The National D-Day Memorial in Bedford County (Photo courtesy Star City Skycams)
Nestled in the Appalachian foothills near Roanoke, Franklin and Bedford counties are steeped in traditional music and full of rural cultural sites to explore. Visitors will also find the nation’s memorial commemorating World War II’s crucial D-Day invasion, as well as historic attractions related to Booker T. Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
Picking, Grinning, Eating
The Harvester Performance Center, a performing arts center with seating for about 750, opened in Rocky Mount in 2014, and its stage is frequently home to bluegrass and folk musicians. The Harvester is a short walk from The Claiborne House, an old-school bed-and-breakfast with a gorgeous garden and a wraparound porch. Guests customize their own breakfast menus, with gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options included. The Harvester rescheduled shows to 2021 due to the pandemic but held several outdoor events in the summer. See its Facebook page for updates.
Monumental Attractions
The Franklin County birthplace of American educator and orator Booker T. Washington is marked by the Booker T. Washington National Monument, run by the National Park Service. Born enslaved in 1856, Washington later became president of Tuskegee University and a prominent leader in the African American community. Visitors can learn about him through an interactive exhibit called “Born Here, Freed Here,” and there are two trails on site that wind around a reconstructed period farm. Pandemic restrictions may be in place; see the website for updates.
Bedford County is home to the National D-Day Memorial. Dedicated on June 6, 2001, by President George W. Bush, the site honors the thousands of soldiers who died under Nazi fire on Normandy Beach in France in World War II. The memorial features several statues and the National D-Day Education Center, where the story of D-Day is relayed through multimedia exhibits. Adult tickets are $10. As part of pandemic precautions, you’re encouraged to buy tickets online before you go.
Poplar Forest (Photo by Mark Kostro)
Down the road from the D-Day Memorial is Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1971, the 4,819-acre estate was Thomas Jefferson’s personal retreat from 1773 until his death in 1826. Jefferson designed all the buildings, combining elements of French, Renaissance and Roman architecture, as well as landscape design. The finished product is considered his most creative work. Adult tickets are $18, but a $19 combo ticket can be purchased in coordination with the D-Day Memorial. Poplar Forest tours require social distancing and are limited. See poplarforest.org/tickets for advance purchase and additional information.
Sharp Top Trail (Photo by Sarah Hauser)
High Ways
The Blue Ridge Parkway overlooks much of this area. As high and steep as its name indicates, the Sharp Top Trail is a 3-mile-roundtrip hike from the Peaks of Otter Nature Center, featuring a 1,340-foot elevation gain. There are multiple scenic overlooks on the way to the top, and the trail’s end atop the peak offers a 360-degree view of the Shenandoah and Allegheny valleys. Check before you go for any weather-related road closures.
Bird-watching Bounty
Maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and open to the public, Philpott Lake Dam and Overlook in Franklin County is one of the best places in season to bird-watch in the commonwealth. The shoreline of the 3,000-acre lake is dotted with white pines and populated with brown-headed nuthatches, yellow-throated warblers, blue jays and more than a dozen other bird species.
It's a Fact
When it comes to the number of soldiers from an American community lost during the D-Day campaign in World War II, tiny Bedford sustained some of the most severe losses per capita. The town had a population of about 3,200 in 1944, and 19 soldiers from Bedford died in the invasion; four more perished in the following campaign.
