Welcome to Emory
|
Emory, Virginia, is a quaint village located in the Highlands of Southwest Virginia, surrounded by the Appalachian Mountains. Just half a mile off Interstate 81 (Exit 26), the community lies adjacent to Emory & Henry College, a private, liberal arts college. The beautiful campus of Emory & Henry is a designated National Historic Site. Its unique character spills into the streets of Emory, which boasts its own landmarks, history and legends. The four prominent buildings in the center of Emory are Addison's restaurant, The Emory Mercantile and Deli, The Emory Depot, which houses The 1912 Gallery, and the U.S. Post Office. Surrounding "downtown," you will find quiet, tree-lined streets and many older homes, some dating back to the mid 1800s. Many E&H faculty and staff members and students make their home here in Emory. |
 |
|
| This sculpture stands at the center of Emory near the Train Depot, honoring the Navy soldiers who attended Emory & Henry during World War II. The statue was a gift of the late Don Tendick, a beloved benefactor of the college and one of those Navy students. |
At any given time in this quiet hamlet, you may find neighbors greeting each other in their front yards, comparing the success of their summer gardens or rocking on a breezy porch perhaps retelling the legend of the lantern or discussing current politics.
The community of Emory didn’t exist except as a part of Emory &
Henry College until the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
when the college began selling tracts of land from the many surrounding
acres it owned. The community became a criss-cross of streets named after
trees (Birch, Maple) and famous universities (Oxford, Cambridge), and
residents of the surrounding county and towns moved into the village.
The first railroad was built in 1856 which also helped open the community
and marked a boundary between Emory and the college. While the village
grew for many years, Emory’s “building boom” took place
in 1912.
If you would like more information about Emory, or if you have comments
about this website send an e-mail here.