Scenic Lexington, Buena Vista and Rockbridge County
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Historic Attractions
Walk in the footsteps of history’s legends as you learn more about America’s story. From military sites to famous farms to cultural outposts, explore the historic legacy of Lexington, Virginia and Rockbridge County. Please check the individual attraction's Facebook and/or website for hours of operation.
Original African American Cemetery Historic Marker
Original African American Cemetery Historic Marker. The actual cemetery was
located near the corner of Washington and Lewis Streets near the current
Lexington City Hall.
Blandome
Atop a hill at the eastern end of Henry Street, this grand home was built in the
late 1820s by Jacob Fuller, a classical scholar and librarian at Washington
College. John Randolph Tucker, a founder of Washington & Lee University Law
School, purchased the Federal-style home in 1872. He remodeled it in the
Italianate style and named it Blandome. Harry Lee Walker, a prominent black
businessman, acquired the home in 1917. The home is on the National Historic
Register.
Brownsburg Museum
Big things come in small packages. We take that to heart at the Brownsburg
Museum. So why not take a little side trip to visit this historic village and
community-run museum the Lexington News-Gazette deemed, “first class.” Call
Julie Fox at 774-279-9742 for an appointment to visit. Admission is free.
Evergreen Cemetery
Owned and maintained by the city, Evergreen Cemetery was established in 1880.
Generations of African Americans and other citizens have been laid to rest here.
First Baptist Church
The present church building was completed in 1896. It is listed on the National
Register of Historical Places.
George C. Marshall Museum & Library
The National George C. Marshall Museum & Library honors the life and career of
George C. Marshall, whose leadership shaped the world for 50 years. Located on
Virginia Military Institutes Post.
Centennial Park
A granite obelisk honoring Frank Padget anchors this garden and park beside the
Glasgow Town Hall. A historic marker beside the park describes the bravery of
Padget, a slave and skilled boatman who drowned while leading a rescue attempt
at Balcony Falls during heavy flooding on the James River in 1754.
Grace Episcopal Church
Grace Church was established in 1840 by a small group of Episcopalians living in
Lexington among the predominantly Presbyterian inhabitants of the town and
Rockbridge County. Its earliest mission focused on providing a religious home
for the cadets of Virginia Military Institute and the students at Washington
College, now Washington & Lee University.
The mission of Grace Episcopal Church today is to share in the redeeming work of
God by proclaiming the Gospel of Christ, by worshipping Jesus as Lord, by
growing in the knowledge of God and God's will for our parish, and by building
the fellowship of Christ's body, the Church.
James River Overlook
Take in Balcony Falls and the James River from this overlook on US 501 just
south of Glasgow. Look for a large gravel pull-off two miles south of the
junction of US 501 and Hwy 130, about a quarter mile past the Amherst County
sign. There is no signage or railing.
John Chavis Marker
Spotlights John Chavis, an alumnus of Washington & Lee University and the first
Black American known to have received a college education. Chavis Hall, on the
W&L Colonnade, is named for him.
Knights of Pythias Hall
A Black chapter of the Knights of Pythias, a secret philanthropic society, built
this structure in 1927. Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, and Count Basie’s
Orchestra later played there, earning it the nickname “The House of Fun.”
University Chapel & Galleries
A National Historic Landmark, the Chapel opened in 1868 during Robert E. Lee’s
tenure as 11th president of then Washington College. Non-denominational and
unconsecrated, the Chapel housed an auditorium, administrative offices, a YMCA,
and a library. In 1928, a museum was installed in the basement. Today, that
museum includes an exhibition on the history of the university, a changing
exhibition gallery, and a museum shop. Visitors also see Lee’s 1870 president’s
office and Edward Valentine’s Recumbent Lee statue.
Lexington Carriage Company
Established in 1985, the Carriage Company's initial purpose was to support the
Historic Downtown District of the city by giving narrated tours through the
business district, the adjacent college campuses, and a portion of the historic
residential area. Still today, we provide daily historic narrated tours of
Lexington--weather permitting--from April 1- October 31.
Lylburn Downing School
This countywide school for Black students opened in 1927 and closed in 1965 when
schools were desegregated. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places,
the original building now houses the central office of Lexington City schools.
The larger building to the east is the home of Lylburn Downing Middle School.
The school is named for Lexington native Lylburn Downing (1862-1937), a
Presbyterian preacher and an advocate for African American education.
McCormick Farm
Home of Cyrus McCormick, inventor of the mechanical grain reaper. Beautiful
grounds, small museum, grist mill, nature trail and picnic area. Groups Welcome,
Pets Welcome.
Miller's House Museum
The Miller’s House Museum is dedicated to interpreting the industrial &
transportation history of the Lexington area by celebrating the roads, rivers
and rails that served a now extinct industrial complex on Jordan’s Point north
of the city. The Miller’s House, built in the early 1800s, is the only remaining
structure at this once vibrant area developed by John Jordan, who operated a
furnace, a forge and the covered toll bridge that spanned the North (Maury)
River. Admission is free.
Monacan Walking Trail
After founding the first North American colony, Capt. John Smith ventured into
Monacan country, where he met one of the area's most powerful tribes. Learn
about the people he encountered at the Monacan Indian Village at Natural Bridge
State Park. Here you can learn about day-to-day life in a traditional Native
American Woodland culture by talking with Interpreters about shelter
construction, hide tanning, mat and rope weaving, tool-making, gardening,
harvesting, preparing meals, making pots, bowls and baskets.
