Roanoke Region

The Roanoke Region of Virginia is the northern part Southwest Virginia, United States. It is located the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains and encompasses most of Smith Mountain Lake as well as several rivers including the Roanoke River. It is characterized by the state as the LWIA-III planning district. There are five counties and three cities within the region as well as several towns. The municipalities in the region collaborate in a number of projects and partnerships, including the Roanoke Regional Partnership (an economic development organization), the Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau (the region's tourism center), and the Roanoke Regional Airport (the region's major airport). The region’s population as of 2007 is 323,089.

Geography and Climate

The Roanoke Region covers approximately 2349.3 sq mi of land, and approximately 31 sq. mi. of water. The region is located within the Appalachian Mountains, specifically the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains. There are also two major rivers, the James River and the Roanoke (Staunton) River, that pass through the Roanoke Region. There are several small lakes, including Lake Moomaw and Carvin’s Cove, as well as one major lake, Smith Mountain Lake. The region is in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forest biome.

The climate of the Roanoke Region is humid subtropical with four distinct seasons. The average temperature in January is 34.7 degrees Farenheit; July is 75.6 degrees. The average yearly rainfall is 42.7 inches and snowfall is 27.2 inches.

Municipalities

There are five counties and three cities within the Roanoke Region.

Counties

There are five counties in the Roanoke Region: Alleghany, Botetourt, Craig, Franklin, and Roanoke.

Cities

The Roanoke Region has three cities: City of Roanoke, Salem, and Covington.

Towns

There are several towns throughout the region.

• Buchanan
• Fincastle
• Troutville
• Vinton
• Boones Mill
• Rocky Mount
• New Castle
• Clifton Forge
• Iron Gate

History

Early History

The earliest history of the Roanoke Region exists as archaeological evidence of Native American tribes which settled by the Roanoke River, which takes its name from the Native American Algonquian word for the shell “money” found in the waters.

In the mid 1770s, Scotch-Irish and German settlers reached the upper Roanoke Valley traveling on the Great Wilderness Road down the Shenandoah Valley from Pennsylvania. Settlers also followed the James Riverfrom eastern Virginia. As tradesmen and farmers moved into the region, new counties and communities were established.

Botetourt County was established in 1770 carved out from Augusta County. The county was named for the popular governor of the Virginia Colony, Lord Botetourt. The county’s boundaries extended west all the way to the Mississippi River including most of Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. The town of Fincastle in Botetourt served as the gateway to the American West and was the starting point for Lewis and Clark’s famous exploration of the Louisiana Purchase. Botetourt’s early role is preserved in the Fincastle Courthouse, designed by Thomas Jefferson.

Formed from parts of Bedford and Henry County and named for Benjamin Franklin, Franklin County was established in 1785. Franklin County produced one of the nation’s most respected leaders, eminent black educator Booker T. Washington, who was born April 5, 1856, on the Burroughs Plantation, approximately sixteen miles northeast of Rocky Mount. His childhood was spent as a slave and he lived in a one-room cabin. After emancipation and a successful quest to educate himself, Washington established a new black school in 1881 in Tuskegee, Alabama. Now known as Tuskegee Institute, the college helped Washington achieve his goal of educating his people to provide opportunities. His birthplace is preserved today as the Booker T. Washington National Monument. Alleghany was formed out of Botetourt in 1822 and named for the Alleghany Mountains. During the Civil War, the county provided much needed iron resources for the Confederate troops; Longdale Furnace provided the iron for the Merrimac.

Roanoke County was also formed from Botetourt in 1838, taking its name from the Roanoke River. The county eventually annexed additional territory in 1845 from Montgomery County, and historic Salem continues to serve as the county seat. The town of Salem, established in 1802, served travelers on the Great Wilderness Road and was located on two stagecoach lines. It was the major center of activity in the Roanoke area until the mid 1880s. In 1847, the Virginia Institute, a boy’s preparatory school, moved to Salem from Staunton and was renamed Roanoke College. Salem became an independent city in 1968. Towns formed within what is now the City of Roanoke in the first decades of the 19th Century. Antwerp was subdivided in 1801, followed by Gainesborough in 1825 (the present Gainsboro neighborhood) and Old Lick in 1834. The Gainesborough settlement remained the most populous community until 1874 when the Town of Big Lick was chartered. The unique name was derived from salt marshes that attracted wildlife to the area. This tiny village of less than five hundred people was to become the Town of Roanoke in 1882 and in 1884, the city of Roanoke. The new town was located along the old Atlantic, Mississippi, and Ohio Railroad later to become the Norfolk and Western.

The History of Transportation

With the Great Wilderness Road and Botetourt County serving as the gateway to the American West, the Roanoke Region was always an intersection for travel and transportation. In the 1850s, the region became a major hub for the nation’s developing railroad system. The Virginia and Tennessee Railroad (V&T) came to Big Lick, linking Lynchburg to Bristol and transforming the region. A system was developed to link three railroads across the southern tier of Virginia to form the Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio Railroad (AM&O). When the Shenandoah Valley Railroad linked Hagerstown, Maryland to the AM&O in Roanoke in 1882, it became the Norfolk & Western Railway. This marked the beginning of a period of rapid growth for the City of Roanoke which was call “the magic city” during this time. The Town of Vinton also was incorporated at this time. To further enhance Roanoke’s reputation as a rail hub, The Virginian Railway was built in the early 20th century along the Roanoke River and merged with Norfolk & Western in 1959.

