Virginia State Route 56
Encyclopedia
Virginia State Route 56 is a primary state highway
in the U.S. state of Virginia
. The state highway runs 60.87 miles (98 km) from U.S. Route 11
(US 11) at Steeles Tavern
east to US 60
near Buckingham
. SR 56 is the main east–west highway of Nelson County
. The state highway connects the county seat
of Lovingston
with Buckingham to the east and the Blue Ridge Mountains
and the Shenandoah Valley
to the west.
. The junction is just north of the Augusta
–Rockbridge
county line. SR 56 heads southeast into Rockbridge County as Tye River Turnpike, which enters George Washington National Forest and passes under Norfolk Southern Railway
's Roanoke District at the village of Vesuvius. The state highway follows Little Marys Creek along its curvaceous ascent of the Blue Ridge Mountains. SR 56 intersects the Blue Ridge Parkway
at Tye River Gap, where the highway enters Nelson County and becomes Crabtree Falls Highway. The state highway descends through Montebello
and follows the South Fork of the Tye River
past Crabtree Falls
to Nash
, where the highway begins to follow the Tye River proper.
SR 56 leaves the national forest and enters more gentle terrain just west of Tyro
, the site of the Tyro Mill
. The state highway follows the Tye River through Massies Mill
to Roseland
, where the highway turns south to join SR 151
on Patrick Henry Highway. The two highways run through the hamlet of Hendersons Store
to just north of Piney River
, where the highways diverge at a wye intersection; the short connecter between SR 151 south and SR 56 east is SR 151Y. SR 56 heads east as Tye Brook Highway, which heads east and crosses the Tye River before intersecting US 29 (Thomas Nelson Highway) at Colleen
. The two highways run concurrently northeast past historic Mitchell's Brick House Tavern
, contemporary Nelson County High School, and historic Lovingston High School
on their way to Lovingston.
SR 56 splits northeast from US 29 along Front Street, which also carries US 29 Business. At the south end of the Lovingston Historic District
, SR 56 turns southeast onto James River Road. SR 56 heads southeast through an at-grade crossing of Norfolk Southern's Washington District at Shipman
. The state highway passes through a gap between Findlay Mountain and Thomas Mountain to Red Apple Orchard
. At Wingina
, SR 56 passes the historic home Soldier's Joy
and has an at-grade intersection with CSX
's Rivanna Subdivision, then crosses the James River
into Buckingham County. The state highway passes through Woods Corner
before reaching its eastern terminus at US 60 (James Anderson Highway) at Dentons Corner west of the county seat of Buckingham.
!County
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|Augusta
|Steeles Tavern
|0.00
|
|Western terminus
|-
|Rockbridge
|
|5.43
|Blue Ridge Parkway
|
|-
|rowspan=5|Nelson
|Roseland
|23.69
|
|West end of concurrency with SR 151
|-
|Piney River
|26.25
|
|East end of concurrency with SR 151
|-
|Colleen
|31.28
|
|West end of concurrency with US 29
|-
|rowspan=2|Lovingston
|35.56
|
|East end of concurrency with US 29; west end of concurrency with US 29 Business
|-
|35.86
|
|East end of concurrency with US 29 Business
|-
|Buckingham
|Alcoma
|60.87
|
|Eastern terminus
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the U.S. state of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. The state highway runs 60.87 miles (98 km) from U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11 in Virginia
U.S. Route 11 in Virginia runs north–south through the western part of the state, parallel to Interstate 81.-History:What is now US 11 was added to the state highway system in 1918 as portions of State Route 10 and State Route 3 . SR 3 became State Route 33 in 1923, and US 11 was applied to...
(US 11) at Steeles Tavern
Steeles Tavern, Virginia
Steeles Tavern is an unincorporated community in Augusta County, Virginia. It lies at an elevation of 1683 feet ....
east to US 60
U.S. Route 60 in Virginia
U.S. Route 60 in Virginia runs west to east through the central part of the state, generally close to and paralleling the Interstate 64 corridor, except for the crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and in the South Hampton Roads area....
near Buckingham
Buckingham, Virginia
Buckingham is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Buckingham County, Virginia, United States...
