These Towns In Virginia Have A Rich Cultural Heritage
From the peaks of the Appalachian Mountains to the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, the "Old Dominion State" of Virginia is famous for both its long history and its natural beauty. Virginia's rapidly growing cities and suburbs are great places to visit, but its historic small towns offer unique views of the state's imperfect yet important cultural heritage. We have listed seven culture-rich towns to get you started on your exploration of the Old Dominion.
Williamsburg
Williamsburg, established on the Virginia Peninsula between the York River and James River in 1632, is one of the oldest towns in Virginia and was its colonial capital. Hundreds of thousands of visitors come each year to experience Colonial Williamsburg, a 300-acre living history park that recreates the town's buildings, streetscapes, and residents of the colonial era. While tours of the historic buildings require an admission pass, visitors can freely tour the grounds of both the park and the adjacent College of William and Mary (established in 1693). The historic towns of Jamestown and Yorktown are also just short drives away.
Urbanna
Oyster harvesting has a long history in Virginia, far predating the arrival of European settlers and enslaved Africans in the early 1600s. The town of Urbanna, established as a tobacco port near the mouth of the Rappahannock River in 1680, celebrates the state's oyster heritage (and welcomes 75,000 visitors) with its annual Virginia Oyster Festival. Outside of this big November event, Urbanna is a charming town of 500 residents with a picturesque waterfront area containing shops and restaurants. The nearby downtown area is home to long-time retailers such as R.S. Bristow's and Marshall's Drug Store.
Abingdon
Abingdon is tucked away in southwestern Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, closer to Tennessee's "Tri-Cities" area than any Virginia city. A large National Historic District covers much of downtown Abingdon, home to numerous 1700s and 1800s buildings such as the 1832 Martha Washington Inn. Some 150,000 annual visitors come to performances at the historic Barter Theatre, a professional repertory theater that has been in operation since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Abingdon is also a great gateway into the beautiful landscape of the Blue Ridge Mountains, especially along popular nature trails like the Virginia Creeper Trail.
Ashland
The town of Ashland has become part of the ever-expanding suburbs of the state capital of Richmond, with busy commercial districts along the major highway exits. Fortunately, the historic downtown core of Ashland has retained much of its character and charm as a railroad hub established in the mid-1800s. Trains continue to regularly run along the tracks that pass right through town, and Ashland's historic train station now doubles as the town's visitors center. Ashland hosts a popular Train Day festival each April and a fun Strawberry Faire in June.
Culpeper
The northern Virginia community of Culpeper is a fantastic base of operations for day trips to popular tourist spots like Washington, D.C., Civil War battlefields, and the homes of famous early U.S. presidents. But there are also plenty of reasons to stick around and explore Culpeper. Like Ashland, Culpeper has a charming train station that also serves as a visitors center and local museum. In addition to the historic downtown area, revitalized by the town's growing population, Culpeper is home to several local parks and is only a 30-minute drive from Shenandoah National Park.
Chincoteague
Chincoteague is the name of both the town and the island that sits off the Atlantic coast on Virginia's small portion of the Delmarva Peninsula. Made famous by the 1947 book "Misty of Chincoteague" and its 1961 film adaptation, the Chincoteague wild ponies on neighboring Assateague Island are presumed to be descendants of escaped domesticated horses from the 1700s. While serving as the base for exploring the ponies' home, the Chincoteague National Wildlife Preserve, the town still has an inviting small-town feel that emphasizes the region's natural beauty.
Front Royal
The town of Front Royal serves as the northern gateway into one of Virginia's most beautiful and most historic regions, the long and slender Shenandoah Valley. Visitors heading to Shenandoah National Park, Luray Caverns, Skyline Drive, and numerous Civil War sites often pass through Front Royal, but it is well worth stopping in town as well. Front Royal has several lovely parks, and the classic Main Street district has a nice mix of businesses accented by a series of murals. Downtown is also home to the Virginia Beer Museum, which hosts a fun Oktoberfest each fall.
The Commonwealth of Virginia has hosted an astonishing number of key events and key figures in American history, some worth celebrating and others worth criticizing. Therefore, experiencing the cultural heritage of Virginia's small towns is an important part of experiencing America as a whole. Use our list of seven towns as a starting point, but also do some exploring of your own to discover even more of what Virginia has to offer.
