OUR MISSION
Provide a meaningful and quality experience for our event clients and coffee shop customers while continuing to work toward collaborative partnering with other business leaders, community development and public service organizations, in the ongoing effort to revitalize downtown Christiansburg, VA as a “Place to Go”.
Intentionally Investing
For some, investment is time and for others it is personal resources. For others it is knowledge and experience. Investment often means risk, however for exponential impact, risk taking and a willingness to invest into the community is critical.
Relationship
Building
Establishing opportunities for commercial engagement is extremely important and cultivating community relationshiops highly significant. Cultivating community through relationship building increases economic potential for revitalization.
Mission
Focused
What is the goal, why is it important and what changes as a result? Every decision must be made with the desired end result in focus. Lives impacted, jobs created, communities revitalized, economic and business models initiated.
OUR HISTORY
In the 1700’s the Great Wagon Road served as a primary route for travelers from Philadelphia to Augusta, winding through Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. “Scottish-Irish and German settlers in particular took the road as a means to explore new opportunities in the South.” (www.journalnow.com)
The original route, most of which has been covered by urban development, follows the path of State Hwy 11, with various offshoots through various towns as trails moved south. There is debate of course over the exact location of the Great Road, however, depictions represented on maps or in paintings - like the painting by John W. de Groot of 1939 hanging on the wall in the Christiansburg Post Office - bring historic insight to an exciting time of growth and expansion for our country.
We know in looking at our town’s history, the “Great Wilderness Road” through Christiansburg VA, as a gateway into Kentucky, started as a “collection of taverns and rest stops” for the weary traveler coming through town. (www.Christiansburg.org/1224/Town-history)
In 2017, after sitting vacant for over six years, the former Main Street Baptist Church buildings in downtown Christiansburg were purchased. Renovation began to create an event and meeting venue now called Great Road On Main.