Cambria & Environs
Christiansburg, Blacksburg, and Montgomery County Historic Districts
Historic Districts
Montgomery County has a wealth of Historic Districts, including three in Christiansburg, two in Blacksburg, and one rural historic district (North Fork Valley) and seven historic districts in Montgomery County. While the authors of this website intend on providing a travelogue for the historic districts, we are currently building the rest of this site, so the districts will have to wait. In the meantime, we have provided links to the Historic District and Historic Structure Nomination Forms for all of the historic sites, including individual structures, in Cambria and environs.
Districts Structures Christiansburg Cambria (1991)
East Main (1991)
South Franklin (1991)Christiansburg Christiansburg Depot (1986)
The Oaks (1994)
The Old Christiansburg Institute & Schaeffer Memorial Church (1978)Blacksburg Blacksburg Historic District (1991)
Miller-Southside Residential Historic District (1991)Blacksburg Odd Fellows Hall (2005)
Smithfield (1969) (see Smithfield Plantation Website)
Solitude (1988 ) (see Virginia Tech Library website)Montgomery County Kentland Farm Historic and Archaeological District (2006) (1991)
Lafayette (1991)
North Fork Rural Historic District
Piedmont Camp Meeting Grounds Historic Dist.
Prices Fork (1991)
Riner (1991)
Shawsville (1991)Montgomery County Fotheringay (1969)
Howard-Bell-Feather House (1989)
Yellow Sulphur Springs (1979)
Museums
Cambria Depot Museum . Featuring the prototype models from The Scale Cabinetmaker, railroad memorabilia, and Cambria history. Located in the track-side waiting room of the Historic Cambria Depot. Corner of Cambria and Depot Streets. Cambria Historic District, Christiansburg, Virginia. Open Wednesday through Sunday and by appointment.
DC Wysor Observatory and Museum. Located in Dublin, Virginia (Pulaski County) and is open Friday nights from 8:00 p.m. to 11 p.m. Call 540-641-0337 for more information.
Earl Palmer Museum of Photography. Open on weekends. Cambria Street. Cambria Historic District, Christiansburg, Virginia. Information on Earl Palmer is available through the Archives at Virginia Tech.
Glencoe Museum. Located in Radford Museum, the Glencoe Museum focuses on the history of Radford and the New River Valley, including exhibits that encourage children to interact with history.
The Montgomery Museum and Lewis Miller Regional Art Center. Pepper Street. Christiansburg, Virginia. Hosts the Fine Arts Festival.
RU Art Museum. Located on the Radford University campus in Radford Virgina.
Smithfield Plantation. Located adjacent to the Virginia Tech campus, in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Museum of Geosciences. Located in Derring Hall on the Virginia Tech campus. The museum is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday Through Friday and has free admission.
Activities & Attractions
Blue Mountain Framing and Art Gallery. Located on North Franklin in Christiansburg. Specializes in local artists.
Burde Sculpture Courtyard. Located on the Radford University campus in Radford Virginia. Radford University sponsors a national sculpture competition that brings ten new works to Burde Sculpture Courtyard each year. The sculptures are on exhibit from May 1st through Thanksgiving. One of the ten sculptures is purchased and installed on the Radford University campus.
Lyric Theatre. The Lyric, a combination of Art Deco and Spanish Colonial Revival, was opened in 1930 and restored in 1998. The Lyric hosts a combination of community events, live entertainment, and art films. If you are visiting the area, check the Lyric schedule from good, reasonably priced entertainment. A note about parking in Blacksburg. There is parking available behind the Main Street buildings on the north side and at a parking garage on the corner of Washington and Draper.
'Round the Mountain Craft Trail.
Sinkland Farms. Located two miles south of Christiansburg on Route 8 (I-81 Exit 114). In addition to having a nature trail, Sinkland Farms hosts the annual Pumpkin Festival (Saturdays and Sundays, October through early November), A Chili cookoff, a corn maze, the Cottage Shoppe for unique gifts, Christmas supplies and trees, and fresh produce from Montgomery and Floyd Counties. It is well worth a visit, especially between September and December.
The Starlite Drive-In. One of the few working drive-in movie theaters left. It is located on the south side of Roanoke Street, half way between the 3B exit and the light at Depot Street.
For more information on activities and sites in Mongomery County, check out the Visitor's Guide from the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce
Antiques, Toys, and Cool Businesses.
