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. >>

---

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.

---

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.”

---

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.”

---

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.

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.

COVID-19 LEGISLATION, PROGRAMS AFFECT TENANTS AND LANDLORDS IN GREATER LYNCHBURG

While the City of Lynchburg has been growing and changing in many positive ways over the past decade, the city’s housing stability issues have not been improving along the same curve.

One major symptom of this problem is evictions.

According to data compiled by the Virginia Legal Aid Society in Lynchburg in 2019, when compared to the number of evictions in other mid-size cities, Lynchburg had the 10th highest absolute number of evictions in the country in 2016 (1,207 evictions).

Fast forward to 2020, and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the statistics changed again. Sarah Quarantotto, executive director of Miriam’s House, saw a “dramatic” drop in cases at the nonprofit.

“Most households with children become homeless due to a rental [payment] situation,” she explained. “Over the past year we saw a 50 percent reduction in families becoming homeless. … The eviction moratorium was a major factor.”

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) eviction moratorium was initially issued to “protect public health and slow the spread of COVID-19” explained the Virginia Poverty Law Center, as well as protect “residential tenants who have fallen behind on rent from being evicted until 2021.”

Landlords could still evict for non-rent lease violations and the order did not forgive rent, only pushed it off.

“The protections of those moratoriums certainly slowed things. People had breathing room,” said Jeremy White, managing attorney at the Lynchburg office of VLAS.

However, as White explains, a tenant couldn’t stand back and do nothing. To request protection via the now-expired CDC eviction moratorium, the tenant would have to make the declaration that they were eligible.

“It was on the tenants to fill that out,” White explained. “There were plenty [of evictions] still going forward after the main protections had expired.”

The CDC eviction moratorium was extended several times, with the final extension ending on October 3, 2021.

However, state protections for Virginia tenants continue until June 30, 2022, after Gov. Ralph Northam signed a new budget bill in August 2021.

In order to evict a tenant based solely upon the nonpayment of rent, the landlord must first give the tenant a 14-day nonpayment notice informing the tenant about the Virginia Rent Relief Program (RRP). This pool of money can pay rent, past due amounts and even court costs for qualifying tenants as far back as April 2020.

Then, during the 14-day period, the landlord must apply for RRP on the tenant’s behalf unless the tenant pays in full, enters a payment plan, or the tenant already has applied for RRP.

“If a tenant is experiencing any financial hardship during the COVID pandemic, then the landlord has to apply for rent assistance. Until that process is attempted, landlords aren’t supposed to be taking any action,” White explains, emphasizing that a person doesn’t have to be struggling specifically because of COVID-19, such as a lay off. The RRP has very broad coverage.

If it sounds confusing, White agrees—it is.

“From a practical standpoint that’s where we are at right now, trying to get people to the right place. We have rent relief navigators, thanks to a recent grant, who help navigate that process. Because it’s not super simple info,” White said. “It’s been changing so rapidly, it really makes it difficult for the average person to understand.”

There was a move to simplify the RRP system late last year; state officials combined the tenant and landlord portals on Dec. 1, 2021. This updated, one-application system will ensure that tenants, landlords, and all stakeholders have access to rent relief information faster and easier than before—and that the funds are handed out in a timely manner.

“Virginia is sort of leading the country in dispersing the funds; some states don’t have a system at all. Virginia is doing better than most,” said White.

Even before the pandemic, the rental environment was changing in Virginia. Virginia lawmakers were enacting new protections for tenants, becoming a lot more “tenant-friendly” than they had been historically, said Luke Malloy, an attorney with Petty Livingston Dawson and Richards who represents landlords in the region.

The changes started with the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. This act oversees the rights, remedies and responsibilities of landlords and renters concerning the rental process.

“Historically, that [act] did not apply to what was called ‘mom and pop landlords’, with fewer than four properties. The [legislative] change made it apply to all landlords. That was a large shift,” said Malloy.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, leading to those emergency laws regarding tenants.

“These enactments at the state and federal level were further designed to keep people in their homes and keep them from being evicted,” Malloy said.

While Malloy is sympathetic to the concerns for tenants, he says landlords can sometimes be overlooked in the eviction/housing debates.

“What used to be the failure to pay rent situation, five-day notice and court hearing is now a much lengthier process to allow tenants more time to apply for relief and essentially avoid there being an eviction on that basis,” Malloy said.

In working with landlords on their cases, he sees their burdens firsthand.

“They still have mortgages to pay. Financial constraints. Tensions they face,” he said. “There’s been such a push and pull on the eviction process from stakeholders on both sides. And it’s been such a quickly changing subject that the courts have been very hesitant to proceed on evictions for failure to pay rent.”

White emphasizes that the intent of the RRP program is to bridge the financial gap between landlords and tenants, so that neither entity is struggling.

“We have just heard that there is still $500 million available in rent relief so it really is vital to connect landlords and tenants to the RRP system,” he says.

Despite that high number, everyone is aware that at some point, the RRP money will run out.

