An enviable sense of place and purpose has enabled Lynchburg to maintain its bearings through 30 years of growth and change. The city is mindful of its heritage. And tradition is used to inform, rather than impede, progress. Innovative ideas are always welcome. The best are embraced and translated into tangible assets that benefit the entire community.

The Way We Were
The introduction to the inaugural issue of Lynchburg Life expressed an optimism that continues to characterize the city’s outlook:

As the sun rises over the seven hills of Lynchburg, it shines for the progress and prosperity that have been her guideposts. Truly, a new day is dawning for Lynchburg, and the Greater Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce is pleased to be able to tell that story.

 

In 1981, when the above words were written, decades of suburban sprawl had taken a toll on the city’s deteriorating downtown, and a fledging Liberty Baptist College was working partially out of trailers on a mountaintop overlooking the brand new River Ridge mall. The city’s big 200th birthday was still five years in the future, but advance preparations were already prompting a hard look the area’s inventory of historic sites, with many in need of attention. At least renovations to the Old Courthouse, the centerpiece of the city’s museum system, were finally finished.

 

Lynchburg was a beautiful place back then. But the city’s points of entry—by train, by plane, or even by car—did not create a good first impression. Travelers venturing to and from the city using Amtrak avoided lingering at the old rundown Kemper Street train station. At the airport, the baggage claim area consisted of a curbside rack. As for daily commutes around Lynchburg, the various bypasses, cross-town connections, and four-lane routes drivers take for granted today did not exist. The entrance to the city via the Lynchburg Expressway was nicknamed “Kudzu Holler.” The LEAF project, a public-private endeavor to landscape the right-of-way, was years away from becoming a reality. However, plans to develop a whole series of biking and hiking trails throughout the city had taken hold, and the Blackwater Creek Natural Area trail was being touted as a sample of better things to come.

Families cheered for the Mets class A farm club in a 1940s-vintage Lynchburg Municipal Stadium that was growing more outdated with each opening day. Two relatively new events, the Virginia Ten Miler and Kaleidoscope Festival, were the most anticipated happenings around town. The James River, one of the city’s defining features, had temporarily receded into the history books. It would be a few years before a new event called the Batteau Festival, a celebration of the region’s riverboat era, would draw crowds back to the riverfront.

The local arts scene had for the most part successfully decamped to the suburbs in the early 1960s. The city’s $1 million Fine Arts Center on Thompson Drive was flourishing. Even so, there was hope that someday, someway, the historic Academy of Music Theatre, a national landmark and symbol of the city’s commitment to the arts, would once again open its doors to appreciative audiences. It was a dream that was gaining some traction, especially since early plans to resuscitate downtown called for constructing a hotel and convention center within walking distance of the Academy site.

The city’s two hospitals, Virginia Baptist and Lynchburg General-Marshall Lodge, were drawing national attention for their ability to cooperate, share staff, and plan services to avoid costly duplication. While modern medicine was becoming increasingly technological and specialized, it was also becoming more patient friendly and family centered. Healthcare was clearly entering a new era, and Lynchburg’s medical community was clearly ahead of the curve—a lead that would soon give rise to Lynchburg’s acclaimed Centra health system.

Education, too, was about to enter a new era. The first issue of Lynchburg Life described the area’s colleges as an “added bonus” for the community. Over the next thirty years, all would grow to become a central part of Lynchburg’s cultural identity, economic life, and regional public-private development efforts. Of the five listed—Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, Sweet Briar College, Lynchburg College, Liberty Baptist College, and Central Virginia Community College—Liberty would undergo the most dramatic changes, increasing its population from 2,800 to 11,900 resident students. Reverend Falwell’s ten-year-old college, which was hoping to begin work on its library in 1981, is now a university with myriad graduate programs and a law school.

“A Strong Diversified Economy Is One of Lynchburg’s Greatest Assets” was the headline of Lynchburg Life’s main article spotlighting the city’s vital industries. The magazine named many of the businesses that were allowing Central Virginia “to enjoy a higher employment rate than most of the state,” but six companies were mentioned repeatedly: Babcock & Wilcox nuclear energy, C.B. Fleet health and beauty, Craddock-Terry shoes, General Electric communications systems, Meredith Burda printing, and the Lynchburg Foundry metal castings.

Today, only B & W and C. B. Fleet are still going strong. However, the influence of G.E., Meredith Burda, Craddock-Terry, and the Foundry is woven into the city’s infrastructure, talent pool, historical legacy, and outlook. General Electric is the granddaddy of Central Virginia’s new high-tech wireless firms and the foundation of many Liberty University buildings. Meredith Burda was purchased by R. R. Donnelley. One of Craddock Terry’s shoe factories is now a chic downtown hotel. As for the Foundry, Automotive X Prize–winner Oliver Kuttner, the CEO of Edison2, recently reached an agreement to purchase the 157-acre Archer Creek industrial site.

The word computer appeared four times in the inaugural issue. The first three references were in the education sections, in the course listings for Sweet Briar College, Phillips Business College, and a girl’s day school called Seven Hills. The fourth mention was included in an effort to explain a new device at Lynchburg General Hospital called a CT Scanner. Even so, the advent of the computer age—the brave new world of information technology—was in the forefront of the region’s economic planning efforts. Lynchburg Life’s local business forecast for the rest of the 1980s and beyond was remarkably prescient:

Significant activity is predicted in energy-related fields, health care and health delivery, information and data processing, telecommunications, and the electronics industries.

