Lynchburg Living

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By Johanna Calfee

Learning to say it properly is perhaps the first step to appreciating the Town of Altavista. Located a mere 30 minutes from Lynchburg, down U.S. 29, Altavista (pronounced “All-tah Vis-tah”–don’t try to make it sound Spanish!), is a quiet gem–the kind that embodies the kinds of things most tiny towns in Virginia strive to represent.

“It’s just a nice, friendly town where people seem to care about one another,” Patty Eller, President of the Altavista Area Chamber of Commerce, said. “It’s small so you have that community feeling here.”

Of course, that sense of community is just part of the draw. Like many localities in Virginia, Altavista’s main attractions revolve around the history of their small town–a history that originates with Revolutionary War patriot, Colonel Charles Lynch, brother of Lynchburg founder, John Lynch.

The History of Altavista

Though Altavista itself is relatively young–the town was only officially incorporated in 1912–there are much older relics within its borders. Namingly, the Avoca Museum at 1514 Main Street, which dates back to the mid-18^th century.

“The original land grant goes back to 1740 from the King of England, King George II,” Frank Murray, Executive Director of the Avoca Museum, said.

Boasting more than 10,000 visitors from 24 states and four different nations last year, The Avoca Museum (pronounced Ah-VO-ca) is Altavista’s star attraction. Begun as the home site of Lynch, the original house was built between 1780 and 1790. The current house on the site–a 1901 Victorian Queen Anne style–is the third built on the foundation after fires destroyed the first two in 1879 and 1900. Today, only the home’s kitchen, office and outbuildings date back to the Civil War era.

Inside and out, the Avoca Museum is a memorial to times gone by.

“We offer a combination of historical collections, including the second largest collection of arrowheads in the state of Virginia,” Murray said. “We also house a Civil War collection and Altavista memorabilia, as well as an antique log cabin on site.”

The 10-acre grounds that surround Avoca are also the final burial place for many African Americans who lived here prior to the Civil War.

“We recently restored a slave cemetery. It’s got a lot historical significance that runs the gamut in many directions,” Murray said.

The Avoca Museum is far more than just a historical stop, however. Now owned by the Town of Altavista, it has become a major hub for events and entertainment in the area, hosting everything from weddings, private parties and TGIF (Altavista’s version of Friday Cheers), to wakes and memorials.

“We try to keep our rates reasonable to make it available to those in the area so those locally can use it for more than just a museum to tour,” Murray said. “The more uses we can get out of the facility, the better.”

One of those uses comes in the form of the Harvest Jubilee and Wine Festival, held each year in the fall. Last year’s 11^th annual festival on September 18 featured five Virginia wineries as well as crafts, food and a children’s area, complete with an inflatable bouncer.

“We had about 1,000 people and we like to keep it at that–it makes it really nice. We have some nice 100-year-old trees here that we have the festival under and it makes for a lovely backdrop,” Murray said.

Despite the crowds Avoca draws, Murray says that the museum still remains one of Altavista’s best kept secrets–a secret he is eager to spread the word about.

“It really is a hidden jewel,” he said. “All the time people come in and say, ‘Wow I never knew it was here.’ I think that pretty much sums it up!”

Eating, Shopping and Staying in Altavista

While history is certainly a central focus in Altavista, the town offers plenty of other reasons to take a trip there, from outdoor recreation to shopping, dining and attractions.

“We have a lot of shopping opportunities in town. Though a lot of people think they have to go to a larger city to shop, we offer lots of variety, nice places to stay and some good places to eat,” Eller said.

Like Lynchburg, Altavista’s downtown has also been the focus of revitalization, and due to those efforts, a shopping and dining district, complete with an antique store, a cafe and a few gift and specialty stores, has begun to emerge.

“They are working on downtown revitalization. Phase One just finished; Phase Two is set to start soon,” Eller said. “The funding and grants that have been given to do the streetscapes and some of the buildings have been beautified, so everything is starting to look its best.”