“We are kind of bracing ourselves for the surge [of evictions] but it hasn’t come yet,” said Quarantotto. “Right now, the state is projecting that the Rent Relief Program will last through all of 2022.”

And what then? Quarantotto believes Lynchburg’s eviction rate will continue to be an issue in the coming years if the city doesn’t address barriers to housing stability—such as a lack of affordable rentals.

“There are a ton of folks who are paying 50 to 70 percent of their income on their rent. It’s not sustainable. It doesn’t allow for any crisis in their life, such as getting sick and losing a week at work or their car breaking down,” she explained. “The story we hear every day is a family was getting by okay and a crisis happens, then they can’t pay their rent, they get evicted, go to grandma’s for a few months, then end up homeless.”

 The Inn at Stinson Vineyards in Crozet is an Elegant, Off-the-Beaten Path Getaway for Foodies and Wine Lovers Looking to Unplug and Unwind.

When the winding roads and rolling hills around Crozet, Virginia deposit you on the doorstep of the Inn at Stinson Vineyards, you might not be sure you’ve found the right spot. With its front door painted a cheery turquoise, the modest exterior of this renovated home, once occupied by a member of the Stinson family, belies the real “wow” factor waiting inside.

From the moment you step in, you are drawn through a light-filled foyer and dining room with vaulted ceilings—to a set of glass doors with transom windows that form a cathedral-style panoramic view of grapevines cascading downhill against a backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In the heart of Virginia wine country, less than 20 miles from Charlottesville, this is a don’t-miss that’s off the beaten path.

That “aaaaaah” feeling is meant to last throughout your stay at this intimate, four-bedroom mountain getaway—opened in 2018 and accommodating up to nine guests—a bespoke experience from breakfast until bedtime for wine-lovers and foodies and anyone who wants to unwind and unplug. That’s all by design, says innkeeper and general manager Stephanie Campbell.

“It’s a place that allows people to come and truly escape and take a deep breath in a way,” Campbell explains. “It’s not fast-paced. There are not a lot of activities. It’s a time to indulge, to sit around on the screened-in porch and enjoy a glass of sauvignon blanc. It’s a getaway, a little slice of paradise for rejuvenation.”

The small-batch, family-owned estate winery’s own 2019 sauvignon blanc, fermented in concrete and stainless steel, boasts tasting notes of “stone fruit and Meyer lemon zest” and “fresh boxwood and a wet stone minerality.” Wine flights are available in the Inn’s cellar and next door at the winery tasting room as are bottles for purchase. Stinson Vineyards is co-owned by Scott Stinson and his daughter Rachel Stinson Vrooman and takes inspiration from the “garagiste” wineries of France.

At the Inn, each morning begins with an elegant, full-service, three-course breakfast—served inside or on the back deck overlooking the seasonal, heated pool and that stunning view—incorporating local ingredients and produce from the Inn’s garden. Their “build-your-own” parfait with house yogurt, homemade granola and fresh fruit is a guest favorite. The main course is a chef’s-choice hot breakfast. One morning it may be a lovely tartine with soft-scrambled Japanese-style eggs, house-cured salmon, pickled red onion and fresh dill. On the next, a petite crustless quiche with fresh veggies a delightfully creamy custard texture.

While breakfast is included with your stay, dinners at the Inn are optional. But if you miss the opportunity to indulge in the culinary craft of Virginia-native, in-house Chef Tyler Teass—who was part of the team that earned D.C.’s Rose Luxury its Michelin Star rating in 2016 and later helped open Brasserie Saison on Charlottesville’s historic downtown mall—you have missed out indeed.

During our visit, we were treated to an exquisite four-course, wine-paired meal designed by Chef Teass, which was preceded by an amuse-bouche—crème fraiche with white peaches and purple basil served with light, crispy cheese wafers—and the most delicate miniature sourdough waffles with local pork fat, sea salt and confectioners’ sugar, a mind-blowing, melt-in-your-mouth sweet-savory combo.

The courses included a celery root velouté with caviar, crispy potatoes and herbs (paired with the 2019 sauvignon blanc); a perfectly portioned twist of spaghetti with crab, basil pistou and breadcrumbs (paired with the 2020 Sugar Hollow White); roasted Roseda Farm beef, mushroom croquette, braised beans and herb jus (paired with the 2017 Meritage); and, for dessert, popcorn pudding with crème fraiche, lime and sorghum (paired with the 2018 petit manseng).

The Wine Cellar dinners run $150 per person—incredibly reasonable for the quality of food and level of service, but the Inn has also started offering a more casual dinner option called Chef’s Suppers, “featuring an array of seasonally driven plates meant to share” and sample alongside a variety of wines.

The rooms and shared spaces at the Inn are the epitome of clean, cozy minimalism accentuated by touches of rustic charm. No detail is left unthought of for guest convenience and comfort. Room rates start at around $200 per night, or you can rent the entire Inn starting at approximately $1,000 per night.

