Lexington, Buena Vista & Rockbridge CountyLexington, Buena Vista & Rockbridge County
‹ Lexington, Buena Vista & Rockbridge County

Public Art in Rockbridge County

Monuments, Murals & Painted Horses

🚶 Walk + drive7 stops
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Public art in Rockbridge County is inspirational, historic, and sometimes wacky. Life-size fiberglass horses, brightly painted by local artists, are fun to spot in the wild around the county. The horses are part of Horsemania, a fundraising effort to support CASA child services. Natural Bridge State Park also displays one of the state's iconic LOVEwork pieces, which give a nod to the “Virginia is for Lovers” tourism slogan and Virginia’s natural beauty. The piece was designed by local artist Mark Cline. The bright LOVEwork painting at 1607 Magnolia Ave is one of a half-dozen or so murals in Buena Vista, which is a stop on the Appalachian Mural Trail. At the junction of 21st and Magnolia Street look for two murals: the Greetings from Buena Vista postcard (2077 Magnolia Ave) and the inspiring Reaching Ever Upwards ( 21st St alley), which is framed by the handprints of local kids. A pretty floral display and a mural spotlighting local outdoor adventures brighten a wall at 2255 Beech Ave beside Don Tequila. A painting of the region's agricultural bounty fills the back wall of the Eagle's Nest Clubhouse (101 W 29th St), and local mountains are given a modern interpretation on the grounds of Southern Virginia University (2745 Walnut Ave). Old-school ads for Coca Cola and Genuine Bull Durham adorn the brick walls of the Edward Jones building on 21st Street beside the railroad tracks. A mural on the back of the flood wall depicts a historic bateau making its way upriver.

  1. 1
    Devils Backbone Brewing Company - Outpost Tap Room & KitchenDining · 50 N Wind Ln

    You’ll find horses outside of Devils Backbone Outpost Tap Room & Kitchen on Route 11 and Coiner Country Store in Buena Vista. There’s another one inside the visitor center at Natural Bridge State Park.

  2. 🚗 about 37 min drive
  3. 2
    Dinosaur Kingdom IIAttractions · 5781 S Lee Hwy

    His creative fiberglass creations – King Kong, a dragon, and a wizard – are also displayed on Route 11 just north of the state park in front of Dinosaur Kingdom II.

  4. 🚗 about 30 min drive
  5. 3
    Glen Maury ParkOutdoors · 100 Glen Maury Park Rd

    Look for it from the lower tent area at Glen Maury Park or from the River Walk a short walk south of W 10th St.

  6. 🚗 about 16 min drive
  7. 4
    Millinery De Rousselot MuralMuseum · 2 E Washington St

    Lexington murals include the Millinery De Rousselot sign on the south-facing wall of Pumpkinseeds at the corner of Main and Washington Streets. It was created in 1992 for a scene in the movie Sommersby, a drama starring Jodie Foster and Richard Gere. The story took place in the years following the Civil War, and downtown Lexington looked much unchanged from the 1860s during filming! There is also a sunrise mural under the Nelson St Bridge.

  8. 🚗 about 5 min drive
  9. 5
    Boxerwood Nature Center & Woodland GardenOutdoors · 963 Ross Rd

    Another hotspot for art is Boxerwood, a nature center and woodland garden near downtown Lexington. Whimsical creations dot the kid friendly Fairy Forest while a giant chair and a mischievous troll await in the back field, which is framed by mountain views.

  10. 🚗 about 6 min drive
  11. 6
    Virginia Military InstituteAttractions · 319 Letcher Ave
  12. 🚶 about 14 min walk
  13. 7
    Washington and Lee UniversityAttractions · 204 W Washington St