Editor Shelley Basinger: Meg, have you always called Central Virginia home? Meg Davies: I was born and raised in Lynchburg. I studied art at James Madison University and then lived back and forth between Hawaii and Uganda for several years before coming back home.
SB: When did you first become interested in art? MD: Since childhood. I would fall asleep with crayons and markers in my bed and ask my mom “Can I draw now?” the minute I woke up. That passion for art has only gotten stronger each year and to be a professional artist is definitely living out my dream.
SB: What types of training have you received? MD: I did receive formal training through the art program at James Madison University. But my grandmother, Pat Dougherty, is an artist and she always had room for me in her studio when I was growing up. She gave me a wonderful foundation early on and JMU helped me find direction.
SB: What inspires your art? MD: It’s a broad answer, but life! Life is so full of places to find inspiration. I have a series of bug art, which all started by collecting cicada shells with my son.
SB: What are some of your favorite pieces you have created so far? MD: My sketchbooks are by far my favorite works of art. However, being fairly private,
I rarely let people see them. As far as what’s out in the world, I’m most proud of work that opens people up to sharing their stories with me. The bug series did that. I quickly learned that countless people have a connection to bugs whether through nicknames, memories, or funny experiences.
SB: What types of challenges have you faced as an artist? MD: Learning to be flexible enough to embrace change can be a challenge for me in life as well as art. When I find myself in a creative rut, it is usually because I need to change my technique for a while, the structure of my schedule, or how I let the outside world impact my art. Making changes, large or small, can open the floodgates of creativity.
SB: What are you currently working on? MD: I am completing commissions and mapping out what I want 2022 to look like. It’ll start with another series of botanical work, which is represented with Liza Pruitt, an art representative in Richmond, and a fresh set of landscapes for Findings Art Store in the Boonsboro Shopping Center.
SB: What’s next for you? MD: Experimenting with new techniques is something that excites me. I’ve worked the same style for years—which is great—but I’m eager to see how I can continue to grow through controlling less, playing more, and pushing my style in new directions.
SB: What advice do you have for future artists? MD: Some of the best advice ever given to me was to simply draw, draw, draw. It is so relaxing and also provides endless inspiration for future work. Something I’ve also learned over time is to separate yourself from your artwork. Creatives put themselves out there on a continual basis, which of course comes with judgment and sometimes rejection. As much as our art is a part of us, it is freeing to realize that our worth isn’t wrapped up in the external validation. Lastly, meet with other artists on a regular basis to support each other. It’ll be good for your soul and for the art community as a whole.
When New York natives Andrew and Kim Mather moved to Central Virginia in 2013 to be closer to their adult son and daughter, they had no idea that they were one step closer to fulfilling a 40-year-old dream of owning their own business. On Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021, they opened the doors of the first New York–style bagel shop in Lynchburg—The Bagel & I.
“I think you have lofty dreams in college, and maybe somewhat unrealistic, however that’s okay,” Andrew Mather said. “I’m sixty [years old], so here we are 40 years later, and the dream has come to fruition.”
A few years after moving to Lynchburg, the Mathers spent a six-month period accompanying their youngest son on trips to Brooklyn, N.Y., where he received invasive health treatments. This required the family to stay in the city for a week at a time each month.
It was during one of these trips to New York that the idea for The Bagel & I was born.
“While [in New York], of course, we ate a lot of bagels,” Andrew Mather said. “I remember so specifically, I [was] on my knees praying and it just [hit me]. The Lord just [gave me the idea]… bagels.”
After several years of planning and brainstorming, the couple put their plan into action in December 2020, when Andrew Mather came across a listing for the building on Timberlake Road that was formerly Country Cookin restaurant. After having his initial offer turned down, he was able reach a lease agreement with the building’s new owners in April 2021 and got right to work on transforming the 5,000-square-foot space into a unique, multi-faceted bagel shop.
The Mathers enjoy the versatility the larger building provides, and their vision was to create a welcoming environment for all ages. The space includes a private conference room, relaxing fireplace room, booths, high-top tables, outdoor seating, a drive-through, and a “bagel process room” where guests can view how a traditional New York–style bagel is crafted.
The Bagel and I offers 14 bagel flavors—from everything to French toast to whole wheat.
Also on the menu are breakfast sandwiches and cold and warm lunch sandwich options that are named after parts of town (e.g. “The Timberlake”: an everything bagel with tomato, avocado, bacon, arugula, and red pepper schmear).
Despite having to push back the shop’s opening date due to delays in the shipping of their bagel equipment, the Mathers have remained confident and thankful for their new business.
“For [God] to work things out, He is the Grand Weaver,” Andrew Mather said. “What He did to make this [dream] come to fruition is absolutely amazing. Yet that is confirmation that He is in it. It’s His and not mine.”
MAKE PLANS TO VISIT THESE HORTICULTURE-FOCUSED DESTINATIONS IN 2022
It’s no secret that Virginia is a beautiful place to live, and every season brings out a new aspect of its beauty. Right now, while the air is cold and the trees are bare, we can appreciate that unhindered view of the Blue Ridge, maybe capped with a dusting of white. We can also plan for what we will do once the weather warms up again.
