Eric Brady | The Roanoke Times
Franklin County
Often referred to as the "Jewel of the Blue Ridge," Smith Mountain Lake sits in the heart of Franklin County.
Franklin County
Franklin County is where the flatlands meet the mountains, where sailboats and jet skis glide across Smith Mountain Lake not far from where souped-up hot rods once hauled moonshine along twisty backroads. The county named for Benamin Franklin in 1785 gave the world both a Confederate general (Jubal Early) and an African-American educational pioneer (Booker T. Washington).
The fast-growing county is home to more than 50,000 people, as well as Ferrum College and the Blue Ridge Institute, whose annual Blue Ridge Folklife Festival every October celebrates the good old country ways. The county seat of Rocky Mount is distinguished by its hilly business district and bluegrass jam sessions, which is why it's the starting point for "The Crooked Road," Virginia's Heritage Music Trail.
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