Several historic features of this 2.6 mile segment of the THT make the South Boston section a trail worth visiting! The trailhead is situated at the base of a former cotton mill. All that remains of the mill are two brick towers marking the once thriving cotton industry in South Boston. The Cotton Mill Park situated next to the trailhead makes the location ideal for community events. Recently, the Junior Women's Club of South Boston hosted its annual Spring Festival here and participants hunted for Easter Eggs along the Tobacco Heritage Trail.
A short 0.4 miles away from the trailhead is the Prizery, which is now a community theatre, museum and venue, but used to be a tobacco warehouse. At one time, the rail system would transport the warehouse's tobacco along the trail corridor for trade. The Prizery has a rest facility for our trail users complete with showers and lockers.
Other historic features near the trail are an aged sluice gate, which at one time was raised and lowered to adjust the water level, but during a particularly destructive storm it was rendered inoperable. Also, the South Boston section of the Tobacco Heritage Trail provides access to Diamond Hill (a former slave cemetery), and Berry Hill Plantation Resort and Conference Center. As you journey on horse, bicycle or foot down the THT, you will notice the stone wall that separates Berry Hill Plantation from the trail. Each stone was hand placed by slaves who used to work the plantation. Berry Hill welcomes Tobacco Heritage Trail users onto their property to view the graveyard, historic slave quarters and plantation house. Stop in there after your walk or ride and have a bite to eat in "Darby's Tavern" which is the former kitchen of the mansion.
In addition to the unique historic sights of the new trail section, there are interesting natural features. Approximately two miles down the trail, there is a duck impoundment that birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts can enjoy. The impoundment brings a variety of waterfowl as well as foxes, deer and other wildlife. A natural spring trickles down the side bank at one point of the trail and, at the trail terminus, you may sit at a picnic table. In one direction you can view the scenic Dan River and the opposite direction examine an interesting stone coloration in a rock wall, that locals call, "Tree in the Rock".
One of our trail advocates reminisced about his days as a boy walking along the old rail road tracks, before it was transformed into the Tobacco Heritage Trail, "The highlight of the trip was 'tree in the rock'. That was our destination. I reckon to people today, it wouldn't be very much of a destination. It is a geological feature in a wall of stone on the north bank of the railroad where the railroad came within easy sight of the Dan River. It is a unique vein of white quartz that meanders through the stone, and if you used your imagination enough, you might be able to visualize a tree....maybe."
This newly built section of the Tobacco Heritage Trail is a small taste of what's to come. This was Phase II of the future 150 mile trail that will eventually loop through Southern Virginia. Until then, both local and out of town visitors enjoy using the trail.