While you’re in and near Crozet, don’t miss small-town must-stops such as Crozet Pizza, Starr Hill Brewery, the Rockfish Gap Country Store and the Claudius Crozet Bridge Tunnel, a historic landmark recently re-opened to hikers and cyclists. And, of course there is a plethora of other wineries to visit nearby including King Family Vineyards, well-known not only for its pastoral landscape but also for its horses and polo matches.

Learn more at InnatStinsonVineyards.com.
Photos: Leona Baker, Lisa Davenport, Audra Jones Photography, Bekah Imagery or Courtesy of Inn at Stinson Vineyards

Lynchburg’s Longest Weekly Consecutive Event Shows Support for Veterans, Active Military and Their Families

Vietnam War veteran Steve Bozeman didn’t realize what he had gotten himself into on Nov. 30, 2001 as he organized a peaceful gathering in downtown Lynchburg. Little did he know, that event would have massive influence on the greater Lynchburg veteran community and surrounding areas in the years to come.

Following the tragic events of 9/11, President George W. Bush deployed troops to Afghanistan. The world watched as the United States plunged into conflict with radical terrorist groups the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

Meanwhile in Lynchburg, a protest opposing the war occurred on the steps of Monument Terrace in downtown Lynchburg, an iconic city location. In response to this protest, 80 veterans and patriots, led by Bozeman and several others, gathered on the other side of the street to peacefully counter the demonstration and show support for the war efforts in Afghanistan. At that point, there were no American casualties in what would become a near two-decade feud.

Following the counter-protest, World War II veteran James Hazelwood asked Bozeman, “Is everyone coming back next Friday to have a second rally?”

“Well, I didn’t plan on it myself,” Bozeman replied. It just so happened that the following week, Dec. 7, was the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, the infamous Japanese air strike in 1941 that claimed nearly 2,400 American lives. Upon this realization, Bozeman agreed: “Hell, yeah I’ll come back!”

Several others gathered at Monument Terrace on Dec. 7, 2001, to commemorate the lives lost at Pearl Harbor and to again show support for American troops in Afghanistan.

“Then we came back the third week, and people just showed up, and the momentum built up from there,” Bozeman said.

Since that first Nov. 30 gathering, the weekly Friday meeting known as the “Troops Rally” has taken place every consecutive Friday, totaling more than 1,040 weeks. Veterans, families of veterans, and members of the city and surrounding areas congregate to remember the sacrifices and celebrate American heroes.

“You can’t walk away from the Troops Rally without having inspiration in patriotism that’s displayed there every Friday,” Bozeman said. “To me, this is very fulfilling. My heart swells with all the things that we have done for two decades now. And it’s only starting.”

The weekly gatherings are as unique as their meeting place: Monument Terrace. This iconic downtown Lynchburg location honors the lives lost throughout America’s darkest conflicts, beginning from the Civil War.

The landmark has 132 steps and is decorated with several markers and monuments. Even since being renovated in 2002 and fully renovated in 2004, the Troops Rally has found ways to remain near the monument every Friday. There is even a designated “veterans’ room” 100 feet away from Monument Terrace that houses pictures, plaques, and posters, as well as other memorabilia.

“There’s always an obstacle,” Bozeman said. “Marines have a saying, ‘improvise, overcome, and adapt,’ so we’ve figured out how to get through all of that.”

Meetings always end with the singing of the National Anthem, followed by announcements and the toll of the bell eight times at one o’clock—signaling “ending the watch.”

The group has campaigned for different local veterans’ efforts, including holding fundraisers for Richmond’s Hunter Holmes McGuire Hospital and supporting the National Center for Healthy Veterans Valor Farm in Altavista.

“The mission statement has always been ‘support our troops’‚” Bozeman said. “We do that, and we also support each other. The word has gotten out there that this is going on every Friday. The media has helped get the word out.”

Between 50-80 participants, mostly Vietnam War veterans, attend the weekly gatherings on average. But thanks to heavy media coverage over the years, hundreds and even upwards of 1,000 have shown up depending on the occasion. On Sept. 10, the eve of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, the entire street was blocked off for the event.

The impact of these simple Troops Rallies can be felt throughout the Lynchburg community. Many nonprofits that specialize in veterans’ issues have found roots in the community because of the activism and attention brought about by the Troops Rally. One of these initiatives is the Lynchburg Area Veterans Council, a publicly supported 501c3 that for seven years has helped veterans avoid homelessness.

The Lynchburg Area Veterans Council, which started in the American Legion building on Greenview Drive, has received grants from Pacific Life and the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation. It also organized and executed two veterans’ parades, the first ever in Lynchburg since 1938.

“If we didn’t have the weekly Monument Terrace Troops Rallies going on for 20 years, I don’t think there would be a Lynchburg Area Veterans Council,” said Tom Current, a retired army Colonel in Special Forces, and the president of the Lynchburg Area Veterans Council.

Eighteen months ago, the Lynchburg Area Veterans Council purchased the birthplace and childhood home of Desmond T. Doss, a Lynchburg resident and a Medal of Honor recipient who saved 75 people during World War II. The Garfield Avenue property is being used to house previously homeless veterans. The City of Lynchburg even adopted a proclamation making Oct. 12 Desmond T. Doss Day in Lynchburg.

