Sunday afternoon drives are the best, especially when you end up in Tazewell Co Va.
Need a change of pace?
How about a change of scenery?
As described in a Tazewell Co webpage: "Known as 'Vanderbilt's First Choice', 'God's Thumbprint', and the 'Garden Spot of the World', beautiful BURKE'S GARDEN is Virginia's highest valley and Virginia's largest rural historic district."
Before you go, be aware: 1. This place is a step back in time. 2. You have to be intentional about getting to this place. 3. Take a set of written directions with you. 4. Temps are at least 10-12 degrees cooler than the Roanoke area. 5. You might just decide to stay, as it is heavenly.
Wide open spaces, very few cars, even less humans, Burke's Garden provided a relief from any and all anxieties of life. Surreal, actually, like a yoga class in the car🤣!. The unincorporated community in Tazewell Co, currently has a population of 300. It is the home of Appalachia backcountry Amish(Western Kentucky, not Ohio or Pennsylvania). Wifi........hmmmmm. sketchy.
The sounds of horse hooves pulling buggies were abundant on Sunday. Here is the story:
Shawnee Indian history prevails in this bowl-shaped place. Burke's Garden sits 3000' above sea level. We visited here 10 years ago, and rode our bicycles around the 12 mile loop. Today..... we were content to enjoy the slow car ride around the loop😁..Average high temps... mid 50s. Cattle, livestock, camels, fertile land .......and fresh air! Quirky signs!
The Burke's Garden Post Office now houses an artisan's guild, displaying local arts and crafts(run by a woman who fled from a government job in McClean 3 years ago........ Imagine that!)
German immigrants first made this a backcountry frontier outpost as they came to settle here in the late 1700s. Some of the descendants still live in the valley today.
This place is completely off the grid of modern life. No stop lights, no cable television, no post office, no newspaper delivery, and limited cell phone service. The Central Lutheran Church and its cemetery are both on the National Registry of Historic Places. The cemetery was founded around 1827 and the church was built in 1875. It served as a Union church for several denominations, Lutheran being the more dominant one.
The fall foliage precedes our area.
The camel farm, according to a local source, closed during the pandemic, as did several farms.
The Amish farms, however, still flourish.
Head out to Burke's Garden for a day of R&R. We packed a lunch, and dined at the cemetery😮. Go before the weather freezes. It's rather isolated up there, and you might not make it.... or get out!
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