| If you go |
| Abingdon, Va. |
| Distance: Approximately 309 miles from D.C. |
| For information on dining and accommodations, visit abingdon.com |
A postcard written by a visitor in Abingdon, Va., to the family back home might contain any or all of the following phrases: genuine Colonial ambience, a 20-block historic district, architecturally beautiful buildings and museums, great theater, artisans studios, shops filled with antiques and collectibles, brick sidewalks, a town square, the Martha Washington Hotel dating from 1832, phenomenally friendly people and the desire to stay forever. Abingdon, founded in 1778 and nestled in the stunning Blue Ridge Highlands of Virginia, quite frankly clamps a tight grip on the traveler’s heart, soul and senses and refuses to let go.
Christine Webb, communications manager at the Barter Theatre in the heart of town on — you guessed it — Main Street, has lived in Abingdon for 10 years. She came to the area to attend Emory & Henry College and, as is typical among many visitors, she never left.
“Abingdon has that refined, Southern charm while feeling ‘down home,’ ” she said. “There’s the quaintness of a small town coupled with a nice, hefty helping of culture.”
Indeed, Webb can take that observation to the bank. The Barter Theatre has been designated “the State Theatre of Virginia” and is the second-oldest performing arts space in the U.S. (Trivia buffs can go online to find the oldest.) Founded as the Barter during the Depression, the name was derived from the fact that locals would trade produce for the price of a seat. In this lovely, restored building, two stages feature four shows presented in repertoire with a dark month of January. All through December there are two holiday performances, one of which is the appropriately scheduled adaptation of Frank Capra’s masterpiece film, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
“This is a community that has arts and crafts for a backbone,” said Delita Rosenbaum, manager of A Likely Yarn, a shop offering yarns, patterns, accessories and classes for all skill levels. “Business has been very good and we’ve been very happy with not only the tourists that come and see us, but also the number of people that have embraced us here in town.”
Arts of every type and genre are an embraceable commodity in Abingdon. For example, the Arts Depot located on — right again! — Depot Square in Abingdon, is a nonprofit gallery located in a 19th century freight station. In several working artist studios, the “residents” work in a variety of mediums that include weaving, ceramics and watercolor. Whites Mill is a working mill housing community events, such as fall’s Harvest Days. Anytime is a good time, however, for shoppers to purchase handmade quilts and other Appalachian treasures from more than 100 local artisans.
Remember the Depot? Well, there was a time when a railroad line from North Carolina rolled into town, carrying lumber out of the mountains for Abingdon’s needs. Rails gone, the old rail bed serves today as the 34-mile Virginia Creeper Trail, just right for hiking, biking and horseback riding.
So much for a taste of the town along Interstate 81 just a few miles shy of the Tennessee border. Interested?
“For myself, having the Barter, the Creeper Trail and the variety of activities makes [Abingdon] a nice place to be,” said Rosenbaum.
