We’ve found that people are using the Lost Communities of Virginia book to tour the state, but there are many more fascinating places than we had room for in the book. Lost Communities of Virginia Tour Guides introduce travelers to lesser known aspects of Virginia history by providing backroad routes to lost communities. Communities along the routes reveal physical remnants of once thriving communities along with unique areas to explore and visit that whisper a sense of Virginia’s history and character.

The tour guides are brochures covering a few counties at a time via rural roads, with historical information and points of interest highlighted, along with a detailed map showing the tour route.
- Motorcyclist’s Guide to Lost Communities of Virginia’s Blue Ridge brochures are available at our office (101 South Main Street, Blacksburg, VA 24060) or downloaded as a PDF.
- The Lost Communities of Virginia Southern Driving Tour is now available electronically! Look for the brochure at tourism outlets in Appomattox, Campbell, Charlotte, Halifax, and Pittsylvania Counties or stop by our office for a copy!
- The Lost Communities of Virginia Backroads of Southwest Virginia Driving Tour is now available electonically! Look for the brochure at tourism outlets in Montgomery, Wythe, and Carroll Counties or stop by our office for a copy!
It is envisioned that these brochures will become a guidebook that seeks to bring to life the past and present characters of Virginia’s lost communities by providing the traveler with a historical sketch of each community written in the words of its residents. Accented by a general narrative of the trends and movements of Virginia and U.S. history, the book will highlight those moments in time that make each community a unique part of our shared American story.
For more information, call 540-231-5644, or email egilboy@vt.edu