This roadside marker is near the central district of Buchanan in front of the Presbyterian Church…read more It is in very good condition as it was replaced recently. The marker reads, "The Great Valley Road, which carried many settlers of European descent through Virginia beginning in the 1740s, cross the James River nearby. This intersection gave rise to Pattronsburg, established north of the river in 1788 and named for early landowner James Patton, and Buchanan, laid out south of the river in 1811 and named for Colonel John Buchanan. Commerce and manufacturing flourished, particularly after the James River and Kanawha Canal reaches its western terminis here in 1851. Union Major General David Hunter marched through in June 1864 on his way to attack Lynchburg. In 1882, the two towns were consolidated and incorporated as the Town of Buchanan." [Review 13773 overall, 1094 of 2020, number 1208 in Virginia.]

This marker is visible from the Interstate and US-11 that runs as a service road here. It's quite a…read moredistance to the nearest exit, though. The marker reads, "Nearby stood Capt. Audley Paul's fort, built in 1757 during the French and Indian War (1754-1763) as one in a series of fortifications to protect Virginia's frontier. Paul served as a lieutenant in Maj. Gen. Edward Braddock's ill-fated expedition against the French at Fort Duquesne in 1755. He soon joined Col. William Preston's ranger company as first lieutenant and served in the 1756 expedition against the Shawnee at Sand Creek. In 1761, Paul's fort sheltered settlers fleeing their homesteads in anticipation of Indian attacks. Paul later served in Dunmore's War and fought in the Battle of Point Pleasant, 10 Oct. 1774." Online, there is more information. The fort was a French & Indian War defense established in 1757 under the direction of Colonel George Washington. This post was one of a chain of defenses along the western frontier established by Colonel Washington to counter the French and their Indian allies. Audley Paul was born in 1736, in Nottinghamshire, England, to John Paul and Margaret Lynn. Audley married Jane Mathews and had 8 children. He passed away on September 2, 1892 nearby in Botetourt County, Virginia. [Review 13770 overall, 1091 of 2020, number 1205 in Virginia.]

This marker along US 11 is at the border of Rockbridge and Botetourt Counties. It is on two sides…read more On the one side, "Rockbridge County Formed in 1778 from Augusta and Botetourt, and named for the Natural Bridge. Samuel Houston and Cyrus H. McCormick were born in this county. Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson are buried in Lexington. Washington and Lee University and the Virginia Military Institute are there." And on the other, "Botetourt County Formed in 1769 from Augusta, and named for Lord Botetourt, Governor of Virginia 1768-70. Buchanan was the western terminus of the noted James River and Kanawha Canal." Botetourt's county seat is in Fincastle. In the 1770s, when Virginia claimed most of the Northwest Territory which would later form all or part of six states, the land was initially divided between Botetourt and Augusta Counties. Much of this was removed from Botetourt to form the entire state of Kentucky. Rockbridge is named for the Natural Bridge https://www.yelp.com/biz/natural-bridge-national-historic-landmark-natural-bridge-2?hrid=BW-LOgIsnvp2zGahAQ0Lxg and its county seat is Lexington. Sam Houston, the only man to ever serve as Governor of two states (Texas and Tennesseee) was born here. Also both Confederate generals Stonewall Jackson and Robert Lee. [Review 13769 overall, 1090 of 2020, number 1204 in Virginia.]

A great spot to have a lunch break on weekdays. Also a great place to let kids, pets, or yourself…read moreto get fresh air. When they have events here like music concerts, baseball games, soccer games, etc. it's always a good time and has plenty of space to hang out with people and not feel crowded.

Lexington and the people I met here are super friendly, courtyard helpful. I lovely Main Street…read morewith great bars and restaurants and shops. Well worth a visit and lovely places to stay in town and the surrounding beautiful Rockbridge County.

Was planning on driving up from N.C. stopping in Lexington for a couple of nights at a B&B on our…read moreway to D.C., but if this is a sample of your town we'll just keep going.

Reposting... It's…read morehard to miss this post office, located underneath the visitor center for the Natural Bridge State Park. You'll be walking past it at the top of the steps and heading to the main parking lot. Full service hours are limited to mornings only but the lobby is open until 6pm. The mailbox is out front and I dropped my post cards in there that I'd bought in the gift shop. All arrived on time. [Review 2064 of 2024 - 1452 in Virginia - 23083 overall]

We need more markers like this to point out great Americans in the contemporary age. I had never…read moreheard of this person so it was an interesting learning experience. The marker reads, "R. Arliner Young, zoologist, was born in Clifton Forge. After graduating with a B.A. from Howard University and an M.S. from the University of Chicago, she became the first African American woman to earn a doctorate in zoology when she completed her Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania in 1940. Her research focused on the effects of electromagnetic radiation on marine organisms, and her 1924 article in the journal Science won international attention. For years she taught zoology at Howard and conducted research at the elite Marine Biological Laboratory in MA. She later taught at other historically Black colleges and universities and was a civil rights activist and labor union organizer." This is marker number L-17 and it was erected in 2021 by the Department of Historic Resources. [Review 19593 overall - 1430 in Virginia - 564 of 2023.]

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.]