came postmaster in 1951. During his timeworking at the post office,Wright served asvice chairman on the board of directors atMecklenburg Electric Cooperative, and alsowrote a book on the history of Valentines.

Besides being a businessman and a writer,he became a local cupid by starting a tradi-

tion of hand-stampingmailed envelopes forValentine’s Day. He de-signed the stamp him-self, and would beginputting his signaturemark on cards begin-ning inmid-January.Word traveled aboutthe extra stepWrightwas taking to personal-ize the envelopes, andthemail volume startedto increase. Articlesabout Wright and thepost office have beenpublished inmajor publi-cations, as well as localand regional newspapersandmagazines. The postoffice has been featured in

radio interviews and television broadcasts, in-cluding CNN andNBC. In 1995, the LoveStampwas issued at the post office, givingthe small community evenmore renown.

THINGS HAVEN’T CHANGEDWright retired as postmaster in 1999

and died in 2006. His wife, Frances, stillworks in the post office and general storethat carries canned goods, greeting cards andbeauty supplies. Wright continues to per-form the card-stamping practice that her

Nestled at the intersection of West-ern Mill and Manning roads, theValentines Post Office is a quiet

place most days.In the winter, a fire blazes in the stove, cre-

ating a cozy atmosphere in the small building.Theremight be a couple of folks sitting inwooden chairs, catching up on the latest news.

People come and go through the screendoor, dropping off packages or picking upmail, always saying a friendly hello to every-one inside. The post office has becomepopular worldwide and is central to thecommunity, but it is the people who makeValentines, Va., feel like home.

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Richmond

Roanoke

Charlottesville

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BUCKINGHAM COURT HOUSE

WINCHESTER

KING GEORGE

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DALE CITY

MEHERRIN

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VALENTINES

AGAIN IN THE YEAR 2010, WE’RE MAKING OUR WAY

AROUND THE REGION, EACH ISSUE VISITING A

SMALL TOWN AND MEETING SOME OF THE

FOLKS WHO MAKE UP THE HEART OF

ELECTRIC CO-OP COUNTRY.

ON THIS YEAR’S SECOND STOP,

WE’LL BE ...

DOWN HOME SERIES

DOWN HOME IN

Story and photos by Angela R. Blue, Contributing Writer

VALENTINESThe Valentines community is in the

southeastern part of Brunswick County. Itwas named after the community’s first post-master,WilliamHenry Valentine, born in1849. Valentine operated amercantile storeinside the post office, which was then locatedon Highway 46.

In 1924, the postoffice moved to theRobert J. Clary storeless than amile away,where it still resides.William R.Wright be-

Postmaster Kathy Fajnahas been coming to the Valentines Post Office

ever since she was a young girl collecting stamps, and she’s alwaysbeen fond of the area. “Valentines isn’t a big community, but we have big hearts,” she says.

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husband started years ago. “It makes you feelwonderful that you can carry the traditionon,” she says.

KKaatthhyy FFaajjnnaa has been the postmastersince 2006 and describes the Valentine’s rushwith one word: chaos. Along with the processof stamping all those valentines, Fajna andWright keep busy with giving tours to thosewho want to see the building decorated andhave a first-hand look at the stamped en-velopes. Some groups who have visited thepost office include school children on fieldtrips, bikers participating in tours, and evenred-hatters who have stopped by wearingbathing suits and fur coats. Fifteen coupleshave been married in the post office, and an-other couple got engaged on the front porchjust last year.

One of Fajna’s favorite things about work-ing at a small post office is that she gets toknow her clientele. “I’ve laughed with cus-tomers; I’ve cried with them,” she says. “Theybasically become family.”

STICKING TOGETHERSince there aren’t many people living in

Valentines, it’s easy for the residents to get toknow one another. “It’s some of the nicestpeople you’ll meet,” says BBuuddddyy HHiigghh, ownerof High’s Garage on Highway 46.

High explains that even though the econ-omy has hurt his and other businesses, thepeople stick together to help each other. Heused to have four employees, but now he isthe only one working at the garage. In hisspare time, High makes homemade soap,

carves walking sticks, designs chairs andbuilds large boats for the annual James RiverBatteau Festival.

