Roanoke, VA

With a population of around 93,000 residents, the city of Roanoke anchors a regional area that covers the Roanoke Valley and is home to more than 300,000. Kiplinger magazine chose the Roanoke area for its 2007 Best Places to Retire list, citing the beautiful scenery, festive events, and strong health-care system.

In 2008, Roanoke was a winner in the Virginia Municipal League's first "Green Government Challenge." And for six years, the Center for Digital Government has designated Roanoke the Top Digital City in its population category.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Historically, Roanoke's biggest contribution to American society and culture was as a hub for transportation, first for horses and wagons and later for locomotives. In fact, railroads were a mainstay in and around the Roanoke region for many years and helped it grow in population and commerce by and through the turn of the 20th century. Although freight locomotives still travel through Roanoke, passenger cars no longer stop in the city.

Today, Roanoke faces the same challenges as many urban areas. The median household income is well below the Virginia state average and the percentage of residents living below the poverty line is substantially higher than the state average. But affordable housing, scenic surroundings and a strong economic development program continue to attract residents and businesses.

Major Roanoke employers include Carilion Health System, Advance Auto Parts, FreightCar America, ITT, United Parcel Service and Wachovia Bank.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Roanoke's emphasis on community and its creative approach to downtown revitalization are exemplified by Center in the Square. Operated by the non-profit Western Virginia Foundation for the Arts and Sciences, the Center is home to five arts and science organizations. Together with the Foundation's other downtown properties, the Center creates a unique cultural development that attracts more than 400,000 visitors annually, both nationally and internationally. About half of these visitors are children, representing nearly half of all Virginia school districts.

Roanoke has 49 neighborhoods that are officially designed within its boundaries. Some prominent neighborhoods are:

• Airport: This neighborhood is located near Roanoke Regional Airport, in extreme north-central Roanoke.
• Cherry Hill: Located in west-central Roanoke, Cherry Hill is a traditional suburban neighborhood with most homes constructed in the 1970s and 1980s.
• Belmont: Located in central Roanoke, the neighborhood of Belmont has many old structures built between 1890 and 1950.
• Eastgate: Located in the north-east of Roanoke, the neighborhood of Eastgate has low density residential development.
• Downtown: Downtown Roanoke is the business nucleus of Roanoke. It is located at the heart of the city.
• Other major neighborhoods in the city of Roanoke include Edgewood-Summit Hills, Gainsboro, Mecca Gardens, Harrison, Roundhill, Riverdale, West End, Washington Heights, Wilmont, Old Southwest, Norwich, Morningside and Hurt Park.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

• The Appalachian Trail: About 100 miles of the famous 2,175 mile-long Appalachian Trail passes through Roanoke and can be accessed from points in the area.
• The Blue Ridge Parkway: What the Appalachian Trail is to hiking, the Blue Ridge Parkway is to driving and cycling. Spanning 469 miles (from Shenandoah National Park to Great Smokey Mountains National Park), the Parkway meanders through incredible American scenery and runs through Roanoke for about 100 miles.
• History Museum of Western Virginia: This facility celebrates the region's history and operates an onsite library that's open to patrons and scholars.
• Mill Mountain: A stand-alone hill cresting at 1700 feet, Mill Mountain is noticeable on its own but is doubly obvious in the evening thanks to "The Roanoke Star," which was created in 1949, adorns the top of Mill Mountain and is the largest illuminated star in the world. Mill Mountain is also home to a modest-sized zoo.
• Mill Mountain Theatre: Roanoke's only live theatre, with two stages (a proscenium and a black box), Mill Mountain Theatre offers visitors the opportunity to see classic musicals, dramas, and comedies as well as independent/experimental works.
• Taubman Museum of Art: Dedicated to the display of American artwork of the 19th and 20th centuries, the Taubman Museum of Art occupies an award-winning 81,000 square-foot facility.
• Virginia Museum of Transportation: This museum houses a wide array of locomotives, steam engines and other transportation devices. Education on Roanoke's transportation past is a prime mission at the facility.

EVENTS

• Big Lick Blues Festival: Music and ribs are on the menu at this annual event. Held every autumn, the Big Lick Blues Festival has hosted a wide variety of local and regional entertainment acts.
• Coventry Commonwealth Games of Virginia: Each July, hundreds of amateur male and female athletes from around the globe compete in the Olympics-inspired Coventry Commonwealth Games of Virginia. A few of the dozens of major events include archery, badminton, biathlon, chess, fencing, karate, skateboarding, softball, tennis, track and field, water skiing, and wrestling.
• Local Colors Festival: Held the third weekend of May, this event celebrates the diversity of races and ethnicities that reside (or have resided) in the Roanoke region.
• Strawberry Festival: Traditionally, approximately 50,000 guests visit Roanoke for the Strawberry Festival each spring. Berry-rich baked goods and berry-tasting opportunities have established the Strawberry Festival as one of the premier events in the region.

LOCAL MEDIA

• Blue Ridge Business Journal
• Blue Ridge Country
• Roanoke Tribune
• The Roanoke Star-Sentinel
• The Roanoke Times
• The Roanoker
• The South Roanoke Circle

FUN FACTS

• Roanoke was known as "Big Lick" until 1882.
• The name Roanoke was most likely taken from the Algonquian word meaning "money."
• There are 12 mountain wineries within a 40-mile drive of downtown Roanoke.
• Carvin's Cove Natural Reserve is the second-largest municipal park in the nation.
• For 14 years, Roanoke has been a National Arbor Day Foundation "Tree City USA" community.