Took a little hike recently to one of the areas civil war battlefields. The Hanging Rock…read moreBattelfield Monument is on the north end of the trail heading towards Salem. A flat open parking area is at the entrance with easy access to the monument and surrounding signage. The trail is well marked going in but quickly disappears into the brush. There is an unmaintained path of sorts that goes a couple miles back into the forest. It follows the creek for quite a while and there are a few places to access the water back under the canopy. The "rocks" are back in maybe half a mile, even less and the outcropping is hard to miss. I followed the trail up to where it met the modern roadway and back through another section even more overgrown. Walking a part of history through an area that had more battles fought than any other state in our union. If you enjoy history, hiking, and getting outdoors. This is an easy access and fairly level spot. There is the Hinchee General store on the corner about 150' across the grass that has drinks, outdoor seating, etc. 3.5 Stars the monument and signage, along with about a dozen parking spots are right off the main road. 01027

Located inside the Ironto rest area, this historical marker points out one of the local features…read moreand after reading, I was on my way swiftly. It reads, "Near here stood Montgomery White Sulphur Springs, popular resort area of 19th century America. During the Civil War the resort was converted into a military hospital staffed by Catholic nuns. Several hundred victims of smallpox including nurses and soldiers are buried nearby. The Southern Historical Society was reorganized here in August, 1873, when Jefferson Davis delivered the principal address." Online, there is more information. "The Virginia-Tennessee Railroad brought guests from Lynchburg to the small station at Big Tunnel (Montgomery). From there, passengers rode cars propelled by gravity down to the resort. The idyllic vacation spot was transformed by the Civil War. From 1862 to 1865, Montgomery White Sulphur Springs operated as a Confederate general hospital under Dr. J. Lewis Woodville, Chief Surgeon. At its peak, Montgomery White accommodated up to 700 sick, wounded, and recovering Confederate soldiers." The resort closed its doors and was reverted to farmland. That area is not open to the public. [Review 13764 overall, 1085 of 2020, number 1199 in Virginia.]

The first time I saw this memorial dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I was mesmerized by how…read morewell the artists captured the person, what he stood for, and the great significance he had in the civil rights movement of this country. I was fortunate enough to have done my undergraduate studies at Boston University where Dr. King obtained his doctorate degree and to have seen the original manuscript of his "I Have a Dream" speech. The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial located near Henry Street in Roanoke, Virginia, is a public art sculpture and memorial featuring a 7-foot bronze statue of Dr. King wearing a business suit with his arms outstretched overlooking the historic Gainsboro neighborhood. The granite pedestal he is standing on includes a relief panel of Dr. King and Coretta Scott King marching in Washington, D.C. The statue was sculptured by husband and wife sculptor team Jeffrey H. Varilla and Anna Koh Varilla, and stands at the north side of the MLK Jr. Memorial Bridge. The sculptor team's studio, the Koh-Varilla Guild was created in 1986 and is located in Chicago. They specialize in portrait and figure sculptures and have been working on public monuments for over 25 years. Stylistically their work reflects a passion for "Classic Realism." They have produced religious and secular works for many locations around the country and overseas, and have won many competitions including 1st Prize in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Monument Competition, Roanoke, Virginia, in 2006. They are currently fellows at the National Sculpture Sociery. When I first moved to Roanoke, crossing over the bridge and seating on one of the benches facing the Statue of Dr. King brought me great interior peace and hope for the future. These interactive benches near the memorial statue are equipped with speakers. One can press buttons to listen to clips of Dr. Kings iconic speeches. Today the statue and bridge serve as an important landmark honoring the region's rich African American Heritage, civil rights history, and acts as a gathering place to celebrate these and move forward. The statue and bridge were dedicated in 2008. This site is open to the public year-round. I highly recommend and encourage you to give it a visit whenever you're in the area, considering it is a powerful landmark for reflection on the civil rights history.

