Roanoke - Virginia - 4K Downtown Drive
35,906
Published 2020-10-17
Filmed: October 2020
From Wikipedia:
Roanoke (/ˈroʊənoʊk/) is an independent city in the U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. At the 2010 census, the population was 97,032. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia.
Roanoke is the largest municipality in Southwest Virginia, and is the principal municipality of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which had a 2010 population of 308,707. It is composed of the independent cities of Roanoke and Salem, and Botetourt, Craig, Franklin, and Roanoke counties. Bisected by the Roanoke River, Roanoke is the commercial and cultural hub of much of Southwest Virginia and portions of Southern West Virginia
The town first called Big Lick was established in 1852 and chartered in 1874. It was named for a large outcropping of salt which drew the wildlife to the site near the Roanoke River. In 1882 it became the town of Roanoke, and in 1884 it was chartered as the independent city of Roanoke. The name Roanoke is said to have originated from an Algonquian word for "shell money". The name for the river was that used by the Algonquian speakers who lived 300 miles away where the river emptied into the sea near Roanoke Island. The native people who lived near where the city was founded did not speak Algonquian. They spoke Siouan languages, Tutelo and Catawban. There were also Cherokee speakers in that general area who fought with the Catawba people. The city grew frequently through annexation through the middle of the 20th century. The last annexation was in 1976. The state legislature has since prohibited cities from annexing land from adjacent counties. Roanoke's location in the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the middle of the Roanoke Valley between Maryland and Tennessee, made it the transportation hub of western Virginia and contributed to its rapid growth.
Interstate 581 is the primary north-south roadway through the city. It is also the only interstate highway as Interstate 81 passes north of the city limits. Interstate 581 is a concurrency with U.S. Route 220, which continues as the Roy L. Webber Expressway from downtown Roanoke, where the I-581 designation ends, south to State Route 419. Route 220 connects Roanoke to Martinsville, Virginia and Greensboro, North Carolina. The proposed Interstate 73 would generally parallel Route 220 between Roanoke and Greensboro and would likely be a concurrency with I-581 through the city. The primary east-west roadway is U.S. Route 460, named Melrose Avenue and Orange Avenue. Route 460 connects Roanoke to Lynchburg. U.S. Route 11 passes through the city, primarily as Brandon Avenue and Williamson Road, which was a center of automotive-based commercial development after World War II. Other major roads include U.S. Route 221, State Route 117 (known as Peters Creek Road) and State Route 101 (known as Hershberger Road). The Blue Ridge Parkway also briefly runs adjacent to the city border.
Roanoke is divided into four quadrants: Northwest (NW), Northeast (NE), Southwest (SW) and Southeast (SE). The mailing address for locations in Roanoke includes the two letter quadrant abbreviation after the street name. For example, the Center in the Square complex in downtown Roanoke has the address "1 Market Square SE".
All Comments (21)
-
Downtown is the most beautiful part of Roanoke, VA. I love cruising down there and blasting my favorite song, downtown by Macklemore through my headphones. Downtown Is just beautiful. I love it with my whole heart. Just a ride downtown can brighten the shittiest days. I love the atmosphere and all the good shops and places to eat there. I love all the memories that I’ve made there and I have a bracelet that I got from a shop downtown to remember them by. I hope that someday I get my Mustang and can blare downtown from the speakers as I cruise down the streets of downtown, Roanoke. Thank you so much for making this video, I really appreciate it. 3:20 Heh... look at that amazing mustang! I hope for that to be me someday, driving downtown In my Mustang!
-
Thank you for sharing this. It brought back many many memories. Wish someone would do a drive by of 519 Oakwood Drive SW . It was my grandparents home at one time and I partially grew up there. I'm 63 now and would give my eye teeth just to see it one more time.
-
I love downtown Roanoke, it always look beautiful, especially on a real sunny day like that. Usually it be a lot of people at the restaurants and other places but since the pandemic started, it hasn't been many people out and about.
-
Looks comfortable and controlled small town atmosphere. Thanks for sharing
-
Roanoke, Wow What A Big Kool City.. I Have Never Seen 👀 This Big City.. So Beautiful.
-
Was there today on a cab fare. Loved what I saw so had to look into it. Carlo Working out of Winston-Salem
-
Was born and raised there haven't been back in 30 years don't look like much has changed enjoyed that
-
Took my kids to downtown Roanoke in the end of 2021 but many places were closed during pandemic. It's nice and small, not too crowded which I really love.. we went to museums.
-
My birthplace! Born in the Carilion Hospital in downtown. October 16, 1968.
-
My Oldest Aunt’s Best Friend Is From Roanoke, Virginia But She Live’s In Washington,DC
-
I'm considering moving here after I live in SC for some time. Been looking to move to VA and this city is optimal for me. Setting my sights on moving here.
-
Yes I live in roanoke. Love it
-
I like Roanoke, reminds me of Raleigh just the way it looks. When I drove around Raleigh my head was always on a swivel, someone turns ahead of me I look up the street they took as I go by and see what it looks like. I found a lot different ways to get around and a lot of them took me through beautiful and sometimes historical neighborhoods Just a small criticism, your camera always faces forward, probably mounted on your dash but a more point of view like a head mounted camera may be something to explore.
-
Glad to see Texas Tavern still there, 2 with and a bowl with!
-
-
Beautiful area
-
Aww make me miss home hope to be there by Summer.
-
Great video¡¡¡¡
-
Ive been dreaming of living here for awhile.. I just need a mountain view
-
Now i wanna visit