Truly, a new day was dawning for Lynchburg, and the Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce was, and still is, very pleased to tell the story.

 

Legacy Leaders over the past 30 years

 

Petrus Bosman

1928–2008
Soon after Petrus Bosman signed on as artistic director of the Virginia School of the Arts in 1989, enrollment tripled and the former Garland-Rodes elementary school on Rivermont Avenue became known as one of the nation's most rigorous ballet training grounds. Bosman brought in renowned guest artists and established Lynchburg's annual "Evening of Elegance" performance to fund scholarships. The former principal dancer at The Royal Ballet had produced numerous charity galas for the Royal Family. He died dancing at the age of 80.

A. Boyd Claytor III
1926–2008
Boyd Claytor was the owner of Southern Flavoring Company and a founding director of Liberty Bank of Bedford. In 1998, he created an endowment fund and donated his 300-year-old farm to Lynchburg College. Today, the 470-acre natural area is open to students from kindergarten through graduate school. The land preserves a wide range of wildlife and habitat and offers some of the most picturesque views in the area. The site is home to a 7,700-square-foot education and research facility and the Belk Astronomical Observatory.

Ronald V. Dolan

1942–2005
Ron Dolan was born in Stockdale, Pennsylvania, but, without a doubt, Lynchburg was his hometown. The pioneering First Colony Life Insurance Company executive never lost sight of the hundreds of dedicated Central Virginians who helped to put the company on the national map. His natural response was to give back to the community. Describing Dolan's heartfelt philanthropy, one colleague put it best: "His heroes were not the Titans of Wall Street, but rather the many local volunteers who worked so hard to improve the lives of those in need."

Rev. Jerry Laymon Falwell

1933–2007
There was a time when it was possible for Lynchburgers to see televangelist Rev. Jerry Falwell a few or more times a day: on his "Old Time Gospel Hour" broadcast, out grabbing a quick bite to eat somewhere around town, then later, on a news report or talk show. Falwell founded his Thomas Road ministry and started work on Liberty University before his controversial step into the national political spotlight. His affable visage has vanished from the airwaves, but his Liberty Mountain legacy is still altering the face of Lynchburg.

Junius A. Haskins Jr.
1943–1997
Junius Haskins died suddenly in Washington, D.C., in a Capitol Hill office building, while seeking funding for the renovation of Lynchburg's Kemper Street Amtrak station. The civil rights activist, visionary community leader, and member of the Lynchburg City Council was a passionate advocate for housing reforms in all areas of the city and an early proponent of plans to revive the downtown historic district. During his first term, the Independent councilman was so frequently completely out voted, he nicknamed himself "Home Alone Haskins."

T. Gibson Hobbs Jr.
1917-2005
Tom Ledford, retired director of the Lynchburg Museum System, called Gibson Hobbs "a true friend of the James River and Kanawha Canal." Hobbs held a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia and served as vice president of manufacturing for C.B. Fleet Pharmaceutical Company. But outside of work, he used his technical and research skills to encourage support for the protection of the region's waterways and the preservation of "Virginia's greatest engineering adventure."

Bertram R. Schewel
1920–1989
For generations, the Schewel family has demonstrated an untiring commitment to furthering education, public service, and cultural life in Central Virginia. Bert Schewel continued this legacy with great heart and humor. Bill Quillian, retired president of Randolph-Macon Woman's College, told his favorite "Bert" story to columnist Darrell Laurant: "He knew he was dying…and some family members were asking him what kind of service he wanted. Without missing a beat, Bert looked up and said, 'Tell you what—why don't you just surprise me.'"

George Stewart

1924–1999
From his headquarters in the renovated Guggenheimer department store building downtown, George Stewart, president of First Colony Life Insurance Company, took an innovative local company and propelled it into the top ranks of the industry. For most people that would have been enough. But Stewart —the city's go-to guy—left no civic or charitable corner of Lynchburg untouched. From the Greater Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce to the Greater Lynchburg Community Trust, his leadership left the city a better place.

Alphonse "Al" Stroobants

1931–2010
Belgian immigrant Al Stroobants excelled at everything he did, including philanthropy. The founder of Belvac, formerly Belgium Tool and Die, and owner of Northcote Farm was a hands-on entrepreneur who recognized quality and rewarded hard work. After receiving excellent care during cardiac bypass surgery, he created a trust at Lynchburg General Hospital, which was named Stroobants Heart Center in his honor. He donated both money and land for projects in Bedford County and gave generously to area schools and colleges.

Frank B. Wright Jr.
1912–2008
If you have seen the City of Lynchburg logo, you have seen an example of Frank Wright's work. For fifty-three years, sketches from his commercial art studio in Madison Heights made their way onto the packages of Lynchburg-made products and into the pages of catalogs, calendars, and advertisements. Wright studied in New York City and had offers to sign with agencies there, but a letter from Leonard Grover, the vice president of Lynchburg Engraving Company, lured Wright back to his hometown.