Graceful country living doesn't get any finer than on the old Blue Ridge Turnpike between Orange County's Somerset and Gordonsville, and it's rare that properties there come on the market. Cairngorm, built in 1926, is a warm and welcoming place, elegant without pretension. Here are nearly 29 manageable acres surrounded by many hundreds of protected acres, and the views suggest a much larger holding. The home and garage/guest quarters have weatherboard siding and slate roofs. The house and apartment were renovated in 1998 and the upstairs bathrooms were remodeled in 2002, all by top-line Wayner Construction. The beautifully crafted mantle pieces in the living room and family room were salvaged from the Gordon Inn, an 18th century establishment frequented by Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Lafayette and Lee. A map at the Exchange Hotel Museum in Gordonsville indicates a skirmish between Confederate and Union troops occurred on the turnpike in front of the house. There is a Cold War era bomb shelter in the basement of the garage, complete with stored water in period jars. Massive trees surround the house and form a graceful allee between the huge boxwood (year-round, total care at no cost to owners). This property has division rights and is an excellent candidate for conservation easement. The Madison-Barbour Rural Historic District is anchored by Montpelier, the home of James Madison, and is known for its 18th and 19th century farming estates. Cairngorm is centrally located within the District and enjoys a private and protected setting.