2022 Alleghany Living Guide - 32

HERITAGE
A Future Built on a
Respect for the Past
The Alleghany Highlands has a
keen sense of self and of its
future. Much of that awareness
is built upon a respect for the
accomplishments and
the struggles of the past.
Times change, and they seem to do so at a
pace that grows more rapid on a daily basis. And
while it's important to keep up with the times,
it's equally as important to remember the past.
The Alleghany Historical Society keeps the
Alleghany Highlands attached to its roots even as
it reaches out for new growth.
The Alleghany Historical Society makes
its home in the newly restored 1908 C&O
Covington Passenger Depot, sitting beside the
historic freight depot on Maple Avenue. The
Depot serves as the Society's headquarters and
a visual reminder of its mission: to preserve the
unique heritage of the Alleghany Highlands.
Currently, the society is working on the
Industrial Heritage and Technology Discovery
Center.
Located on the 200 block of historic Maple
Avenue, The Industrial Heritage and Technology
Discovery Center will celebrate the rich industrial
history of the Highlands, which dates back to
the pre-Civil War founding of the Low Moor
Iron Company. With the grant support of
The Alleghany Foundation, private donations
32 Alleghany Living
Historic
Humpback Bridge
and a Virginia Department of Housing and
Community Development grant, work on the
exterior restoration of the Center is complete
and was finished alongside Phase II of the city of
Covington's Maple Avenue Project. This work is
intended to turn Maple Avenue into a showcase
street in line with the Alleghany Highlands
Vision 2025 plan. The plan's focus is on
museums as an opportunity to preserve history
and welcome those interested in learning more
about the area.
The Alleghany Historical Society continues
to work with the community to collect artifacts
relating to industry in the Highlands to be
displayed in the Center. Displays range from preindustrial
farming tools to mining equipment to
textile and papermaking exhibits. The Center
also includes hands-on activities and stations to
add an interactive element to the experience.
Another area of focus on the history of the
Highlands centers on the restoration of Green
Pastures Recreation Area. A group of volunteers
and community leaders led a grassroots effort to
restore and reopen the area, which is an historic
2022 Alleghany Living Guide

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