Ghost town of Monroe Va.

[RTR]

Some old timers believe its under Smith Mt. Lake.Dont know but I marked water depths of 320 Ft. here.
> The Ghost Town Of Monroe Could Be Hiding Underwater In Virginia

 

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[RTR]

Rebel-KGC....... Do you have any more info on this ? At one time,years ago, I found tax records on the town.But I cant find them now for the life of me.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

I also read about the Monroe, Va. of SML; there is ANOTHER Monroe, Va. in Amherst County. Va. It was once a BUSY Rail Road town, north of Lynchburg, Va.; it is ALSO a "Ghost Town".

 

[Rebel - KGC]

BEST place to find info, would be the Bedford City/County Historical Society in the old Lodge Building in Bedford, Va. ALSO Vickie Gardner of SML Chambers of Commerce/VISITOR CENTER at Bridgewater Plaza in Franklin County could help. THAT Bridge going into Franklin County from Bedford is "over" the old community of Hale's Ford, HENCE the name... HALESFORD BRIDGE... HEH! LOTS of farms, family cemeteries, homes WERE "covered over" by the waters of SML; FASCINATING history!

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Since you live at SML, visit the Franklin County Library at West Lake... I go there EVERY TIME, that wife & I visit the SML State Park or West Lake... NEAT!

 

[RTR]

I also read about the Monroe, Va. of SML; there is ANOTHER Monroe, Va. in Amherst County. Va. It was once a BUSY Rail Road town, north of Lynchburg, Va.; it is ALSO a "Ghost Town".

Thanks I've read about that one....... But this 'Monroe' is under the lake.Could be Franklin, OR Pittsylvania, OR Bedford county .All 3 counties come together(close to that point),where I think town of Monro is........IF you google Satellite. Smith Mt. lake and draw a line from "Vista Point" to channel marker R-3(which is at the base of Smith Mt.).Half way between those 2 points is where I believe Monro is.And that's in ,just about 300 ft. of water,per my depth finder.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Yeah, I think that WAS the general area; it was south of Dundee, Va. of Bedford County; I think Rt. 43 South from Bedford, Va. was once an "access"; it goes on to Altavista, Va.

 

[RTR]

As a follow up to post #6.The location I described would put the t/o Monroe(back then,before the lake) on the banks of the Roanoke river...JUST downstream from where the Blackwater & Roanoke rivers converge.AND about 1 mile Upstream from what is now the S.M.L. Dam. And pretty much, directly under here.

 

[RTR]

Like here

 

[Rebel - KGC]

COULD BE... many divers have found "towns/communities" under water at SML.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Chambers Office at SML, may know; Visitors Center at Bridgewater Plaza (SML, Franklin County) MAY have a FILE FOLDER on such... dunno. Get a Map of SML & "plot it"... GREAT R & I for Winter!

 

[Rebel - KGC]

OR! "Google" The Forgotten Town Of Monroe in Pittsylvania, Va. The Forgotten Town of Monroe, Pittsylvania County, Virginia - 19th-Century History

 

[Rebel - KGC]

I read of a web-site that had scuba-divers "chatting" about this topic; if I find the "addy", I will share.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Here it is: Smith Mountain Lake - Underwater Town - Fact or Fiction; SCUBA BOARD ("Google It"!). INTERESTING!

 

[Rebel - KGC]

From THAT "site", Scuba Divers indicate that Monroe, Va. was/is underwater in the Vista Point "area"; Records on Monroe, Va. are in Danville, Va. HH! Good Luck!

 

[RTR]

From THAT "site", Scuba Divers indicate that Monroe, Va. was/is underwater in the Vista Point "area"; Records on Monroe, Va. are in Danville, Va. HH! Good Luck!

Hey Bill.A while back I ran into a guy that was using GPR to find the remains of the "old" Hales Ford bridge.He found it .While talking w/him he said his next target with GPR is Monroe

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Well, a fisherman with SONOR took "pics" of the OLD Hale's Ford Bridge, GREAT! And maps with underwater images of downed trees, old roads, & some "structures" are indicated in the ScubaDivers.Com "site". TWO divers even tried it at a Marina; could only get down @ 10'; "Vis" was poor & too dangerous to go down DEEPER. Vista Point, off of Rt. 626 (I think) is OLD "access" Road, with a "S" curve near SML State Park mentioned as a "land-mark". HH! Good Luck!

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Need an OLD map of Pittsylvania County, Va. (1818 or so) to show Monroe, Va. with Anthony Ford Bridge leading to it (in P.C.) on Rt. 626 from TODAY'S Vista Pointe of Bedford County, Va. It went down to Staunton River, crossing the "Ford" there; MAY have had Anthony's Ferry down there at one time... underwater images indicated such a road, not far from the SML Dam, which has Leesville Lake, ALSO. It is in P.C. MORE, later.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

My R & I continues with The Forgotten Town Of Monroe in Pittsylvania County, Va. ("Google" it), & reviewing the Rt. 626 (under SML water from Vista Pointe) to the old Staunton River (underwater); MAY be where the old "Ford" was & the FERRY crossing the Staunton River into OLD Pittsylvania County. It later became the old bridge "crossing the Staunton at the NORTHEAST corner of Pittsylvania County..."; Monroe, Va. disappeared from the Tax Rolls by 1869. It WAS in Deed Book 22 in the Pittsylvania County Records, & Monroe, Va. was indicated as being on the SOUTH bank of the Staunton (STILL underwater) & I do not know how wide the Staunton River was (under SML). THAT is for OTHERS to find out. Vista Pointe near SML State Park IS "KEY" in MHO.

 

[RTR]

My R & I continues with The Forgotten Town Of Monroe in Pittsylvania County, Va. ("Google" it), & reviewing the Rt. 626 (under SML water from Vista Pointe) to the old Staunton River (underwater); MAY be where the old "Ford" was & the FERRY crossing the Staunton River into OLD Pittsylvania County. It later became the old bridge "crossing the Staunton at the NORTHEAST corner of Pittsylvania County..."; Monroe, Va. disappeared from the Tax Rolls by 1869. It WAS in Deed Book 22 in the Pittsylvania County Records, & Monroe, Va. was indicated as being on the SOUTH bank of the Staunton (STILL underwater) & I do not know how wide the Staunton River was (under SML). THAT is for OTHERS to find out. Vista Pointe near SML State Park IS "KEY" in MHO.

Thanks much