Even though we’ve had our share of relatively mild weather this winter, you’re no doubt suffering, on some level at least, from cabin fever. So pack an overnight bag and get out a map, because Virginia’s main street towns are calling. You know the ones: picturesque homes, charming shops and a peaceful, easy vibe.

With help from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Virginia Main Street program has been assisting with community revitalizations since 1985. The program focuses on long-term economic growth and pride in a traditional community center. Staff writer Megan Marconyak visited one participating community, Culpeper. A new bed-and-breakfast and eclectic boutiques make a perfect destination.

Day or weekend jaunts to towns with traditional Main Streets around Richmond are a great way to relax this spring. We did some of the legwork for you by checking out a few of these charming towns earlier this year, but more await. Stay tuned this fall for Virginia’s Main Streets, Part II. —Sarah K. McDonald

 

Charming Gordonsville
Take a seat and watch the world go by as you feast
By Sarah K. McDonald

With a husband in graduate school and a 60-year-old house still in need of a few repairs, a weekend getaway is a rarity. So, day trips are my luxury. And having grown up with grandparents in Buckingham and Blackstone, I have a certain affinity for towns with charming Main Streets, which is why Gordonsville struck my fancy last fall on my way home from Charlottesville-area wineries.

Lined with shops, a few residences and a restaurant or two, this Orange County town’s Main Street has experienced a resurgence of late. Perhaps the town’s first round of success came in 1839 when the Louisa Rail Road Company extended its line to Gordonsville. The rail lines still operate today. In fact, June’s Orange County Heritage Celebration in part honors the African-American women who sold fried chicken to passengers through railcar windows with a fried chicken competition.

Gordonsville’s Main Street of today beckoned my mom, Pat, and I back for a day of shopping this winter. The Gentle Gardener (207 S. Main St., 540-832-7031) is a must for any gardener, serious or casual. The lotions and salves to soothe weather-chapped hands, garden statues, gardening gloves and shears, and large pots make perfect gifts. At the small outdoor garden center adjacent to the building, I found several containers of climbing roses.

Another garden shop not to miss is Country Gardens (101 S. Main St., 540-832-9860). Owner John Edwards has a wide variety of antiques, including a large collection of brass candlesticks, plus garden ornaments and period mantels.

If you’d rather gussy up your wardrobe, check out S. H. Merrick fine clothier (109 S. Main St., 540-832-0062). Owner Sharon H. Merrick has a sea of high-quality white blouses in all styles amid her array of chic clothing. And if you want to take home the country feel of the Gordonsville of yore, several shops along Main Street specialize in Americana, including Sweetwater Country Home (300 S. Main St., 540-832-0400), where I saw a painted hutch and dozens of metal stars in varying sizes and colors.

I’m kicking myself just thinking about the plates I left behind at Hospitality Gifts (107 S. Main St., 540-832-3998). There, I spotted three Vera Bradley salad plates with an elephant in the middle for less than $10 each. I collect all things elephant so this was a great find, but I passed because it wasn’t a complete set, a huge misstep because four plates sell for $60 online.

I did, however, make a purchase at our final stop. While the Gordonsville Antique Mall and Flea Market (Route 15 and Klockner Road, 540-832-7376) is not on the main strip of shops, it’s two or three minutes down the road. When you step inside, immediately look up, where your eyes will be met by hundreds, if not thousands, of lunchboxes — metal, plastic and fabric; everything from Care Bears and E.T. to Knight Rider and Old MacDonald’s farm. We heard the owner tell another customer that some boxes can cost upward of $500, but that he’d sell them for $35 each if you buy the lot of them. I didn’t spring for one — although I’m sure my husband, Tim, will break down into tears when he finds out I passed up a vintage metal Star Wars lunchbox — but I did come away with a great gift for the host and hostess of a neighborhood oyster party later that evening: an oyster knife with a wooden handle.

The store also had two old tin oyster buckets — something to keep in mind for future oyster bashes and for a return trip to Gordonsville.

A Highlight of the Trip

I’m not going to lie. Although I love the charm of Gordonsville, the main reason I came back was to eat at Pomme (115 S. Main St., 540-832-0130), a French restaurant that’s elegant but not pretentious. Upon our arrival we were seated at a table with a view of the train tracks and the bustling street outside. Feeling like ladies who lunch, my mom and I ordered wine and anxiously awaited our meal: pecan-crusted lamb with goat cheese. With every tender bite I kept reminding myself that Gordonsville’s less than an hour from home.

