Mining has transitioned to recreation in Austinville
Centuries of industry collide with natural beauty in Austinville, an unincorporated community along the New River that’s also home to the longest-operating mine in the U.S. In its early years, lead extracted from the site was made into bullets that American troops fired during the Revolutionary War. For a time, the mine was operated by the community’s namesake, Moses Austin, whose son Stephen F. Austin would go on to be known as the Father of Texas. Mining operations later focused on zinc and iron, but today center on extracting limestone. Over time, mining companies have sold or donated land to the state; the railroad route that once transported iron ore is now a riverside nature trail, and rehabilitated land became part of New River Trail State Park. “Part of the old mining operation where they loaded zinc and iron ore, we own that,” says Sam Sweeney, manager of New River Trail State Park. “It’s part of the park.” More than 30 people still work at the quarry, but this area south of Wytheville is now better known for its rural setting and riverfront recreation that are the primary draws for those who move to this small, rural community.
Boating, floating and hiking along the New River
Just past Stephen F. Austin Memorial Park, a small plot of land that commemorates Austin’s birth in 1793, a boat ramp leads to the New River. Anglers can fish for catfish and muskie in the river, while others take inner tubes to the water and float nearly 4 miles before getting out ahead of the rapids at Foster Falls. People can also hike alongside the water thanks to New River Trail State Park, a 57-mile trail that passes through Austinville. People may hike from the trailhead and parking lot in neighboring Ivanhoe to the Austinville trailhead, passing a birding trail along the way. “If you like birdwatching, you can see a lot of different birds through all the seasons as you ride and walk the trail,” Sweeney says. “Some people go from parking lot to parking lot and pull out their binoculars to watch.” The stretch of the trail through Austinville also takes hikers and cyclists through a tunnel, originally blasted out of a mountain for the railroad, and Jackson Ferry Shot Tower, used 200 years ago to make ammunition from locally mined lead.
Homes become more spread out farther south and west
Down the road from the quarry, early 20th-century bungalows are arranged into tight rows less than a mile from the New River. To the south, ranch- and Arts and Crafts-style homes sit along Virginia state Route 69. Prices for these houses usually vary between about $90,000 and $225,000. Farther south and west, houses and lots get larger, with Colonial Revivals scattered on 4-plus acres, and those properties can fetch upwards of $635,000.
Austinville’s CAP Index Crime Score is 2 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4.
Kids zoned to Wythe County Public Schools
Children can go to Jackson Memorial Elementary on the east side of Austinville. Niche gives the school a B-minus grade. About 6 miles north of the community, B-plus-rated Fort Chiswell Middle and C-plus-scored Fort Chiswell High share a campus. Teens at Fort Chiswell High can choose from one of six pathways that shape their coursework. For example, the College Scholars pathway puts students in dual-enrollment courses, so they can earn college credits before graduating. Meanwhile, the Transition to Work pathway helps students complete career training they’ll need to start a job.
Most nearby retail and dining in Wytheville or Hillsville
A late 1800s inn stands a short walk from the Foster Falls rapids west of Austinville. Inside the hotel, 1887 Restaurant at Foster Falls serves Sunday brunch and French-inspired dinners. Other restaurants are about 15 miles north of town in Wytheville or 7 miles south in Hillsville. These communities also have the closest shopping, with Food Lion in Hillsville, and Walmart and Lowe’s Home Improvement in Wytheville.
Navigating the area via I-77, Route 52
Austinville is a car-dependent community with several highways, including Interstate 77 and U.S. Route 52. Both lead north to Interstate 81, which drivers can take across western Virginia to cities such as Roanoke and Bristol. Only two bridges cross the New River, which may extend drive times for residents heading north or west. For example, a house may be directly across the river from the neighboring community of Ivanhoe, but it takes more than 10 miles to drive to the nearest bridge, cross the New River and continue to Ivanhoe.
Written By
Alex Soderstrom
