Leaving Concord PA, we headed south through traffic in Baltimore and Washington, and arrived in Concord, Virginia at the Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue (Concord PA Chapter). We met Kimberly and Chelio who shelter ten donkeys along with a blind cow, lame pig, and a goat with a club foot (billy-club foot?) Kimberly graciously showed us around her farm which includes a little cemetery. She conjectures that the sunken unmarked graves are the resting place of people held as slaves.
Stopped off for lunch at Carson's Hardware and Grocery Store. LaShona is a life-long resident who has seen Concord evolve from an agricultural community to a commuter town. She works at the Frito Lays plant in Lynchburg. Neither LaShona nor the gregarious woman making our sandwiches could answer the question: "How did Concord get its name?"
"We don't know, but that guy at the cash register - he's the one to talk to about local history."
"We don't know, but that guy at the cash register - he's the one to talk to about local history."
Richard Martin took on the question of Concord's origin as a serious challenge. He shook his head, sighed, then pulled a county history book off the shelf. He couldn't answer the question, but he did give me the thumbnail sketch of Concord VA's history. The town goes back to 1732. It was a farming community which had a train station. Trains stopped in Concord with troops heading to nearby Appomattox.
After the war, Concord lost out to Roanoke when the railroad was deciding on the site on the local train hub. Both were small sleepy towns. Today, Concord Virginia has a population of around 1500, while Roanoke has nearly 100,000 residents.
After the war, Concord lost out to Roanoke when the railroad was deciding on the site on the local train hub. Both were small sleepy towns. Today, Concord Virginia has a population of around 1500, while Roanoke has nearly 100,000 residents.
