Roanoke, Virginia
June 24-28, 2001
I attended the first ACM/IEEE-CS Joint Conference on Digital Libraries in Roanoke, Virginia in June 2001, and continued testing of a "cheapie" digital camera during my stay. Here are a few pictures from that week.
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Roanoke, VirginiaJune 24-28, 2001I attended the first ACM/IEEE-CS Joint Conference on Digital Libraries in Roanoke, Virginia in June 2001, and continued testing of a "cheapie" digital camera during my stay. Here are a few pictures from that week. |
From the historical marker in front of the hotel:
The Hotel Roanoke was built in 1882 by the Norfolk and Western Railroad. Over the next century, despite fire and depression, it became the city's social center. The Tudor Revival building became a beloved landmark for thousands of visitors. Its original 34 rooms had grown to 384 rooms when, in 1989, the N & W donated it to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. After a major renovation and the addition of a conference center, it reopened in 1995. The Hotel Roanoke was placed on the Virginia Landmarks Register in 1995 and the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
Hotel Roanoke historical marker
Another view of the Hotel Roanoke historical marker
View of Hotel Roanoke from downtown
Hotel Roanoke main entrance, another view
Close-up of Hotel Roanoke wall, showing brick work
Full view of Hotel Roanoke plus parking lot
Bridge from Hotel Roanoke to downtown market area
Downtown Roanoke -- note the star on the mountain in the backdrop, barely visible except in this "enhanced view", which is approximately 1000 feet higher than the downtown elevation. I ran up to this star one late afternoon, approximately 25 minutes of a slow pace uphill all the way to a splendid view. Once there, you'll be greeted with a sign informing you that this star weighs in at 10,000 lbs. with a 60,000 lbs. steel structure and 500,000 concrete base. Next door on the mountain is the Mill Mountain Zoo. This is a great way to quickly leave downtown and experience some of the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains which surround the city.
Magnolia tree in bloom in front of Hotel Roanoke
The Virginia Museum of Transportation hosted the conference reception on June 26. The rail vehicles were very interesting to me. A few rail vehicles are pictured here with links to the details the museum offers. Other museum exhibits included "African American Heritage on the Norfolk & Western Railroad, 1930-1970", antique automobiles from 1920 through 1955, and "Coal and America's Industrialization."
Caboose and antique streetcar framing conference group
Nickel Plate Road Class S-2 Locomotive, Number 763 -- see also museum details
Norfolk & Western 611 - Class J Locomotive -- see also museum details
Looking out on an actual Norfolk & Western train going by beyond the museum yard
Norfolk & Western ALCO C-630 Diesel Locomotive, Number 1135 -- see also museum details
