Got up and out this morning our route to Nashville had no special stops. While still in Virginia at a rest stop, I checked the town ahead of us for anything cool. I found that there was a humongous pencil we could take some photos.
Virginia is the state with a genuine big pencil, this fine example that's about thirty feet long and made of metal.
Exactly when this monumental writing stick was created is a matter of debate. We've found references claiming it was built in "early 1951," "the late 1950s" and the "early 1960s." Why it was made and by whom is much more commonly agreed upon. John Campbell Findlay, former owner of the Wytheville Office Supply store, had it constructed as an advertising gimmick that he hoped other business owners would copy to attract travelers on U.S. Highway 21 (the main highway back then) to stop in Wytheville and shop. There's an oversized paint can just down the street, but as far as we know, that's the only other monument inspired by Mr. Findlay's vision.
The shop and the big pencil were moved to its current location in 1985, where the pencil retains its sharpness as a Wytheville landmark.
On the way to see the pencil, we saw a log house that looked very cool. So on the way out of town we stopped to take some photos. We were suprised to see it was also a resturant. It was close enough to lunch time es we just had to try the place out. ;-)
Besides being a resturant, there's some shops behind it and the whole place is filled with cool old time stuff.
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