Salem, VA

[source]

I recently took a trip to Salem, VA. It is a beautiful small town.

More photos: Salem, VA

[weill]

Thats neat, you should have put these in the Roanoke forum, as Salem is next door to us!

[StevenRocks]

Great photos, source.

[Cadeho]

Salem is a city!

Vinton is the town.

[source]

Thanks for all the comments guys.

Salem is a city!

Vinton is the town.

Oh really? It seems so small.

[mclawsdrive]

They became a city in the mid 60s to avoid being annexed by Roanoke, who would have forced them to go to school and wear shoes.

[Cadeho]

Hahaha... come on they aren't that backwards mclawsdrive!

And Va's cities come in all sizes, but it's about the population. I think we have 38 cities now... I'm used to saying 40.

[suburban george3]

Salem is a very nice town, er... city, er.. village, er... let's say a very nice municipality! Honestly, I do like the Salem/Roanoke area. There is some nice architecture in the area....

[mclawsdrive]

Hahaha... come on they aren't that backwards mclawsdrive!

And Va's cities come in all sizes, but it's about the population. I think we have 38 cities now... I'm used to saying 40.

I don't really think they're all that backwards. I just think its funny that they were so terrified of Roanoke that they became a city to protect themselves. I'm not the only one that thinks its largely due to racially integrated schools emerging right when salem decided to incorporate; Kind of like Colonial Whites.. er.. Heights and Petersburg.

And there is more architecture in Salem representing the late 1700s through the 1880s. Roanoke College's campus is very nice also. My sister was born in 'Salem'. I hesitate to fully declare that because Lewis Gale Hospital is a Roanoke hospital that expanded to a suburban Roanoke location that happened to be annexed by Salem.

I think the reason some people are surprised that Salem is a city is that its 'urban' and older areas are quite small. The downtown is way less than half the size of Fredericksburg's even though Salem has more people. Salem's territory covers a whole lot of suburban areas; near Lewis Gale and the VA hospitals, /419 corridor and the western strip development along West Main street, going all the way out to Butt Hollow Road I just think that name is funny.

[Cadeho]

One of these days I'm going to have to take a tour of our cities. I always wondered how in the world Colonials Heights became a city. Makes sense.

[suburban george3]

One thing though, don't visit Salem/Roanoke this time of year. They have a huge softball tournament there and finding a hotel with 50-75 miles is downright impossible. (Trust me, I dealt with it this past week while I was there on business.)

[mclawsdrive]

Salem is coming to the BIG SCREEN Check out the article and the link for a trailer for this new 'Ali G' movie. roanoke times

[StevenRocks]

I don't really think they're all that backwards. I just think its funny that they were so terrified of Roanoke that they became a city to protect themselves. I'm not the only one that thinks its largely due to racially integrated schools emerging right when salem decided to incorporate; Kind of like Colonial Whites.. er.. Heights and Petersburg.

Thank you for bringing this to the table because I think that was a major factor in Salem's decision to incorporate as a city.