2023 Lexington Inspiration Guide - 14

HISTORY
Inspires Your Visit
The Story of Rockbridge County
at Its Most Iconic Locations
istory is hard to shake in Rockbridge
County. Whether you're rolling
through Lexington in a horse-drawn
carriage, paddling past an 18th-century
lock or sipping craft beer near a
limestone arch once owned by Thomas
Jefferson, history often tags along-and
always adds to the fun.
The quick facts? Rockbridge County is
the southern gateway to the Shenandoah
Valley. Native Americans inhabited
the region for more than 10,000 years
before the first European explorers
arrived in 1716. In the summer of that
year Virginia's colonial governor Alexander
Spotswood and his band of adventurers-the
" Knights of the Golden
Horseshoe " -stood on the crest of the
Blue Ridge Mountains and gazed down
into the wide valley.
European settlement soon followed,
with Scots-Irish and German immigrants
traveling south from Pennsylvania
along an old Native American trail
through the valley. In 1777 the Virginia
legislature created Rockbridge County
and named it for a regional celebrity:
a majestic limestone arch known as
Natural Bridge. The new county seat
was named Lexington, in honor of the
Massachusetts town where the American
Revolution began.
Today, several historic destinations
in Rockbridge County are also hotspots
for adventure, culture, and education.
We hope you'll be
inspired to learn the
stories of the past
while immersing
in present-day fun.
H
Natural Bridge:
A Geological Wonder
Blue skies. Lush
forests. And a tranquil
mountain stream.
All of it framed by a
limestone arch soaring
215 feet overhead.
It's easy to see why
Natural Bridge was
long touted as one
of the seven natural
wonders of the world.
George Washington
surveyed this storied
natural wonder in
1750. According
to lore (and maybe
a Colonial-era
marketing team), he
even carved his initials
in the stone.
Thomas Jefferson
was also smitten,
writing in his journal
that Natural Bridge
was " the most
sublime of nature's
works. " Jefferson
purchased the bridge
and surrounding
countryside from
King George III in
1773 for just over
10 pounds. He hired
a free Black man,
Patrick Henry, to pay
annual taxes on the
property and protect
it from trespassers.
Henry lived on the
grounds with his
wife until his death
in 1829. Privately
owned for almost 250
years, Natural Bridge
became a state park in
2014.
Today, the arch
continues its legacy as
a top destination for
nature-induced awe.
The Cedar Creek Trail
passes beneath the
arch on a .8 mile walk
amongst flora and
fauna. An 18-hole disc
golf course navigates
the park's forests and
hills, and families can
explore the Children's
Discovery Area and a
Kids in Parks TRACK
Trail. Named an
International Dark Sky
Park in 2021, Natural
Bridge is acclaimed for
its stargazing.
NATURAL BRIDGE
14 LEXINGTON | BUENA VISTA | ROCKBRIDGE
KENNEDY LAFON PHOTGRAPHY
2023 Lexington Inspiration Guide

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