The Foods that Keep Your Teeth in Shape

You are what you eat” may be an adage geared toward teaching children healthy eating habits—but it’s also true. Now more than ever, studies are being released that show a definitive link between our gut health and whole-body health. And if there is a connection between what we eat and how we feel, wouldn’t the same ring true for the more granular aspects of our health?

As it turns out, there are plenty of ways to improve your dental health—one bite at a time.

Top 10 Foods for Teeth and Gum Health
You aren’t the only one who craves starchy or sugary foods (we’re looking at you, plate of loaded fries). The bacteria in your mouth craves it too. In fact, the more starch and sugars that are present in your mouth, the more active your mouth bacteria can be, which ultimately can lead to an increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease.

Alternatively, foods that are nutrient rich—like fruits, vegetables, and protein—as well as foods that are calcium rich—like milk, yogurt, almonds, and leafy greens—can do wonders for keeping your smile at its best.

Cheese
You hereby have permission to eat cheese! Low in sugar, but high in calcium, cheese contains a protein called casein which is particularly useful for fortifying your tooth enamel. Not only that, but cheese is high in calcium, which helps maintain bone density, and it’s high in phosphate which helps keep your mouth’s pH levels balanced.

Carrots
Carrots aren’t just great for your eyes, they’re great for your teeth as well.

For that matter, any crunchy, firm food that has high water content (i.e., celery) acts as a natural tooth cleaner because it stimulates the flow of saliva, which helps scrub away food particles and bacteria.

Walnuts
Walnuts are the ultimate superfood because they contain everything from fiber and folic acid to iron, potassium, and vitamin B6. Potassium and magnesium work hand-in-hand to regulate your body’s acidity. When you have too much acidity, the acids can remove calcium from your teeth and jawbone, which weakens them.

Salmon
Most meats and fatty fish contain a ton of important nutrients for your dental and whole-body health. Salmon in particular is loaded with phosphorus, which helps your body absorb calcium and strengthens your teeth by protecting and rebuilding tooth enamel. Who knew food could do all of that?

Kiwi
Fresh fruit is great for you in general, but kiwis specifically offer a very high concentration of vitamin C. Vitamin C works to boost immunity by increasing the production of blood cells that destroy harmful microorganisms. With adequate vitamin C intake, your body will have better resistance against infections throughout the body, which include tooth decay.

Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are packed with a healthy dose of vitamin A, which works to maintain the mucus membranes and soft tissue in the gums. Vitamin A is also vital in maintaining keratin, which is a protein that promotes the formation of tooth enamel.

Garlic
It may not be the best ally for keeping your breath fresh, but garlic works wonders at fighting tooth decay and periodontal disease. That’s because garlic contains allicin, which has incredibly strong antimicrobial properties.

Tea
Routine cleanings will help remove any stains that come with routinely drinking tea, so you can enjoy the teeth-strengthening benefits of this hot or cold beverage. A chemical called polyphenol naturally occurs in tea (and coffee, for all of you coffee lovers!), which combats cell damage, reduces inflammation, and is high in antioxidants.

Leafy Greens
Your parents weren’t wrong when they encouraged you to eat your greens as a kid. Whether they realized it or not, they were also encouraging better oral health! Leafy greens like spinach, lettuce, and kale are rich in calcium, folic acid, and minerals that your teeth and gums love. Crunchier greens like romaine lettuce or crisp kale also help keep your teeth clean!

Water
Okay, maybe it’s not a food that will fill you up, but the single most important thing for your teeth (and your well-being in general) is hydration, hydration, hydration. Our bodies are made of 60% water, and staying hydrated helps our system distribute nutrients, eliminate waste, keeps muscles moving, and keeps saliva levels high so bacteria can be easily kept at bay.

Vibrant, nutrient-rich smoothies to jumpstart your day.

Recipes & Photos Courtesy Millie’s Living Cafe

There’s nothing more beautiful than a brightly colored smoothie that’s packed with healthy fruits and proteins. And the best part? Making them is a breeze. Simply toss all ingredients into a blender, blend until smooth, and you’ll have a delicious and healthy beverage to start (or end) your day with. Thank you to Millie’s Living Cafe for sharing their recipes with us!

Lynchburg’s Punk Rock Flea Market Creates a Beautiful Community

Walking into Three Roads Brewing on a Sunday at 3 p.m. is like walking into a family reunion. Everyone is catching up, the beer is flowing, music is playing. You hear, “Market day, baby!” muffled in the background amidst the chatter and clinking of glasses, and you realize that this isn’t a family reunion at all (or is it?). It’s an art market.

