Clifton Forge grew up around the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway. The C&O built a roundhouse here in 1878, the town was incorporated in 1884, and its rail yards became a major division point for coal trains. Downtown's brick Main Street is a National Register historic district, and trains still run right alongside it.
It's our closest town, about 15 minutes west of the inn on I-64, and the place our guests go for dinner, groceries and an evening out.
Railroad history
The C&O Railway Heritage Center on Main Street tells the story of the railroad, with locomotives, cabooses, a dining car and freight cars on display. It's run by the C&O Historical Society and is open seasonally, from mid-March to mid-December. Amtrak's Cardinal still stops in town, at a waiting room in the 1906 C&O office building, so you can even arrive by train.
The Masonic Theatre
The Historic Masonic Theatre was built in the early 1900s as an opera house and Masonic lodge. It reopened in 2016 after a full restoration and now shows films and hosts live music and theatre. In warm weather, the amphitheatre next door holds outdoor concerts and movies.
Art and shopping
The Alleghany Highlands Arts & Crafts Center sells juried work by regional artists, from pottery to woodwork, and changes its exhibits every few weeks. Its Clifton Forge School of the Arts runs classes in pottery, woodworking, stained glass and music. Mountain Field Market sells local beef, chicken and lamb from area farms, and OLuv Oil, in the old First National Bank building known as Five Sides, stocks olive oils, balsamic vinegars, spices and other gourmet goods.
Where to eat
Start the day at Hawt Stuph in the Five Sides Building for coffee and donuts; Wicked Weiners shares the space and serves hot dogs for lunch. Jack Mason's Tavern and Brewery serves burgers and bar food with pool tables and pinball. Michael's New York Style Pizza is a family-run favorite, and Family TreeTs Café on the way into town does breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Photo: jpmueller99 / CC BY 2.0
