While you can enjoy a local restaurant before a show, and relax at a local B&B after a show, it’s the venue that will appeal most to historians. The story about the Lime Kiln history is as fascinating as any play.

The original owner of this property, A. T Barclay, helped to create the city of Buena Vista by luring a paper business to that town. As a promise to that business, Barclay stated that he could supply lime, a caustic substance produced by heating limestone and that was used in the paper manufacturing process. From the site:

Barclay’s farm was rich in limestone, which had been quarried in small quantities for years. In 1896, four years after the paper mill opened in Buena Vista, Barclay and two partners started the Rockbridge Stone and Lime Company on Barclay’s farm. About a dozen buildings, including a barrel shop and three large kilns, were erected. However, Barclay neglected to pay royalties to his sisters who owned one-third interest in the land. In short order they sued, and won. He lost direct control of the company and it was sold soon after. After Barclay died [1915], the lease was not renewed and the buildings were taken down or rotted away. The kilns fell into ruin.

The kilns remained basically unused until 1984, when the first production of the new professional company was a two-week run of Rock Kiln Ruin’s Tale of Cymbeline. It was “Shakespeare with a twang,” one newspaper remarked, but the first season was a success. From then, original musicals and plays presented at The Kiln based on Southern Appalachian heritage; adaptations of Appalachian folktales that went on tour to schools and communities both in and out of Virginia; and a renowned concert series that features legendary musicians and an eclectic mix of musical styles have graced the limestone stages.

In winter, the Troubadour in downtown Lexington hosts a series in an intimate setting. Theater at Lime Kiln is a non-profit organization supported in part by a number of organizations and foundations including the National Endowment for the Arts, Virginia Commission for the Arts, the City of Lexington, Rockbridge County, and numerous business and individual contributors. Visit the site to learn more about ticket prices, dates and hours, and directions.

Established in 1985, the Carriage company’s initial purpose was to support the Historic Downtown District of the city by giving narrated tours through the business district, the adjacent college campuses, and a portion of the historic residential area. Over the years, LLC has evolved and expanded its operation to include areas of the Shenandoah Valley and beyond by participating in local parades, and providing carriage rides for festivals and special seasonal events. Some of those events include: Lexington Caroling & Tree Lighting, Lexington Chocolate Festival, Downtown Roanoke Dickens of a Christmas, and Lynchburg Holiday Traditions. Lexington Carriage tours take about one hour or less, and do not make stops along the way for you to debark.

The tours are narrated by professional drivers/guides. Carriage tours begin at the Lexington Visitor Center at 106 East Washington Street, and operate daily from April 1 through October except during inclement weather. Group tours are available by appointment. LCC has been delighted to have hosted many brides, grooms and their wedding parties; numerous couples who have become engaged while on a private tour as well as birthday and anniversary celebrants. Visit the Lexington Carriage Company site for more information, including details on how to book for special events.

The Virginia Horse Center sits on nearly 600 acres of pristine Shenandoah scenery with breathtaking views. This world class facility features an indoor coliseum that seats 4,000, eight barns with an indoor stabling capacity of over 1,200 horses. The center also boasts nineteen show rings, a five-mile cross-country course, a steeplechase timber and carriage course, and two large indoor arenas. Don’t be surprised if this equestrian center continues to grow.

The center also accommodates campers and they sport a restaurant and catering service with banquet facilities, a gift shop and more. There may be a minimal charge for some events at the center. To join over 400,000 visitors annually, call 540-464-2950 or visit the Virginia Horse Center site.

The Library of Virginia is at 800 East Broad Street in downtown Richmond, Virginia, where the exhibition is on public display for no charge from 9:00 to 5:00, Monday through Saturday, state and federal holidays excepted, from 8 January through 15 December 2007. For more information about the programs and services of the Library of Virginia, please call 804-692-3592 or visit the Library of Virgnia’s Web site at http://www.lva.lib.va.us.