Kaleb Gay is the man behind the curtain of this joyous, and sometimes chaotic, scene.

“You want people to stop and wonder what is happening, and then realize that it’s good,” Gay said, almost with a renegade glimmer in his eye.

And stop and wonder is what people do. The LoveLYH Flea Market is Lynchburg’s very own punk rock flea market. From Seattle to Philadelphia punk rock flea markets have been popping up in cities across the country for years, so it was only a matter of time before one came to Lynchburg as well.

While Gay is the current maestro of the weekly market—home to artists, makers, crafters, musicians, and folks hoping to make some cash from their unwanted clothes and housewares in true flea market fashion—Katy Wetzel is the one who brought the concept of a punk rock flea market to Lynchburg.

“I’m originally from just outside of Philadelphia, and I came to Lynchburg to attend Randolph [College]. I had the opportunity to go to a punk rock flea market in Philly, which is a twice-annual thing,” Wetzel explained. “There are punk rock flea markets all over the country and it’s an opportunity for people to just sell stuff if they’re cleaning out their garage, but it’s also a space for makers and artists.”

After Wetzel moved to Lynchburg and got connected with her own network of artists and makers, she knew that Lynchburg had the type of creative community to support a flea market of its own. Dave Ellis, owner of Dish in downtown Lynchburg, offered up the patio and parking lot of Rendezvous, his former restaurant on Main Street across from Dish, as a free spot to host the market.

“Dave is someone who is supportive of all sorts of different cultural happenings in Lynchburg,” Wetzel said. “He’s always all about supporting folks. I wouldn’t have initiated the flea market if I didn’t have the space, and Dave was able to provide that.”

With the venue nailed down, Wetzel knew she needed a partner to help organize and promote the flea market.

“Kaleb was the first person who came to my mind. He’s a maker at heart and an artist,” Wetzel said. “I couldn’t imagine a better person to talk to about starting something like this.”

So, in 2019, the first Lynchburg punk rock flea market was born. Vendors set up tables and tents in an empty parking lot, selling handmade zines, artwork, and clothes. Fast forward three years, and the flea market has grown by leaps and bounds.

Now the flea market has found its home at Three Roads Brewing, where Gay is also a bartender. Having a larger indoor/outdoor space has allowed the flea market to open itself up even further to makers, artists, and musicians.

“It was another opportunity from another wonderful friend,” Gay explained, speaking of former Three Roads manager Molly Fusco, who offered up the Three Roads space in August of 2020.

It’s that sort of mentality—folks stepping up and helping out—that truly encapsulates what makes the LoveLYH Flea Market so special. Wetzel’s and Gay’s vision for the market has always been to keep it as accessible as possible, which is why there are zero fees or costs to have a table or booth space on Sundays. Artists don’t need to sign up or commit to coming long term, they simply need to have something that they want to sell and show up.

“I want people to understand that it’s a free place to set up. You don’t have to be an established arts and crafts person. I’ll probably take a Sunday soon and sell my excess garden tomatoes,” Wetzel said of the free-flowing structure of the market. “It’s a space for all, and it’s so cool that there is no charge for a table or anyone cutting into people’s sales for anything.”

“I see people coming here sometimes who are out of work right now, or struggling financially, and they have an opportunity to sell their stuff and make some income,” Gay furthered. “There’s something to someone showing up and seeing that, ‘You know what, someone just liked my stuff enough to buy it.’ and then they keep doing it and coming back each week.”

That feeling of pride—and of bravery to show up and put yourself out there in the first place—is palpable every Sunday at the market. Rain or shine, folks are able to display their work and make life-changing connections with others.

“The market has been a miracle for me,” said Kat Newcomb, who makes and sells jewelry made with precious and semiprecious stones. “I moved to Lynchburg right before everything shut down [for COVID], so I didn’t know anybody and I hadn’t been anywhere. Kaleb kept telling me that he had started this market, and that I needed to come for a visit, so I showed up, and it quickly became something that I looked forward to every week… . This was my haven every Sunday. I started to meet people. I’ve met so many people who are now my support system. I credit Kaleb and I credit the market for that.”

Newcomb also brings her 8-year-old son with her to the market on Sundays, which has done wonders for his confidence as well.

