Downtown
Wytheville
The heart of Wytheville's downtown area, Main Street is located
on the Great Road that originated in Philadelphia and became one
of the major routes for settlers traveling through Virginia to
the Western frontier.
Still thriving with business, Wytheville's downtown is rich in
history. In the center of downtown, you will find one of the oldest
continually running movie theaters in the United States. The Millwald
Theatre was built in 1928 and still retains many of the original
features. A stroll down this wide street will find a variety of
unique shops and specialty stores and quaint cafes and small restaurants.
For those who wish to delve deeper into the history of Wytheville,
a full-color brochure is available which highlights the over 50
structures on the Historical Walking Tour. On this tour, you can
learn about many historical events that
happened in this area including the Battle of Wytheville during
the Civil War and the birth of a very significant First Lady.
"The
Big Pencil"
For almost 50 years, visitors have made a "point" to
see one Main Street landmark that any writer could use his or
her entire career and never have to sharpen. The late John Campbell
Findlay (the original owner of Wytheville Office Supply) had the
"Big Pencil" constructed in the late 50s. Made of metal,
it is approximately 30 feet long. At that time, Main Street (U.S.
21) was the main route through this area, and, it was Mr. Findlay's
idea for the businesses in Wytheville along this route to advertise
by having a large object on the exterior that depicted the business.
The idea did not catch on as Mr. Findlay wished and, eventually,
Interstates 81 and 77 drew traffic away from U.S. 21, but the
"Big Pencil" still serves as a historical reminder of
another era.
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Located in the
heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Southwest Virginia at the
Crossroads of I-81 & I-77, Wytheville is 14.28 square miles
in size, at an elevation of 2,000 to 4,000 ft. Wythe County is
460 square miles. Town population is 7,804. The town was incorporated
in 1839. Wythe County population is 27,599. Average annual temperature
is 540F, with a normal in January of 360F and in July of 720F.
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Downtown
Wytheville ­ Still Thriving
A big yellow pencil isn't the only thing unusual about Downtown
Wytheville. While many older downtowns across the nation have
rolled up their sidewalks, Downtown Wytheville is still thriving
with over 20 retail businesses and numerous offices. From home
furnishings to a bike shop, there are lots of interesting shopping
opportunities. Several of the oldest buildings in Wytheville are
still welcoming customers. Ask about some of the interesting stories
that are a part of these historic structures.
Millwald
Theatre
Constructed in 1928, the Millwald Theatre is the oldest continuously
operating theatre in Virginia. According to history, the basement
was designated as a bomb shelter and supplied with emergency rations
during the height of the Cold War in the 1950s. It also served
as the scene of school graduations, political rallies, and other
performances through the years. There are fewer than 100 of these
old facilities left in the United States, since most small town
movie theatres closed with the advent of television in the 50s
and videos in the 80s. Although the theatre underwent remodeling
in the late 80s to make it multi-screen, many of the original
features still remain.