The National Center for Healthy Veterans at Valor Farm, a nonprofit that helps veterans avoid suicide and reintegrate into society, recognized the tremendous veteran support in Lynchburg and the surrounding area.

“Veterans share this bond, and I’ve tried to figure out what that is, and I think I have the answer,” Current said. “Veterans served different capacities, and we all put the mission ahead of our own desires. We put ourselves second. That takes character. That’s what binds all these different veterans, different ages, different services….”

“There are a lot of good Americans who have character and understand what it means to have a heart of a servant,” he added. “And that’s why I have hope.”

Bozeman, who has attended over 1,000 meetings, said that the purpose of the Troops Rallies has always been and will always be about supporting troops, veterans, and their families. He doesn’t see the weekly gatherings ending anytime soon.

“Everyone feels connected. Everyone is glad about what is going on in Lynchburg,” Bozeman said. “The future is unknown. We still have troops all around the world. So, I don’t see these Troops Rallies going away.”

A Lynchburg family spends 2021 on the A.T.

On a whim several years ago, Josh Sutton and his wife, Cassie, decided to hop on a plane and travel to the Mount Everest basecamp.

“We had read a book that encourages people to take mini-retirements throughout their life,” Sutton explained. “Since I work in real estate and that leaves my schedule a little more flexible, we looked at flights and found it wasn’t too expensive to travel during the off-season.”

That adventure planted a seed that kept growing as the Suttons later became a family of three. Now, they are off trying to hike the entirety of the Appalachian Trail by the end of the summer.

Hiking the A.T. is no small feat. Spanning from Georgia to Maine, the approximately 2,000-mile trail takes even the most experienced hikers five to seven months to complete.

But what makes this adventure different is that the Suttons are bringing their 5-year-old son, Harvey, which would make him the youngest hiker to complete the A.T. if they finish.

And the Suttons are planning on it.

“Harvey is entering kindergarten in the fall, and we thought this was the perfect time to do something as a family,” Sutton said.

Hiking the Appalachian Trail has been a family goal for the last four years.

“We spent a lot of weekends training,” Sutton said. “At first, it would start out small by walking on the park trails with Harvey when he was really little and get him used to it. Then as he got older, we would try to go on a big hike every month.”

Alongside their years of training they also saved money. According to Sutton, the average hiker on the trail sets aside at least $1,000 a month. But you also must budget for expenses such as equipment, shoes, and transportation to hostels.

The Suttons started their trek in Georgia in January and were instantly met with snow and ice.

“It was pretty miserable at the beginning,” Sutton said. “I think in the early days we only saw the sun for about three days.”

At first, the trail was a ghost town. But now in the summer months, Sutton says they’ve seen a lot more hikers out and about.

“There’s all kinds of people out here,” he said. “There’s college students, retirees, couples, and people trying to do it solo. We’ve seen some of the same people as we move further up the trail. Most people can’t believe that we’re hiking with a five-year-old.”

But Harvey is taking it in stride.

“Some days I think he’s handling it better than me and my wife,” Sutton jokes. “He’s a champ. We play games with him like the ‘the floor is lava’ or freeze tag with other hikers. It keeps him motivated and focused.”

The family averages 13 miles a day on the trail and starts the day around 6 a.m. with a Cliff bar.

“We carry between [five to eight days] of supplies with us and restock every five days at hostels or in town,” Sutton said. “We carry tents, but on certain parts of the trail there are these three-walled pavilions you can stay in. Some of them have mice running around though and we try to avoid that. Most of the time we find a flat spot on the trail or near water where we set up for the night.”

Over the last several months, they’ve documented their journey through their YouTube channel and Instagram. Because of it, the Suttons have met up with some of their fans. They’ve also met others who simply want to support hikers on the A.T. through “trail magic.”

“It’s been great for Harvey to experience,” Sutton said. “Sometimes, you’ll find a cooler in the river with some extra sodas, or you’ll come off the trail and have people grilling up hot dogs and hamburgers for you.”

Sutton says that’s just what the trail community is all about.

“Everyone is always looking out for each other and paying it forward. It’s a really giving community. We’ve been in towns where people have offered us their cars to get supplies, which is funny because after 10 days without a shower, you’d think people would want to stay away.”

While the community aspect is something the family has enjoyed, another part is being able to unplug from their busy lives.

“When we first started, I was picking up my phone and starting to scroll through apps before I realized I didn’t have service,” Sutton said. “When we crossed through Lynchburg, I had to stop and check in on work and file taxes. It was overwhelming to get plugged in again after living in the woods. It makes you realize that maybe minimal living is the way to go.”

If all goes according to plan, (and so far so good) the Suttons will reach Maine by the end of the summer.

“No, we are not hiking all the way back,” Sutton jokes. “Our family is planning on meeting us at the top so we can celebrate with them and have some time with them to relax. Then we’ll rent a car and drive back to Lynchburg.”

