Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 14
The Little Town with Big Ideas
Pennington Gap, Virginia
Last year, every house that went on the market in Pennington Gap sold. Here's why.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY JOAN VANNORSDALL
T
he 7 a.m. WSWV Monday Morning Show
is a don't-miss for Lee County, Virginia,
residents. Pennington Gap Town Manager
Keith Harless, Lee Theatre Manager Tony
Lawson and former station owner Rob Wright will fill
you in on the local news and views-and they have
lots of fun in the process. " We talk about what's going
on in the community, upcoming events, what's happening
at the Theatre. We do the show to bring the
community together-we want people to feel that this
is their town, " Harless says.
Building community-bringing people together-
is central to the creative push forward in Pennington
Gap. They do it in places like the expansive Leeman
Field Park and the town-owned Lee Theatre. They
do it downtown, with summer music and beach parties...and
in the surrounding mountains, on the Stone
Mountain ATV Trail.
In Pennington Gap, Virginia-population 2,100-
they're doing it with strong and well-connected leaders
who aren't afraid to think outside the box and
work collaboratively.
The best way to start learning a town is to walk its
14 BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
streets. Pennington Gap's main thoroughfare is Morgan
Avenue (U.S. 421), which runs through its downtown
and is lined with high-steepled churches, law
and accounting offices, a few restaurants, a pharmacy
and an antique/collectible shop and auction house
happily named The Dusty Monkey.
Across the street, the marquee of the restored Lee
Theatre announces the upcoming Block Party and free
movie. How, I wonder, does a town this small and far
away draw enough people fill a 500-seat theatre? I'd
heard rumors that they'd had some big names perform
there. The Marshall Tucker Band in Pennington Gap?
In the windows of empty storefronts, colorful narrative
paintings done by local art students tell whimsical
stories of trolls and books and curious minds.
A long hopscotch court on the sidewalk announces I
am Powerful. Brave. Curious. Smart. Loved. Brilliant.
Worth it. High-flying banners and blooming planters
line both sides of Morgan Avenue.
It's a lovely place to be on a Sunday afternoon in
the mountains.
It's abundantly clear that there's real energy in
Pennington Gap, and I have a lot of questions lined
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Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - Cover1
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 3
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 4
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 5
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 6
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 7
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 8
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 9
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 10
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 11
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 12
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 13
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - 14
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Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2023 - Cover4
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