Tag Archives: Historic Buildings

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Day 5-7- Williamsburg: The Warmth of Brick

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It’s been an excellent conference, filled with opportunities for increasing knowledge and catching up with friends and colleagues, with time for good food and wine and even a little fun!

This morning I also found some time to get out early and shoot some of the sights around the restored area of Williamsburg.  I took many photos, but what struck me the most was how warm the bricks looked with the 6:30 am sun shining on them.

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I’ll post more pictures from the restored area later … for now, I hope you enjoy the early morning warmth and sunlight.

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Day 3 – Ashland / Downtown Richmond: More Trains & Historic Buildings

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What a treat it is to have a day off during the week!

With a meeting in Richmond on Monday and a conference in Williamsburg from Wednesday through Saturday, it just made sense to stay in the Eastern part of the Commonwealth.   My friend Becky lives in Ashland, and I was lucky to spend last evening with her and our friend Tim.  This morning when she left for work, I left to explore the town of Ashland.  I enjoyed a hot breakfast blend and a bagel while catching up on email, blogging, and bills at Ashland Coffee and Tea.

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Ashland is another historic train town and much of the quaint downtown area has a train theme.078003

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Freight trains pass through town on a regular schedule and even better, you can still take the passenger to various places in Virginia and the Northeast

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Ashland is more than trains, however, and the architecture of the buildings and the neat little shops and adornments made it difficult to put the camera away and made me reluctant to leave.  I adored this sculpture of J Malcolm Pace III, also  known as “Jay”.  The plaque reads “Newspaper Editor / Publisher, Community and Church Leader, Randolph Macon College Supporter, Musician, Friend and Family Man”.  What a tribute!

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And then there are the windows …

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Eventually, I had to move on to the next stop: Downtown Richmond.  I spent 7 years in Richmond while attending the Medical College of Virginia and I have always loved the downtown area.  Too may folks who live in the suburbs never leave the land of malls and chain restaurants and what a shame that is.

Today I discovered the Canal Walk, a project to restore a canal system that was started in 1784 and was heavily damaged during the Civil War.  It truly is a walk through history!

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With time running short before I had to leave for my next stop, I found myself at Sam Millers Restaurant on the cobblestoned Shockoe Slip.  The bartender Nathan, in addition to bringing me a yummy cup of crab soup and a Southern Tier stout, was a good source for information and directions.

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Finally, I could delay no longer and it was time to leave for Gloucester to meet my friend Janet for dinner a at wonderful Thai restaurant.  Gloucester would be a fun place to explore and I plan to return when it’s still daylight!  But tonight, the rain began to fall and I still had one hour to go before arriving at my final destination: Williamsburg – home of my parents and the 2013 Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners Conference.

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Day 1 – Radford: A Home to Trains and Building Art

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Why a post combining trains and building art?  Mostly it’s about timing.

I am on the first night of a 7 night / 8 day, mostly business trip around Virginia.  As I was trying to get out of Radford and head on down the road to Richmond, I was drawn to two scenes that I see almost on a daily basis.  I’m not sure what made me stop to take pictures today, especially since I was already running late, but … have camera … well you know.

Trains and building art could easily fill several posts, but today, a few pictures will have to do.

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Radford has been a railroad town since the 1850s when the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad (later the Norfolk and Western Railway) came through.  The population grew dramatically as did business, industry and education.  Passenger rail service no longer exists in Radford, but the railroad through the city is still a major component of Norfolk Southern Railway’s Roanoke to Bristol route.  As is typical of those who live in a railroad town, it is easy to become immune to the sound of the trains and their whistles as they pass through the city.

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The structure pictured below sits right behind the railroad tracks.  I am sorry to say that I do not know what it is … I was guessing a water tower.  A quick FB call out to local Radford folks revealed that most agree, especially given it’s proximity to the rail yard.  I’m hoping I can learn the date it was constructed and any other interesting bits of information as well.  We’ve got some serious history buffs in our little city.  I’ll pass on what I learn!

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Since I posted this morning I have heard from several who tell me that the tower served to store water for use by the steam engines.

As buildings are renovated or unfortunately torn down (or fall down), art in the form of advertisements is often revealed.  Radford, like many localities, has many more examples of building art than just those pictured here.  These particular ads were revealed when the City of Radford took down an old partially burned out building (which even had a tree growing in it) and created a community courtyard.  This lovely little area is now called Carson’s Courtyard.

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This next building sits right across the street from Carson’s Courtyard and the art provides a lovely backdrop for the Farmer’s Market.

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And as you look past the brick wall, you will once again see the tower.

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Day 2 – Richmond

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One Morning in Roanoke

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The Roanoke Valley is as rich in history as it is in natural beauty and has played a vital role in the growth of Virginia.  The Wilderness Road migration route, traveled by pioneers in covered wagons on their way to settle the frontier, passed right through the region.

Roanoke is the 10th largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the largest municipality in Southwest Virginia.  Formerly known as Big Lick, because of it’s numerous salt marshes (or licks), the city was renamed Roanoke in 1881.

Roanoke became a crossroads for the railroad, which eventually became the Norfolk and Western Railway. Its historic market, which also began in these early years, remains vibrant as one of the oldest in the country and still is an anchor of downtown commerce (http://www.visitroanokeva.com/visitors/history/roanoke-history/).

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It was a lovely morning in Roanoke … perfect for a quick stroll around the downtown market area.

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The variety of windows caught my eye

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Historic Signs and Newer Signs

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Old Buildings

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And New

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Inside the renovated market building

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Outside on the market square

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Downtown Roanoke has much more to see … restaurants and pubs, museums and historic hotels, renovated buildings and shops.  Festivals too!  You should come check it out!

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