~~Paint Bank, VA~~
Sept. 19, 2008

We went to Paint Bank to see the General Store with Swinging Bridge Restaurant and have lunch. It's a 2 hr drive from Roanoke. Hidden away in the Allegheny Mountains in Craig County, this tiny town boasts more buffalo than it does people! I had no idea we have buffalo down here!

Me on the bridge leading over to Tingler's Mill behind the General Store
~~TINGLER'S MILL~~The mill was recently refurbished. You can check in the Restaurant for a free tour inside. We didn't know that until after this visit.The grist mill built in 1863, known as Tingler’s Mill, which is still standing today. The mill is made of hand-stacked locust logs.

John by the water wheel. Sign states that the wheel was made by Fitz Wheel Company Hydraulic Engineers, Hanover, PA and it's size is 22.4 ft.

~~GENERAL STORE & SWINGING BRIDGE RESTAURANT~~Featuring homemade hot foods and delicious desserts
The General Store was the hub of the town’s activity nearly 100 years ago and still is today. With its old, wooden floors and tin ceiling still intact, the store is a gathering place for the townsfolk and is the only grocery and mercantile for miles around

View of the back of the building with it's screened porch.
You can have your meal out there.

Front side view, taking in part of the Texaco station, the only gas around!

Rocking chairs and picnic table are provided out front.

You enter the store to an open area and ahead of you there are two separate isles, one on each side of this wall to the left.  See the beautiful tin ceiling?  You are looking through the store towards the restaurant in this pic.  

Other side of isle looking towards front of store. Refrigerated cases on right.

Décor is accented by wood, timber and glass, and an authentic hanging bridge taken out by a flood serves as its focal point. A huge rock fireplace provides a backdrop for the bridge, which is suspended from second-floor moorings. (Pic found online)
What makes the restaurant really unique is their homegrown Highlander beef and bison meat. Paint Bank’s Hollow Hill Farm is home to about 200 bison and Highlander beef cattle. The meat, which is shipped all over the country, is also be used in the restaurant. Homemade pies, cakes, breads, and desserts top off the menu.

Partial view from our table. Eating area is a large t-shaped room.

A Mother& 2 children cross the bridge. It's bouncy!

Looking towards one of the two large doors opening onto the back porch.

I CAN'T BELIEVE I ATE THE WHOOOOLE THING!!
It was delicious! Homemade apple dumpling, creamy vanilla ice cream & butterscotch drizzle topped off our lunch.

Stairway leading to the second floor, which is open in center and contains the gift shop, Christmas Shop, Camping & Hunting supplies and clothing.
View from the second floor.
John on the opposite side of the swinging bridge.
Bridge has mesh along the sides as a safety feature for kids.

Some of the great decor!

One of the bathrooms designed to appear as an Outhouse. It's a his/hers bathroom and located under the stairway going to the second floor.

The washbasin and faucet inside the 0uthouse bathroom! You washed your hands over this tub which was connected to a drain. How different!

Across the street from the restaurant is the town's original Post Office which is still serving the town today. Next trip there I will go inside and take some pictures. Gotta love the two gas pumps in front.
I would like to know more about the post office and pumps! Jim emailed me to tell me that no-nox gasoline was a trademark name of Gulf Oil Co. (gasoline) during the 50s and 60s.
ABOVE AND BELOW:My poor tired husband sitting on the grass while I went across the street to take pics of the post office. Or maybe he just OVER ATE at lunch!? ;)

♥ My Sweetie

Going home, we passed this huge, vacant old building which appears to have been either a hotel or boarding house. No signs. I love old buildings like this and would like to prowl inside them!

Further along the same road, we saw this huge house and it IS occupied! Get a load of the oil tank on the second level on right side of house. See an electric meter there also? Someone has to walk out on the roof to read the meter!

What in the world....!? A CUP Tree?

I spotted this tree on the side of the road heading home! The trunk of it is covered with CUPS! How weird and I love it! I wonder if it has any particular meaning to the cups (like the Indians bottle trees) or it's just someone's idea of a fun thing to do.

The next time we go to Paint Bank, I will knock on the owner's door for permission to add MY cup to the tree and ask how it came to be decorated with cups.
We saw a house using an old barn on their property as part of their driveway.

The house and barn. What a great idea!