Is this simply the first of many adventures for the family? Sutton says right now, they are simply trying to stay present in the moment.

“We want to finish this one first before we start planning again.”

---

FOLLOW ALONG
Find the Sutton family on Instagram
(@LiveSutton) or YouTube (Live Sutton).

---

Trail Tips

If you’re feeling inspired to hike the Appalachian Trail, we asked Josh what you may need to get started. Living in Central Virginia, you have a lot of access to great trails. But to become a serious hiker, there’s a lot to consider. Here are his top pieces of advice:

CERTAIN ITEMS ARE HEAVIER THAN YOU THINK—“If you invest in a high-quality sleeping bag, then that’s going to be about a third of your weight [in your backpack],” Sutton says, but added that a good tent and sleeping bag “are where you want to invest your money.”

DO YOUR RESEARCH ABOUT WHAT TO PACK. He suggests a water filter and clothes for all types of weather conditions—“It could start out really cold in the morning and then really hot by the end of the day,” he says. “You have to dress in a lot of layers and plan for rain or snow, depending on the season.”

YOU WILL NEED TO PLAN AHEAD AND TRAIN FOR YOUR HIKE. “When you’re hiking long distances, you’re going to consume more calories, so your diet is very different. You need to eat more dense food with a higher fat complex.”

TRAINING SHOULD INCLUDE CAMPING OFTEN AND IN VARYING LOCATIONS, SO YOU CAN ADJUST TO DIFFERENT TERRAINS AND TEMPERATURES—“That was something we would do very early on with Harvey,” Sutton says. “We’d get him used to sleeping outside and then in the cold or heat.”

GET USED TO SMELLING YOURSELF—“Everything is more enhanced on the trail and there are periods of time where you go without a shower,” Sutton says. “You adjust to more natural smells and then eventually, you can smell people who are just starting out, so you can smell soap before you see people. It’s a weird experience.”

Humans have been living in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains for thousands of years, yet most of the stories we know about our local heritage tend to begin in the 18th century when a teenager named John Lynch started a small ferry company, helping travelers from local colonies cross the James River.

But what did life look like before Lynchburg grew into a city?

If you were standing at the top of Lynchburg’s Monument Terrace way back then, what would you see? What would you smell? Who would be there? And, most importantly, what would you eat? This story is an imaginary culinary tour of the place we call home.

Meet the Monacans
Picture multiple rows of corn growing as far as the eye could see in the fertile ground on the banks of the James River over by Percival’s Island, almost like a wide fence. Not the large sweet corn variety we are used to today, but a smaller more grass-like ancestor called maize. Vines of beans may have been climbing up the corn stalks and squash plants were growing on the riverside, protected by the wall of corn.

The long, winding garden did not need a fence. Children armed with pebbles would keep rabbits and squirrels away, and if a hungry deer would be foolish enough to approach the crops, it may not have lived long enough to take a bite. The deadly arrow from one of our area’s first permanent inhabitants, the Monacans, would have killed it instantly.

In 1605 when British explorer Captain John Smith surveyed our region for the first map of Virginia, he identified five Monacan villages in the area between Lynchburg and Natural Bridge. As many as 25,000 members of the Monacan tribe called the area home at that time. Sadly, their numbers were decimated when the British settlers arrived, mostly from disease they brought with them. The lands of the Monacans were taken over during those years as well.

Thanks to the Monacans’ skills in making clay pots and building sophisticated woodstoves, you would be smelling a bubbling stew of squash, corn and beans if you lived in the area back then. A bone from a deer helps make a tasty stock, but the meat is from a freshly caught rabbit. The rest of the deer is hanging in the smokehouse for preservation. The stew will be served with a bread made from acorn flour mixed with a little wood ash from the fire—a natural form of baking soda.

West African Influences
Fast forward to the 1730s and the view has changed dramatically. The Monacan lands in the Lynchburg region have been taken over by European (mostly British) settlers, and there are green rows of tobacco growing as far as the eye can see. Stately plantation homes are earning a reputation for their “Southern Hospitality.”

The food you are smelling is being prepared by the plantation’s cook, typically an enslaved black woman who survived the long journey in chains from West Africa. She is literally bound to the fire as she prepares a sweet potato and peanut soup with corn bread in the plantation kitchen. Kitchens often had a dirt floor and an open-flame hearth—and housed the cook’s living quarters.

The first slaves are said to have been brought to Jamestown by the British from West Africa in 1619, although the industrial-scale slave trade came decades later to support plantation farms. We don’t know exactly when the first enslaved Africans were brought to Lynchburg, but considering there was direct access to Jamestown via the James River, they likely came early in the 17th century.

Chef and food historian Michael Twitty in his book The Cooking Gene explains that, “The American plantation wasn’t exactly the quaint village community you saw described in your history textbook. It was a labor camp system for exiled prisoners of war and victims of kidnapping.”

The African cooks brought both skill and taste to America. Black-eyed peas, okra, peanuts, and sweet potatoes were all new flavors they integrated into the fare of European favorites, essentially giving birth to what we today call Southern cooking.

