Arcadia

Title

Arcadia

Date

1970-08-24/n. d.

Description

Two newspaper articles about Arcadia.

Image 1 - The first, from the newspaper The World-News, is titled "Botetourt Village Attracts Campers from All Over," which details the Arcadia village and nearby campgrounds. The Campbellville Campground was founded and owned by J. E. Campbell.

Image 2 - A newspaper article from the recurring column, "the Southwest Corner" published in the Roanoke Times, which reads,

"Arcadia: Tiny Village With View

Soon after entering Botetourt County while driving back to Bristol from Lexington recently we turned left on a side road that a sign said would lead us to Arcadia.

Quite often when riding by there the name on that roadside sign has attracted my attention and aroused my curiosity.

I like its poetic sound and have wondered what manner of place might bear it. So, having some time to spare on this pleasant day in June, we took the side road, for no other purpose than to discover what and where Arcadia is.

We learned that it is a charming scenic spot where Jennings Creek emerges from the Blue Ridge Mountains to enter James River bottom land.

The well-paved Virginia state road climbs a lofty ridge on which an up to date motel invites travelers on U. S. 11 and Interstate 81 to turn aside and rest a while. On the other side of the ridge the road wends a winding way down a wooded and rather steep descent towards broad level land where, on modern highway bridges, it crosses the James River, two railroads and Jennings Creek to enter the forested base of the Blue Ridge Mountains at Arcadia.

Arcadia is a small mountain community centering in a tiny village, with Jennings Creek, a bold and beautiful mountain stream, flowing through its middle. In the June sunlight shining on rich green foliage and flowers blooming all around it is a beautiful place.

At the entrance to the village is the Arcadia Cash Store and the home of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Breeden, the proprietors. Mrs. Wilson sat in the car while I went in to ask questions. Mrs. Breeden, who was keeping store, and a customer who came in were friendly and helpful in telling me about the place.

A road coming in from the right separates the store from a building that seems to have been a two-room school. it has a large bell in a belfry at its center and across its front large capital letters say: SUNDAY SCHOOL. It is what some old-school Baptists would call 'an arm' of the Buchanan Baptist Church.

A short distance up the main road just across Jennings Creek an ancient iron furnace makes a unique and attractive contribution to the total scenic picture. A silver maple sapling, about 8 or 10 feet tall, and some small bushes are growing out of the top of the old furnace, which produced iron for Confederates in the Civil War.

Opposite the furnace and back a bit from t he paved road is a log house that has sheltered generations of Markhams. Mrs. Eloise Markham Smith and her sister live in the house and were born in it. Mrs. Smith, ankle deep in a dense growth of vines, grass and weeds, on what may once have been a garden was gathering wild strawberries.

She said her ancestors built the house 180 years ago, that it has two stories and a big fireplace on each floor. Its logs are veneered now with a red composition material. I asked if she would sell me some berries. She answered: 'No. But I will give you some if you want them.' Mrs. Wilson brought a container from the car and the generous woman emptied into it from her bucket nearly a half gallon of ripe wile strawberries, a present freely given to strangers. She told us that the paved road winds for 8 miles up the mountain and joins the Blue Ridge Parkway in Bedford County.

Most of that mountain side is now national forest, starting near the edge of Arcadia. But owners of an old mountain home and farm declined to sell. Now, surrounded by national forest, the y are operating a commercial camp ground on their ancestral acres with tent and trailer sites, a snack bar, and other conveniences.

Returning to Interstate 81 across the river bottoms ew were impressed by the beauty of massive cliffs of solid rock rising to a great height above a portion of the northern James River bank.

In ancient times Arcadia was the name of a region of grand and awesome scenery in the high mountains of central Greece. Shut off by their environment from the outside world the hardy Arcadians and for centuries prior to 500 lived mostly to themselves, B.C. maintained their tribal independence. They were conquered by the Spartans and later by Rome. Being a people of independent fearless spirit, high intelligence, and splendid physique they were eagerly sought by the Romans as mercenaries in their armies."

Creator

Image 1 - White, Si;
Image 2 - Wilson, Goodridge

Format

image/jpeg

Subject

Arcadia

Jennings Creek

Store

Church

Type

Text

Publisher

Image 1 - The World-News
Image 2 - The Roanoke Times

Coverage

Arcadia, Botetourt County

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Item