With that in mind, and to coordinate with our annual “Best Of Issue,” we have worked with some of Lynchburg Living’s most beloved contributors to curate a list of Virginia’s “best,” must-see gardens. Without further ado, here are our recommendations:
Charlottesville
Thomas Jefferson’s Gardens at Monticello www.monticello.org/house-gardens/farms-gardens
Thomas Jefferson was an avid observer of nature, and a dedicated and methodical gardener. The gardens at Monticello served not only as a functional producer of food, but also as a lab for Jefferson’s experimentation with imported and exotic vegetables and botanicals. In fact, he documented his gardening experiments in his “Garden Kalendar,” which he wrote with a scientific exactitude, reflecting his passion for horticulture. Today, visitors can tour the lovingly restored flower gardens, the stunning 1,000-foot-long vegetable garden terrace, and the sprawling orchards maintained by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. You will also have the opportunity to learn about 19th-century cultivation and the rich history of Virginia as a critical state in our nation’s development. Recommended by Kaye Moomaw
Pavilion Gardens at University of Virginia
While you’re in town exploring Monticello, you’ll want to take a quick drive over to the University of Virginia, founded by—you guessed it—Thomas Jefferson. At UVA, TJ really flexed his truly inspired talent for landscaping. There are 10 unique pocket gardens spaced symmetrically along both sides of the famous “Lawn.” Many of the flowers and shrubs on display at UVA in Jefferson’s time were cultivated at Monticello and transplanted into the university gardens, which were traced and outlined by Jefferson’s own invention—serpentine brick walls. You’ll want to find a shady spot to sit with a cup of tea and a good book, because the small size and elegance of some of these spaces truly project a “secret garden” feel. Recommended by Kaye Moomaw
Lexington
Boxerwood Gardens boxerwood.org
The Boxerwood Education Association maintains over 15 acres of protected property, where they have identified and cultivated five unique ecosystems, all available for the inspiration and education of anyone with an interest in environmental preservation. The Pioneer Forest— complete with a “fairy forest” the kids are sure to love—is a great place to experience forest succession. The Wetlands is a habitat teeming with life, and is home to wonderful critters. As you transition into The Field, you can observe the different fauna that are attracted to this grassy, open space. The Hedgerow provides a transition between forest and field, and serves as a sort of highway for smaller critters and sun-loving trees and shrubs. Finally, the Established Woods is the picture of an old-growth, healthy and active forest full of large trees, and three distinct levels of growth: the upper, middle, and lower stories. Recommended by Shannon Brennan
Nelson County
The Quarry Gardens at Schuyler quarrygardensatschuyler.com
This one is a bit out of the way from our other suggestions, but well worth the trip because of its truly unique offerings. Once a very profitable soapstone quarry, the Quarry Gardens are spread out over two distinct geological formations, which foster a wide array of diverse ecosystems. In fact, maintained within these 40 acres is the largest concentration of Virginia native plants in the entire commonwealth. A large and winding trail system boasts 34 “galleries,” where you’ll find everything from pollinator gardens and vernal pools to wetlands, barrens and a fern gully. Recommended by Shannon Brennan
Greater Lynchburg Region
Lynchburg Grows www.lynchburggrows.org
Lynchburg Grows is a seven-acre, nonprofit urban garden that employs individuals with disabilities and provides fresh, organic produce for the community. Veggies are grown in greenhouses with all sorts of gardening techniques, including hydroponics. They also run a CSA, a farm store, and FreshRX, a super-inventive vegetable prescription program aimed at helping people with diet-related illnesses make healthy lifestyle changes. Recommended by Susan Timmons
Anne Spencer House and Garden Museum www.annespencermuseum.com
The Anne Spencer House and Garden Museum was home to late Harlem Renaissance poet Anne Spencer, who was an essential voice, both locally and nationally, for civil rights and equality. Her garden was a place of solitude and peace amid the very turbulent and racially segregated period of history in which she lived. The time she spent in reflection while tending to her garden inspired her writing; the house and gardens also played host to intellectuals, creatives, and African American travelers. The gardens have been restored with the help of Spencer’s direct descendants, as well as old photographs. Tours are available, which we highly recommend. Not only is this a beautiful, creative space, but it is also an invaluable piece of history. Recommended by Susan Timmons and Ashleigh Meyer
Old City Cemetery www.gravegarden.org
No local garden list would be complete without mentioning Old City Cemetery, with its peaceful rolling hills, sculptures, ponds, and, of course, Virginia’s largest public collection of heirloom roses. Yes, it’s also a cemetery, but it’s such a beautiful place. I personally think the cemetery adds an intriguing historical element to the whole experience, which you can learn about by visiting the gift shop/museum on the grounds—but if you’re just there for the flowers, you may not even notice the cemetery at all. Admission is free, so take advantage of a sunny winter afternoon and stop by. Recommended by Susan Timmons and Ashleigh Meyer
Cloverlea at Claytor Nature Center www.lynchburg.edu/academics/academic-and-community-centers/claytor-nature-center
Owned by Lynchburg College, Claytor Nature Center is a hidden gem located off Route 43 in Bedford County. The gardens enshroud a stunning 1780s farmhouse (Cloverlea) with breathtaking views of the Peaks of Otter. The grounds are free and open to the public, and feature meticulously trimmed boxwoods, a variety of flowers and shrubs, and one of Virginia’s largest white ash trees. I find it to be a truly calming and inspiring landscape. Also at Claytor Nature Center are multiple trails through forests and wetlands along Big Otter River. The Education and Research Center on site houses the Ramsey-Freer Herbarium, a collection of more than 63,000 dried and preserved plant specimens from all around the region. Recommended by Ashleigh Meyer
Richmond
Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens www.lewisginter.org
This destination has more than a dozen themed gardens across 50 acres, complete with a really gorgeous glass-domed conservatory. A designated rose garden, an “Asian Valley” incorporating the stunning design features of Japanese gardens, and a fun and educational children’s garden are just a few of the reasons you need to visit the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. In fact, you can even make a stop in the winter! Lewis Ginter is open year-round for guests and also offers membership options. Recommended by Susan Timmons and Kaye Moomaw
Spreading the Love
NEW CITY CAMPAIGN FOCUSES ON TELLING THE STORIES OF LYNCHBURG’S DIVERSE BUSINESSES
Lynchburg is open for business and is here for you.
