Lake Country Visitor & Newcomer Guide 2009 - (Page 24) Brunswick County Y Brunswick County maintains a distinctly rural atmosphere with excellent public and private school systems. 24 ou might find that it’s still a tradition around Cochran or Lawrenceville to stop work at midday and have a feast of Brunswick Stew. That stands to reason: Brunswick County stakes a claim as the original home of Brunswick Stew, first made by a slave cook, Jimmy Matthews, in 1828. Even so, the original meat – squirrel – is out and, today, chicken is in. Yet that is not because of the taste. As the old story goes, Brunswick County just never did have that many squirrels to go around. Rural Brunswick County is transitioning from a predominantly agricultural economy to embrace technology-based industries as part of Southside Virginia’s Regional Backbone Initiative, which provides high-speed Internet capabilities along the U.S. 58 corridor. Here, at the junction of VA 46 and U.S. 58, visitors can stroll brick sidewalks and catch up on centuries of history, discovering such delights as the Brunswick County Museum, showcasing the history of Brunswick Stew. Lawrenceville, the courthouse town of Brunswick County, is the home of St. Paul’s College. Brunswick County lies in an ideal location – with Lake Gaston at the south plus easy access to the fast track of I-85. Alberta, a few miles north of Lawrenceville, is home to Southside Virginia Community College and the Colonial Downs off-track betting center, attracting about 25,000 visitors a year. Believed to be the namesake of Alberta, Canada, this town is the home of a recently built walking trail on First Avenue. The path winds through a forest, linking the town square gazebo to the old Alberta School. Just down the road, to the southwest, look for Brodnax along U.S. 58. Lying between Lawrenceville and LaCrosse, Brodnax uniquely fans into both Brunswick and Mecklenburg counties. This tiny town’s skyline boasts small shops, pretty churches and markets lining U.S. 58, Virginia’s longest road and a vital artery for transportation in Southern Virginia. Spin down south from Brodnax, and you’ll find Ebony and Gasburg. Near the center of the county, search for Valentines, a country crossroads where you’ll find a heart painted on the post office sign. Located near Lake Gaston, Valentines boasts a general store with its post office. Here, every year, thousands of envelopes pass through on February 14, sent by those who want its romantic Valentines postmark. BRUNSWICK COUNTY G. Vincent Powell Ben P. Powell “The Clearest Lake from Maine to Florida for Scuba Diving!” www.lakerawlings.com THE POWELL AGENCY, INC. General Insurance Highway 58 West, Lawrenceville Wooden Pallets • Crates Boxes • Colored Mulch 800-343-9913 434-848-2222 fax 434-848-3647 P.O. Box 7, Lawrenceville, VA 23868 Rawlings, VA 23876 (804) 478-9000 434-848-4535 800-866-2998 434-848-0534 fax P.O. Box 238 Lawrenceville, VA 23868 www.brunswickbox.com Located just 20 minutes from South Hill and Emporia, VA 24-Hour Licensed Nursing Care • Individual Resident Care Plans Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapies • Restorative Feeding Registered Dietician • Post-Operative Recovery • Wound & Skin Care I.V. Therapy • Fall Prevention Edmonds Printing/ Color Images Inc. 13770 Christanna Hwy. Lawrenceville, VA 23868 (434) 848-2264 Fax (434) 848-4412 Toll Free 866-600-6009 The Heart of Brunswick County Phone: 434-848-2414 • Fax: 434-848-9356 www.lawrencevilleweb.com Visit us for a tour: 1722 Lawrenceville Plank Rd. Lawrenceville, VA 23868 434-848-4766 www.ruxtonhealthcare.com Southern Virginia ⁄ Northern North Carolina’s Lake Country http://www.brunswickbox.com http://www.lawrencevilleweb.com
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