Jeanne, Thanks a million for the tips. Where would I find an ADC for Virginia, Walmart? Bill ----- Original Message ----- From: JP BARTON <ELXC78A@prodigy.com> To: <VAWESTMO-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, April 18, 1999 5:13 PM Subject: [VAWESTMO-L] Traveling in Virginia > -- [ From: Jeanne Barton * EMC.Ver #2.5.3 ] -- > > Bill and family: > > I envy your trip - your plans are terrific, and will take you through > some beautiful country. Is that Huntington - near Elkins, WV? My > brother attended Don Bosco HS near Elkins, and I believe the town was > Huntington? [ca 1956-59] Now, that's God's country! I haven't been > there since that time - the only warning I can give - if you are near > graduation time for the area colleges, I hope you already have rooms > reserved <g>. > > Roanoke to Buena Vista - the only suggestion I would give here - > travel the Blue Ridge Parkway instead of Rt 81, for the scenery. [of > course, by then you may have had enough mountain scenery <g>] > > Charlottesville. Ahh... <g>. Not enough can be said about this town > . This is the one place I will use the term "you have to" - see > Monticello, and the University of VA [short on time - overlook the Univ. > from Monticello]. > > I haven't been to Louisa, but I suspect its much like Orange Co. Not > mountainous, but rolling hills. Farm country, mostly unaffected by the > fast-paced world. Sit back, enjoy the field daisies and dog wood. > > Richmond is one of my favorite cities. Stop at a visitors center as > you near the city, and get free maps of the city, with everything worth > seeing mapped out for you. Never enough time for this town. Hollywood > Cemetery on the southwest side is fabulous - probably one of the most > beautiful I've come across. [take a carryout lunch and spend a few hours > overlooking the James River - exactly what the past century's residents > did for their Sunday outings] Many CW heroes here, but many CW heroes > everywhere you go, in VA <g>. Monument Av. will attest to that. > Hollywood Cem. not far from the Historical Society - not exactly a > genealogical source, but fantastic - I found an ancestor in a book > called "Portraits in the Collection of the VA Historical Society." If > you're short of time, the Library of VA [archives] is your best bet for > genealogy. > > Church Hill has St John's Church - where Patrick Henry made his > famous speech, and is active today, and open to the public. Located at > about > 20th and Broad Sts., this is a great site to overlook the city. > [Richmond built on seven hills]. [for anyone in the family who may be > interested - the Edgar Allen Poe Museum is not far from St John's.] Main > Street runs in front of the Capitol, Broad Street on the back side - but > Broad Street is the real "main street" through town, stretching from one > end to the other, east to west. > > More than you ever dreamed of seeing, can be seen in walking distance > in any direction, from the Capitol. If you have Richmond City folks - > check out the Valentine Museum nearby. The "Fan" district is aimed at > tourists, but its darn fun to be a tourist there. Check it out, try one > of the many great restaurants there. > > Westmoreland: lovely, low-key area, recently being affected by greedy > developers [the D.C. MetroLine recently reached Fredericksburg, and has > turned this area upside down in new development.] Old Town > Fredericksburg still worth a stop. Tourist parking easily marked - > visit the tourist center - get thee out of that car and see it by foot. > Don't forget Mt Vernon is not far from here, but if you can't make that > detour, Ferry Farm, where GW's mom grew up [and he spent some time] is > on the outskirts of town. You are also in Robert E. Lee country, here. > His family's Stratford Hall is between Fredericksburg and Montross. > Keep your eye out for what seems to be restaurants frequented by the > locals to get yourself a real crab cake sandwich. If its not served > with hot sauce and cole slaw - they are foreigners <g>.. same thing for > BBQ, by the way - hot sauce and cole slaw. > > I love Montross. If you can recall Pepsi floats and drug store hot > dogs, one of those, out of the 50's, still exists near the N Neck > Library, which is next door to the court house. Last time I was there, > I also purchased local farm produce being sold on the courthouse lawn. > Not many towns left that you can get by with that type of oversight <g>. > > > From here to Norfolk, take the back roads. Rt 3 to Rt 17. Tune in to > Tappahannock country music, sip cold ice tea and driving slow enough to > read the history signs - if time permits, visit Yorktown. VA Beach has > terrific restaurants, and a great place to get out of the car and let > your hair down - and give non-genealogy members a break. > > If for any reason you happen to be on Rt 64 [which runs between > Richmond and > Norfolk - [if you have had enough of dogwood and antiques you can cut > across on Rt 33] look for a restaurant called The Whale Inn. Barring > any changes in the last 5-6 years, this was one of the greatest meals > I've had in that area. Unfortunately, I'm not terribly sure where on > 64 it is located. I know it was closer to Hampton/Norfolk than Richmond > ; we were headed toward VA Beach, and it was late, so we figured we > should stop for dinner - I think we were within 10-15 miles of Hampton. > Its one of those places you find totally by accident, and have no great > expectations. I have to go back, one day, and try to figure out what > they do to shrimp linguini that others don't do.. it was spectacular. > My friend had crab stuffed trout, also outstanding. > > I guess you can tell I love VA. They should hire me for PR. Best > tip - pick up an ADC Road Atlas of VA, which includes B&B's, historical > sites, etc. Keep it handy, mark things you find relative to your > research. Mine is worn out, but I can't give it up, I have too many > notations on it. $8.95, and worth every penny, and then some. In fact, > I pick up ADC maps for every county I have ancestors in, as its big > enough to mark cemeteries, family homesteads, etc. I even note > historical events by date, note migrations, ethnic settlers, etc. [I > wish I had noted glocations of good restaurants, good sleeping qtrs, etc > ]. > > Visit as if you may never return. Pick up maps everywhere, and > brochures/pamphlets on relative subjects of interest. Before you spend > time in a library gleaning records, ask the staff what the procedure is > for obtaining records long distance. [get names of folks you hit it off > with] Once you get home, you realize many things you will wish you had > of asked about - so take home everything you can that will help you > research from long distance. Carry a notebook [the secretarial > shorthand notebooks work perfect] and jot down notes as you go along - > these will correspond with the many pictures you are taking... jot down > your thoughts - consider that you might write a family journal on your > travels. Perhaps a few generations from now, someone will find it > intriguing to follow your trail... > > Virginia is a wonderful place to visit, and you will find thousands of > things you did not count on coming across - esp. if you love the > historical aspects. Leave time for the unexpected. > > Most of all - enjoy. Savor. Promise yourself that you will not push, > you will take it one moment at a time, and you will return totally > saturated in the pleasures of a fruitful adventure - enjoy each moment, > gather what you need to make future contacts, and leave VA with a smile. > .. > > wishing you all good pleasures of travel and research! > Jeanne > nearby, in MD > > > > ==== VAWESTMO Mailing List ==== > Visit the Westmoreland County USGenWeb Home page! > http://www.rootsweb.com/~vawestmo/wmorelnd.htm > > > >