This is the message of a new brand campaign that the Office of Economic Development & Tourism (OEDT) is hoping will reach residents, visitors and those looking to relocate.
The new “LYH Loves You” website focuses on living, visiting and working in Lynchburg. It connects to content on the city’s tourism site and economic development site, integrating the two under one brand, look and feel, said Anna Bentson, assistant director for the OEDT.
The campaign is designed to create awareness about the city and all it offers, instill pride and help people feel like they belong, all while leveraging the state’s iconic “Virginia is for Lovers” messaging.
“The concept behind LYH Loves You revolves around the citizens, businesses and organizations of Lynchburg—and their stories,” she said. “From print to social media to organic promotion, the campaign will be a central rallying cry, one platform with spokes that reach residents, talent, businesses and visitors alike.”
During the pandemic, Bentson’s department looked to stakeholders to find out what were the most important things the business community needed. The key takeaways from those conversations were that the business wanted better communication from the city.
Over the past year, the OEDT worked with a steering committee, held workshops and focus groups, sent out stakeholder surveys and chose the brand campaign, which has been in development since last summer.
While the four key audiences of the campaign are residents, businesses, talent and visitors, Bentson said they hope to especially target transplants as well as those who grew up in the area, moved away and are looking to return to the city after seeing all of its positive changes and growth.
Another priority is using the campaign to shift some perceptions about a lack of attractive jobs in the city. Area businesses have wanted help in selling the city to new talent as well as to retain their workers, Bentson said.
Brand ambassadors for LYH Loves You will help with this sales pitch.
“The campaign will showcase Lynchburg’s brightest, kindest and most creative and hardworking communities through ambassadors—featuring the business owners and citizens who are doing this work every day, revealing the character of the city, the inclusive nature of our people and our outsized ambitions,” Bentson said.
Family-operated and local downtown business The Water Dog is a brand ambassador for the campaign.
“Those of us that live and work in Lynchburg know how wonderful we are as a city but I think the message has had a hard time getting out to other parts of Virginia,” owner Dave Henderson said. “And I think the way that this campaign has been strategically organized, it does a really great job of shining a light on the fact that Lynchburg is open for business and Lynchburg loves you.”
Lynchburg holds a very diverse community of people, he said, and the city celebrates
that diversity.
“That’s one of the aspects of this campaign that I really like,” he said. “It’s not just particularly aimed at one sector or one type of business but it’s aimed at a myriad of businesses and business owners as well as women, people of color, LGBTQ+, all of these different communities of people.”
Another brand ambassador is Amy Corbett, owner of All Belong Co., an Airbnb design, consultant and management company. She said locals ask her if people really come to visit Lynchburg very often.
“And I smile because I know what a gem of a place we have,” she said. “As we welcome guests from all over the world to Lynchburg year-round, we have the privilege of showing off the very best our city has to offer in lodging, dining, and activities.”
She said she is excited to partner with the city in spreading a message of inclusivity and belonging as that is already at the core of her family’s small business.
“LYH Loves You feels like a natural extension to what we already do and who we already are,” she said. “Hopefully this campaign will help Lynchburg be known for the things, people, and places that truly make it great.”
Who among us hasn’t fantasized about escaping to a cozy cottage, complete with a roaring fire and hot cocoa in hand, during the dark days of winter? For Don and Amy Beck, that dream is their daily reality thanks to a move that landed them in a newly renovated Boonsboro home just in time for its 100th birthday.
“I was first attracted to the quirks and charm here. I could imagine how charming it would be, even though it was mid-renovation when we saw it. The fireplace was a favorite feature!” Amy said.
The lovely blue-green cottage, with its custom exterior paint color and large, flat yard, has changed hands many times in its life and, like many homes of its age, has seen many changes over time. More recently, it was inhabited by local artist Kelly Mattox before being bought by renovators who sought to bring the cottage back into full bloom. It was in the middle of these renovations that the centenarian cottage was discovered by the Becks, who were looking to downsize. It took some imagination on their part, however, to see past its current condition.
“They had gotten rid of popcorn ceilings, the bathrooms were completely trashed, there was nothing there. So we had to take a chance,” Amy recalled.
The Becks were well-positioned to make the leap. The couple first moved to Lynchburg 27 years ago, raised their family here, and have become well entrenched in the community, with Don as a director for Meriwether Godsey and Amy previously working for years at The Farm Basket. Married 36 years, the couple has renovated other homes and are known to DIY together.
“We are both handy,” Amy said. “We both get out there with the saw and do things. We’ve always done it since we’ve known each other.”
While it was a bit of a relief that much of the major work at the cottage was done by the time they moved in, Don and Amy knew they still had work ahead to make it their own. Amy, a prolific decorator, began an Instagram account (@TheCozyCollectedHome) to document the process as she curated a look she loved.