Natural Bridge State Park
Natural Bridge State Park, dedicated on September 24, 2016, is home to the
215-foot tall Natural Bridge, a limestone gorge carved out by Cedar Creek. The
park is more than just the bridge, however. Beautiful forests and rolling
meadows showcase the area’s karst terrain. Surrounding mountains and the James
River valley display nature’s splendor. The park was named an International Dark
Sky Park in 2021, which means stargazing here is top-notch. Check the park
calendar for stargazing events. Natural Bridge was listed on the National
Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark in 1988.
Randolph Street United Methodist Church
The church was founded in 1816. White and Black members of the congregation
separated in 1864. The Black congregants remained at this site, eventually
tearing down the original frame church and replacing it with the current brick
structure in 1864. The parking lot just south of the church was once the site of
the Freedmen’s Bureau School, also known as the Lexington Colored Graded School.
Museums at Washington & Lee University: Reeves Museum of Ceramics
Founded in 1967 with a gift of ceramics from alumnus Euchlin Reeves and his
wife, the painter Louise Herreshoff, the Reeves Collection contains ceramics
made in Asia, Europe, and the Americas between 1500 and today.These fragile yet
durable objects tell stories of design, technology, and trade, and illustrate
how people drank, dined and decorated their homes over the past five centuries.
Rockbridge Historical Society
Rockbridge Historical Society was formed to promote preservation, educate and
create community awareness of the history of Rockbridge County & Virginia. Check
the website for details about current exhibits and various speakers.
Sam Houston Wayside
Sam Houston was born on March 2, 1793, in a cabin in Rockbridge County,
Virginia. The monument at the Sam Houston Wayside is a 38,000 pound piece of
Texas pink granite commemorating the birthplace of the Texas hero. Directions:
From I-81 - Take exit #195. Follow Rt. 11 north for 100 yards. The wayside is on
the right. From I-64 - Take exit #55. Follow Rt. 11 north for 6 miles. The
wayside is on the right.
Southern Virginia University
Southern Virginia University (SVU) is a private liberal arts college in Buena
Vista, Virginia. The school, though not officially affiliated with a particular
faith, embraces the values of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
(LDS Church). It was founded in 1867 as a school for girls, and is now a private
four-year coeducational institution.
Jackson House Museum
Discover the man who became a legend. The Stonewall Jackson House in historic
downtown Lexington, Virginia is the only home that the famous Confederate
General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson ever owned.
Oak Grove Cemetery
General “Stonewall” Jackson, 296 Confederate veterans, two Virginia governors
and Margaret Junkin Preston are buried here. Link to the cemetery walking tour
map below or pick on up at the Lexington Visitor Center Children's scavenger
hunt map also available.
The Buena Vista Colored School
The Buena Vista Colored School was the city’s only school for Black students
from 1892 until 1957.
Timber Ridge Presbyterian Church
The church was established in 1756, and portions of the original stone
meetinghouse are preserved in the current structure. The church is not far from
the Colonial-era Great Wagon Road, which tracks Route 11 through Virginia. The
church is behind the Sam Houston Wayside
Virginia Military Institute
Founded in 1839, Virginia Military Institute (VMI) is the oldest state-supported
military college in the United States. Throughout its storied history, VMI has
produced leaders and individuals whose daily lives reflect the integrity,
fairness, and appreciation for the value of hard work that is instilled at the
Institute. For the individual who wants an undergraduate experience more
complete and transformative than an ordinary college or university can provide
and more versatile in its applications than a military service academy affords,
VMI offers a superb education.
VMI Museum
Museum dedicated to the history and heritage of VMI and notable alumni. For a
cadet-guided tour of the historic VMI Post, gather in the lobby of the Museum
(2nd floor, Memorial Hall) at 12 noon. Tours currently offered Mon-Fri.
Wade's Mill (formerly the Kennedy-Wade Mill)
Founded in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley in 1750, Wade’s Mill is Virginia’s
oldest continuously operating commercial grist mill. Today we proudly continue
the small and simple Wade’s Mill tradition, with one miller stone-grinding
premium grains fresh to order. Our whole grain products are 100% natural, no
additives, preservatives or bleaches. Just genuine, stone-ground goodness in
every bag. Come to historic Wade’s Mill to create your own modern small and
simple, fresh and “free from” stone-ground grains tradition.
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, is a nationally ranked,
small, private, liberal arts university nestled in the mountains of western
Virginia. As one of the oldest schools in the nation, we believe in the
education of the whole person, and value students who are intellectually
curious, eager to engage with their communities, inclined to critical thinking
and prepared to lead lives of consequence.
Museums at Washington & Lee University: Watson Galleries & Japanese Tea Room
The Watson contains a permanent display of Chinese and Japanese ceramics and two
changing exhibit galleries that showcase rotating selections from the fine arts
and ceramics collections. In addition, the Watson houses Senshin'an (洗心庵 or
"Clearing-the-Mind Abode"), an authentic Japanese Tea Room that is open for
viewing, as well as public tea demonstrations throughout the year.