A Self-Taught Luthier, the Burning of Richmond, and Fairview Cemetery
Plus, Wilderness Road State Park and the Highland County Maple Festival
This week, we head to Virginia to meet a self-taught luthier who uses reclaimed wood to create beautiful guitars. We recall a bit of Richmond’s Revolutionary War history and visit a state park that preserves landscape shaped by Virginia’s early frontier history. And if you like maple … there’s a festival for that!
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Guitar Grit
Virginia luthier Keith Weakley shares why he started making his own instruments
Introduction and questions by the Backroad Portfolio staff
Keith Weakley of Stanley, Virginia, started playing the guitar at age 24. An executive with a background in structural engineering by day, Keith’s love for playing inspired him to take a step beyond where many amateur guitarists are willing to go. Find out how, and why, in our conversation with him. Here’s an excerpt:
I bought a used Mexican Stratocaster from a pawn shop, but I really wanted a Telecaster. After checking the prices of Telecasters, which were in excess of $1,500, I convinced myself I could make one cheaper than that, so I did. Then I wanted a double fat Tele, so I made that. Then I wanted a Les Paul, and after that I started designing my own body shapes and circuitry.
Benedict Arnold Destroys Richmond, Virginia
On January 5, 1781, Benedict Arnold, by then a British brigadier general, led 1,600 Loyalist troops up the James River to capture and burn Richmond, the capital of Virginia. Landing at Westover, they faced only 200 militiamen after Governor Thomas Jefferson’s call for defense went largely unanswered. Arnold’s forces destroyed warehouses and public buildings. Jefferson fled and was later criticized but cleared of wrongdoing. Arnold, who died impoverished in 1801, remains America’s archetype of betrayal.
Wilderness Road State Park
8051 Wilderness Road
Ewing, Virginia
Wilderness Road State Park in Southwestern Virginia preserves a landscape shaped by early frontier history and sweeping mountain beauty. Set against the Cumberland Mountains, the park features wide meadows, hardwood forests, and a meticulously reconstructed frontier fort. Walk its trails amid Appalachian scenery, where past and present meet in an unforgettable setting.