My friend wanted to see this Martin Luther King, Jr memorial here in downtown Roanoke on a brisk…read moreMarch 2026 Friday afternoon. Martin Luther King Jr is one of the most influential people in the 20th century. Equal rights for all and equal treatment for everyone was his creed. Many statues have been commissioned across the country and I found this one of MLK Jr here in Roanoke, Virginia. It was a simple statue in downtown Roanoke. My friend had been saying that he wanted to see this statue since it was a nice place to be. When we arrived here in downtown Roanoke, we found parking nearby and walked to the MLK Jr statue. It was a simple statue of the great man and nothing really else. The setting was in a quiet area of downtown Roanoke, but could be sketchy during the evenings. My friend and I was here for 15 minutes, reading the inscription on the statue itself and reminded me that we still don't live in a world where everyone is treated the same. Sure we made strides during the times of MLK Jr, but it's still far from perfect or a utopian society. It was just me and my friend on a brisk Friday afternoon when we visited the MLK Jr statue. The area around it had some construction work pending or actively going. I felt at peace here and knowing that MLK Jr had a big part in shaping America's history and future is comforting, but we as a people have more work to be done. The ambiance was nice and quiet, serene and peaceful. Definitely recommend if you need a place of solitude during your time here in downtown Roanoke. It's quite nice and definitely needed while I was there. Do yourself a favor if you're in the area and stop by. The overall experience here at the Roanoke Martin Luther King Jr statue was therapeutic and peaceful. It's a constant reminder of how our society is, where it came from, the history, and how far there's more to go. During my time here at the memorial statue, I read the inscription and reflect on how life has gone since MLK Jr's tragic passing. A lot of life happened, many wars and geopolitical events and issues that have come and gone. It's hard to imagine if he was alive today that would things have been different or better? After reading the inscription on the memorial, I looked around and realized that, while we are blessed to be in America, it's far from perfect. We still have ways to go and to be a civilized society with equality for everyone. The statue of MLK Jr was made out of bronze, it looked like. It towers over the landscape and draws anyone who will listen. Being at the statue helps me understand and appreciate the fact that we have the ability and right to change things if we don't like the current establishment. We have a voice and every effort to make changes if it's needed and necessary for the betterment of society and humanity. MLK Jr is still a voice and a constant reminder of society and how it is to be the better half of it. Equality is what he was driving for and striving for the best that society has to offer. I'm always reminded of that fact whenever I see his face in books, social media, and other forms of free expression. This MLK Jr statue is located in downtown Roanoke, Virginia. It's near to the main thoroughfare but off to the quiet side of town. It's in a quiet area and there's no admission fee to see him. Just like community parks. Free admission for everyone! As far as parking goes, there is a paid parking lot feet from the statue itself. If you don't want to pay for parking, you could find free street parking where you can find it and walk on over. If you love public transit like I do, consider traveling to the third street bus terminal and walk about 0.75 mile east. All bus routes start or end at the third street bus terminal. The Roanoke Amtrak station is also walkable to the MLK Jr statue on 1st street NW and from here. And of course, there is always Uber and Lyft for anyone and everyone who wishes to use their service to come here to visit the great man. And so, if you want to feel inspired and enlightened about life and society, consider coming to downtown Roanoke and see the MLK jr statue. It's very inspiring and beautiful at the same time. For the most part though, I enjoyed myself here for 15 minutes. Made me think of a better world that's better than the current state of affairs. Hopefully that's the case - at least in my lifetime. Recommended if you're in the Roanoke area and want to be inspired and enlightened. 5.0 stars for the overall experience. Support local! A+

Amazing statue and such a fun little treat while driving around the downtown Roanoke area. Parking…read morenearby since it's an a strip mall/ shopping area.

While in the Roanoke, VA area visiting family, Kayla Beth Fields Deacon and I turned it in to a…read moreRoad Trip. We left the hotel and drove about 10 miles over to the downtown area to see the Transformer Mega Giant Optimus Prime He was so excited!!

This historical marker is in front of the Micheaux Family Theater and recalls an important film…read moreproducer who lived and worked here in Roanoke. The marker reads, "Oscar Micheaux, renowned leading creator of African American "race films" between 1919 and 1948, produced up to six full-length films in Roanoke between 1922 and 1925. The Strand Theatre housed the Micheaux Film Corporation from 1923 to 1925, while Micheaux lodged across the street at the Hampton Hotel, now the Dumas. Many of Roanoke's black professionals bought stock in Micheaux's corporation and five served on its board of directors including Alfred F. Brooks, who built the Strand. Famous civil rights attorney Oliver W. Hill, Sr., then a student boarding in Roanoke, had a walk-on part in one film." Micheaux was an African-American author, film director and producer of more than 44 films. Although the short-lived Lincoln Motion Picture Company was the first movie company owned and controlled by black filmmakers, Micheaux is regarded as the first major African-American feature filmmaker, a prominent producer of race film, and has been described as "the most successful African-American filmmaker of the first half of the 20th century". He produced both silent films and sound films. You'll want to watch https://youtu.be/ao5V-XhXS-c. [Review 13797 overall, 1118 of 2020, number 1231 in Virginia.]

Disclaimer upfront: I work in this office…read more I just wanted to clarify the purpose of this office. It is the administrative headquarters for the regional recruiting effort, managing Recruiting Stations in Virginia (Roanoke, Christiansburg, and Wytheville) and West Virginia (Princeton, Beckley, and Lewisburg). Though we can answer questions and provide information, local recruiters are located in the Christiansburg office in the New River Valley Mall.

This marker at the intersection of Rock Road and Tyler Avenue points out some of the early history…read moreof Radford and reminds me of how wonderful it is to zip over a bridge at 70 mph instead of having to take a dangerous ferry ride across a river. US-81 crosses the New River about four miles from here The marker reads, "Ingles Ferry Road. As the population in the New River valley increased in the 18th century, the western branch of the Great Wagon Road from Philadelphia to the backcountry of the Carolinas and Georgia crossed the region. The branch became known as the Wilderness Road. After Daniel Boone and others improved it about 1775, it was the main route of migration to Kentucky and the West through Cumberland Gap. This segment of the Wilderness Road ascended the Allegheny Mountains at Christiansburg, crossed the New River at Ingles Ferry, then continued west. In the 19th century, the Ingles Ferry Road was incorporated into the South Western Turnpike." [Review 15539 overall, 1043 of 2021, number 1348 in Virginia.]

Opposite the Montgomery County Sheriff's office, this memorial is dedicated to those who are…read morecurrently serving, those who have served and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. The monument indicates the same and includes a list of names from Montgomery County who served and died during World War I (1917-1918) and World War II (1941-1946). It is located in a small grassy space with some parking nearby. It is granite and in very good condition, considering that it was erected by the Montgomery County American Legion Post Number 59 on May 31, 1953 (Memorial Day). [Review 13822 overall, 1143 of 2020, number 1256 in Virginia.]