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Moonshine Capital of the World, Booker T. Washington and General Jubal A. Early

Program Number: 19536RJ
Start and End Dates:
5/6/2013 - 5/9/2013;
Duration: 3 nights
Location: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia
Price starting at: $489.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Multi-Topic; African American Studies
Meals: 9; 3 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners    
Meal Options: Gluten Free; Low Salt; Low Fat; Vegetarian    

What do a short-tempered Confederate general, a leading African American educator and moonshine have in common? They all call Franklin County home. Based on the shores of Smith Mountain Lake, delve into the rollicking history and culture of moonshine, then explore the homes and examine the lives of Jubal A. Early and Booker T. Washington. Enjoy a leisurely boat trip on Smith Mountain Lake - the "Jewel of the Blue Ridge."




Highlights

• Through a visit to Washington's Birthplace learn about his rise from slavery and abject poverty to international prominence thanks to his “longing to learn.”
• Examine the Lost Cause movement led by Robert E. Lee's “Bad Old General” Jubal Early and enjoy a tour of his birthplace and home.
• Visit a working moonshine still and learn to make the “fruit of the hills” in Franklin County, Va., the undisputed “Moonshine Capital of the World.” as displayed in the recent movie "Lawless."



Activity Particulars

Walking a short distance and standing for up to one hour.




Date Specific Information

5-6-2013

Enjoy the latest in hearing technology — listening devices — on this date.



Coordinated by Smith Mountain Lake 4-H Educational Center.




Smith Mountain Lake

This popular destination, often called the "Jewel of the Blue Ridge Mountains," comprises 500 miles of shoreline within a historic three-county region that includes Jefferson's "Poplar Forest" retreat and the birthplace of Booker T. Washington.
Accommodations
Modern conference center on the shores of Smith Mountain Lake; Wireless internet access throughout the entire 4-H Center campus.
Meals and Lodgings
   W. E. Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center at Smith Mountain Lake
  Smith Mountain Lake 4 nights
 W. E. Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center at Smith Mountain Lake
Type: Conference Center
  Description: The W.E. Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center at Smith Mountain Lake is located on the shores of beautiful Smith Mountain Lake, a 40 mile long lake with 500 miles of shoreline. Opportunities for outdoor recreation as well as relaxation and reflection are available at a particularly beautiful time of year.
  Contact info: 775 Hermitage Rd.
Wirtz, VA 24184 USA
phone: 540-721-2759 xext264
web: www.skelton4hcenter.org
  Room amenities: Each room is equipped with a dresser and abundant shelf/closet space, a table and two chairs for relaxing/reading. Table lamps and a clock radio are provided in each guest room.
  Facility amenities: The modern Virginia Tech Executive Computer Center is located in Hepler-Jamison Lodge. It contains three computers connected to the Virginia Tech Library system and is available for use by Participants 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Wireless computer service is available throughout the 4-H Center campus.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior: $50-$60 per night Overnight accommodations before and following Road Scholars may be available depending on other scheduled events. Contact Dennis Crowley at (540)-721-2759 ext. 264 or at dcrowley@vt.edu to inquire and make arrangements.
  Check in time: 3:00 PM
  Additional nights after: $50-$60 per night Overnight accommodations before and following Road Scholars may be available depending on other scheduled events. Contact Dennis Crowley at (540)-721-2759 ext. 264 or at dcrowley@vt.edu to inquire and make arrangements.
  Check out time: 12:00 PM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
Taubman Conference Center - 3 PM You will be staying at W. E. Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center at Smith Mountain Lake that night.
  End of Program:
Taubman Conference Center - Noon You will be staying at W. E. Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center at Smith Mountain Lake the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required. Participants must complete and submit a Health and Safety form to the Road Scholar Program Provider prior to the beginning of the program.
  Parking availability:
There is ample parking available within 30 feet of lodging facilities.
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Smith Mountain Lake
  Nearest city or town:  Roanoke, Virginia
  Nearest highway: US Routes 581 and 81
  Nearest airport:  Roanoke, Virginia
  From End of Program
  Location: Smith Mountain Lake
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
Travel Details
 

Roanoke, VA

 

To Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Taxi
Yellow Cab
phone: 540-345-7711
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