“I think this is the way I express [art], through the way I put things together,” she explained. “We moved a lot when we were first married, so I was always trying to make something into a home. Always on a budget.”
One of the inspiring elements of Amy’s aesthetic is her talent at mixing curated and thrifted items together. She is unafraid to get her hands dirty to transform an item with good bones.
“I tend to buy a lot of things on Facebook Marketplace, I like to DIY. I do a lot of furniture and make things work,” she said.
Walking into the home through the deep teal front door is akin to walking into a warm hug. With living space spilling into the dining area and glimpsing into the kitchen, soft beiges, creams, and greens marry with perfectly positioned decor. Layers of textures—leather, wood, throws and pillows—meld together to welcome in visitors. Natural light encases beautifully neutral walls decorated with art, ranging from vintage and store-bought finds, to pieces by family (such as the dining room’s seascape, painted by her grandmother), as well as local artists, including Kelly Mattox.
“We thought it would be cool to have a piece of hers,” Amy said of the large, colorful painting. Also nestled in the dining area is a hutch from Greenfront and a sideboard found years ago at McCraw’s Furniture Company in downtown Lynchburg, which Amy finished with a paint treatment. But it was also this same area that created an interesting challenge and opportunity for Amy to exert her DIY magic.
“Right before we moved, I realized my dining room table was not going to fit in this house. So I sold it on Marketplace, and bought this one, which I recently refinished,” Amy explained of the previously dark wood round table she stripped and sanded down to create the light wood version that rests there now.
Examples like these of Amy’s eye for detail and ability to take a pre-owned item and give it fresh life are on display all over the home. In the living room, she added locally-made slipcovers to a couch and chairs the couple had owned for 15 years, and topped them with vibrant throw pillows that she likes to swap out seasonally. Side tables were thrifted or sourced on Marketplace to further anchor the space, along with botanical framed art above the sofa, and touches of greens and blues sprinkled in.
That same colorway runs throughout the home, lending a subtle beach vibe in places and paying homage to the fact that the Becks lived in Florida for many years. The nods to the ocean shimmer especially in the kitchen against the white and gray backdrop. A framed blue coral print hangs in the window above the sink while oyster shells lay open in a wooden dish, acting as small makeshift trays for an assortment of nuts. Clean white Vicostone Misterio quartz countertops and unlacquered brass pulls from Rejuvenation add a sparkling finish to the kitchen, which has come a long way from when Don and Amy first laid eyes on it.
“The kitchen was pretty much nothing when we saw it,” Amy said.
“It didn’t have counters, appliances weren’t in, the floor hadn’t been done,” Don added.
The Becks did encounter the renovation early enough to pick out some of the finishes and, now complete, the kitchen has become one of their favorite gathering spots. A corner built-in banquette is outfitted with bench seat cushions made at Phil’s Upholstery. In the middle of the room, the small kitchen island fits the scale of the space and carries a memorable story.
“It was the microwave table when we first got married, and then it was our laundry table, and I sanded it down because it was a wreck, and it has been perfect,” Amy relayed.
Just off the kitchen is one of the “wow” moments of the home—a second seating area that expands into a vaulted room that exposes the second floor catwalk and stairs. But the den is perhaps the coziest room in the cottage, with its gas logs, a wooden mantle sourced on Etsy, Samsung’s The Frame TV creating the illusion of art above the mantle, and wicker sofa and chairs from Greenfront. The coffee table was a yard sale–find that the Becks painted and cut down to coffee table height. Green hurricane glass from Penny Morrison (UK) on the table and mantle and the green glass vase in the window from The Farm Basket bring in the home’s color palette. A landscape painting by local artist Rosalie Short further elevates the already ideal coffee/reading room.
The vaulted room adjoining the den is no less attractive, with its inherited center table topped with a large vessel and stems from Katrina and Co. at James T. Davis. A lamp from The Farm Basket sits atop a thrifted bar cart, casting light on a pencil and charcoal drawing of a football player, sketched by Amy’s father.
Peering up the open stairwell to the catwalk, art once again steals the show, this time in the form of black and white floral pieces lining the open hallway.
“Funny story, I knew I needed something bold for up there, so I found those at Target and they only had two types. And it was actually my daughter’s idea. She said, ‘What if you turned two upside down?’ So that’s what we did to make it look like four different pieces and it was very inexpensive,” Amy explained.
The winding steps with the seagrass runner also lead to the Beck’s bedroom suite. The oversized room with soaring beams, painted natural wood, and skylights naturally gives off a nautical vibe. Their bed recesses into the wall and hearkens back to time the couple spent on their boat when they lived in Florida.
“It’s a nice little nest,” she said of the bed nook.
A balcony off the bedroom overlooks the expansive backyard and brings further light into the already bright space. Just out of the bedroom door and up a couple of quirky stairs is the bathroom, crisp and spacious with basketweave tile floors, a double vanity, standalone tub, and signature notes of green. Flowing out of the bathroom is a bedroom-turned-closet, which houses not only Don’s and Amy’s clothes but also a vanity table they made from their old kitchen table, which they cut in half.
Enchanting as the cottage is, the Becks still have many projects on the docket. They recently redesigned the first floor laundry area and still have plans to renovate the downstairs bathroom. But, as the weather warms, they will first turn their attention outside.
