright outdoor lighting that spills onto roads or neighbors or dims the stars.
Honest materials
Building materials are chosen for their whole-life value and non-toxic properties, with a preference for local ones.
Shared land
Beyond the private lots, the common land belongs to everyone who lives here. A trail system winds through the woods and past the quarries, which members swim and fish in with their families and guests.
The whole property is a wildlife sanctuary. There is no hunting, pets stay on their owners' lots, and the resident beavers and their dams are left in peace.
The pavilion in the woods was built by the community, and it's where the association holds its annual meetings and where neighbors gather through the year.
Run by neighbors
A volunteer board of lot owners, elected one vote per lot, looks after the association. Questions about a lot or about living here? They're glad to hear from you.