When you live in central North Carolina eventually you get asked the question “The beach or the mountains?”. Since we are roughly equidistant to both there are always discussions about the relative merits of each destination. Whenever I have some free time and a full tank of gas I am usually headed to the mountains.
One of my “go to” mountain locations is the little town of Galax, Virginia. It is a logical choice as it is one of the closest high country destinations from my home, as well as being very inexpensive. Of course, if it were just a matter of convenient location that would scarcely be a reason to visit. Like most small towns, Galax is much more than meets the eye.
For many years Galax was to me just a sign along the interstate. Traveling to and from Ohio I would always pass the exit without giving much thought to the name on the sign. Even though it was just a few miles down the road I never seemed to have enough time or inclination to visit.
Finally, curiosity got the better of me and on one of my trips I decided to make an overnight stop. This would be the first of regular visits to photograph what has become one of my favorite destinations.
At this point, I should mention that I am a collector of small towns. Not collecting in a literal sense, (After all where would I put them!) but more a way of experiencing, cataloging, and photographing each one. Galax, was a perfect candidate for my list of favorite towns. It checks all the boxes: not too big, not too small; a mountain setting; and a little off the beaten path.
There are many things to like about Galax. The surrounding mountain landscape is serene and comforting. Although the elevation is over 2300 feet the scenery has the appearance of rolling hills with a substantial amount of farm and pastoral land. The big mountain peaks, however, always loom just on the horizon. In addition, the Blue Ridge Parkway is just a few miles down the road.
The town itself is classic small town America. Tree-lined Main Street has an interesting variety of “mom and pop” businesses, including at least two ice cream shops and several good restaurants. Galax is an important hub for country and bluegrass music. Several of the local businesses support the city’s musical heritage.
All of these things make Galax a great place to spend some time and to capture some great photographs. Even though I have been to this small town many times I never run out of photo subjects. There are plenty of interesting people and places here to keep my camera shutter clicking for many more trips.
If you would like to see some of my favorite images of Galax, go to my featured gallery, City on a Hill. And if you want to learn more about the town and it’s history check out the Wikipedia page here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galax,_Virginia or simply Google Galax, Virginia.