In Alleghany County, the Virginia Central Railroad had extended its track from Staunton to the Jackson River in 1857. After the Civil War, the railroad expanded west to connect with the Covington and Ohio Railroad and in 1868 the two lines merged to form the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O). The railroad established a depot and named it Clifton Forge, the only town in the United States to bear its name. When the track to Richmond was completed in 1881, the town boomed as a railway hub and remains as the region’s only stop on the Amtrak line.

Access to the coalfields of Southwest Virginia made N&W prosperous, transporting the world-famous Pocahontas bituminous coal which fueled half the world’s navies. N&W became famous for manufacturing steam locomotives in the Roanoke Shops.

C&O Railway was eventually obtained by CSX Transportation, merging the railways of Clifton Forge with the larger system that exists today. Interstate highways also have made a significant impact on the region. Interstate 81 runs from Canada to Tennessee paralleling the Alleghany Mountains in Virginia. Interstate 64 runs from Chesapeake, Virginia to St. Louis, Missouri. An excellent transportation infrastructure has been a hallmark of the Roanoke Region for more than 150 years.

Present

In Franklin County, a 1960s era project to build a hydroelectric dam created the largest lake in Virginia, Smith Mountain Lake, which is an economic powerhouse for the region. The lake’s 32 acres and 500 miles of shoreline are dotted with luxury homes and condominiums. It is popular for recreation and recognized for boating, skiing, and fishing. Bassmasters tournaments are televised nationally from the lake. The region combines a host of well-known nature-based attractions such as the Appalachian Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, and Jackson and James Rivers with a growing and sophisticated business community.

Economy

The Roanoke Region has a diverse economic base of service, retail, and manufacturing. It is the largest metropolitan area in Western Virginia and serves as a medical, cultural, retail, media, and commercial center for nearly a million people. The business sector has expanded beyond the railroad to include major clusters of life science; advanced manufacturing; transportation-related manufacturing; printing and packaging; and financial companies. Well-known names such as General Electric, ITT, Allstate Insurance, Advance Auto, Mead Westvaco, and others have major presences in the region.

The Roanoke Region has evolved into a major health care center, anchored by the not-for-profit Carilion Clinic. Subsequently, health care research and education has become increasingly prevalent in area. Carilion Clinic and Virginia Tech have partnered in founding the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, a five year medical school that focuses on medical research. Also, Carilion Clinic, Virginia Tech, and the University of Virginia have collaborated in establishing the Carilion Biomedical Institute.

Due to its natural amenities, tourism is another major industry in the Roanoke Region. Smith Mountain Lake, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Appalachian Trail, the rivers and streams, Dixie Caverns, the Botetourt County blueways, and the mountains attract thousands of visitors to the region each year.

Culture

The Roanoke Region has a diverse culture. There are a number of music and performing arts venues and groups, a prospering arts community and lively nightlife, and a unique set of outdoor opportunities.

Arts, Theater, and Music

The region boasts a thriving arts community with more than 40 art galleries throughout the area. The Taubman Museum of Art in downtown Roanoke City is a work of modern architecture. The museum that recently hosted Cirques De Solieland features numerous exhibits. The colleges in the region all each maintain museums and galleries, capturing the work of students, faculty, and regional, national, and international artists. The communities in the region each have art festivals and shows.

The Roanoke Region is home to professional live theater. The Mill Mountain Theatre offers several shows a year including classics and originals. The Roanoke Civic Center also regularly features traveling Broadway shows and a variety of other famous plays. Community theater and college theater are also prevalent in the region.

The region has a long history in music and is a featured stop along Virginia's Heritage Music Trail, also known as the Crooked Road. There are several venues throughout the region that host nationally and internationally recognized music acts, including the Roanoke Civic Center, the Jefferson Center, the Salem Civic Center, Roanoke College Gymnasium, and Lane Stadium at Virginia Tech. Smaller venues also host traveling music acts as well as the growing local music scene.

Education

Public

There seven public school systems in the Roanoke Region. Combined, there are 56 elementary, 17 middle, and 13 public high schools. There are two public technical education schools: Burton Center for the Arts and Technology and Jackson River Technical Center. There are two governor schools, one in City of Roanoke and the other in Alleghany County, as well as a career building program for middle school students in Franklin County.

Private

There are ten private schools throughout the Roanoke Region and four Montessori schools.

Colleges and Universities

There are 11 institutes of higher education in the Roanoke Region. Although Virginia Tech’s main campus is not located in the region, a large portion of its academic programs and extended campus opportunities are present. Therefore, Virginia Tech is often considered as part of the Roanoke Region.

Colleges and Universities include:

• Virginia Tech
• Roanoke College
• Hollins University
• Southern Virginia University
• Ferrum College
• Jefferson College of the Health Sciences
• National College
• ECPI
• Virginia Western Community College
• Dabney S. Lancaster Community College.

The Roanoke Higher Education Center, located in downtown Roanoke, is the satellite campus for a number of Virginia state universities and colleges.