Our Founding Foodie
Founding father Thomas Jefferson may have been known as the “founding foodie” because of his passion for fine foods and drink, but at his retreat home on the Poplar Forest plantation just outside of Lynchburg, the fare was surprisingly simple. When he famously stated that “Lynchburg is the most interesting place in the state,” he probably was not talking about the culinary scene.

Locally grown vegetables with a side of chicken was often served at 3 p.m. as the main meal of the day at Poplar Forest. And although the kitchen garden was the size of a football field, Jefferson complained in letters that his beloved peas didn’t grow well there and all they had was “spinach and scrubby lettuce,” as he put it.
Martha Jefferson inherited the plantation we know as Poplar Forest from her father, and Thomas himself started visiting Lynchburg after his presidential term had ended in 1809. It was much larger than the site we know today, and Jefferson added even more land over time. At one point this tobacco farm stretched all the way to today’s Jefferson Forest High School, or 5,600 acres to be exact.

Jefferson did not have an ice house at Poplar Forest, so his enslaved cook, Hannah, was not able to make his favorite treat, which was ice cream. However, archeologists have found pieces of what appears to be a serving glass for wine jelly at Poplar Forest, another favorite of Jefferson’s. What is wine jelly, you ask? Well, it’s similar in texture to what we call Jell-O today, but it’s made with fortified wine and milk.

Step back in time and taste some of our Virginia heritage recipes, adapted for our modern palates!

---

APPETIZER
West African Peanut & Sweet Potato Soup
This is a family-friendly yet flavorful soup that’s easy to make. For the best result, look for sweet potatoes with red flesh. The peanutty goodness comes from peanut butter and for optimal flavor, go with either fresh ground or “natural” creamy peanut butter.
SERVINGS: 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
3 tablespoons peanut butter (creamy)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, minced
1 teaspoon brown sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt (and more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Serve with fresh cilantro, chopped and a few drops of olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced onion, brown sugar and salt and cook until the onion is starting to turn brown, about
5-6 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander and cayenne and cook for about 30 seconds.

Add the chicken broth, water, peanut butter and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and turn to low and let cook for 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are soft.

Pour the soup into a food processor and blend slowly and carefully until smooth. Return to the saucepan. Ladle into bowls and serve with cilantro and a splash of olive oil.

---

MAIN COURSE
Braised Rabbit with Mushrooms
In addition to being farmers, the Monacans knew how to hunt and live off the land. Deer was the most common menu item, but smaller game such as squirrel and rabbit was also common and easy to trap. If you are new to cooking rabbit, this is an easy way to get started. Much like chicken, rabbit doesn’t have a very strong flavor so the key to a good rabbit recipe is to pair it with other flavorful ingredients, in this case the mushrooms and roasted garlic.

Rabbit is available from the Forest Farmers Market (look for Rainbow’s End Farm) as well as from Fresh Market in Lynchburg. However, if you are not in the mood for rabbit, regular chicken (dark meat) works well as a substitute in this recipe.
SERVINGS: 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 rabbit (3-4 pounds)
2 heads of garlic (don’t worry,
it will not taste garlicky!)
1 pound of mixed mushrooms, sliced
1 cup white wine
3 cups chicken stock (or even better, rabbit stock!)
3 large shallots, diced
1 large parsnip, diced large
(sub for carrots if preferred)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
2+2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut up the rabbit and season pieces liberally with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Be sure to use all parts of the rabbit in the stew; you can fish out ribs and spine before serving but keeping them in during braising since they add valuable flavor.

Slice the top third off the two garlic heads and drizzle with olive oil.

Wrap heads loosely with aluminum foil and bake for about 45 minutes, or until cloves are soft and brown. Set aside to cool.

Add the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter to a large Dutch oven or saucepan and brown the rabbit pieces on all sides, a few at a time. Take your time to develop proper browning because this is a key step to build flavor in the dish. Remove the rabbit from the pot.

Sautee the onions until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook until they have released most of their water, about 5-7 minutes. Add the wine and let cook for 2 minutes while scraping the bottom of the pot. Squeeze the soft roasted garlic cloves into the pot and stir to dissolve.

Add back the rabbit and add thyme, parsnip, water and stock to the pot and simmer for 90 minutes, or until the meat is starting to fall off the bone.

Time to thicken the sauce. Carefully fish out all of the rabbit. In a small bowl, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and mix with 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Add the flour paste to the braising liquid and cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat until the sauce thickens. Add back the rabbit.

Serve on its own or with a side of rice. Sprinkle some chopped parsley on top for garnish and enjoy!