“We downsized the house and doubled the yard,” Don joked, admitting that gardening isn’t their favorite thing. Amy added that with their son’s wedding coming up in June, many out-of-town family and friends will be visiting the home, so their sizeable yard and its landscaping will become the primary focus.
Regardless of the projects still ahead, as the couple heads into their second year in the home, they often look around at the cozy collected home they have created and smile.
“I think my favorite part is the charm of the house, it’s ‘my storybook cottage’ kind of thing,” Amy said. “It’s my dream in that way. I have always loved that kind of look.”
Four Keys to a Cozy Collected Cottage
Make a First Impression
The front porch of the Beck’s cottage is small but is big in style. Large lanterns hang above a small bench leading to the front door, a vintage trough houses seasonal decor such as pinecones in winter and pumpkins in the fall, and a garland wreath hangs from the picture window over a pair of rocking chairs. Small and simple—a stunning first impression.
Candles. Lots of them.
Real wax and wicks, battery-operated with lifelike “flames,” in sconces, on tables—it doesn’t matter. Candles and cottages just go together.
Pair “high art” with found and family pieces.
Art truly adds to the “collected” feel of the home, and Amy is unafraid to mix it up. Art that her kids made when they were little folds in with “heirloom” pieces by local and national artists, alongside store-bought and inexpensive prints. The key to unifying certain groupings are affordable frames that Amy painted black.
Form & Function Meets DIY
Amy knows that furniture’s form is often more important than its original function. Scouring Marketplace and yard and estate sales, she looks for pieces with potential that perhaps need to be painted, sanded down, or even cut up a bit to fit the intended space. This allows her to be flexible and not invest a lot in her selections while also making them exactly what she wants.
As a part of their Leadership Lynchburg class, Foster Fuels Vice President of Marketing Chelsea Harrison and her team members were assigned a very wide-ranging topic for their group project: youth.
“It was broad,” Harrison said. “But we wanted to design something that had a sustainable impact on
the community.”
The group decided to partner with Impact Living Services to help the organization lead its monthly training sessions for young adults enrolled in the organization’s independent living program. This program helps foster children ages 17 to 21 achieve educational, vocational, and financial goals. Together, the nonprofit and Harrison’s Leadership Lynchburg group created Impact Circles, a mentorship program that partners people in the community with young adults in Impact’s programs.
Young adults who enrolled in the Impact Living Services’ independent living program are required to attend monthly trainings, but Harrison and her group wanted to bring in Lynchburg professionals and experts to focus on specific topics such as real estate, fire and internet safety, and budgeting to help these individuals grow their skills. In some cases, it can be a first-time introduction to certain subjects.
“We had professionals commit to one hour a year,” Harrison explained. “It was awesome to connect with multiple community leaders who wanted to be involved. We have sessions scheduled through [2022].”
Impact Living Services’ Mission Advancement Officer Maria Rolf said seeing the community reach out to partner with them was “a blessing.”
“We had been working as an organization to start a program like this,” Rolf said. “But the fact that they came to us was an unexpected gift.”
According to Rolf, many of the young adults in their program have never had anyone come alongside them and introduce them to certain life skills.
“It’s providing new opportunities that they’ve never had before,” she said. “We had someone come and speak from Centra’s marketing department and for some of our kids who are creative, they realized that they don’t have to be a starving artist. They can apply those skills to something like marketing.”
Rolf and Harrison said the response from those in the program has been positive. The young adults are also sharing stories of how they are applying in their own lives what they have learned.
“Beacon Credit Union had a really nice training,” said 18-year-old Shanna Coleman. “They taught us what credit is, how to use it, and what the different types of bank accounts are.”
As a current student at Central Virginia Community College, Coleman said her first priority is college, but Impact’s training classes have helped take the pressure off.
“Adulting can be overwhelming,” she said. “It’s touching to know that there are people who care about you and care about your progression.”
Coleman is also part of Impact Circles. Mentors meet a few times a month with their mentees to talk about life, school, or any other issues they’d like to address.
“I’ve been meeting with my mentor for a few weeks now and there’s a lot we have in common,” Coleman said. “I’m not used to having a mentor to this extent. It’s a lot more personal and hands-on.”
Harrison said hearing testimonies like this only strengthens their mission as a group.
“Many of these kids are in relational poverty,” Harrison said. “I know if I was going through a hard time, I know I have friends or family members who can help me. But they don’t have that. They need someone to come around them and have a positive impact.”
Rolf said that Coleman’s story shows that anyone can overcome their circumstances and succeed with the right community.
It’s also proof that volunteers from the community truly can change lives.
“We’re looking for people who want to come around these [young adults] to help them grow relationally,” she said. “While they have case workers who are paid to be their support, we want people who volunteer their time and stick with them beyond what’s required.”
Following our feature story “The Troops Rally” by Logan Smith (Nov./Dec. 2021), Editor Shelley Basinger received numerous emails from Lynchburg’s veterans community, thanking the magazine for highlighting this iconic downtown gathering. Here are a couple of those kind comments:
“I’m a military veteran and I have attended many of these gatherings,” wrote Joseph Arnold, TSgt (Ret.), USAF. “I enjoyed the write up and I thank you for doing that.”
“Thanks for writing the article about Monument Terrace and what it stands for both here in Lynchburg and across the USA. Excellent writing and coverage!” wrote Judy Bowman, USAF Veteran, Vietnam.
