Attractions
is home to Mill Mountain Zoo, built in 1952 on top of Mill Mountain within the city limits. Mill Mountain stands alone, unattached to any mountain range. The cool air on top of the mountain makes it an appropriate habitat for high altitude animals, such as some species from the Andes of South America. An enormous electrically illuminated was built on the side of Mill Mountain in 1949. It continues to serve as an inviting icon of the city.
Other local attraction include the living history programs at Virginia’s Explore Park, the Harrison Museum of African American Culture, The Science Museum of Western Virginia, The History Museum of Western Virginia, The Art Museum of Western Virginia, the Virginia Museum of Transportation, and the O. Winston Link Museum. These last two offer in-depth treatment of the rail industry to which the city owes it existence. O. Winston Link was, according to Vanity Fair, “one of the most influential photographers of the twentieth century.” He chronicled the end of the steam age, which happened near when, in 1960, the Norfolk and Western Railway became the last of the major railroads in the United States to make the transition from steam locomotives to diesel powered electric engines.
Fun Facts
Population inside the city limits: 94,911
Metro area population: 235,932, including adjacent counties
Elevation: 940 feet above sea level
Area inside city limits: 42.9 square miles
Average daily temperature in January: 36.2 degrees Fahrenheit
Average daily temperature in July: 75.4 degrees Fahrenheit