Two of the recently revitalized buildings now attracting customers are The Cafe Shoppes and the General Store and Inn on Main Street. The old buildings have had a complete overhaul thanks to two Altavista residents, Dale and Lisa Moore.

Dale, who is the founder of Moore’s Electrical and Mechanical Construction, Inc., and Moore’s at Home, put his background in HVAC, piping, electrical, plumbing and residential repairs to good use when he and Lisa purchased the buildings. In 2006, they bought their first renovation property at 600 Main Street, an old 1953 bank building that was once home to the Campbell County Bank. The space soon went through a complete remodel to create a suitable space for the Cafe Shoppes, which now boasts a Panera Bread style cafe called Main Street Cafe, and an adjoining gift shop.

“In our gift shop, we have Willow Tree collectables, and we are the largest Pandora [Jewelry] and Vera Bradley shop in the area (other lines carried in the shop include Crabtree & Evelyn and Yankee Candle). People tell me that it’s nice to be able to find a gift here locally,” Lisa said.

The Moore’s say they were so satisfied with the outcome of the Cafe Shoppes, which were completed in March of 2007, that they decided to revitalize yet another building when the one at 534 Main Street became available in June 2008. Today, the downstairs of the building holds an old-timey general store.

“The General Store and Inn is like going back to the ’40s or ’50s with the atmosphere you might find in a general store of that age and era,” Dale said.

Upstairs, the couple came up with the idea for a small inn, which now houses three rooms designed to accommodate two people apiece. All the furniture in the Inn is made out of 100-year-old recycled pine by Thomas Johnson Furniture in Lynchburg. Each room also boasts a 50-inch flat screen and a commercial-sized treadmill.

The General Store and Inn opened in December of 2008 and since then, both it and the Cafe Shoppes have become a staple in the small, downtown district.

“Main Street Cafe is a community meeting place, with business people coming in and working on their laptops there at lunch, and then the kids come in after school,” Lisa said.

Besides shopping, one surefire way for a small town to bring in visitors is to offer great dining options and Altavista seems to be making the cut.

“We have a lot of dining options that people come from Smith Mountain Lake and Lynchburg to eat,” Eller said.

Olivia and Isabella’s Place is one restaurant that has folks making the drive. Billing itself as a “fine dining experience with a casual atmosphere,” Olivia and Isabella’s Place is owned by NASCAR driver and Hurt, Virginia native, Stacy Compton and his wife, Vickie. The restaurant is named for the couple’s two daughters.

“People like to come to Olivia and Isabella’s. The food is fresh, everything is made from scratch,” Eller said.

Another local favorite that sits just off U.S. 29 South is Perky’s Restaurant. Founded in 1993 by Lee and Gay Perkins, Perky’s has become known for its top-notch steak and seafood, among other selections. It’s typically standing room only on the weekends, so making reservations is a must.

Playing and Living in Altavista

For a town with approximately 3,400 residents, Altavista plays like a bigger city. According to Campbell County’s Web site, there are 61 acres of local park land, which includes walking paths, baseball fields, basketball courts, picnic areas and playgrounds. With easy access to Leesville Lake and the Staunton River, water recreation is also abundant there.

“We are right here on the Staunton River so visitors can canoe, kayak or go fishing. Altavista has that waterway, which is attractive … easy to get in and out,” Eller said. “The English Park in town is also on the river, so you can put your canoe or boat in. You can also picnic there. It’s really quite scenic.”

Overall, Eller, Moore and Murray all concede that life in Altavista is slower–but frankly, that’s the way they, and a lot of other folks, like it.

“We have a lot of people who retire here. They came here to get away from the big city. It’s all about the location–you can go to so many different places, like the mountains and the beach, and then escape back to the comfy cozy Town of Altavista,” Eller said.

“Being here, it’s like going back 30, 40 years ago … back in time,” Dale Moore concluded. “And yet our town is very modern, but the people, the community, the trust that exists here … it’s just a nice community and good way of life over here.”