Another business owner in Valentines isKKaarroolliinnee WWaattkkiinnss. She and her husbandCChhaarrlleess operate C-Line Graphics, Inc., whichis located in the original Valentines Post Of-fice building. C-Line handles all kinds ofprinting needs such as invitations, newslet-ters, commercial printing and brochures.Karoline says that she enjoys living in Valen-tines because it is quaint and quiet.

LIFE ON THE FARMFarming and agriculture are popular occu-

pations in Valentines. NNaahhmmeenn NNiieellsseenn andhis wife, DDoorrootthhyy, are local cattle farmers, buttheir farm is different from any other in the

February 2010/www.co-opliving.com

AT A GLANCE...

POPULATION: Approximately 220

ELEVATION: 329 feet above sea level

FACTOID: In 1995, the Love Stamp was issuedat the post office. In 2008, the Virginia GeneralAssembly designated each February 14th asValentines, Virginia Day.

1.Debbie and Russel Heese, owners of Gasburg Golf Cars, enjoy eating at KennonHouse once a week. “You can’t get anything here that’s not good,” says Debbie. 2. The Club Resort at Lake Gaston is a perfect getaway for families or couples visit-ing the area. 3. Warren Inge, pictured above, and his brother, David, carry on thefamily farming operation of cotton and tobacco.

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TTaassttee ooff BBrruunnsswwiicckk FFeessttiivvaall ——Brunswick County is the originalhome of Brunswick Stew. To celebrate this tasty recipe, the locals hold a Brunswick Stewcook-off every October. The stewis cooked in large, black ironpots and stirred with a boat pad-dle. The festival offers a day ofentertainment including livemusic, a classic car show and children’s activities. Visitwwwwww..ttaasstteeooffbbrruunnsswwiicckkffeessttiivvaall..ccoommto learn more about this year’sTaste of Brunswick Festival.

BBrruunnsswwiicckk CCoouunnttyy MMuusseeuumm —— Besides being the originator of ascrumptious stew, BrunswickCounty has a lot of history to offer.Visitors of the museum will take atour of the past with Indian relics,including a 3,000-4,000-year-oldtomahawk and arrowheads thatwere found in the area. The FortChristanna exhibit includes depic-tions of one of the largest frontierforts ever built in Virginia. Otherexhibits of interest include a doctor’s buggyfrom the 1800s and a showcase of antiquedolls. Museum hours are Tuesday and Thurs-day, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Saturdays,1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. For more information,contact the museum at (434) 848-0964.

RRoosseemmoonntt VViinneeyyaarrddss aanndd WWiinneerryy —— Rosemontproduced its first vintage in September2007, and has been impressing wine loverssince. It offers 10 different wines for tastingand purchasing, and guests may also shopfor wine accessories, crafts and artworkfrom local vendors. On the weekends, ChefDavid Rose creates an exquisite menu ofcheeses, appetizers and desserts. To sched-ule private dinners or find out which winesuits your palette, visit the Rosemont Website at wwwwww..rroosseemmoonnttooffvviirrggiinniiaa..ccoomm.

BBrruunnsswwiicckk MMiinneerraall SSpprriinnggss BBeedd aanndd BBrreeaakkffaasstt ——Discover the Southern charms that this bed andbreakfast has to offer. Take your sweetheart outfor a picnic lunch, enjoy a swim in the indoorheated pool or simply relax by the fireplace.Wake up to a full country breakfast or indulgein a three-course dinner during your stay. Withthree suites and two cottages, Brunswick Min-eral Springs has something to accommodateeveryone’s needs. For booking information, visitwwwwww..bbrruunnsswwiicckkmmiinneerraallsspprriinnggss..ccoomm.

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TThhee AArrttbbaannkk —— No vacation is complete withoutcatching an entertaining show. The Artbank isa local source for exploring the worlds ofdance, theater, painting, poetry, music, story-telling and mime. To get a taste of the culturaltalents of Brunswick County, call (434) 577-2833 and find out what shows you can’t miss.