. SR 56 is the main east–west highway of Nelson County
Nelson County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,445 people, 5,887 households, and 4,144 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile . There were 8,554 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
. The state highway connects the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Lovingston
Lovingston, Virginia
Lovingston is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Nelson County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 520. Its ZIP Code is 22949...
with Buckingham to the east and the Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
and the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
to the west.
Route description
SR 56 begins at an intersection with US 11 (Lee Highway) at Steeles Tavern a short distance east of the historic Cyrus McCormick FarmCyrus McCormick Farm
The Cyrus McCormick Farm and Workshop is on the family farm of inventor Cyrus Hall McCormick known as Walnut Grove. Cyrus Hall McCormick improved and patented the mechanical reaper, which eventually led to the creation of the combine harvester...
. The junction is just north of the Augusta
Augusta County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 65,615 people, 24,818 households, and 18,911 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 26,738 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
–Rockbridge
Rockbridge County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,808 people, 8,486 households, and 6,075 families residing in the county. The population density was 35 people per square mile . There were 9,550 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
county line. SR 56 heads southeast into Rockbridge County as Tye River Turnpike, which enters George Washington National Forest and passes under Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
's Roanoke District at the village of Vesuvius. The state highway follows Little Marys Creek along its curvaceous ascent of the Blue Ridge Mountains. SR 56 intersects the Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
at Tye River Gap, where the highway enters Nelson County and becomes Crabtree Falls Highway. The state highway descends through Montebello
Montebello, Virginia
Montebello is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States. It was among the communities severely affected by flash flooding from Hurricane Camille in 1969.-References:*...
and follows the South Fork of the Tye River
Tye River
The Tye River is a tributary of the James River in central Virginia in the United States. Originating on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Nelson County, and fed by the Piney and Buffalo rivers, by way of the James River it is part of the watershed of the Chesapeake Bay.Although...
past Crabtree Falls
Crabtree Falls
Crabtree Falls is located in the George Washington National Forest in Nelson County, Virginia, and is one of the tallest sets of waterfalls in the United States east of the Mississippi River. The name of the falls is thought to have come from William Crabtree, who settled in this part of Virginia...
to Nash
Nash, Virginia
Nash is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States.-References:*...
, where the highway begins to follow the Tye River proper.
SR 56 leaves the national forest and enters more gentle terrain just west of Tyro
Tyro, Virginia
Tyro is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States. It was among the communities severely affected by flash flooding from Hurricane Camille in 1969.-References:*...
, the site of the Tyro Mill
Tyro Mill
Tyro Mill is a historic grist mill located at Tyro, Nelson County, Virginia. It is a multi-story frame mill built in 1846-47 with an addition made in the late nineteenth century. It has a metal-sheathed gable roof and a stone foundation. There is an overshot metal wheel in a stone wheel well and...
. The state highway follows the Tye River through Massies Mill
Massies Mill, Virginia
Massies Mill is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States. It is located on State Route 56 adjacent to the headwaters of the Tye River...
to Roseland
Roseland, Virginia
Roseland is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States. It was among the communities severely affected by flash flooding from Hurricane Camille in 1969....
, where the highway turns south to join SR 151
Virginia State Route 151
Virginia State Route 151 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 29 at Buffalo Hill north to US 250 at Critzers Shop...
on Patrick Henry Highway. The two highways run through the hamlet of Hendersons Store
Hendersons Store, Virginia
Hendersons Store is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States.-References:*...
to just north of Piney River
Piney River, Virginia
Piney River is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States. It lies along the path of the now-defunct Virginia Blue Ridge Railway.-References:*...
, where the highways diverge at a wye intersection; the short connecter between SR 151 south and SR 56 east is SR 151Y. SR 56 heads east as Tye Brook Highway, which heads east and crosses the Tye River before intersecting US 29 (Thomas Nelson Highway) at Colleen
Colleen, Virginia
Colleen is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States.-References:*...
