Roanoke Valley facts for kids
The Roanoke Valley is a special area in southwest Virginia. It's located next to and includes the Roanoke River. This valley sits between the Blue Ridge Mountains on the east and the Appalachian Plateau to the west. A big part of Roanoke County is in the valley. It also includes the cities of Roanoke and Salem.
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Exploring the Roanoke Valley's Location
The Roanoke Valley stretches for about 20 miles (32 km). It goes from the Roanoke River gorge near Virginia's Explore Park in the east. It reaches all the way to Shawsville in the west. The valley can be as wide as 10 miles (16 km) near Roanoke City. In most other places, it's about 5 miles (8 km) wide.
The Roanoke Valley is part of the valley and ridge region of Virginia. This region also includes the Shenandoah Valley to the northeast. To the southwest, you'll find the New River Valley.
Natural Borders of the Valley
Mountains form the edges of the Roanoke Valley. To the west, there's a ridge called Christiansburg Mountain. Fort Lewis Mountain and Brushy Mountain form the northern border. To the southwest, Poor Mountain and other peaks in the Blue Ridge Mountains mark the boundary. The Blue Ridge also forms the east and southeast sides.
Long ago, the Roanoke Valley was an important stop on the Great Wagon Road. This road had two paths. One led to the Carolina Piedmont area. The other path, called the Wilderness Road, went to Tennessee and Kentucky.
Education in the Roanoke Valley
The city of Roanoke is home to Virginia Western Community College. This college is part of the Virginia Community College System. The valley also has three four-year colleges where students can earn degrees:
- Ferrum College in Ferrum
- Hollins University near Roanoke/Cloverdale
- Roanoke College in Salem
High Schools in the Valley
There are 12 public high schools in the Roanoke Valley. These schools help students prepare for college or careers:
- Cave Spring High School in Roanoke (part of Roanoke County)
- Craig County High School in New Castle (part of Craig County)
- Franklin County High School in Rocky Mount (part of Franklin County)
- Glenvar High School in Salem (part of Roanoke County)
- Hidden Valley High School in Roanoke (part of Roanoke County)
- James River High School in Springwood (part of Botetourt County)
- Lord Botetourt High School in Daleville (part of Botetourt County)
- Northside High School in Roanoke (part of Roanoke County)
- Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke (part of Roanoke City)
- Salem High School in Salem (part of Salem City)
- William Byrd High School in Vinton (part of Roanoke County)
- William Fleming High School in Roanoke (part of Roanoke City)
Professional Sports Teams
The Roanoke Valley is home to a few professional sports teams. As of 2018, these teams play here:
- Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs (based in Roanoke): This team plays in the Southern Professional Hockey League. They joined the league in 2016.
- Salem Red Sox (based in Salem): This baseball team has been part of the Carolina League since 1968. They are a Minor League Baseball team. Since 2009, they have been linked with the Boston Red Sox.
Interesting Facts About the Roanoke Valley
The Roanoke Valley has the lowest point above sea level in the mountains of southwest Virginia. Because of this, the Norfolk and Western Railway chose this valley for its main train route. This route connected the ports of Hampton Roads in eastern Virginia. It also reached the coal fields in southwest Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky.
The Norfolk and Western railroad had its main office in Roanoke for almost 100 years. Later, it merged with the Southern Railway. The new company, Norfolk Southern, moved its main office to Norfolk. Even with changes, the railroad is still a big employer in the valley.