---

DESSERT
Thomas Jefferson’s Wine Jell-O
This is a modern adaptation of an old recipe for wine jelly, attributed to Thomas Jefferson. It’s a refreshing dessert with a pungent wine flavor and a small serving goes a long way. Keep in mind that since the fortified wine is not boiled, the alcohol is still there—so eat responsibly! Worth noting: This recipe calls for regular gelatin packets from the grocery store, but Jefferson’s cook actually used the hooves from a calf and boiled them to extract the natural gelatin for this dessert.
SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 packet of gelatin
3/4 cup fortified wine (Madeira)
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
1 lemon, juiced and strained
3 tablespoons sugar
1 pinch salt

DIRECTIONS:
Soak the gelatin in the water and let sit for 3 minutes. Add the milk to a bowl with a pouring spout, then whisk the gelatin, sugar and salt into the milk until completely dissolved. Add the lemon juice to the wine and then whisk the wine mixture into the milk mixture.
Pour into individual serving glasses, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 2-3 hours or overnight. Grate a little lemon zest on top and serve!

---

SPECIAL THANKS: Thank you to the following for their help with this feature: Vicky Ferguson, Sally Latimer and Jennifer Austin from the Monacan Indian Nation; the Stocker family of Rainbow’s End Farm; Dr. Kelley Fanto Deetz, author of Bound to the Fire: How Virginia’s Enslaved Cooks Helped Invent American Cuisine; and Gail Pond, manager of collections at Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest.

Try Wildlife Refuges Off-Season

Fall, winter and spring can provide the best beach time, especially when a pandemic requires us to keep our distance from each other.

Sunrises come later and sunsets come earlier. Dolphins still play in the waves and crabs scuttle across the beach.

For bikers, hikers, paddlers and surf fishers, the weather can be balmy or brisk, but not suffocating, and for birders, it’s the best time of year.

Virginia’s Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1938 to protect migratory and wintering waterfowl, supports up to 10,000 snow geese and a large variety of ducks and other waterfowl during the annual peak migration, usually in December and January.

The refuge encompasses nearly 10,000 acres of beach, dunes, woodlands of live oak and loblolly pines, farm fields and marshes, along with the freshwaters of Back Bay.

Located just north of North Carolina, this coastal refuge also provides habitat for threatened and endangered species including sea turtles and piping plovers, small shorebirds that are declining rapidly.

More than 300 species of birds have been observed at Back Bay, primarily during winter months. Mammals include river otters, mink, opossums, raccoons, foxes, and white-tailed deer.

Canals provide a glimpse of venomous cottonmouth snakes, swimming across the water, along with brown and northern watersnakes. On warm days, a variety of turtles, including red-bellied, painted, eastern mud, and snapping, may warm themselves on logs or lurk beneath the surface.

This slender strip of land is covered in common reeds, which can reach 15 feet in height, providing cover for many animals, including humans as they stroll along boardwalks.

Groundsel or sea myrtle, with lovely white flowers, attracts butterflies and other pollinators, and provides seeds for birds.

Wax myrtle, a traditional source of wax for bayberry candles, is a favorite of the
wintering yellow-rumped warbler.

On a visit in October, the refuge was full of yellow in the form of goldenrod and smooth beggarticks. Great Plains lady’s tresses, a spiky plant with white blossoms, and blue mistflowers, could be spied along the trail.

Entrance to the refuge is just south of Sandbridge, a long narrow barrier island, 16 miles south of Virginia Beach.

We stayed at an Airbnb at Surfside at Sandbridge, an RV resort, just north of the refuge and enjoyed views from our canal-side porch. For dinner, we ordered takeout from the nearby Baja Restaurant with its many seafood options. For a breakfast treat, the homemade doughnuts at the Sandbridge Seaside Market are not to be missed.

A short stroll from our Airbnb mobile home took us to the Atlantic Ocean, where only a handful of people splashed along the water’s edge, tossed in a fishing line, or flew kites.
A five-minute car ride took us to the entrance to Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Outdoor trails are open a half hour before sunrise and a half hour after sunset, and there is no entry fee from Nov. 1 to April 1.

All vehicles must park at the visitor center, which was closed due to COVID-19. To protect wildlife, no dogs are allowed in the refuge.

From the parking area, folks can walk along boardwalks to Back Bay or to the ocean. You can also bike or hike the four-mile trail to False Cape State Park or continue to the North Carolina line for an 8.8-mile trek one-way.

Several adventurous types were backpacking into False Cape, where primitive tent camping is available for a complete getaway.

While at Sandbridge, we couldn’t resist a trip north to Kiptopeke State Park, where the annual hawk migration count was underway. To get to the eastern shore, you must traverse the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, which is an amazing experience in itself.

The Bay Bridge-Tunnel is a four-lane 20-mile-long vehicular toll crossing that provides direct access from southeastern Virginia to the Delmarva Peninsula (Delaware plus the Maryland and Virginia Eastern Shore).

Spectacular views of the Chesapeake Bay along the bridges also offer glimpses of brown pelicans and black-backed gulls, the largest gulls in the world. As you take two plunges under the bay in two separate tunnels, you appreciate the engineering required to disappear under the water as giant cargo ships ply overhead.

As you leave the bridge, you enter the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge, one of the most important avian migration funnels in North America. This 1,100-acre refuge is the scene of a spectacular drama as millions of songbirds and thousands of monarch butterflies and raptors converge on their journey south. Favorable weather patterns push migrating species through the area in waves.