“He has started doing the singer/songwriter showcase on Sundays,” she said. “Everyone has been so encouraging of him. The round of applause that he received the first time he performed just encouraged him to keep going. He’s getting into music because he has gotten so much encouragement from folks at the market. He’s been so brave, and it’s been a journey for him as well.”

When you experience the LoveLYH Flea Market, you get a sense that maybe it’s not about the art at all—it’s about the connections that you can make. The flea market is an opportunity to meet folks from all walks of life, and share a conversation and a beer with them. The art just happens to be the icebreaker to those conversations.

“We’re a social gathering exploring the limits of community,” Gay said. “It’s a bit more corybantic than your standard or structured market. It leaves a nice amount of wiggle room for expression—and that’s what we all could use a bit more of.”

Folks looking to sell their wares, or simply shop at the LoveLYH Flea Market, can visit Three Roads Brewing on Court Street every Sunday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Follow @lyhpunkrockfleamarket on Instagram for updates.

Looking for swim instruction? Here are a few of the most popular options in the greater Lynchburg area.

Lynchburg Parks & Recreation
Lynchburg Parks & Recreation hosts swim lessons at Miller Park Pool every summer and utilizes the American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim program. Instructors focus on building swimming skills one step at a time, working up six course levels—from introduction to water to swimming and skill proficiency.

Where: Miller Park Pool • Ages: 18 months to adult
Group or Private: Group • Cost: $67/city residents, $82/non-city residents
Session Length: Daily lessons over a 2-week period

Sign Up: Visit lynchburgparksandrec.com and look for swim lesson registration under the Programs & Activities tab, Aquatics department. The pool opens for the summer June 12 and the first group of summer lessons starts the next day.

YMCA of CVA Swim School
The YMCA of CVA Swim School is a comprehensive, progressive swim program aimed at creating strong swimmers while cultivating a love of swimming—not just as a necessary survival skill, but also as a way to stay healthy and active. The YMCA’s eight different levels of instruction mean that your child can start at the most appropriate level for them.

Where: Downtown YMCA and Jamerson Family YMCA
Ages: Six months to adult
Group or Private: Both
Cost: $40/members, $70/non-members
(scholarship opportunities available)
Session Length: Varies, but typically two lessons per week for four weeks

Sign Up: Visit ymcacva.org, give them a call, or stop by your preferred YMCA location. Group lessons run continuously throughout the year. Typically, registration for a session of lessons opens three weeks before the session begins.

LU Campus Recreation
LU Campus Recreation offers a limited amount of swim lessons to the Liberty and Lynchburg communities each semester, as well as a more compact summer schedule. Their certified swim instructors teach lessons for a wide range of skill levels and ages. Information about their summer classes is below, but check back on their website for more information on their semester offerings, which are typically eight days of classes over two weeks.

Where: LaHaye Aquatic Center
Ages: Six months to 14+
Group or Private: Group
Cost: $65/week
Session Length: Five days in one week, 45 minutes

Sign up: Visit liberty.edu/campusrec/lahaye-rec-and-fitness/aquatics/ to register. Summer sessions start May 30.

A Smith Mountain Lake Home Gets an Elevation in Height & Style

If Scott Elliott has learned anything over his many years of building and renovating properties as the owner of Custom Structures in Lynchburg, it’s to move fast when the right thing pops up. So that is exactly what he and his wife, Meredith, did in July 2021 when a house on Smith Mountain Lake, right by Hales Ford Bridge, came up for sale.

“I called her and said, ‘Get to the lake now!’” Scott recalled. “She hauled tail to the house and I hadn’t even seen it. I was on a plane when she made the offer.”

The home had been a rental for many years and was dingy and outdated, but the empty shell didn’t scare the Elliotts. In fact, they are well accustomed to transforming properties from abysmal “Befores” into gorgeous “Afters.” Here are some highlights of what they did to overhaul their personal lakehouse-turned-Lynchburg Living Smith Mountain Lake Idea House in a matter of just seven months.

COASTAL CHIC MEETS LAKE LUXE
Not every lake dreams of being an ocean, and thankfully the Elliotts’ SML house didn’t have to choose stylistically either. Exterior additions to the home include cedar shake siding, a copper cupola up top, and hurricane shutters, all of which give the entrance a coastal vibe. Two decks on the back flank the home, while a flat seating area with a fire pit and Adirondack chairs awaits conversations overlooking the lake. Down the stamped concrete walkway to the dock is a shed that the Elliotts repurposed into a “Bar Barn,” adding cabinetry, a mini fridge, and a margarita machine so visitors can grab a drink on their way to the water.