. The two highways run concurrently northeast past historic Mitchell's Brick House Tavern
Mitchell's Brick House Tavern
Mitchell's Brick House Tavern, also known as Oakland, Hite House, Goodwin Tavern, Goodwin House and Coco House, is a historic home located at Arrington, Nelson County, Virginia. It is a two-story, painted brick Greek Revival-style house with a raised or English basement, built about 1838...
, contemporary Nelson County High School, and historic Lovingston High School
Lovingston High School
Lovingston High School is a historic school located at Lovingston, Nelson County, Virginia. It is a one-story Colonial Revival-style building that opened in 1931 and originally served grades one through eleven. It consists of a one-and-one-half-story main block with one-story wings. Behind the...
on their way to Lovingston.
SR 56 splits northeast from US 29 along Front Street, which also carries US 29 Business. At the south end of the Lovingston Historic District
Lovingston Historic District
The Lovingston Historic District is a national historic district located in Lovingston, Virginia. It is a historic district which includes the entirety of the 1809 and 1823 plats as well as the continued growth through the early-to-mid-20th-century...
, SR 56 turns southeast onto James River Road. SR 56 heads southeast through an at-grade crossing of Norfolk Southern's Washington District at Shipman
Shipman, Virginia
Shipman is a census-designated place in Nelson County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 507.-References:*...
. The state highway passes through a gap between Findlay Mountain and Thomas Mountain to Red Apple Orchard
Red Apple Orchard, Virginia
Red Apple Orchard is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States.-References:*...
. At Wingina
Wingina, Virginia
Wingina is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States.-References:*...
, SR 56 passes the historic home Soldier's Joy
Soldier's Joy
Soldier's Joy is a historic home located at Wingina, Nelson County, Virginia, USA. It was built in 1784-85 by Col. Samuel Jordan Cabell and enlarged approximately twenty-five years later. Along with Bon Aire and Montezuma, it is one of the few remaining Cabell family houses in Nelson County...
and has an at-grade intersection with CSX
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
's Rivanna Subdivision, then crosses the James River
James River
The James River may refer to:Rivers in the United States and their namesakes* James River * James River , North Dakota, South Dakota* James River * James River * James River...
into Buckingham County. The state highway passes through Woods Corner
Woods Corner, Virginia
Woods Corner is an unincorporated community in Buckingham County, in the U.S. state of Virginia....
before reaching its eastern terminus at US 60 (James Anderson Highway) at Dentons Corner west of the county seat of Buckingham.
Major intersections
{|class=wikitable!County
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|Augusta
Augusta County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 65,615 people, 24,818 households, and 18,911 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 26,738 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
|Steeles Tavern
Steeles Tavern, Virginia
Steeles Tavern is an unincorporated community in Augusta County, Virginia. It lies at an elevation of 1683 feet ....
|0.00
|
|Western terminus
|-
|Rockbridge
Rockbridge County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,808 people, 8,486 households, and 6,075 families residing in the county. The population density was 35 people per square mile . There were 9,550 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
|
|5.43
|Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
|
|-
|rowspan=5|Nelson
Nelson County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,445 people, 5,887 households, and 4,144 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile . There were 8,554 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
|Roseland
Roseland, Virginia
Roseland is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States. It was among the communities severely affected by flash flooding from Hurricane Camille in 1969....
|23.69
|
|West end of concurrency with SR 151
|-
|Piney River
Piney River, Virginia
Piney River is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States. It lies along the path of the now-defunct Virginia Blue Ridge Railway.-References:*...
|26.25
|
|East end of concurrency with SR 151
|-
|Colleen
Colleen, Virginia
Colleen is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States.-References:*...
|31.28
|
|West end of concurrency with US 29
|-
|rowspan=2|Lovingston
Lovingston, Virginia
Lovingston is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Nelson County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 520. Its ZIP Code is 22949...
|35.56
|
|East end of concurrency with US 29; west end of concurrency with US 29 Business
|-
|35.86
|
|East end of concurrency with US 29 Business
|-
|Buckingham
|Alcoma
Alcoma, Virginia
Alcoma is an unincorporated community in Buckingham County, in the U.S. state of Virginia....
|60.87
|
|Eastern terminus