ARTS OF HISTORIC PROPORTIONS!

ABINGDON, VIRGINIA - ARTS OF HISTORIC PROPORTIONS!

Every town has a history, some just seem to have more than others…

Abingdon Virginia, the county seat of Washington County, enjoys a long and distinguished history. But don’t think of this oldest town west of the Blue Ridge Mountains as a museum—modern amenities flourish alongside 200-year-old landmarks in Abingdon’s blend of the venerable and the new.

Abingdon has long been a center for the arts in the region and nowhere else is this better demonstrated than at the world-famous Barter Theatre. Over the years, the Theatre has garnered a top-flight professional reputation. Ernest Borgnine, Hume Cronyn, Gregory Peck, Patricia Neal, Ned Beatty, Gary Collins, Barry Corbin, and Jerry Hardin—just to name a few—are counted among Barter alumni. Classic and contemporary, Broadway hits and world premiers are all standard “fare” at Barter Theatre and Barter Stage II.

Abingdon’s William King Regional Arts Center, a Partner of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, offers a rotating schedule of regional and national exhibits, an outdoor sculpture garden, working studios for artists, a museum store, and classes in fine arts and crafts.

Many other attractions and sites in downtown Abingdon are Registered National Historic Sites. The town’s 20-square-block “official” Historic District contains many fine examples of Federal and Victorian architectural styles.

Nature has not spared her bounty in this part of the country—here you will find the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, the Virginia Creeper and Appalachian Trails, the scenic forks of the Holston River and South Holston Lake, and some of the highest mountains in the Eastern United States.

The Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, covering 115,000 acres in Washington and neighboring counties, boasts the three highest mountains in Virginia. The Mount Rogers Area has more than 300 miles of trails and encompasses more than 60 miles of the Appalachian Trail, the East’s premier hiking trail. Camping is also a popular pastime around Mount Rogers. Regular camping season at most campgrounds is April to mid-November but some campgrounds stay open year-round for cross-country skiers and winter aficionados.

So, whether you’re looking for fine food and lodging, superb arts, beautiful surroundings, homegrown crafts, splendid shopping, or just a leisurely stroll down the brick lanes of one of the nation’s pre-eminent historic districts, come to Abingdon. As a place for sampling history or Southern hospitality, we think you’ll agree that this Virginia Historic Landmark is unparalleled, for here you truly will find “Arts of Historic Proportions!”

For more information, contact:

Abingdon Convention & Visitors Bureau, 335 Cummings Street, Abingdon, Virginia 24210

276-676-2282 or 1-800-435-3440, 276 -676-3076 Fax