Correction
We made an error in our Best Of Lynchburg Hall of Fame list, featured in the July/Aug. 2021 issue of Lynchburg Living. Lynchburg Chiropractic was unintentionally omitted and should have been listed as a winner in the Best Chiropractor category. We apologize for this error and appreciate Lynchburg Chiropractic for bringing it to our attention.
For All Ages
Maybe this is proof we should add a baby and kids section to the magazine? Reader Aimee Cochran shared this photo with us on Facebook. She said her 14-month-old is obsessed with books and enjoyed looking through our “book” (the recent Nov./Dec. issue) too!
Remember to stay in touch with us on Facebook. We would love to hear what you are reading and enjoying!
Send us an e-mail to shelley@lynchburgmag.com. Correspondents must identify themselves; names may be withheld on request. Lynchburg Living may edit or condense.
Hills of History
A Tour of Lynchburg’s Original Neighborhoods.
The nickname “Hill City” dates back to the mid-1800s, Lynchburg Museum Director Ted Delaney said, but the idea of our seven hills is more unknown.
He believes it probably originated around Lynchburg’s sesquicentennial in 1936.
“My guess is that at that point it was probably pretty well accepted that we’re the city of seven hills and we’ve got seven distinct hills,” he said. (Technically, there are eight—but we will get to that in a moment.)
You could say that it’s unique for Lynchburg neighborhoods to be named in this way, but as Delaney explains, it’s actually pretty common for cities to advertise that they have seven hills.
“That was the custom or tradition of Rome and people were trying to kind of piggyback on that,” Delaney said. “And a lot of places claim that but I think what might set Lynchburg apart is that a lot of our neighborhoods still carry the hill name and the hill is still part of the name in the neighborhood.”
This is why Delaney believes each hill should be uniquely preserved.
“It’s unique to Lynchburg because there is no other city that has a Garland Hill, Daniel’s Hill, a College Hill, etc,” he said. “So just from the perspective of being unique and trying to be authentic to your place, I think it has a lot of value.”
On the following pages, Delaney helps us share the early history of each hill.
College Hill Est. 1815
The largest of the hills, College Hill was originally known as “White House Hill” before military school Lynchburg College was built (no relation to what is now the University of Lynchburg). The general boundaries of College Hill are the Expressway, Kemper Street Railroad Station, and Old City Cemetery. It adjoins Federal and Diamond hills.
College Hill is home to Anne Spencer House and Garden Museum, the John Warwick Daniel statue on Park Avenue, the home of Confederate General Robert Rodes and the brickyard of Christopher Lynch, son of town founder John Lynch.
Even though this is the largest of the city’s hills, you don’t often hear this area referred to by its official name. Delaney said it’s expected that would happen over time.
“Because it’s so well documented of what it used to be and what I would hope is that there’s some way that it is preserved, whether that’s in a historic marker or maybe there’s a place that keeps the name,” he said.
Court House Hill Est. 1813
After Lynchburg’s courthouse was completed in 1813, it was discovered that the building was not within the town’s limits. In 1814 the town boundaries were extended, and the name “Court House Hill” came into use. This is considered the “extra” eighth hill in Lynchburg.
“Most historians don’t include it in the standard seven. Because it includes John Lynch’s original 1786 town, and because it has had so few residences compared to the others, many people don’t consider it a true neighborhood,” Delaney said.
According to the Lynchburg Museum, when John Lynch chartered the town of Lynchburg in 1786, its 45 acres included Commerce, Main, and Church streets, bounded on the east by Twelfth Street and the west by Fifth Street. With the entire town on a hill sloping down to the James River, the area was sometimes called “Lynchburg Hill.”
This hill had many homes built in the early 1800s, with the John Warwick Daniel house completed in 1826 and the Carter Glass home on Clay Street in 1827.
In 1855, the second Lynchburg Court House was built on the site of the original with a view down Ninth Street to the river where Lynch’s Ferry stood. In the late 1970s, the second courthouse became the home of the Lynchburg Museum.
Court House Hill is also home to a number of churches originally built on what became Church Street.
The Lynchburg Museum website states that by the mid-20th century, the churches had all moved to other areas of the city. After 1880, large churches were built on Court and Clay streets.
In the 20th century, the Academy of Music opened, as did a new post office and several schools. As a memorial to the World War I dead, Monument Terrace was completed in 1925.
Daniel’s Hill Est. 1870
Bounded by the James River, Blackwater Creek, and H Street, the hill is named for the Daniel family.
This hill is home to Point of Honor, which Dr. George Cabell had purchased in 1805. His land included much of what is now Daniel’s Hill, plus the river islands and the flood plain where U.S. Pipe Foundry is now located.
Daniel’s Hill was a very industrial and commercial neighborhood with factories all around, Delaney said.
“A lot of people who worked in those factories lived in the neighborhood, but they didn’t live on Cabell Street,” he said. “They lived in smaller, more working-class, affordable housing that was on the side streets.”
He said it’s important for people to look more broadly at what makes a neighborhood instead of just recognizing the famous white people who lived on the main streets.
“We have to look at the supporting side streets and all the other supporting structures in the neighborhood,” he said, adding we should be thinking about where enslaved people lived in these older neighborhoods. Sometimes it was in quarters that were behind a house.
Diamond Hill Est. 1820s
Diamond Hill lies to the south and west of Downtown Lynchburg and has steep terrain and ravines. The naming of Diamond Hill is still a mystery, according to the Lynchburg Museum, but theories include that the hill was named for wealthy residents, triangular-shaped lots, or sparkling minerals in the soil.
