Searching High and Low

Lynchburg’s consistently high quality-of-life scores are based in part on the area’s comparatively low property taxes, low unemployment, low crime rates, and low health-care costs. Add top-rated schools, affordable housing options, award-winning hospitals, and reasonably priced entertainment into the mix, and it’s easy to see why Central Virginia routinely ranks among the “best places” for careers, family life, and retirement.

In spring 2010, Forbes magazine’s “Best Places

For Business and Careers” survey ranked Lynchburg No. 28 among the nation’s top 200 metropolitan areas. The city’s position on the list placed it above all other large metros in the state, making Lynchburg No. 1 in Virginia. Several months later, the City of Lynchburg was ranked as a leading contender among “Top U.S. Digital Cities,” taking the No. 2 slot within its population category.

What the above awards imply is true: the Lynchburg area is filled with tech-savvy, career-minded individuals. Central Virginians work hard, and, as

other surveys reveal, they playmhard, too.

Lynchburg was recently featured among National

Geographic’s top twenty-one Editor’s Picks as a standout Adventure Town, on a list that included Austin, Boulder, New Orleans, and Los Angeles.

Central Virginia has achieved a number of “bests” over the years from a diverse number of sources, including Money,Reader’s Digest, Newsweek, and Golf Digest. Going behind the scenes to discover exactly what the region does to merit such attention is what this magazine, the 30th anniversary issue of Lynchburg Life, is all about.

Celebrating 30 Years

The Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce launched Lynchburg Life in 1981. The inaugural magazine’s prediction that “a new day is dawning for Lynchburg” proved accurate. In fact, so many improvements have occurred on so many fronts since then, it seemed wise to stop now and take stock. The 30th anniversary photo essay in this issue is based in part on feedback from Chamber of Commerce members.

For more than three decades, the region has been moving forward in highly visible ways, building new facilities from the airport to the stadium, expanding everything from highways to colleges and hospitals, and constructing a largely unseen, yet equally as impressive, fiber optic network. At the same time, Central Virginia circled back to reclaim its past, revitalizing downtown Lynchburg, restoring historic regional landmarks, and reviving interest in the James River and Central Virginia’s past.

The Past is Present

Starting in 1985, the James River Batteau Festival was among the first annual events to draw crowds back to the riverfront, the place where Lynchburg’s founder John Lynch established a ferry service in 1757.

The City of Lynchburg began as a bustling river city, a port for Central Virginia’s thriving tobacco trade. By the mid-1800s, with the addition of the railroads, it was the second-richest city per capita in the United States.

The awesome wealth of this period is preserved in Lynchburg’s downtown historic districts. A bird’s-eye view of this section today shows sturdy brick tobacco warehouses nestled down by the James River gradually giving rise to magnificent mansions dispersed among the hills surrounding the city.

The Civil War took a toll on Lynchburg’s infrastructure, but not its spirit. The well-marked Civil War Trails winding through the city reveal remarkable stories of determination and sacrifice—all of which ultimately conclude in the nearby village of Appomattox Court House, where Gen. Robert E. Lee and Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant reunited the nation in 1865.

Lynchburg attracts hard-core history buffs. However, because the city weaves its history into so many enjoyable annual events and festivals, other folks—even those who come here to hike, hear music, or ride motorcycles—end up knowing something about the region’s past.

The nation’s third president, Thomas Jefferson, built his private getaway just outside the Lynchburg city limits. It’s an idyllic location that continues to attract a combination of busy executives and recent retirees.

What’s Next?

The Central Virginia region does not rest on its laurels. So even this commemorative “look back” issue of Lynchburg Life needs to keep asking the question: What’s next? The City of Lynchburg and its four surrounding counties grew steadily during 2000–2010, averaging an overall population increase of 8 percent a year. This climb is expected to continue. According to the Central Virginia Metropolitan Planning Organization, about 12,000 new jobs are expected to be created within the region by the year 2035.

If current trends hold, many new positions will be created in what is currently the fastest-growing and highest-paying sector of Central Virginia’s economy: professional, scientific, and technical services. Over the past decade this sector grew by 72 percent, surpassing healthcare’s 27 percent and education’s 12 percent. This is not to imply that healthcare and education have been lagging. If anything, these two sectors have been dazzling the community for decades, garnering national recognition, expanding programs and facilities, and collaborating to meet emerging challenges and implement innovative solutions.

Lynchburg’s appeal—its natural beauty and friendly, laid-back atmosphere—belies its savvy, global outlook and winning work ethic. After all, the region is home to a diverse lineup of industry-leading companies like Areva NP Inc., Babcock & Wilcox, Bausch & Lomb, C. B. Fleet, Frito-Lay, Genworth Financial, Harris Corporation, J. Crew, R. R. Donnelly, and Teva Pharmaceuticals.

The Right Combination

Central Virginia enjoys a mild version of all four seasons, enough to give every holiday an appropriate backdrop.

The region’s location within the Commonwealth of Virginia offers close proximity to lakeside vacation homes and ski resorts, easy fieldtrips to Richmond and Washington D.C., and four-hour drives to the beach.

Lynchburg’s overall cost of living falls below the national average and compares favorably with other cities in Virginia and North Carolina.