Oct. 27 Rockbridge Tour Sold Out!

The Oct. 27 bus tour, “Seven Hills of Rockbridge County,” led by historian George Kegley,  is full, but anyone still wishing to join should call and leave a message in case a seat becomes available. The tour, sponsored by the Historical Society of Western Virginia,  will visit four of the early 1800s brick homes and the 1864 Falling Spring Presbyterian Church in the Natural Bridge-Glasgow area.

On the tour are Fancy Hill, Hickory Hill, Liberty Hill and Herring Hall, formerly Clover Hill. Fancy Hill, located at the junction of U.S. 11 and Virginia 680 near Glasgow,  is a two-story, eight-bay, Federal-style brick dwelling, part of which dates to 1821. The main house at Hickory Hill is Federal architecture style; the south side has a two-story portico with Doric columns. Liberty Hill (circa 1820) is a brick colonial. Clover Hill (Herring Hall) dates to 1812 and has been operated as a bed and breakfast by a third generation family member.

Other Hill homes — Fruit Hill, Marlbrook (formerly Cherry Hill) and Rose Hill — will be viewed from the bus.

The historic homes, once seats of plantations, were built by the Grigsby, Welch and Greenlee families. All are of “rather stately architecture” and in former days they were “connected by a thread of romance, marriage or blood relationship,” as one historian noted.

The bus will leave St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, (upper level, Highland Avenue and Franklin Road, SW, Roanoke), at 8:30 a.m. and return by 5 p.m. Lunch is included in the admission price, $45 for members and $55 for non-members.

Please call 540.342.5777 or visit http://www.roanokehistory.org to secure a seat as space is limited.