"Solitude"
is Virginia Tech's oldest building. Built in 1801 for James Patton Preston,
Solitude was later the home of two Virginia governors — John Floyd and John Buchanan Floyd.
James Patton Preston's son, Col. Robert Preston sold Solitude in 1872
to secure the location of Virginia’s first land-grant university.
Solitude has served in various capacities through the years, as faculty housing,
a clubhouse for returning veterans attending the school,
apartments, the site of the Hokie Club alumni organization,
and as an academic building.
Now, 200+ years later, the old farmhouse is being readied for a new life
as the university works to restore Solitude to its mid–to–late 19th century appearance and establish
a multi–use Appalachian Center on site.

I stood behind Solitude as the sun was setting
and caught the light coming through a front window and out through the back

"...sometimes it's hard to capture "Solitude" but it's worth the effort..."