Two hospitals once stood along Grace Street including Marshall Lodge Memorial Hospital, which opened in 1886 and closed in 1971. In 1931 the Guggenheimer family home became Guggenheimer Memorial Hospital. >>
Photos courtesy of the Lynchburg Museum
Federal Hill Est. 1819
The smallest of the city’s seven hills, Federal Hill is bounded by steep hills near Twelfth Street and valleys near Eighth and Madison streets.
According to the Lynchburg Museum website, Federal Hill was originally outside of the town’s limits and was considered Lynchburg’s first suburb.
While the Federal Hill name shows up by 1839, its origin is not known. When the nation was first founded, leaders such as George Washington and John Adams were known as “Federalists.” The name may be related to their political party.
Delaney says there is a spot in Federal Hill where there used to be a whole row of enslaved housing for people who worked in factories.
Photos courtesy of the Lynchburg Museum
Franklin Hill Est. 1820s
Franklin Hill is one of the most clearly defined hills in Lynchburg, bounded by the Lynchburg Expressway to the west, Main Street to the north, Florida Avenue on the east, and Fishing Creek along the south.
It is believed the hill was named after Benjamin Franklin, the Lynchburg Museum states.
The most well-known landmark in the neighborhood is Presbyterian Cemetery, founded in 1823.
Delaney said there might just be about one in 1,000 people who have ever heard of this hill because many would consider themselves residents of White Rock Hill.
“So the fact that it’s on paper and someone says it’s an original hill may not really have any value or meaning if the people today don’t think of it that way,” he said. “Think of the hills very broadly and not just as a couple of beautiful houses and famous people. But think of the whole history of what were some of the other activities that were happening in the neighborhood.”
Photos courtesy of the Lynchburg Museum
Garland Hill Est. 1845
Originally, Garland Hill was the farm of William Lynch, Sr., the son of Lynchburg founder John Lynch. Blackwater Creek forms the boundary for much of the neighborhood along with a portion of Fifth Street and the valley near Old City Cemetery.
The oldest home still in its original location in the city is at 619 First Street in Garland Hill. The “Lynch House” was built by the Lynch family in 1787. According to the Lynchburg Museum, William Lynch, Jr., left the land to his cousin Celine Dupuy, who sold off block-size lots beginning in 1845. By the mid-19th century, there were so many members of the Garland family living in the neighborhood that the hill became known as Garland Hill.
Part of this Hill also bleeds into Tinbridge Hill, which is an example, Delaney said, of how the definition of the hills and its boundaries has changed over time.
“I think there’s a lot of really arbitrary nature in the definition of the hills and how their boundaries were defined and who named them,” he said. “There are a whole bunch of people who live in that area who call themselves Tinbridge Hill, but someone decided a long time ago it was Garland Hill. So we just have to think about whether the boundary is legitimate, accurate and meaningful.”
Photos courtesy of the Lynchburg Museum
White Rock Hill Est. 1870
This hill is located east of Franklin Hill and is bounded by Florida Avenue, the James River and Fishing Creek. White Rock Hill was named for the outcropping of white quartz rocks along the bluff of the James River that was a well-known local landmark, the Lynchburg Museum states.
A portion of the hill was incorporated into the city in 1870. The steep hillsides of this neighborhood prevented development, and the area was not fully annexed into the city until 1908.
The seven-acre White Rock Cemetery was established in 1882 for African Americans and was used by many local Black churches for more than a century. The Lynchburg Museum states that approximately 4,000 people are estimated to be buried there, one of whom is believed to be Ota Benga, a member of the Batwa or Mbuti tribe of the Congo.
While knowing the history of our city’s original hills is important, Delaney says we should also remember to look to the current residents of these hills and ask them how they would define their neighborhood.
“It’s an opportunity to learn more about your place, where you live and the community in your neighborhood,” he said. “On one hand I know the city’s got to change so we want to strike a balance of remembering history and preserving memories but also making space for your city to grow and evolve.”
What About the Other Hills? There are four additional hills, or well-known neighborhoods, in Lynchburg: Cotton Hill, Tinbridge Hill, Chestnut Hill, Fort Hill. Learn more about these hills at www.lynchburgmuseum.org/more-hills.
Toast of the Town
RAISE A GLASS TO THESE FOUR HANDCRAFTED DRINK RECIPES, EACH REPRESENTING A POPULAR PART OF TOWN
Photos by Ashlee Glen
What better way to celebrate the start of a new (and hopefully, improved) year—AND our 2022 Best Of Lynchburg winners, of course—than with a few creative cocktails?
The greater Lynchburg region is home to some fabulous, forward-thinking bartenders who take their boozy concoctions seriously. We asked bartenders from four local restaurants, in four different greater Lynchburg neighborhoods, to share a celebratory toast that embodies their neck of the woods.
From smoked ice (yes, you heard that right) to a wine-infused simple syrup, they pulled out all the stops for the recipes found on the following pages.
DOWNTOWN
The Purple Stiletto
Crafted by Paul Kelley at Shoemakers American Grille Available to order!
Ingredients
1.5 oz Empress gin
.5 oz St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur
1.5 oz grapefruit juice
Splash of fresh-squeezed lime juice
Edible flowers (garnish)
METHOD
Combine ingredients, shake, and strain, preferably into a
martini glass, and garnish
with edible flowers.
