2016 Bedford & Franklin Heritage Trail
A joint county heritage trail project featuring historic landmarks and properties within Bedford and Franklin Counties will debut with a special inaugural tour to be held Saturday, July 23, 2016 from 10 am to 4 pm.
Discover a unique historical side to the region with “2016 History Alive: A Tasting Tour of Bedford & Franklin Heritage.” The self-driving tour will showcase four historic properties, with each location providing a tasty sampling of historically appropriate foods, entertainment and guided tours. An effort is being made to ensure each site highlights something new and different.
The tour includes four historic properties: Big Otter Mill, Historic Avenel, Jubal A. Early Homeplace, and The Hook-Powell-Moorman Farm. The Hook-Powell-Moorman Farm, Big Otter Mill, and Historic Avenel are not normally open to the public making this is a rare opportunity to view these private historic sites. Tour guests can also visit the Booker T. Washington National Monument and receive discounted admission to The National D-Day Memorial. Both the Franklin County History Museum and the Bedford Museum & Genealogical Library will be open with extended hours.
The cost of the tour, which covers admission to all four properties, is $5 person/$10 family (cash or check) and will be sold on site at any of the four locations.
Click here for printer friendly tour map
[Click on address for directions]
Featured Historic Properties
Big Otter Mill (Learn more…)
3353 Big Island Hwy, Bedford, VA 24523
(540) 871-0858 • www.bigottermill.com
Tour highlight: Guided tours of property
Food provided: Corn Cake and Grits, Iced Tea and Water
Hook-Powell-Moorman Farm (Learn more…)
15845 Booker T. Washington Hwy, Moneta, VA 24121
Tour highlights: Guided tours of property, speak with family descendants, Living History Guild of Booker T. Washington National Monument, and a musical performance by Junior Appalachian Musicians at NOON
Food provided: John Hook smoked beef brisket, peach cobbler, ice cream, lemonade, and tea
Historic Avenel (Learn more…)
413 Avenel Avenue, Bedford, VA 24523
(540) 586-1814 • www.historicavenel.com
Tour highlight: Guided tours of property
Food provided: Ham biscuits, wedding cake, coffee, and tea
Jubal A. Early Homeplace (Learn more…)
455 Old Hollow Lane, Hardy, VA 24101
www.jubalearly.org
Tour highlights: Guided tours of property and costumed interpreters
Food provided: Pinto beans, cornbread, country ham, desserts, lemonade, and iced tea
Featured Museums
Click on image for museum information.
Bedford Museum & Genealogical Library
201 East Main Street, Bedford, VA 24523
(540) 586-4520 • www.bedfordvamuseum.org
Tour day hours: 10 am – 4pm
Click on image for museum information.
Franklin County History Museum
460 South Main Street, Rocky Mount, VA 24151
(540) 483-1890 • www.franklincountyvirginiahistoricalsoc.org
Tour day hours: 10 am – 4 pm
Featured Regional Anchor Sites
Click on image for site information.
National D-Day Memorial
3 Overlord Circle, Bedford, VA 24523
(540) 586-3329 • www.dday.org
Admission fee: Receive discount admission with History Alive Tour wristbands.
Tour day hours: 10 am – 5 pm
Click on image for site information.
Booker T. Washington National Monument
12130 Booker T. Washington Hwy, Hardy, VA 24101
(540) 721-2094 • www.nps.gov/bowa
Admission fee: FREE
Tour day hours: 9 am – 5pm
Heritage Tour Map