POP THE TOP
With four kids plus an exchange student under one roof, along with Meredith’s desire to host large gatherings and rent the home out to others, the first major change the couple decided to make was raising the roofline. By building up instead of out, the Elliotts were able to stay within the home’s original footprint while adding soaring ceilings with wooden beams in the great room and kitchen, as well as a loft above that holds a Queen bed, two children’s cots, and a full bathroom. As they went up, the Elliotts also added new windows and transoms to bring in abundant light and clearer views of the lake. Their thoughtful renovations helped transform the home’s total hosting space into five bedrooms (including a children’s room with six bunk beds), four bathrooms, and a full basement.

A KITCHEN WITH SHIMMER
Lake kitchens lend themselves to a certain vibe, often with dark wooden cabinets and walls and green or red tones. While this look conjures up joyous summer memories for some, Meredith wanted a fresher look for her new kitchen. She accomplished this vision with white cabinets and quartz countertops, married together with gold hardware and a shimmery fin-shaped tile backsplash that nods to her surroundings.

A PLACE TO GATHER
Another priority for Meredith was to integrate a large dining table without making a formal space for one, so she cleverly inserted it at the intersection of the kitchen and the great room.

“I had to have somewhere to seat a lot of people,” she said. “I want this place to be for families, big families—grandparents, grandkids, aunts, uncles—so everyone can cook together and be together.”

UNEXPECTED ART
“Before it got cold, we took the jet skis around the corner to a little cove and literally just grabbed so much driftwood and let it dry,” Scott said. “Then we cut it and put hooks in there and attached it [to the foyer chandelier]. We hit the jackpot on that.”

This unique focal point of the home’s entry is just one of the surprising ways that Scott and Meredith wove artful touches throughout the home. They also repurposed larger works of art and even an old privacy screen to use as headboards. Then there’s the 1960 surfboard hanging above the couch in the great room—a $100 Facebook Marketplace find, though it took a little negotiating on Meredith’s part.

“I messaged [the owner] and he said, ‘I have 30 people lined up and I just want someone to cherish it,’” she recalled. “I said, ‘I can promise that I will cherish this. I know exactly where it’s going and you can come see it if you want.’

And he said, ‘I’m going to sell it to you!’”

TILE WITH STYLE
Additional impressive features can be found in the bathrooms, where Meredith made good use of unexpected colors and patterns, retrofitted vanities from Green Front Furniture, and glimmering bowl sinks from Ferguson. Tile selections range from a skinny teal tile laid in a herringbone pattern in the hall bathroom to a blue dot tile in the master bath to a textured white tile running from the walls through the shower in the loft bathroom.

HAVE A COW, AND A DRINK
Although the home’s basement was “dungeon-like” when they bought it, Meredith saw that it held possibilities. She took advantage of an existing bar, retrofitting it with a bronze sink, mint tile backsplash, and a sheet of patinated copper under a new quartz countertop. Above the bar hangs a large cow mural with a memorable back story.

“That came out of Big Lick [Tropical Grill] on Timberlake Road,” Meredith recalled. “They were going to throw it away and Scott was like, ‘Nooooo!’ So we have had that since 2010, and it has gone from our barn to the first lake house to here. It’s just fun.”

The colorful cattle oversee the rest of the entertainment space, complete with a ping pong table, TV area, and large windows that beckon guests outside.

For the Elliotts, the home has been both a labor of love and a sprint, and Meredith eagerly awaits the moment when she can finally sit down and soak in the finished product.

“I can’t wait until I can turn on that gas fire pit when it gets dark, open a bottle of wine, and just sit here and not be bothered and listen to the boats,” she said.

View the 2022 Lynchburg Living Smith Mountain Lake Idea House special section virtually >>

Since 1985, the James River Batteau Festival has been a cherished event in downtown Lynchburg. Crews build replicas of 18th- and early-19th century wooden cargo vessels and then make an eight-day trek to Richmond down the James River. The launch of the 37th annual event is set for June 18 at 11 a.m. at Percival’s Island.

Visit vacanals.org/batteau to learn more.

Photo by Michael Yeatts

May 19, 5:30 p.m.
Old City Cemetery Sunset Rose Tour
Stroll through the beautiful gardens of Old City Cemetery at sunset and learn about the history of the roses there, along
with tips on how to care for them. This event is one of several rose-related occasions happening at OCC in May. For tickets and information about all of OCC’s upcoming events, visit gravegarden.org.

