Tag: Smith River

The Dan Valley

The Dan Valley/Dan River Basin is not an overly large area. Actually it is comprised of about 3300 square miles. The basin is about twice the size of Yosemite National Park in California. The area is somewhat mountainous, lots of rolling hills and has an abundant water supply with many rivers and lakes. The terrain is wooded and dotted by small farms.

The valley is populated by folks of German, Irish and Scotch decent. Generally the residents are hard working, patriotic and loyal to each other.

Over the years the residents have made a living off of the land. Most have been, and a lot still are, small farmers. Farming is a tough way to make a living so as the population grows the younger folks tend to commute to the surrounding cities for jobs.

The Dan Valley lies between four large metropolitan areas of North Carolina and Virginia. In North Carolina it is the Piedmont Triad … composed of Greensboro,Winston Salem and High Point … and the Research Triangle which is composed of Raleigh,Durham, Chapel Hill and Cary. In Virginia there is the Roanoke/Salem area and the Richmond area. These metro areas have a combined population in excess of 5 million people.

In the middle of all of this is the Dan Valley/Dan River Basin with a few thousand hard working folks who would like to join their neighbors in the 21st century. Maybe you should look at this area as a place to locate your business and a place to raise your family.

Danville, Va is the largest city in the Dan Valley. Other towns are Martinsville, Va, South Boston, Va, Madison, NC, and Eden, NC. For years, the largest industries were agriculture, furniture and textiles. Today the employment situation is in transition.

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Recommended Links
The Dan River Basin
A Little History

Here is a list of towns that are in the Dan River Basin.

Chatham, Va
Collinsville, Va
Danbury, NC
Danville, Va
Eden, NC
Halifax, Va
Madison, NC
Martinsville, Va
Mayodan, NC
Meadows of Dan, Va
Milton, NC
Reidsville, NC
Roxboro, NC
South Boston, Va
Stoneville, NC
Stuart, Va
Walnut Cove, NC
Wentworth, NC
Yanceyville, NC

Dan River Basin Cities

In my younger years, Eden did not exist. There were 3 textile towns located in the north east corner of Rockingham County. There were known as Leakesville, Spray and Draper. In 1967, the 3 towns consolidated into one town and renamed themselves “EDEN”…..

The Smith and the Dan River join together on the south side of Eden. The Dan River flows along Eden’s southern border while the Smith River flows from the north bisecting the city on its route to meet the Dan River.

Eden is the largest city in Rockingham County with a population of approximately 15,000. As with most southern, formerly booming textile towns, Eden is fighting to hold its own in the ever changing world. The population seems to be relatively stable even though the textile industry is a fraction of it’s former self.

History of “The Land Of Eden”

By the mid-eighteenth century, the territory of present-day Eden was within a 70,000-acre (280 km2) estate owned by William Byrd II, a planter of Virginia and North Carolina. He originally called his estate “The Land of Eden”. This is taken from Wikipedia. Wikipedia tells of a very interesting history of the Town of Eden

This will take you to the Eden, NC official web site.[CLICK HERE]

Things to do in Eden

[]…Eden has what may be one of the last drive-in theaters in the country. CLICK HERE

[]…Museums of Rockingham County. CLICK HERE

[]…Freedom Park. The 58-acre park boasts a quarter-mile paved walking track, nature trail, picnic shelter with bathrooms, picnic tables, horseshoe courts, sand volleyball court, multipurpose field, and children’s playground. CLICK HERE

[]…See a list or recommended restaurants in the Eden area. CLICK HERE

Eden North Carolina

Dan River Basin

The Dan River is the key river in the Dan River Basin. The Mayo River, the Smith River, the Sandy River, the Hyco River and the Bannister River flow into the Dan River. In turn, the Dan River flows into the Roanoke River which eventually empties into the Albemarle Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.

The Dan Valley was formed by the the Dan River which is central to the Dan River Basin with feeder rivers that include the Mayo River, the Smith River, the Bannister River, the Sandy River and the Hyco River. At the east end, water from the basin drains into the Roanoke river basin.

We are Dan Valley Dot Com and the Dan Valley is our home.

The portion of the basin known as the Dan Valley lies on the border of North Carolina and Virginia. This valley and basin began to take shape millions of years ago immediately after the Appalachian Mountains were formed and was cut from the mountains by the Dan River from which it gets the name Dan Valley.

The headwaters of the Dan River are in the state of Virginia near the community of Meadows of Dan. From here the waters flow east and then south into North Carolina near the towns of Danbury, Walnut Cove, Madison and Eden. Near Madison the river makes a turn to the northeast through Danville, Virginia and on to South Boston, Virginia and finally empties into the Roanoke River for a final push back into North Carolina and to the Atlantic Ocean. The water that begins near Meadows of Dan actually crosses the NC/Va border 4 times before hitting the Atlantic Ocean.

The Dan River Basin includes all or most of eight counties: Patrick, Henry, Pittsylvania, and Halifax in Virginia, and Stokes, Rockingham, Caswell and Person in North Carolina. Smaller portions of eight more counties lie in the Dan River Basin: Floyd, Franklin, and Mecklenburg in Virginia, and Surry, Forsyth, Guilford, Orange, and Granville in North Carolina.

The Valley has many beautiful places to see and much history to study. Some of the rivers are still in their wild state with rapids and water falls. Hanging Rock State Park is a must see if you have even the remotest interest in nature. There is a new state park being developed along the Mayo River, which is a tributary of the Dan River. It is called Mayo State Park.

Suggested Places To Visit
Meadows Of Dan and Mabry Mill

This map is furnished to us by the Dan River Basin Association. Please support their activities to make the Dan River/Valley area thrive.

Chapter 2

The Dan River Basin is a significant river basin in North Carolina and Virginia, encompassing a total area of approximately 3,350 square miles. The Dan River itself flows for about 214 miles, starting in Patrick County, Virginia, and eventually flowing into the Roanoke River near the town of South Boston, Virginia. The basin is named after a colonial-era settler, William Byrd II, who named the river in honor of his brother, who was then the governor of the British colony of Virginia.

The Dan River Basin is known for its beautiful scenery, diverse wildlife, and rich history. The river and its tributaries provide important habitat for a variety of aquatic species, including fish, mussels, and crayfish. The basin also serves as a vital source of water for drinking, agriculture, and recreation for local communities.

In recent years, the Dan River Basin has faced environmental challenges, particularly related to pollution from coal ash and industrial contaminants. In 2014, a major coal ash spill occurred in the Dan River near Eden, North Carolina, resulting in significant environmental damage and prompting concerns about water quality and public health in the region.

Despite these challenges, efforts are ongoing to protect and restore the Dan River Basin. Local organizations, government agencies, and community members are working together to address pollution, promote sustainable land use practices, and preserve the natural beauty and ecological health of the basin for future generations.