 

Rural Syria
Experience life in the Blue Ridge foothills
By Kate Andrews

U.S. 29 is practically a curse word around Charlottesville, representing for many the intrusion of big-box stores and out-of-control commercial sprawl into the countryside. But as you drive north, the gas stations and stores become scarcer.

By the time you reach the turnoff for Graves Mountain Lodge, you are indeed in the country. Open the car windows and get a whiff of hay — or possibly cow manure, if the wind is right.

Down a winding road, past an old elementary school and a big fruit store, you’ll see Graves Mountain Lodge (Route 670, 540-923-4231), a name you might recognize from jars of preserves and jellies in the grocery store. For Madison County residents and regular visitors, Syria (pronounced like the Middle Eastern country) is Graves Mountain.

The lodge, still owned and staffed by the Graves family after 135 years, is home to the well-known Graves Mountain Festival of Music, a three-day bluegrass fest featuring such heavy hitters as Ralph Stanley II (fronting his father’s band, the Clinch Mountain Boys), the Seldom Scene and Rhonda Vincent. This year’s event, with three-day tickets costing $70 to $85, is scheduled for May 31-June 2.

You can’t get a room this year, not even if you pray for one. Lodging at Graves Mountain is assigned on a tier basis. After the musicians claim their rooms, last year’s bluegrass festival visitors get the chance to renew, and if they turn down a room (not likely), the lodge management goes to the lengthy waiting list. But there are 50 acres of rough campground; about 2,500 people take advantage of it each year, says lodge manager Lynn Graves.

And if you want to come to the lodge another time, you’re bound to have more luck finding a room. Cottages and motel rooms are for rent, and Graves says there are rooms open most of the time, give or take a weekend or two. Family-style meals are served three times a day from the third week in March through Thanksgiving. Reservations are recommended.

Once you’re situated in Syria, you can go fishing in the Robinson and Rose rivers, both stocked with trout by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, and horseback riding also is available.

Of course, a big draw in Madison is the hiking. The closest entrance to Shenandoah National Park (www.nps.gov/shen) is west of Stanardsville, down Route 33 west to Swift Run Gap, but closer is the singular Old Rag Mountain, a popular hike north of Syria. With exposed granite available to rock climbers, it’s a challenging hike. Lynn Graves also suggests White Oak Canyon, which features waterfalls and swimming holes.

If you’re looking for a true Main Street, there’s one in the town of Madison, where the county courts and government are based. A streetscapes project to refurbish its look is under way, incorporating new sidewalks and fresh building facades.

In the middle of Main Street is the Madison Drug Company (114 N. Main St., 540-948-4576), where you can sit down to a lunch of homemade salads and lemonade, or if you feel like a calorie splurge, a fountain drink. The Madison County Courthouse (1 Main St.), built 1829-30 to replace a log building, is also worth a peek for its old-fashioned interior. And heck, if you hit it on a weekday, there may be an interesting trial going on.

Mayor Willie Lamar points visitors to the renovated and reopened Madison Inn Restaurant (217 N. Main St., 540-948-5095), an upscale spot for brunch, lunch and dinner. Nearby is That Little Quilt Shop (212 N. Main St., 540-948-4147), one of the first recipients of a new facade. “It’s going great guns,” Lamar says.

If you backtrack to U.S. 29, you’re bound to see the Bavarian Chef (5102 S. Seminole Trail, 540-948-6505), an Alpine-looking restaurant that serves up highly regarded German food.

For bargain shopping, visit the Plow and Hearth outlet (U.S. 29, just south of the town of Madison). Keep an eye on the store’s Web site (www.plowhearth.com) for the dates of its tent sales, which take place in May and September.

But for me, spending time in Madison County is less about finding things to do and more about enjoying the fresh air and the rolling hills.

A Highlight of the Trip

It may look like witches’ brew, but step closer to the steaming cauldron on the Graves Mountain Lodge grounds. It’s hot apple butter. The annual Apple Harvest Festival is a two-weekend extravaganza (Oct. 13-14 and 20-21 this year) with bluegrass music, pumpkin picking, homemade food and, of course, apples and apple products. The colorful leaves, the smell of hot apple butter and the twang of the banjo carry you into fall.

