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Progress and Innovation Mark Town’s History

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Although Altavista celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2007, we are still relatively young compared to other towns in the Old Dominion.

The idea for the creation of the town came in 1905 when three Lane brothers, contractors for the building of 32 miles of the Virginian Railway in this part of Virginia, bought 2,000 acres of land in Campbell County. Although it was a common carrier and offered limited passenger service until 1956, the main purpose of the Virginian Railway was to haul bituminous coal from the mountains to coal piers on the ice-free harbor of Hampton Roads. It became part of the Norfolk and Western Railway in 1959, and it and the Southern Railway were combined in the early 1980s to form the current Norfolk Southern Railway. Now operated by the same company, both railroad lines are still very active in the Altavista area.

The name for the Lane’s new community came from the name of their old farm in Albemarle County. Subsequently, engineers were hired to lay out a town with streets and lots, complete with water, sewer, telephone service, and electric lines. Settlement was encouraged by the awarding of free lots. By 1912, the new Town of Altavista was incorporated.

That year also saw the formation of the Lane Company, maker of the famous Lane cedar chests. From its very beginning as a box manufacturer, the Lane Company would become one of Altavista’s major employers. In addition, the Lane family would play an important role in the Altavista community. Lane was most famous for their Lane cedar chests made at the original plant in Altavista. At the beginning of the 21st century the company headquarters were moved from Altavista and the plant there closed. Soon after the last commemorative cedar chests were made as the plant shut down. The old plant now sits mostly vacant but certain sections have become occupied by new companies and Central Virginia Community College has moved into parts of the office building. A fire also occurred in an empty section in early 2006.

The original town encompassed 1.87 square miles. Residential and industrial growth occurred within the Town boundaries until around 1960, after which the concentration of new development took place outside the boundaries. In order to preserve its tax base and adequately plan for future growth, the Town of Altavista annexed 3.13 square miles of Campbell County on December 31, 1977. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town now has a total area just over 4.9 square miles (12.7 km²), of which, 4.9 square miles (12.7 km²) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) is water.

As of the 2000 census, the Town of Altavista had a population of 3,425.

Historic Attractions and Events

Altavista is home to many unique and well-preserved historic attractions, foremost of which is the Avoca Museum (www.avocamuseum.org).

Avoca is the home place of Revolutionary Patriot Colonel Charles Lynch (1736-1796). He established his home here in 1755 as part of a land grant from King George II of England to his father in 1740.

Colonel Charles Lynch was a planter and distinguished himself as a lawmaker and soldier during the turbulent times of the American Revolution era. The term "Lynch's Law" (which became "lynching") may derive from his name, although he did not practice lynching in the later, murderous sense of the word.

The property was passed down through the Lynch family and upon the death of Charles Henry Lynch (1800-1875), the property went to his niece, Mary Anna Dearing Fauntleroy. Her grandson, Dr. Lindley Murray Winston, deeded the property to the Town of Altavista in 1981 as a memorial to his family. At that time the property consisted of the main house, brick kitchen, smokehouse, milk house, farm office, and approximately ten acres.

The modern Avoca is a country Victorian house constructed in 1901, after the original and second dwellings were destroyed by fire in 1879 and 1900.

The house is an excellent example of 19th Century American Queen Anne architecture. The property is listed on both the Virginia and National Registers of Historic Places. Today it is operated by the non-profit Avoca Museum and Historical Society.

Uncle Billy’s Day (www.unclebillysdayfestival.com) is an annual celebration to commemorate one of the town’s earliest residents and entrepreneurs, William G. Lane, Sr., affectionately known as “Uncle Billy” Lane. Tradition has it that he established the practice of area farmers and merchants coming to town on the first Saturday of each month to barter and trade for livestock, crops and goods at an area known as the Altavista Trade Lot. William presided as the master auctioneer and also provided entertainment. The Trade Lot continues to operate on the first Saturday of each month as a giant flea market near the Altavista Area YMCA.

The town festival is a weekend-long celebration under the auspices of the Uncle Billy's Day Committee, Inc., a group of volunteer citizens who plan, raise funds and coordinate the activities of the weekend. Activities kick off on the first Friday in June, feature a fireworks show on Saturday night, and close with games, concerts and other attractions late Sunday afternoon. Attractions include the flea market, a craft show, a car show, children's games, pony rides, exhibits, and other quality entertainment. Entertainment includes a variety of music, dance, magic, juggling, clowns, puppets that feature top quality children’s shows, and top local, regional and national stage acts, playing different types of music, all of which are offered at no charge to the people of the community.

 

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