Numerous tree swallows swirl overhead and monarch butterflies float aloft. Protected habitats such as these provide critical stopover areas where birds, monarchs, and dragonflies can rest and feed before resuming their arduous journey.

We saw several sharp-shinned and a handful of cooper’s hawks and bald eagles at the refuge before continuing on to Kiptopeke. While it turned out to be a slow day for migrating raptors, we saw hundreds of pine siskins and a dozen red-breasted nuthatches, northern species which only venture south when there is a poor seed crop in Canada.

Another winter getaway awaits near the Maryland state line at Assateague Island National Seashore, famous for its wild ponies and the annual summer roundup at Chincoteague.

To our south, the Outer Banks of North Carolina are also thick with off-season delights. Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge offers some of the best winter birding.

The refuge is 13 miles long and covers 5,834 acres of land, located on the north end of Hatteras Island. The bird list for Pea Island boasts more than 365 species; the wildlife list has 25 species of mammals, 24 of reptiles, and five of amphibians.

These refuges are among 567 National Wildlife Refuges administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, many along the East Coast.

No matter what coastal wildlife refuge or state park you choose, you have many choices for outdoor activities, wildlife viewing, and the peace and serenity of open spaces.

Charcuterie boards are colorful, creative and always crowd-pleasers (even when there’s not a crowd).

Pinterest. Instagram. Weddings. Taking up their own endcap at the grocery store.

The charcuterie board business is booming right now.

Maybe it’s just a coincidence that these boards began to explode about the same time as the pandemic. They serve as a fun way to eat anything (fun moments are important during a pandemic), a good way to gather and share with your “quaranteam,” and can even be made into single servings for socially distanced gatherings.

The term “charcuterie” refers specifically to the process of curing meat products such as salami, bacon, and ham.

Most traditional charcuterie boards are spilling over with meats, various types of cheese, and other accoutrements. However, themed boards with more eclectic choices—see sidebar on page 137—are becoming popular as well.

Michelle Ayers, owner of Purple Door Gourmet Kitchen, has been making charcuterie boards for a decade but has seen their popularity rise this year along with their larger counterpart: the grazing table.

“I have done very large displays as long as 18 feet for an event for 300 people to small trays for two to 20,” she says. “This is my absolute favorite part of my work. I always dreamed of playing with food for a living and now I get to do it every day.”

Food Checklist
Every board is unique, but Michelle says the checklist in her head for a charcuterie board always includes color, texture, flavor, and variety.

“Every board needs to have assorted cheeses, cured meat, olives, nuts, chutney, crispy bread and chocolate,” she says.

Personal chef and health coach Megan Current, of The Current Dish, also receives numerous requests for charcuterie boards. She always starts with the “forward points”: the meats and cheeses.

“The rule of thumb for cheeses is making sure to have an aged cheese, such as cheddar, and a
soft cheese. I like brie. Then a hard cheese such as gorgonzola,” she explains. “For the meat,
I include a variety of favorites such as prosciutto, peppered salami, and capicola.”

From there, Megan likes to include local jams and honeys, pickles, olives and fruit. But she will branch out depending on the season or occasion—for example, a caramel dip for apple slices or cake pops for a birthday board.

Building Your Board
Once you’ve gathered your items comes the trickier part for amateurs. Part of the appeal of a charcuterie board is the way it looks. As Michelle explains: “I believe you eat with your eyes first.”

First, decide what will be your focal point.

A brie or goat cheese log works well, or use folded meats in a creative way.

“Some people like to make a prosciutto river, sort of a swivel line down the middle of the board,” Megan says.

Folding or rolling meats will not only allow you to pack more items onto your board, but it also looks nice. Depending on your types of cheeses, mix it up and have one sliced and another cubed, for example. For accoutrements such as olives, fruit or nuts, put some into small bowls and others directly on to the board.

“Rosemary or mint sprigs are a pretty way to fill in any holes and add some greenery,” says Megan.

Better Than Dip
For those with new fitness goals in the new year, charcuterie boards can also be a smarter appetizer choice. “You have an option of foods that are whole and less processed, many with single ingredients,” Megan says. “Also, it’s so much easier to fill up on these foods compared to something like chips and dip.”

Better yet, it’s the one-size-fits-all appetizer for family members or friends with various dietary preferences. You can order or create a board with a little bit of everything on it and let everyone pick and choose what they want.

Whether you make your own, or let a professional such as Megan or Michelle take control, the sky is limit when creating a charcuterie board. Have some fun and be sure to share your photos with us on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag, #LynchburgLiving.

---

Take it further

Not-Your-Average Charcuterie Board. While lacking the traditional cured meats, these boards
pull from the idea of arranging your food in a “choose-your-own” display.

TACO Board:
Chips or Shells, Small Pitas, Salsas, Cheese, Guacamole, Veggies

VEGAN Board:
Carrot “Bacon,” Tomato “Ham,” Assorted Fruits and Vegetables

BRUNCH Board:
Bagels, Capers, Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese, Red Onion, Fruit