TThhee TThhrreeee AAnnggeellss IInnnn aatt SShheerrwwoooodd ——-- ThisLawrenceville inn provides a tranquil atmos-phere for those who are looking to get awayfor the weekend, but it also caters to adventureseekers. Spend a quiet afternoon getting lost ina good book while lazing on the front porch orexplore some of the area’s hiking trails. Whetheryou’re looking to rekindle the romance or renewyour relationship with nature, the Three AngelsInn is sure to please; wwwwww..tthhrreeeeaannggeellssiinnnn..ccoomm.

LLaakkee RRaawwlliinnggss ——Why drive all the way to theocean when you can swim in one of the clear-est lakes on the East Coast? Lake Rawlings is apopular locale for swimming, kayaking andscuba diving. Divers will enjoy the thrill of dis-covering Ms. Laurie, a sunken airplane, andMs. Nikki, a sunken school bus, along withmany other underwater attractions. Forovernight guests, there are recreational vehiclesites, campgrounds and cabins available forrent. Check out wwwwww..llaakkeerraawwlliinnggss..ccoomm tolearn about programs and events taking placeat the lake. �

area. They operate Living Water Farm, a min-istry where those with drug or alcohol addic-tions can stay free of charge.

Although they’ve been successful athelping many overcome addictions, theydon’t take the credit for it. “It’s the Lord’sbusiness; we’re doing it for him, not for us,”Nahmen says.

An agricultural export of Valentines is pinetrees. Dr. Robert C. Clary, who was raised inValentines, expresses the importance of sup-porting this major crop. “When I go to a gro-cery store and they don’t have paper bags, Idon’t go back there,” Clary says. “We raisepine trees; not plastic.” Clary has visited all 50states and has traveled to many countries, butcame back to Valentines where he now sellsreal estate on Lake Gaston.

WATER, WATER EVERYWHERELake Gaston attracts many property buy-

ers to the area, and it’s a popular tourist spot.Water lovers come to participate in all kindsof activities such as tubing, water skiing,swimming, fishing and boating. Many visi-tors enjoy staying at The Club, a resort onthe lake. Aside from the waterfront motelrooms, the resort has an exclusive clubhousethat offers great family activities such asbowling, aerobics, shuffleboard, mini-golf,racquetball, arcade games and an indoorswimming pool. For a more romantic out-ing, couples may enjoy a walk on the privatebeach to watch the sunset.

ROMANCE IN THE AIRThe most romantic place to dine in

Valentines is the Kennon House. Built in1792, the Kennon House walls are con-structed with 16 inches of clay. Inside, thecrisp, white tablecloths offset the amorousred walls of the main dining room. Softlighting accompanies the tranquil musicthat plays in the background.

The atmosphere at Kennon House setsthe mood for the type of food served, whichcould be described as Southern cuisine witha twist. On the menu, there is a variety ofdishes from soups and salads to seafood andsteak. The salmon served with a delectabletomato basil topping is highly recom-mended. After dinner, indulge in a slice ofhomemade chocolate pie or enjoy a nightcapfrom the bar.

It’s apparent why many couples havechosen this community as the destinationfor their weddings and why most of theresidents have never dreamt of leaving.With its romantic atmosphere and warm-hearted people, Valentines epitomizes theslogan, “Virginia is for lovers.” �

IF YOU GO...

Cooperative Living/February 2010

Lake Gaston, a popular destination that attracts manyproperty buyers to the area, is roughly 35 miles longand covers more than 20,000 acres.

1. Nahmen Nielsen is originally from Germany,and his wife, Dorothy, is from New York, butthey’ve lived in Valentines for 20 years. “Whenwe moved here, the people welcomed us withopen arms,” Dorothy says. 2. In her generalstore, Francis Wright sells bologna and some ofthe best hoop cheese around. 3. As a realtor onLake Gaston, Dr. Robert C. Clary gets to meet thenewcomers in the area. “The people that I’ve got-ten to know, I would not mind having as a nextdoor neighbor,” he says. 4. Well-known localartist William Ward Moseley displays his water-color of the landmark post office. 5. Buddy Highsells used cars and does minor repair work at hisgarage. 6. Freddy Adams comes to the post of-fice nearly every day to socialize with friends.“Freddy’s a good soul,” says Mrs. Wright. 7.10-year-old Allison Wright enjoys visiting the post office where her grandmother works.

35February 2010/www.co-opliving.com

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