Sept. 22, 2025 Editor, The News-Gazette: I was not surprised to read in the Sept 17 edition of The News-Gazette that tourism in our town has dwindled. While there are many factors at play, one I would like to highlight is the continued degradation of our natural and historic resources. To quote Joni Mitchell, “they paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”
In the past five years, rolling hillsides have been leveled to make way for fast food restaurants and a proliferation of low-tier hotels catering mostly to truckers and road-trippers passing through. Meanwhile, the number of derelict buildings continues to grow. Perhaps there truly is a limit to how many fast food joints one area can support.
If we truly wish to bring more opportunity to our town, we should consider the resources we already have. Many apartments above downtown retail spaces remain empty, representing a missed chance to create a vibrant, walkable downtown that could attract residents, visitors, and businesses alike. There are also plenty of once-beautiful old homes on the edges of the VMI and W&L that could be restored and turned into new administrative buildings.
A study by the National Trust for Historic Preservation found that for every $1 spent on historic preservation, $40 is generated for the community. Eco-tourism, photography tourism, and those craving a unique experience outside of the chains and franchises they can surely visit back home, offers a win-win opportunity for the residents of Rockbridge County. Just a small example, but the Historic Garden Week contributes $13.3 million annually to Virginia’s economy. These types of events can bring dollars to Lexington without destroying any of our charm and character.
A “quantity over quality” and “more is more” approach to economic development may offer a simple solution, but ultimately only short-term gains.
MARINA WILLIAMS Rockbridge County
