European settlers took note of the various warm and hot springs located throughout Appalachia, especially along the Virginia/West Virginia border. Some of these gave rise to resorts: The Greenbrier in West Virginia and the Homestead in Virginia both were built near hot springs thought to have restorative properties.Â
Then there’s Gunpowder Springs, located west of Blacksburg, Virginia, which gave rise to the town of Eggleston, which visitors accessed by train. Beginning in 1926, Pyne’s General Store supplied town residents with necessary goods such as dishes, shoes, clothes and fresh produce, and meat, while attached buildings functioned as an auto shop and doctor’s office. Today, the general store building is occupied by the Palisades Restaurant, which supplies people throughout Virginia’s New River Valley with good food and music.
The Palisades pays tribute to its general store past with Historic Landmark status, meaning that the building’s been preserved right down to the exposed brick walls, pressed tin ceilings, and hardwood floors. Within the historic structure, the Palisades serves fresh, high-quality dishes that include trout, steak, vegetarian entrees, stone-oven pizza, and even wild game when it’s available.Â
The Palisades’ regular menu is punctuated by event dinners timed to holidays, the seasons and occasionally celebrity chefs from the Mid-Atlantic region. The restaurant also hosts live music that ranges from Appalachian string bands to international artists.Â
