Welcome to Franklin County, the eastern gateway to The Crooked Road, a journey through Southwest Virginia’s musical heritage that winds through the Appalachian Mountains for 265 miles. Franklin County has always been a cultural crossroads where black and white musicians shared ideas and learned from each other. The music they created is kept alive in frequent jam sessions and concerts. The Community and Hospitality Center in Rocky Mount will help you find them, as well as historic and outdoor recreation opportunities.

The farmstead (now a National Monument) where a great American, Booker T. Washington, was born a slave is located here and the colonial wagon road to Carolina and the West can be seen here. Ferrum College is home to the Blue Ridge Institute and Farm Museum, an important Virginia institution dedicated to the craft and music traditions of Virginia. Smith Mountain Lake, Bald Knob, and the hiking trails and blueways of Franklin County allow visitors to experience the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge.