This marker pays tribute to a terrible tragedy that struck Lynchburg…read more The marker reads, "The deadliest fire in Lynchburg history occurred here at a Federal Transient Bureau shelter on 24 March 1934. The Bureau, opened by the Federal Emergency Relief Administration as part of the New Deal, housed out-of-work men passing through town during the Great Depression. The two-story building was overcrowded when an early morning kitchen fire spread rapidly and claimed the lives of at least 19 inhabitants; about 70 others were injured. The federal government returned many bodies to their families, but seven were buried locally in the Old City Cemetery. National attention was focused on Lynchburg, and federal guidelines for homeless shelters were improved as a result of this disaster." Online, there is more information. "On March 24th 1934, twenty-two men (a different number than above) died due to a fire at the Federal Transient Bureau building in downtown Lynchburg. The Federal Transient Bureau opened its doors to the poor and homeless on December 18th, 1933 in a two story building on the corner of Twelfth and Church Streets. Its purpose was to feed and house occupants during the Great Depression and on the morning of the fire, one- hundred and ninety men were using the facility. A kitchen grease fire rapidly spread, eating through the dry wood supports and cardboard partitions of the building. To make matters worse, there were no fire escapes on the building since city code did not require them on two-story dwellings at that time." "All of the windows in the second story of the Bureau were covered with wooden planks to prevent people from breaking the glass and to stop people in nearby buildings from peering in. The men located on the ground floor were more fortunate and most were able to escape through the front doors." An army veteran who served during World War I commented that the scene at the Virginia Baptist Hospital was "like that of a field hospital in a combat zone." The youngest fatality from the fire was a fourteen year old boy who had come from North Carolina for work. He was on his way home when he decided to stay overnight in Lynchburg due to the snow. Panic and the sealed windows were labeled as major factors in the high death toll by officials and to this day, the Federal Transient Bureau fire is considered one of the worse fires to ever occur in Lynchburg due to the loss of life. [Review 15090 overall, 592 of 2021, number 1306 in Virginia.]

The first time I saw this memorial dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I was mesmerized by how…read morewell the artists captured the person, what he stood for, and the great significance he had in the civil rights movement of this country. I was fortunate enough to have done my undergraduate studies at Boston University where Dr. King obtained his doctorate degree and to have seen the original manuscript of his "I Have a Dream" speech. The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial located near Henry Street in Roanoke, Virginia, is a public art sculpture and memorial featuring a 7-foot bronze statue of Dr. King wearing a business suit with his arms outstretched overlooking the historic Gainsboro neighborhood. The granite pedestal he is standing on includes a relief panel of Dr. King and Coretta Scott King marching in Washington, D.C. The statue was sculptured by husband and wife sculptor team Jeffrey H. Varilla and Anna Koh Varilla, and stands at the north side of the MLK Jr. Memorial Bridge. The sculptor team's studio, the Koh-Varilla Guild was created in 1986 and is located in Chicago. They specialize in portrait and figure sculptures and have been working on public monuments for over 25 years. Stylistically their work reflects a passion for "Classic Realism." They have produced religious and secular works for many locations around the country and overseas, and have won many competitions including 1st Prize in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Monument Competition, Roanoke, Virginia, in 2006. They are currently fellows at the National Sculpture Sociery. When I first moved to Roanoke, crossing over the bridge and seating on one of the benches facing the Statue of Dr. King brought me great interior peace and hope for the future. These interactive benches near the memorial statue are equipped with speakers. One can press buttons to listen to clips of Dr. Kings iconic speeches. Today the statue and bridge serve as an important landmark honoring the region's rich African American Heritage, civil rights history, and acts as a gathering place to celebrate these and move forward. The statue and bridge were dedicated in 2008. This site is open to the public year-round. I highly recommend and encourage you to give it a visit whenever you're in the area, considering it is a powerful landmark for reflection on the civil rights history.

My friend wanted to see this Martin Luther King, Jr memorial here in downtown Roanoke on a brisk…read moreMarch 2026 Friday afternoon. Martin Luther King Jr is one of the most influential people in the 20th century. Equal rights for all and equal treatment for everyone was his creed. Many statues have been commissioned across the country and I found this one of MLK Jr here in Roanoke, Virginia. It was a simple statue in downtown Roanoke. My friend had been saying that he wanted to see this statue since it was a nice place to be. When we arrived here in downtown Roanoke, we found parking nearby and walked to the MLK Jr statue. It was a simple statue of the great man and nothing really else. The setting was in a quiet area of downtown Roanoke, but could be sketchy during the evenings. My friend and I was here for 15 minutes, reading the inscription on the statue itself and reminded me that we still don't live in a world where everyone is treated the same. Sure we made strides during the times of MLK Jr, but it's still far from perfect or a utopian society. It was just me and my friend on a brisk Friday afternoon when we visited the MLK Jr statue. The area around it had some construction work pending or actively going. I felt at peace here and knowing that MLK Jr had a big part in shaping America's history and future is comforting, but we as a people have more work to be done. The ambiance was nice and quiet, serene and peaceful. Definitely recommend if you need a place of solitude during your time here in downtown Roanoke. It's quite nice and definitely needed while I was there. Do yourself a favor if you're in the area and stop by. The overall experience here at the Roanoke Martin Luther King Jr statue was therapeutic and peaceful. It's a constant reminder of how our society is, where it came from, the history, and how far there's more to go. During my time here at the memorial statue, I read the inscription and reflect on how life has gone since MLK Jr's tragic passing. A lot of life happened, many wars and geopolitical events and issues that have come and gone. It's hard to imagine if he was alive today that would things have been different or better? After reading the inscription on the memorial, I looked around and realized that, while we are blessed to be in America, it's far from perfect. We still have ways to go and to be a civilized society with equality for everyone. The statue of MLK Jr was made out of bronze, it looked like. It towers over the landscape and draws anyone who will listen. Being at the statue helps me understand and appreciate the fact that we have the ability and right to change things if we don't like the current establishment. We have a voice and every effort to make changes if it's needed and necessary for the betterment of society and humanity. MLK Jr is still a voice and a constant reminder of society and how it is to be the better half of it. Equality is what he was driving for and striving for the best that society has to offer. I'm always reminded of that fact whenever I see his face in books, social media, and other forms of free expression. This MLK Jr statue is located in downtown Roanoke, Virginia. It's near to the main thoroughfare but off to the quiet side of town. It's in a quiet area and there's no admission fee to see him. Just like community parks. Free admission for everyone! As far as parking goes, there is a paid parking lot feet from the statue itself. If you don't want to pay for parking, you could find free street parking where you can find it and walk on over. If you love public transit like I do, consider traveling to the third street bus terminal and walk about 0.75 mile east. All bus routes start or end at the third street bus terminal. The Roanoke Amtrak station is also walkable to the MLK Jr statue on 1st street NW and from here. And of course, there is always Uber and Lyft for anyone and everyone who wishes to use their service to come here to visit the great man. And so, if you want to feel inspired and enlightened about life and society, consider coming to downtown Roanoke and see the MLK jr statue. It's very inspiring and beautiful at the same time. For the most part though, I enjoyed myself here for 15 minutes. Made me think of a better world that's better than the current state of affairs. Hopefully that's the case - at least in my lifetime. Recommended if you're in the Roanoke area and want to be inspired and enlightened. 5.0 stars for the overall experience. Support local! A+

A little bit of unique history that gets driven by and probably criticized often, but is so unique…read moreit's awesome. Now this feels like something you'd do at Disney or a theme park, but it's not that at all, because it's as real as possible right to the north of downtown Buchanan. The stone pier you see today is the original from 1851 and this bridge spans 366 feet across the James River and is 57.6 feet tall. And it sways or swings and you can not only feel it, but you can see it too. And it's all made out of wood. Seriously I was hesitant at first, good thing I had my 3 boys worn me, afraid of nothing with death not even a thought (it's not that bad). The view from the bridge are breathtaking and because of the uniqueness of it, it's just cool. You feel like you've walked into yesteryear, where the civil war raged, which it did. Apparently the original bridge was burned down as a strategy by the Confederate General McCausland. We spent about 20 minutes taking it in and our confidence grew the more we tested the old rickety bridge. Good times by one and all and we enjoyed the park and basketball hoops right next to the parking lot for the bridge. It's a beautiful downtown with lots of history. Next time your pass Buchanan, swing on by for a walk on the swinging bridge and step into history.

Currently closed, which is a shame. The 366 foot long bridge dates back to some of the stone piers…read morebeing laid in 1851. Back then, the toll to cross the bridge was five cents with an additional five cents for each additional horse, mule or oxen. The bridge was burned by Confederate forces in 1864 to prevent Federal forces from crossing the river on their way to Lynchburg but was rebuilt after the war. In 1937, the neighboring concrete bridge over the James River mostly replaced the use of this bridge but the bridge still remained. There is a free parking lot on the south side of the river. I'm a little glad that it is closed as it helped me not have to make the decision to cross it on foot. I'm not sure I'm daring enough. [Review 13772 overall, 1093 of 2020, number 1207 in Virginia.]

Took a little hike recently to one of the areas civil war battlefields. The Hanging Rock…read moreBattelfield Monument is on the north end of the trail heading towards Salem. A flat open parking area is at the entrance with easy access to the monument and surrounding signage. The trail is well marked going in but quickly disappears into the brush. There is an unmaintained path of sorts that goes a couple miles back into the forest. It follows the creek for quite a while and there are a few places to access the water back under the canopy. The "rocks" are back in maybe half a mile, even less and the outcropping is hard to miss. I followed the trail up to where it met the modern roadway and back through another section even more overgrown. Walking a part of history through an area that had more battles fought than any other state in our union. If you enjoy history, hiking, and getting outdoors. This is an easy access and fairly level spot. There is the Hinchee General store on the corner about 150' across the grass that has drinks, outdoor seating, etc. 3.5 Stars the monument and signage, along with about a dozen parking spots are right off the main road. 01027

I've gotta admit even though I was a Poly Sci major in college I didn't know much about Marshall…read moreother than the Marshall Plan. He had a really interesting life and this museum does a great job of showing it all. He was the Army Chief of Staff during WWII, Secretary of Defense, President of the Red Cross, and Secretary of State among other titles. This place shows it all without being boring or long winded, you can also see an Oscar and a Nobel Peace Prize here so that alone is worth a look.

A great museum on a historic school campus. The museum provides insights to Marshall's life and…read moresome World War II history. A phenomenal leader in both the military and senior government with a lasting legacy.

This historical marker is in front of the Micheaux Family Theater and recalls an important film…read moreproducer who lived and worked here in Roanoke. The marker reads, "Oscar Micheaux, renowned leading creator of African American "race films" between 1919 and 1948, produced up to six full-length films in Roanoke between 1922 and 1925. The Strand Theatre housed the Micheaux Film Corporation from 1923 to 1925, while Micheaux lodged across the street at the Hampton Hotel, now the Dumas. Many of Roanoke's black professionals bought stock in Micheaux's corporation and five served on its board of directors including Alfred F. Brooks, who built the Strand. Famous civil rights attorney Oliver W. Hill, Sr., then a student boarding in Roanoke, had a walk-on part in one film." Micheaux was an African-American author, film director and producer of more than 44 films. Although the short-lived Lincoln Motion Picture Company was the first movie company owned and controlled by black filmmakers, Micheaux is regarded as the first major African-American feature filmmaker, a prominent producer of race film, and has been described as "the most successful African-American filmmaker of the first half of the 20th century". He produced both silent films and sound films. You'll want to watch https://youtu.be/ao5V-XhXS-c. [Review 13797 overall, 1118 of 2020, number 1231 in Virginia.]

This marker is located appropriately in front of the Lynchburg Circuit Court House and is a tribute…read moreto a local citizen who had a large impact on juvenile justice reform in the area. The marker reads, "Lucy Harrison Miller Baber (1908-1996). Lucy Baber helped to overhaul Virginia's juvenile justice system in the mid-20th century. As a member of a Virginia Advisory Legislative Council subcommittee, she assisted in formulating legislation that in 1950 strengthened the juvenile court system, required separate juvenile detention facilities, and expanded probation services. Baber served on a Department of Welfare and Institutions advisory committee tasked with implementing these reforms. As chair of the Welfare Department of the 20,000-member Virginia Federation of Women's Clubs, she encouraged activism to end children's incarceration in adult jails. She was instrumental in organizing Lynchburg's juvenile court system." The marker is a recent installation. There is more information on line in articles reporting on the unveiling. "Baber helped educate Virginians about the scope of childhood incarceration and she encouraged residents to personally investigate the issue, according to her published work. In 1950, as a member of a subcommittee for the Virginia Advisory Legislative Council, she helped develop new laws strengthening the juvenile court system, requiring separate detention facilities for children and expanding probation services. She also served on an advisory committee to the institution tasked with implementing those reforms." [Review 15086 overall, 588 of 2021, number 1302 in Virginia.]

This marker near one of the exits off I-81 recalls important events from the Colonia Period when…read moreVirginia was the "frontier." It reads, "Cartmill's Gap, just northwest, is named for Henry Cartmill, who acquired land nearby on Purgatory Creek. During the Seven Years' War (1756-1763), conflicts between Indians and settlers increased in this area. In July 1757, Shawnee Indians attacked several nearby farmsteads, including the Robert Renick settlement a few miles north of here. Renick was killed, while his wife and children were captured and taken to the Ohio Country. A neighbor, Hannah Dennis, was also captured; her husband, Joseph, and their child were among those killed. A party of settlers pursued the Shawnee and killed at least nine of them in a skirmish before the Shawnee escaped through Cartmill's Gap." I'm not finding a whole lot more information about that. [Review 13771 overall, 1092 of 2020, number 1206 in Virginia.]