The Cambria Toy Station. The Cambria Toy Station specializes in environmentally friendly toys, including wooden trains, blocks, and puzzles, cooperative games, and other cool stuff from Maple Landmarks, Haba, Imagiplay, Family Pastimes, Keva, Goobi, and others. Corner of Cambria and Depot Streets, Streetside waiting room in the Christiansburg (Cambria) Depot, Cambria Historic District, Christiansburg, Virginia.
The Cambria Emporium. Unique, high quality antiques from 15 different dealers. The Emporium is located in a three story, brick commercial building constructed in 1908 and located at the corner of Cambria and Depot Streets. Cambria Historic District, Christiansburg, Virginia
Blue Ridge Heating and Air. Blue Ridge carries a broad range of wood stoves and accessories, as well as Joan Baker stained glass.
Embroidery Etcetera. Emboidered Gifts plus emboidery, Sewing, Doll Making, and Quilting Supplies. Embroidery Etcetera is located in the Dew Drop Inn building (the site of the first hospital in Montgomery County) at the intersection of Cambria and Depot Streets, in the heart of the Cambria Historic District.
Main Street Automotive LLC. If you need your domestic or your foreign car repaired, tuned up, or gandered at, this is the place to take it. Graves and the guys are located at 615 Depot Street (at the intersection of Depot and Cambria). They are our local experts in all things automotive and model railroading.
Taming of the Grain. A custom woodshop located in the old B "n" B Market (Sydney's Trading Post), in Cambria, at 645 Depot Street across from the Historic Cambria Depot. Stop by and peruse their showroom.
The Broken Pane. "Don't think of your window as a pane in the glass!" The Broken Pane is located in the same building as Taming of the Grain at 645 Depot Street. The Broken Pane gets the award for the best business tag line in the Cambria Historic District.
Antiques on Main. An antique mall located on "Courthouse Square" (corner of Main and Franklin), Christiansburg, Virginia.
Electrical Supply. Electrical Supply is a local institution. Started by Charles Ashworth, Electrical Supply is a great place to go if you need new lighting fixtures or electrial supplies. They are located at 594 Depot Street, next to the Cambria Emporium, at the intersection of Depot and Cambria.
Where to Stay: Bed and Breakfasts
The Oaks Victorian Inn.. An award winning bed and breakfast (a four star rating), located in an 1889 Victorian Mansion in the East Main Historic District in Christiansburg, Virginia. The Oaks is within easy walking distance to downtown Christiansburg (3 blocks) and a slightly longer walk to the Cambria Historic District.
The Inn at Hans Meadow. An award winning bed and breakfast located in a 154 year old mansion at the corner of Roanoke and Depot Streets in Christiansburg, Virginia.
Maison Beliveau Bed & Breakfast. North Fork Rural Historic District. Blacksburg, Virginia (Opening, July 2007)
Evergreen :The Bell-Capozzi House. East Main Historic District. Christiansburg, Virginia
Where to Eat: Getting away from the Chains
Amelia's Italian Restuarant. Located just north of the Cambria Historic District on Cambria Street, Amelia's has first rate food served in a railroad themed atmosphere. We recommend the calamari and the eggplant parmesian.
Charlie's Chinese Restaurant. A wonderful Chinese restaurant in the heart of downtown Christiansburg. Charlie's is located at 35 West Main and is known for Sesame Chicken, General Tso Shrimp, or their tasty Crab Rangoon. Within easy walking distance from the East Main Historic District.
Coffee Depot. Located just down the street from Charlies, in Downtown Christiansburg, and an easy trek from the East Main and Franklin Street Historic Districts (a bit of a hike from Cambria!), the Coffee Depot combines great coffee, lunch options that do not smack of fast food, and a wonderful gallary. Check out the work of local artists, sip a leisurely cup of coffee while reading the newspaper or one of the books, or plan your day while watching the downtown come alive in the early morning. A good place to start.
Dude's Drive-In
Due South Barbeque
Hunan House.
The Summit Restaurant.
For additional information on the area, visit the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce
CHRISTIANSBURG (CAMBRIA) DEPOT
THE CAMBRIA TOY
STATION MUSEUM
SHOP
CAMBRIA, 1913
HISTORIC PRESERVATION... WHY BOTHER?
THE SCALE CABINETMAKER AND DORSETT
PUBLICATIONS
CAMBRIA &ENVIRONS
Letters from the Past - your letters, full of memories of old Cambria