 

Scenic Strasburg
Explore everything from history to the great outdoors in this quaint village
By Matthew Graham

Strasburg was founded in 1761 on the North Fork of the Shenandoah River along trade routes between the Northern and Southern states. During the Civil War, it became a major railroad depot when Stonewall Jackson captured Union engines in Martinsburg, W.Va. The Confederate general hauled the massive engines overland using horses to the rail lines in Strasburg, which then became known as “the fountainhead of rail traffic for the South.”

As automobile traffic replaced the rails, the town continued to prosper because it is centered on the crossroads of U.S. Route 11 and State Route 55. Strasburg is also only a few miles from the junction of interstates 81 and 66. Despite this ideal location for commerce, it has remained a cozy, charming village — not overrun with urban development, such as in the nearby cities of Winchester and Front Royal. Says Barbara Nickerson, desk manager at the Hotel Strasburg, “I like the quaintness and small-town atmosphere. People come here for R&R.”

The Hotel Strasburg (213 S. Holliday St., Strasburg, 800-348-8327) offers a variety of weekend getaway packages, including a honeymoon escape and golf packages in which tee times will be pre-arranged at one or more of three nearby golf courses. The century-old hotel has 29 rooms, including 10 suites, several with private Jacuzzis. Rooms are tastefully decorated with turn-of-the-century antiques and artwork. Don’t fill up on the free popcorn from the movie-style popcorn machine across from the bar because the hotel also boasts a AAA Three Diamond gourmet restaurant featuring unique creations from Chef Frank, such as the Jack Daniels Sirloin glazed in a smoky Jack Daniels sauce. For more casual (and less expensive) dining, step into the Depot Lounge just off the lobby. The pub serves sandwiches, burgers and a wide selection of beers on tap and micro-brews.

Outdoor lovers who wish to escape the crowds of Skyline Drive should trek over to the Signal Knob loop, a 10.5-mile hike in the George Washington National Forest. This off-the-beaten-path trail climbs up to the peak of the Massanutten Mountains, where you’ll find stunning views of both Fort Valley and Shenandoah Valley. Then, cool off at Half Moon Beach, a 16-acre quarry lake with a five-acre sand beach where you can stroll, play volleyball or rent paddleboats and canoes. Or rent a canoe or kayak at nearby Front Royal Canoe Company (8567 Stonewall Jackson Highway, Front Royal, 800-270-8808). The company also runs guided canoe, kayak and rafting trips, as well as scenic horseback rides at Indian Hollow Stables.

Unique shops in town include the Strasburg Mineral Gallery (352 E. King St., 540-465-8777) and Kimberly’s Confections (318 E. King St., 540-465-9573), which sells hand-dipped chocolates and other delectable candies. Strasburg’s history as a pottery producer is on display at the Strasburg Museum (440 E. King St., 540-465-3175), which also includes Civil War and Indian artifacts as well as exhibits on Colonial farm life. Strasburg has three other one-of-a-kind museums: The Museum of American Presidents (130 N. Massanutten St., 540-465-5999), The Stonewall Jackson Museum (33229 Old Valley Pike, 540-465-5884) and The Jeane Dixon Museum (132 N. Massanutten St., 540-465-5884), dedicated to the life of the famous astrologer and psychic.

You don’t need a psychic, however, to realize that nothing completes a beautiful, tranquil day in Strasburg better than a glass of wine. North Mountain Vineyard and Winery (4374 Swartz Road, Maurertown, 540-436-WINE) produces a number of award-wining wines, from the light, floral-scented Vidal Blanc to the rich, full-bodied Chambourcin — the perfect wine to complete a romantic weekend escape.

Highlights of the Trip

A trip to Strasburg isn’t complete without wandering the streets and visiting the various antique stores and quirky shops. The Great Strasburg Antique Emporium houses the antiques of more than 100 dealers (Routes 55 and 11, Strasburg, 540-465-3711). The emporium also features a café and a wine and cheese shop. For a taste of Mexico, try Christina’s Mexican Restaurant (348 E. King St., Strasburg, 540-465-5300). Says owner Donna Willis, “Most U.S. foods are northern Mexican or Tex-Mex. I was born and raised in southern Mexico, and I regularly return there to bring back spices for our southern Mexican dishes, such as the Yucatan Lime Soup.”

 

Historic Culpeper
Boutiques are distinct and plentiful
By Megan Marconyak

As I drove into historic Culpeper, the county seat of Culpeper County, I was greeted by Victorian and Italianate buildings that hinted at an old-fashioned, wear-your-hat-and-gloves sentiment. Strolling up and down Davis and Main streets, I found an array of shops and restaurants, each with its own distinct flavor.