Approximately $60 per cab
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

45 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

25 miles
   

Very often Participants are able to obtain return transportation to the Roanoke, VA airport with fellow Participants they have met during the program; however, if this is not an option, additional transportation providers available to the Roanoke airport include: Liberty Cab - 540-344-1776, Prestige Limo - 540-342-8049, Executive Limo - 540-366-4644, Airport Limo - 540-345-7710
 

Roanoke, VA

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Taxi
Yellow Cab
phone: 540-345-7711
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

Approximately $60
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

45 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

25 miles
   

Additional transportation providers available from the Roanoke airport include: Liberty Cab - 540-344-1776, Prestige Limo - 540-342-8049, Executive Limo - 540-366-4644, Airport Limo - 540-345-7710
 
Driving Directions
  Roanoke, VA From I-81 take exit 143 - I-581 220 (220 South) through Roanoke and then Boones Mill (approximately 13 miles from Roanoke) - being careful to avoid the speed traps continually in operation along this route - to the traffic light at Wirtz Road (Route 697). A Dairy Queen and an Exxon station will be on the corner on your left. Turn left on Wirtz Road and follow this road for approximately 5 miles to a stop sign. At the stop sign turn left on to Booker T. Washington Highway (Route 122). Go ahead 1 mile to Burnt Chimney Road (Route 670) and take a hard right onto 670. Follow this road for 7 miles to Lovely Valley Road (Route 668) - you'll start to see small green signs directing to the 4-H Center - and take a right onto Lovely Valley Road. Follow this road for 1 mile to the stop sign. Turn right onto Crafts Ford Road (Route 944) - go approximately 1 1/2 miles to a sharp curve and turn left onto Hermitage Road (Route 669). Follow Hermitage Road to the Center - the Taubman Conference Center where registration is conducted is the first building on the left as you enter the Center grounds just past the cemetery. A map with detailed directions will be included in the Welcome packet you'll receive about 4 weeks prior to the beginning of the Road Scholar.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Arrival/ Check-in & Registration/Casual Walking Tour of Center Grounds/Dinner/ Orientation & Getting to Know You
(Monday, May 6)

Note: We'll enjoy a casual walking tour of the Center which entails walking up and down a short incline. Participants should be able to walk a short distance and stand for approximately 1/2 hour; however, participants may decide to opt out of this activity.
   
 Afternoon: ARRIVAL & CHECK-IN: Participants are welcome to arrive at the Center any time after 1:00pm.

REGISTRATION: From 3:00pm until 5:00pm. Meet the staff and pick up your arrival packet with the most up-to-date schedule that we'll review during orientation.

SITE EXCURSION: At 5:00pm we'll gather together in the Taubman Conference Room for a casual walking excursion so you can become familiar with the Center grounds and facilities. The walk will last about 30 minutes and will be followed by dinner.

 Dinner: Our first meal together will be dinner in Smith Hall, the Center's dining and administrative facility. The “all you can eat” buffet with salad, a main course, and dessert usually has people coming back oftentimes for more than seconds.
 Evening: ORIENTATION: We’ll begin promptly at 7:00pm. During the first 45 minutes of the session, we’ll review the updated schedule, responsibilities, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and any other administrative issues. There will be a brief presentation on the 4-H movement and a short film that provides a nice overview of the Smith Mountain Lake area.

After a short break, we'll reconvene for the "get acquainted" portion of the evening. Given past experience we should be through by 8:30pm, allowing you ample opportunity to continue getting to know one another and to rest up for the next day's activities.
   
Accommodations: W. E. Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center at Smith Mountain Lake
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Breakfast/Stories of Franklin County (Moonshine Capital of the World)/Lunch/ Moonshine Field Trip/Dinner/ Evening Movie
(Tuesday, May 7)

