Lynchburg, VA

Summer!    Yay!   

After I survived the minor surgery, we took off for a really neat vacation.  The first part of it was a leisurely drive through the countryside of Virginia to Lynchburg.  It is truly beautiful there with the rolling hills and lots of green.  Lynchburg is on the James River.

Barbara at a rest stop in Virginia.

Craddock-Terry Hotel

We stayed in a renovated shoe factory that has been turned into a neat boutique hotel.  It still maintains some of the quaint charm of the old shoe factory - with the lobby displaying shoe forms cobblers used and such.  Charming old photographs were on display, as were many modern touches - painting and artwork centered around shoes.  It was lovely and charming. Our room(s) were about the size of our whole condo in Maryland.  It was awesome and I'm taking notes on that amazing bathroom with its dual vanities, marble counters and grand huge shower (and huge soaking tub). What a treat this was.  In keeping with the "urban loft" design of the old shoe factory, it had real high ceilings, exposed wood beams that were beautiful, exposed brick walls, long full windows and soft draperies, with views across the James River and the Rail trail. 

This lovely room was highlighted by the flowers the kids sent us for my Birthday.  So thoughtful!  Also LOVED the gift certificate dinner at Shoemakers - the 4 star restaurant onsite.   Shoemakers also keeps the shoe factory theme alive with cute art - paintings showing pretty high heels and quotes for famous movie stars about their shoes.   (This shoe factory was actually very important at the time - 1950's era - was about the 3rd largest in the world I think.  It was as quite an area of industry for Lynchburg, along with about 45 cigarette/tobacco factories at one time.)  Tobacco was the cash crop then, but was hard on the soil. 


Situated on a hillside, as is most of Lynchburg, we had nice views of the James River and the walking/hiking/biking trail below us.  The old railroad tracks have been turned into a lovely park area.  We walked over to the nearly Percival's Island Natural Area on the old converted railroad bridge.  It is a in the middle of the James River and runs for about a mile.  

The Fountain Lynchburg

View from the Fountain on James River

Blacksmith demo - James River Batteau Festival 2012

Ed on the Rail bridge to Percival's Island

rail trail

View of our hotel from the James River trail.

We were lucky, it was the weekend of the James River Batteau Festival!  We saw kayaks, rowboats, and dugout canoes - all sorts of watercraft were joining the festival.  There were displays from the local museum, the Women's Club, the local Indians, a blacksmith, a storyteller, food booths, crafts and all kinds of stuff.  We walked from the hotel, it was really neat.  

The Arbor at Montpelier

Gardens at Montpelier

Gardens at Montpelier

Gardens at Montpelier

Ed enjoying the sun dial Montpelier

Montpelier - Home of James and Dolly Madison - Madison is know of his intellectual abilities, he is the father of our Constitution.   Friend and close confident of Jefferson and John Adams, Madison was an avid reader and Dolly was loved by many of her contemporaries.  Their home was large, they often had his parents living in one wing.  They had extensive gardens.  Madison lived here into old age and died in this home.   This is the home where he spent years studying the governments of history, trying to figure out a course for us to be able to govern ourselves.  

 Poplar Forest - Second Home of Thomas Jefferson, very close to Lynchburg.

The Necessary at Poplar Forest

Poplar Forest View

Poplar Forest - Jefferson's 2nd Home

Absolutely lovely setting, I would have enjoyed living here.  The original acreage has been sold off in pieces, but the main home site is now intact.  There is a golf course adjacent now.  (Boo)  I think it must have been thousands of acres originally, but now much smaller site restored.  At one point, Poplar Forest was where Jefferson escaped to hide from the British.  Apparently the British intel only knew about Monticello, not Poplar Forest. 


Appomattox Court House - near Lynchburg, the site of the surrender of General Robert E. Lee in 1965.  Actors in period costumes, nicely restored site, terrific descriptions of what it was like at the time.  

Appomattox

Ed at Appomattox Court House

National D-Day Monument - Bedford, Virginia, near Lynchburg.    Congress selected Bedford for this national monument because of the proportionate population of troops killed that day - I think this little community lost 19 men that single day.  It is a huge, fancy monument.  Beautifully landscaped and a neat part the replicates in an artistic way how the beach must have felt that day, with water sprays emulating the bullets fired at the troops as they left the carriers.  

Ed at the National D-Day Monument in Bedford, VA.

Eisenhower monument at D-Day Memorial

Built to look like the landing in Normandy, amazing huge monument.

There is a lot this area has to offer.  If we get to go again, I will hike more along that neat rail trail and the Percival's Island area.  and definitely have another meal at Shoemakers!  The people were so friendly too, that was fun.