The case of Belgian Neuhaus chocolates at The Frenchman’s Corner (141 E. Davis St., 540-825-8025) beckons passersby inside. Marc Ast opened his chocolate and gourmet food shop with an array of these hard-to-find Belgian chocolates in 2002 after the movie Chocolat reminded him of his childhood in France. His family lives above the shop, which also features a cheese case with such mouthwatering choices as white Stilton with mango or lemon.

I did a little treasure hunting at Barter Post (107-A E. Davis St., 540-829-6814). With the exception of three skinny aisles for walking, the shop is packed with stained-glass windows, antique armoires, retro kitchen decorations and anything else third-generation Barter Post owner E.B. Wood picks up. Even a high shelf around the periphery of the store is jammed with chairs piled upon one another. Around the corner, the finds at Culpeper Antique & Marketplace (137 S. Main St., 540-825-5011) span costume jewelry, antique hunting decoys, a copper bathtub from the 1800s and antique prints.

At The Country Store (129 E. Davis St., 540-825-1410), I was intrigued by the shop’s own brand of unique pickled vegetables and preserves that include pickled okra, mild chow-chow (a special relish made with green tomatoes, cabbage and onions), Muscadine grape preserves and black-eyed-pea salsa. Among the rustic home décor, I admired a wide variety of swags with berries in a myriad of colors, and I picked up some nut-bread-scented potpourri to mask the sterile smell of my rarely used kitchen.

In Janal Leather (102 E. Davis St., 540-829-5590) I ogled exotic cowboy boots, metallic-leather handbags and chunky sterling-silver jewelry imported from Mexico. I was especially fond of the multistrand rawhide necklaces with smoky quartz beads tied on the ends.

The bright colors in the window at Sara Schneiderman Gallery (122 E. Davis St., 540-825-0034) caught my eye. Schneiderman’s cheerful watercolors are characterized by iconic folk-art images she’s modernized with vibrant, unexpected color combinations. The original paintings, ceramics, Tibetan rugs and runners, and note cards in endless patterns come together to create a vibrant symphony of shades.

If you have time, make a reservation for tea at the irresistibly feminine Tea, Lace & Roses (123 W. Davis St., 540-829-9700), where you can indulge in a choice of 50 loose-leaf teas, fresh scones with Devonshire cream, finger sandwiches, hors d’oeuvres and desserts. The two-story shop features ladylike goodies, from vintage wedding gowns to tea-service sets, from dainty lace gloves to vintage jewelry.

The Copper Kettle Soup Bar in the Hazel River Inn (195 E. Davis St., 540-825-7148) made a quick, satisfying lunch stop during my visit. The bare-bones menu includes four or five freshly made soups, sandwiches and spaetzle, a German noodle dish that comes with your choice of sauce. My Tuscan soup with lentils, cabbage, potatoes, chicken and sun-dried tomatoes was complex and flavorful.

Around lunchtime I’d passed by the packed It’s About Thyme Café and Restaurant (129 E. Davis St., 540-825-4264), owned by John Yarnall. So on my way out of town, I stopped in Thyme Market (540-825-1011), which is also owned by Yarnall. I found a case of appetizing salads, pasta and seafood salads and still another case of enticing baked goods. I couldn’t help but pick up a gourmet-style soft pretzel garnished with Parmesan cheese and Italian herbs and an apple brown betty for the ride home. Yarnall also recently opened Thyme Inn, a bed-and-breakfast.

I spent so much time shopping that I didn’t have time to stop by Belmont Farm Distillery (13490 Cedar Run Road, Culpeper, 540-825-3207) to try their Virginia Lightning Whiskey. But Prince Michel Vineyard & Winery (154 Winery Lane, Leon, 540-547-3707) did make a perfect stop along the road home with its museum of wine history and extensive selection of wines to taste.

A Highlight of the Trip

The collection of gift items from more than 50 countries at The Cameleer (125 E. Davis St., 540-825-8073) enchanted me. A Southwestern-style sun made from Mexican Talavera pottery hung on a high wall overlooking the spacious store. A large jewelry case had Swarovski crystal earrings from France, chunky beaded necklaces from Italy and jewelry made from authentic Roman coins. Miniature delft houses, each with its own style, were made in Holland to line up one after another to create a small village — a perfect window-sill decoration.