Wilderness Road Regional Museum

Originally, the museum building had belonged to the Hance-Alexander family, and these two homes served dual purposes as residences and businesses for several years. Some of these business establishments included a tavern, general store, and the first Newbern post office. The museum features letters, documents, paintings, furniture, photos, business records, and objects relevant to life in southwest Virginia.

A detached kitchen building, granary, loom house, and barn on the museum grounds offer more glimpses into the lives of those along the main migration route west. The museum’s namesake is the Wilderness Road, a branch of the Great Wagon Road. Several towns along these roads, including Newbern, prospered due to businesses that catered to these travelers, such as inns and taverns.