Draper is a quiet pastoral town within the Blue Ridge Mountains
Draper, a former rail town, is within Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains and bordered by the New River. The town is 58 miles from Roanoke and has a quiet, pastoral setting. “People move here because it’s quiet,” says Larry Riffey, a real estate agent with Keller Williams New River Valley. Riffey has worked in the industry for 21 years. “It’s not a big town or anything. It’s very much mountain country living.” Most of the farms in Draper are old family farms, and a lot of them have livestock such as sheep and goats. Most residents are full-time, but the area does attract tourism, especially the Draper Mercantile and Trading Company along Greenbriar Road. Many visitors rent a house near the New River to escape the city and enjoy the mountain views.
Parks and recreation in Draper
Draper is home to the longest rail trail in Virginia. Spanning 57 miles, the New River Trail State Park has 32 trestle bridges and two tunnels. The trail is part of the New River Trail State Park, and visitors may walk, bike or ride horseback along it.
Train stops along the old railroad have been turned into rest stops with picnic areas. The public Draper Valley Golf Club is near Interstate 81 and has an 18-hole course. In the center of town, along Greenbriar Road, is the Draper Community Park. The park has an open, manicured field, a hard-top basketball for pick-up games and a covered picnic area.
The New River borders Draper and feeds into Claytor Lake, 11 miles north. Claytor Lake State Park is a popular boating, fishing and swimming location, with a marina and a beach. There are also trails throughout the park and several campgrounds, including four yurts for rent.
Shopping and dining in Draper and Pulaski
The Draper Mercantile and Trading Company is the heart of Draper and a tourist destination. The shop has been selling goods to Pulaski County residents for over 100 years and continues to sell artisanal items from local art to handmade soaps. Within the shop is a café called the Village Coffee Shoppe, which serves handcrafted espresso drinks and The Merc, a restaurant serving American comfort food. The restaurant has an open mic night on Thursdays and live music on Fridays; it can also be rented out for events. Next door to the Mercantile is the Draper Blooms Tea Garden, offering tea services from the elegant five-course high tea experience to a casual pastry with a pot of tea. Down the road, The Conery is next to the community park, selling coffee and ice cream. Along Old Route 100 Road, Spinning Jenny Vineyard is a seasonal winery on a 37-acre farm with a tasting room. The vineyard produces its wine as well as hay for local farms.
Residents head to the Food City and the Food Lion in Pulaski for groceries. More shopping and dining can be found at the Wytheville Commons, a shopping mall with a Walmart and a Lowe’s in Wytheville, 21 miles away.
Commuters use Old Route 100 to Interstate 81
“Residents usually commute to another nearby city for work,” says Riffey. Commuters use Old Route 100 to reach Pulaski in 11 minutes. Those heading to Roanoke take Interstate 81 north for 60 minutes. Heading south on Interstate 81, travelers reach Wytheville, 21 miles away, in just over 20 minutes.
The LewisGale Hospital Pulaski is 6 miles east, and the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport is 56 miles north along Interstate 81. Several houses of worship are in the area, including the Draper Methodist Church and The Village Chapel, which are along Greenbriar Road, and the Sanctuary of Hope, which is along Old Route 100 Road.
Single-family homes among rolling hills
Draper’s rolling hills are patchworked with farmland and veined with winding roadways. Most homes line long, gravel sideroads and are built back from the road. Many houses sit on farmland or large lots surrounded by mature oak, spruce and ash trees. There are primarily single-family homes in the Colonial Revival and ranch-styles, with the occasional A-frame cabin. Houses range from $200,000 to $480,000. There are a few vacation homes, but most residents live in Draper full-time, notes Riffey. Homes close to the New River may experience flooding during heavy rainfall.
Students attend schools in Pulaski County
Pulaski County Public Schools, which gets a B-minus from Niche, serves the area. Children may attend Critzer Elementary and Pulaski County Middle School, both of which get a C-plus. Students continue to Pulaski County High School, which gets a B-minus. The high school offers driver's education and has a career and technical education program offering classes in agriculture, business, healthcare, technology and others.
Events in Draper
The Draper Village Heritage Market is a farmers market at Merc Farms, along Brown Road. It takes place on the first Saturday of every month and hosts local farmers and vendors selling fresh produce and crafts. During the first Saturday of June, the community celebrates the Draper Days Festival. Merc Farms hosts vendors and live music at the Heritage Market, and businesses offer specials, interactive experiences, live music and other activities.
Written By
Isabella Pontecorvo
