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By Steve Cook
Rotgut and radar…to many, those may be the first things that spring to mind when the town of Boones Mill is mentioned. The rotgut is an allusion to Franklin County, where the tiny, southwestern Virginia town is located. Franklin County, as you may know, is indeed the proclaimed “moonshine capital of the world.” Moonshining may not be as popular or as prevalent as it once was, but I’ve been told that there are still some stills hidden back in the hollows.
If Franklin County is the moonshine capital, Boones Mill may be the speed trap capital of the world. This dubious reputation is due largely to the ambitious efforts of police chief, Lynn Frith. Some may find the title disparaging, but, hey, many of the locals enjoy the notoriety. There’s even a used car dealership in town known as Speed Trap Motors. And, there are signs along the highway as you enter town clearly stating that speed laws are strictly enforced. So don’t say you weren’t warned.
 In recent years, Boones Mill, as well as the entire county, has developed another reputation. With a location nestled snugly in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and with the increasingly popular Smith Mountain Lake lying in both Franklin and Bedford Counties, Franklin County is becoming both a vacation spot as well as a retirement retreat.
Having spent my formative years there, I’ve always had a special place in my heart for Boones Mill. I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere on the planet that offers a more beautiful setting. And, as for the people…well, Rita Ferguson, manager of the local BB&T Bank in Boones Mill, expresses it perfectly, “These are small-town people who care…they still love each other. It’s a warm and fuzzy feeling.”
I had the opportunity to speak with Rita and other residents of the area recently during the town’s annual Apple Festival. I met her when I went into the bank looking for a handout. No, not cold hard cash, but a cold, crisp apple. The bank was giving them away that day.
Cardwell Garst’s family has been in the apple business for as long as I can remember. Their Occaneechi Orchard is located just north of town. Cardwell was at the festival, and even though I hadn’t seen him in over 40 years, I immediately recognized him. His family and my family lived on Easy Street in Boones Mill. No, I’m not speaking allegorically. There really is an Easy Street…runs right along Maggody Creek, in case you go looking for it.
I asked Cardwell, who is now in his sixties, what’s changed since he was a boy. “Not much,” he says. “All the buildings are the same and the people haven’t changed much either.”
And, while long-time resident, Nellie Kritter, says the county and the town have become more cosmopolitan in recent years, with the “huge influx at the lake,” she says it’s still “very rural; everyone is friendly.” Nellie, who was born in Ferrum (about 20 miles south of Boones Mill) returned to the area after the death of her husband some three decades ago. “I was a widow with a three-year-old. I thought it would be easier to raise my son here.”
Today, Nellie stays busy with a host of activities including art and garden clubs, as well as church functions. “But,” she says, “when I want to travel, Boones Mill is close to everything.” Come to think of, she’s right.
 I ran into Gelene Abshire Amos at the Apple Festival. I had known Mrs. Amos when I was a boy. I told her I was writing an article on Boones Mill.
“Tell ‘em you talked to the oldest native of Boones Mill,” she said. “I still live on the same land my father owned.”
I asked her what makes Boones Mill such a great place to live. “I don’t know any different,” she replied. “I never lived anywhere else.”
Even many who have lived “anywhere else,” are quick to tell you that Boones Mill is a special place. True, you’d probably have to spend a little time there to fully reach that conclusion.
At first glance, you may not be overly impressed. Situated about halfway between Roanoke and Rocky Mount, Virginia, on US Route 220, one may drive through and barely notice the little town, which is named for Jacob Boon, who moved to Franklin County in the 1870s. It is said the town grew up around Boon’s corn and flourmills. There are a couple of stoplights, along with a bank, drug store, post office, and a few small shops and other businesses, including the aforementioned Speed Trap Motors. But, truth be told, there’s not a whole lot more.
True, with Smith Mountain Lake nearby, the county does have more restaurants and retailers than ever before. And some locals will tell you that Homestead Creamery, out on Booker T. Washington Highway, near the lake, serves up some of the best homemade ice cream in the country. Speaking of Booker T. Washington, the educator was born in Franklin County, and a national monument in his honor is located there, near the site of his birth.
Several folks with whom I spoke recommended the Red Clay restaurant, in Rocky Mount. I checked it out, and was very pleased with what I discovered. Housed in a former bank, the Red Clay Restaurant offers a varied menu, with many entrees in the $6.50 to $8.50 range. And, that includes their refreshing house blend iced tea. Rocky Mount has changed over the years. They even have a Wal-Mart there now, and just about any type of restaurant you could desire.
If, however, you’re looking for quaint little shops, or exciting nightlife, Boones Mill probably won’t be your cup of tea. But, if you seek a place to get away from it all, as much as one can in today’s world, a place where life is still relatively simple, and where the townsfolk still enjoy meeting at the Apple Festival, then you can’t do much better than Boones Mill. Yes, there are a few places left in this world where it seems everyone truly does know everyone else, and where just about anyone you meet is happy to sit and chew the fat for a spell, and Boones Mill is definitely such a place.
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