Taste Test
The Purple Stiletto is a classic cocktail with a modern twist, very similar to the historic-meets-trendy vibe the Downtown Lynchburg area is proud of. The flavor is nicely balanced—not too sweet, not too sour—which will make you want to enjoy this one again and again.
Nod to the Neighborhood
The Purple Stiletto reflects the history of Shoemakers and specifically the Craddock Terry Hotel as one of the largest shoe manufacturers in the world at one time. The Craddock Terry Hotel building turned out 2,100 pairs of women’s shoes per day. The hotel complex, including the King Building, which houses Shoemakers and Waterstone Pizza, was an early example of urban revitalization in Lynchburg and kicked off the revival of Downtown Lynchburg.
FOREST
Country Cabernet Club
Crafted by Zac Stinson at Benjamin’s Restaurant Not available for order. (Unless Zac gets flooded with requests, he says.)
Make this one at home!
Ingredients
2 oz Tito’s vodka
.5 oz to 1 oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 oz cabernet simple syrup
Splash of club soda
Cherry, lemon and thyme (garnish)
Simple Syrup
1 cup cabernet sauvignon
1 cup brown sugar
METHOD
Combine wine and brown sugar in a saucepan and simmer until thickened. Shake all ingredients over ice. Strain into glass and garnish with cherry, lemon and thyme. Lemon juice amounts can be adjusted for preference.
Taste Test
Cool and refreshing, with a hint of natural sweetness, the Country Cabernet Club reminds us a little bit of a boozy Southern lemonade.
Nod to the Neighborhood
Although Forest is one of the region’s “newer” neighborhoods in terms of development, history is not lacking in this picturesque part of town that always has the Peaks of Otter in the background. The homemade cabernet simple syrup pays homage to Thomas Jefferson, Founding Father and wine enthusiast, and his Poplar Forest retreat home nearby. Some Forest folks are more “country” (think hunting and hiking); others are more “country club” (think elaborate fire pits and golf). Wherever they fall on the recreational spectrum, this drink has a broad appeal for many palates.
BOONSBORO
Tobacco & Iron
Crafted by Cliff Olds at The Dahlia Not available for order.
Make this one at home!
Ingredients
1.5 oz McCauley’s Whiskey
.5 oz Luxardo Cherry Liqueur
Splash of smoked water simple syrup
Dash of Blackwater Bitters’ Orange Bitters
Torched orange rind twist and rosemary (garnish)
Simple Syrup
1/2 cup smoked water (see below)
1/2 cup sugar
METHOD
Begin by smoking ice in oven-proof container in a preheated smoker set at 275 degrees for
1 hour. (Even though ice will melt, smoke adheres better to a colder surface.) Cherrywood wood chips are preferable. Chill and then strain to remove ash. Take 1/2 cup chilled smoked water and 1/2 cup sugar and boil gently until all sugar is dissolved. Chill before adding
to cocktail.
In a glass, add whiskey, cherry liqueur, homemade simple syrup and dash of bitters. Stir lightly. Add pre-chilled steel cubes so as not to water down the cocktail. Garnish with a torched orange rind twist and rosemary.
Taste Test
Tobacco & Iron has a lot going on—in a good way. One sip and your taste buds take in the refinement of this elevated take on a classic old fashioned with a mellow—yet mysterious—finish.
Nod to the Neighborhood
Tobacco and iron were the primary products of early Lynchburg, in the days of founder John Lynch, when the ferry system was in full swing. The trade of these goods through the years helped lay a strong financial foundation for many of the families that later relocated to the up-and-coming “suburbs” of Rivermont Avenue in the late 19th century, creating some of the beautiful, classic older homes located in this area. Even the garnishment of this drink pulls from its surroundings, representing the unique and sophisticated architecture found in the Boonsboro neighborhood.
TIMBERLAKE ROAD
Candy Apple Sangria
Crafted by Aaron Quinn & Danielle Johnson at Iron & Ale On the menu at Iron & Ale!
Ingredients
2 oz of dry red wine (preferably cabernet sauvignon)
1.5 oz cinnamon simple syrup
.75 oz green apple cocktail mixer
.75 oz cinnamon whiskey
2 oz apple cider
Splash of club soda
Simple Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
4 cinnamon sticks
METHOD
Start by simmering your sugar, water and cinnamon sticks until mixture is thickened. Remove cinnamon sticks.
In a glass or cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients with ice, and shake thoroughly. Rim a glass in caramel, and dip in cinnamon sugar. Add ice to the rimmed glass, strain the cocktail into the glass and add a couple of splashes of club soda.
Taste Test
Drinking the Candy Apple Sangria is equivalent to bobbing for caramel-covered apples in a tub of wine. It’s a cozy cocktail for fall and winter but also sweet and refreshing enough to transition to the warmer months.
Nod to the Neighborhood
What we are calling the Timberlake Road side of town is broad and more loosely defined—stretching across the west side of Lynchburg along Timberlake Road and encompassing a host of smaller communities such as Cornerstone, where this drink originated. Like this playful sangria, the Timberlake Road region has a youthful ambiance—from the college students in Cornerstone to younger families with children in various neighborhoods. Not to mention you’ll find plenty of people playing on the water in the Timberlake community during the summer.
Lynchburg is open for business and is here for you.
For All Ages
The Purple Stiletto
Country Cabernet Club
Tobacco & Iron
Candy Apple Sangria