May 21, 12 – 5 p.m.
BBQ & Blues Festival
The Sedalia Center’s popular BBQ & Blues Festival is coming back to Big Island with delicious barbeque, exciting live music, and plenty of family fun. Teams from across Virginia will be competing and hoping to impress the judges—and you—with their barbeque offerings. Keep an eye out for more information about the center’s Juneteenth celebration on June 18 as well. For tickets and a complete calendar of events, visit sedaliacenter.org.

May 27, 7 p.m.
National D-Day Memorial Annual Patriotic Concert
Don’t miss an inspiring concert of patriotic music performed by the Jefferson Choral Society and an accompanying band at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford. This family-friendly event will honor veterans and active duty military in an awe-inspiring hilltop setting. No pets or coolers are allowed, and concertgoers should bring their own chairs. For ticket information, visit dday.org or call 540-586-3329.

June 10-11, 6 p.m. and June 11, 2 p.m.
Central Virginia Ballet Presents: Art in Motion 2022
Join Central Virginia Ballet for their 11th year of Art in Motion, a beautiful dance showcase, at the Historic Academy Theatre at the Academy Center of the Arts. For tickets and more information, visit academycenter.org.

June 10-11, 17-19, & 24-25
Anne of Green Gables
Renaissance Theatre is excited to present a youth/adult production of Peter DeLaurier’s adaptation of Anne of Green Gables. Based on the beloved 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery, the play follows the adventures of energetic orphan Anne Shirley as she transforms the residents of a small, stodgy Canadian town. For showtimes and more details, visit renaissancetheatrelynchburg.org.

June 25, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Virginia Summer Solstice Wine Festival
Celebrate the start of summer at the 12th Annual Virginia Summer Solstice Wine Festival at Lazy Days Winery in Amherst. Enjoy great wines from local Virginia wineries, live music on two stages, tasty festival foods, craft vendors, belly dancing, and more! Wine tasting tickets include a souvenir glass. Admission is free for children 12 and under. No dogs are allowed, but lawn chairs and blankets are welcome. For tickets and more information, visit summersolsticefestival.com.

Local Openings & Closings
Hello! to Val’s Comfort Kitchen on Memorial Avenue

Hello! to The Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar Lynchburg on Forest Road

Goodbye to LYH Coffeehouse in Cornerstone

Hello! to Cava (Mediterranean fast casual restaurant chain) on Old Forest Road

Goodbye to Zoës Kitchen on Old Forest Road

Hello! to Maverick Nutrition on Forest Road

Goodbye to The Trivium Estate and Conference Center in Bedford

Hello! to Cakes and Pipers Bakery (new storefront) on Forest Road

Unique boutique hotel opens in Roanoke

As you enter the grand hotel lobby of The Liberty Trust, it’s clear the building was formerly a bank. A vault is open at the end of the long lobby, which was once lined with teller windows. By the end of the summer or early fall, the teller spaces will serve as a bar and restaurant.

The newly renovated boutique hotel opened in mid-March after painstaking efforts to preserve as much of the history of the structure as possible. “We really tried to repurpose everything we possibly could,” said Rebecca Heefner, director of sales for Savara Hospitality, which owns the building.

When the building first opened in December 1910 as the First National Bank, the French Renaissance-Beaux Arts building was called a “Temple of Finance” by a local newspaper, and it remained a bank for nearly 100 years. The building was designed by John Kevan Peebles, considered the “dean of Virginia architects” during the early part of the last century. Peebles served on the architectural committee for the restoration of Virginia’s State Capitol in 1902 and the board of design for the Jamestown Exposition in 1907. He was also chair of the architectural committee for the University of Virginia.

The lobby is graced with soaring ceilings, chandeliers, and Doric marble columns. A giant clock sits above the vault, and though the new owners could not find anyone to repair it, it’s still impressive, as are the giant Roman numerals for 1909, the year the building was complete. The original green marble and granite and much of the flooring was left intact, as required for tax credits for a historic renovation. The copper-clad doors, which now grace several of the 54 hotel rooms, are likely the only ones of their kind in Roanoke.

When the bank was built, electricity was relatively new to the city and made the seven-story skyscraper possible with the installation of elevators. During a tour of the hotel, Heefner said her favorite historical gadget is an on-off light switch composed of two buttons.

The much-anticipated opening of the new hotel received recognition from Forbes magazine, which in December named The Liberty Trust one of eight hotels in the country to consider for travel and business.

