Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 28, 1995 TAG: 9504280044
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: TODD JACKSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
As the soft custard flowed, so did the spirit of cooperation.
An 11-member committee formed to recommend a name for the intersection of Virginia 122 and 616 near Smith Mountain Lake whittled a lengthy list of suggestions to three on Tuesday: Lakewood, Duncan's Corner and Westlake Corner.
The three-year ordeal to choose a name for the intersection has come down to these three names, said George Barrow, a lake resident and chairman of the committee. From these three, the committee will make its choice.
Here's the rundown on the trio of titles:
Lakewood - the wily veteran of the group. Lakewood is the name of a professional office building near the intersection. It received the most votes in a recent poll of some lake business people and residents, but the fairness of the poll was questioned, opening the door to continued debate. Lakewood also was the winner in a poll conducted several months ago by the Smith Mountain Eagle newspaper.
Duncan's Corner - the sentimental favorite. William E. Duncan was a 19th-century Franklin County educator and one of the county's first school superintendents. He lived near the intersection and ran Halesford Academy, a nearby school. The old school building stood until an arsonist set fire to it several years ago. It since has been refurbished, and Dudley Elemetery School now sits next to it.
Westlake Corner - the up-and-comer. The intersection is on the west end of the lake. Sounds simple, but then do the other corners of the lake become Northlake, Southlake and Eastlake?
Smith Mountain Lake, the name that received the most votes in a Roanoke Times & World-News poll two weeks ago, was eliminated because it was considered too broad for the limits the committee placed on the name's defining area - a 2-mile radius of the intersection, according to Barrow.
Halesford, the area's name during the 19th century, was not seriously considered.
Barrow said Tuesday's meeting was "totally peacefull," compared with others held to debate the issue.
Those other meetings included heated exchanges among lake residents and business owners about such things as the perceptions of specific names and the size of the area a name should cover.
Committee member Clint Shay, who owns the Duncan-Holland House, a historic residence near the intersection wher Duncan's family once lived, said "there were a few sparks, but no animosity" at Tuesday's 2 1/2 hour meeting. Duncan and several of his family members are buried in back of the Holland-Duncan house, Shay said.
Supervisor Charles Ellis, who represents the district that includes the intersection, decided to form the committee when it was apparent no end to the name game was in sight. True to his word, he put an odd number of members on the committee so he wouldn't be required to decide a tie vote.
Barrow said all 11 members, who include business owners and residents, attended Tuesday's meeting.
Barrow said committee members now will solicit feedback from their "constituents." People not contacted by a committee member can call a voice mail system until 5 p.m. Wednesday.
The voice mail number is (703) 721-1177. Each committee member has an extension.
The commitee meets again May 8. Ellis will take its choice to the county Board of Supervisors for action.
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Memo: NOTE: Shorter version ran in Metro edition.