Note: A rollicking day! Travel via coach/van to a local working "still" and sample the product. Participants should be able to walk a short distance and stand for approximately 45 minutes.
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet in the dining hall is available at 7:30am. Choose from fare-of-the-day and/or a variety of fruits and cereals. The buffet line will be open until 8:15am.
 Morning: PRESENTATION: Discover the world of Franklin County — “Moonshine Capital of the World” — as depicted in the recent movie "Lawless" - with stories of white “likker” and “revenooers” and a review of the longest trial in Virginia history: the Great Moonshine Conspiracy Trial of 1935.
 Lunch: The lunch buffet is available from Noon until 12:45pm. Salad, entrée, dessert.
 Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: It's time to board our transportation for a trek into the wilds of Franklin County where we'll visit a functioning moonshine still. From well informed interpreters, you'll learn how to make the "fruit of the hills" - white "likker." We'll also travel back to Rocky Mount, VA, the seat of Franklin County, for a special local treat: Coca Cola in glass bottles with peanuts swimming inside. Delicious! We'll arrive back at the Center in time for dinner.
 Dinner: As on every evening, the dinner buffet is available at 5:30pm and includes salad, the main course, and dessert.
 Evening: EVENING ENTERTAINMENT: Since you'll be staying on Smith Mountain Lake for 4 days it's only right for us to view the movie filmed at the Lake, "What About Bob" - starring Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss.
   
Accommodations: W. E. Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center at Smith Mountain Lake
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Breakfast/Life & Times of Gen. Jubal A. Early/Lunch/ Field Trip to Early's Boyhood Home/Boat Trip on Smith Mountain Lake/Dinner/ Evening Entertainment
(Wednesday, May 8)

Note: We'll tour Jubal Early's boyhood home which will mean standing for approximately 45 minutes.
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast from 7:30 AM to 8:15.
 Morning: PRESENTATION: Your dynamic instructor has a great deal to tell you about the intriguing and, for the time, scandalous personal life of Jubal A. Early — Robert E. Lee's so-called "Bad Old Man" because of his short temper. You’ll learn not only about Early's exploits during the Civil War but also his pre- and post-wartime experiences. Early went from being a Whig who opposed secession to becoming one of the most outspoken proponents of the “Lost Cause” movement.
 Lunch: The lunch buffet is available from Noon until 12:45pm. Salad, entrée, dessert.
 Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Following a review of Jubal Early's close ties to Franklin County, we’ll travel to his boyhood home for a close-up look at how he and his family lived in pre-war southwestern Virginia. The Jubal A. Early Homeplace is situated at the foot of Early's Mountain. It was here that Jubal grew up on the 4,000-acre tobacco plantation his father managed. After the tour we'll travel to the marina for our boat trip.
 Dinner: Dinner again from 5:30 to 6:15
 Evening: EVENING ENTERTAINMENT: You'll be mesmerized by the talent on display. Things will conclude by 9:30 in order to give you time to prepare for the program tomorrow.
   
Accommodations: W. E. Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center at Smith Mountain Lake
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Breakfast/ Field Trip to and Tour of Booker T. Washington's Birthplace/ Picnic Lunch/ Departure
(Thursday, May 9)

Note: Our trip to Booker T. Washington's Birthplace and National Monument will require us to walk a short distance and stand for around 45 minutes.
   
 Breakfast: Enjoy the last breakfast of the program from 7:30-8:15am.
 Morning: FIELD TRIP & PRESENTATION: Few people could be more different than Jubal A. Early and Booker T. Washington, dramatically delineating the historical diversity found in Franklin County. Washington's early life will be illuminated by a visit to his birthplace and interaction with costumed interpreters.

National Park Rangers will lead discussions about the remarkable life of Booker Taliaferro Washington, born into slavery in 1856 on the nearby Burroughs plantation. Through hard work and a lifelong love of learning, he rose to international acclaim as one of the most admired African American educators and leaders in the early 20th century. In his book "Up from Slavery" Washington recalled hearing a U.S. officer read the Emancipation Proclamation and declare, “…that we were all free, and could go when and where we pleased. My mother, who was standing by my side, leaned over and kissed her children, while tears of joy ran down her cheeks.”

 Lunch: During a relaxing picnic lunch at Booker T. Washington's birthplace, you’ll no doubt reflect on how a person can rise above circumstances to achieve greatness.
 Afternoon: We’ll return to Smith Mountain Lake after lunch for independent depatures home. We hope you’ve enjoyed this enlightening and rewarding new program and will join us for other fascinating programs in the future. Best wishes for all your journeys!
   
Accommodations: W. E. Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center at Smith Mountain Lake
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Free Time Opportunities
  
  Smith Mountain Lake Activities
A well marked trail - the Shoreline Trail - is located on the Center property. It meanders along the back of the property and follows the Lake shore. Approximately 1 - 1/2 mile long. Easy terrain. For additional information, visit www.skelton4hcenter.org
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


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