Nestled just west of the Blue Ridge Mountains in southwestern Virginia, Roanoke is the 10th most populous city in Virginia (92,967 people in July 2008). Originally founded as Big Lick in 1852, it became Roanoke (American Algonquian Indian for "shell money") in 1882. One of colonial America's most heavily traveled roads, the Great Wagon Road, stretched from Philadelphia and wound it's way through the Shenandoah Valley to the site of what later became Roanoke. It's geographical location in the middle of the Roanoke Valley between Maryland and Tennessee made it the transportation hub of western Virginia and points beyond and contributed to it's rapid growth.
Virginia has what is known as a Goldilocks climate, "not too hot, not too cold" and Roanoke is a perfect example, having four distinct, yet generally mild seasons. Roanoke receives an average of 23 inches of snow per winter, and the temperatures are typical for the Mid-Atlantic, mid to low 40s during the fall/winter, ranging to high temperatures in the mid to upper 80s in July/August. The Roanoke Valley, with it's mountain beauty, Southern hospitality and historical heritage offers an almost endless variety of activities to residents and visitors of all ages. Downtown Roanoke features the city's Historic Farmer's Market, Virginia's oldest continuously operating outdoor market. For the snowboarding/skiing enthusiast, Roanoke offers proximity to some of the finest ski resorts east of the Rockies. Listed in the Roanoke Yellow Pages are four major ski resorts within an hours drive, and local camping, hiking, golfing, backpacking, lakes, beaches, and whitewater rafting information is readily available in the Roanoke Business Directory. The Appalachian Trail runs through the northern section of Roanoke County several miles north of the city, while the Blue Ridge Parkway runs just to the south of the city. With dozens of wineries located throughout the southwest Virginia area, Roanoke is rapidly becoming one of the nation's premiere centers for wine aficionados. Roanoke hosts several wine festivals each spring and fall, attracting visitors world-wide.
One of the more successful minor league baseball franchises, the Salem Red Sox, competes just 10 miles from Roanoke in the high Class A Carolina League. Only 45 minutes away, in Blacksburg, the Virginia Tech Hokies of the Atlantic Coast Conference consistently ranks among the nation's elite college football programs and performs before capacity crowds on fall Saturdays. Approximately halfway between New York City and Atlanta, Roanoke is centrally located to all major cities in the eastern United States. With it's quality and diversity of life, along with it's abundant natural beauty and resources, combined with a distinct native charm, Roanoke is an overlooked New/Old South city definitely worth keeping an eye on.
Written by Lyndsey Morgan