Much of the national and international attention to the renovation was thanks to the Salvage Dawgs’ DIY Network show, which was created by Black Dog Salvage, a Roanoke-based salvage and repurposing firm.

In 2019, prior to the renovation of the building, the Salvage Dawgs’ crew filmed an episode at the Liberty Trust for Season 11, their final season. The crew explored the building from roof to basement to find and remove architectural elements such as plumbing, lighting fixtures, and two dangerously heavy safe doors, which weighed nearly 1,000 pounds apiece.

“We harvested some cool stuff,” said Mike Whiteside, CEO and co-founder of Black Dog Salvage, adding they wanted to harvest a lot more items, but tax-credit requirements didn’t allow it. He said the best items were some in-ground urinals, which might be used in period-piece movies. Black Dog Salvage used the decorative parts of one of the safe doors to build a small consult table, and Whiteside said he would like to build a second, slightly large consult table for the front lobby of the hotel.

Two of the original six safes were left in place, though only one is visible to the public. The safe will become a tasting room, and guests can already enjoy an espresso there.

As guests wait for one of two elevators, they can see the original U.S. mailbox mounted in the wall to the right. Letters can still be posted from the seventh floor down via a chute, and according to Heefner, the mail is picked up daily.

The Liberty Trust rooms, which once served as offices, come in six different configurations, Heefner said. They range from Petite Queen rooms, which span 200 square feet, to Deluxe King rooms, which span 500 square feet. Each room features an old-fashioned teller lamp and telephone, as well as a copper mirror on the backs of the doors for a historic feel among the comfortable beds and spacious bathrooms. “A lot of the rooms are oversized and quite luxurious,” Heefner remarked.

From the windows of the 54 rooms different iconic Roanoke structures can be seen, including the Roanoke Star on Mill Mountain, the Hotel Roanoke, and the Taubman Museum of Art. During a recent stay, my husband and I were rewarded with an incredible view from our third-floor window of a full rainbow in the afternoon. We also enjoyed the view of a lovely sunrise that highlighted the mountain-like architecture of the Taubman Museum, where we headed for a morning visit.

Located at the corner of Jefferson Street and Salem Avenue, the hotel could not be more convenient to those visiting downtown Roanoke. The historic Roanoke City Market, one of the oldest continuous markets in the country, is a short walk from the hotel, as is Center in the Square, which houses science, art, and pinball museums, as well as the Mill Mountain Theatre.

Many established restaurants are nearby, including Alexander’s, which is literally next door and offers fine contemporary dining. On our visit, we enjoyed shrimp etouffee and scallops, with a decadent chocolate pudding cake as a perfect dinner finish.

Heefner noted that when The Liberty Trust bar and restaurant open later this year with cocktails and small plates, “We hope to be the before-and-after place where people hang out.”

The original First National Bank opened the day after Christmas in 1910 and was the first financial institution to be founded in Roanoke. The bank facilitated the commercial transactions of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad, forerunner of the Norfolk & Western Railway. Roanoke is still a busy railway hub, and though the tracks are only a block from The Liberty Trust, the well-insulated building kept us from being disturbed by nighttime trains during our overnight stay.

In 1926, the bank merged with National Exchange Bank, becoming First National Exchange Bank. The same year, the Liberty Trust Company bought the building and occupied the first floor. Liberty Trust remained there for 20 years until it merged with The Colonial American National Bank and relocated.

In the years that followed, the Liberty Trust building was home to a number of financial institutions including People’s Federal Savings and Loan, and in the 1980s, it began serving as office space for a number of companies.

Savara acquired the building in 2018 and began construction at the end of 2019. COVID-19 required a pause, but construction restarted in January 2022 with a remarkably quick turnaround.

Most of the key project participants in the renovation are local businesses. The general contractor is R.L. Price Construction, which is based in Salem. Architect Robert Pilkington of Roanoke’s Balzer & Associates worked with the developers on the renovations of the building. Hill Studio was a consultant on historic restoration and preservation. The project was financed locally by Roanoke-based Freedom First Credit Union.

The Liberty Trust Bank Building is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Virginia Historic Landmark. The Liberty Trust hotel is the only member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts in Virginia’s Blue Ridge—and one of only six in the state of Virginia. Savara also operates the historic Linden Row Inn in Richmond, Virginia, and the Meadowbrook Inn in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

For more information, visit libertytrusthotel.com, or better yet, visit the hotel in person.

By Shannon Brennan | Photos courtesy of The Liberty Trust