Philanthropist investing in Clifton Forge, Va., to revitalize the small town

In the scenic Allegheny Highlands of Virginia, the 4,000 residents of Clifton Forge have seen better days. Over the last few decades, many factory and railroad jobs have disappeared, forcing many to commute elsewhere, even to neighboring West Virginia. Louise Belmont, the granddaughter of the founder of Reynolds Metals Co. (now Alcoa), has fallen in love with the town, and she wants others to come see what it has to offer, reports The Roanoke Times.

By buying up property, Belmont has begun her own personal economic development project, as she hopes to transform the town "into a tourist destination for leaf watchers, hikers, kayakers and folks who want to go antiquing, shopping or just plain relax," Jay Conley writes.

She has secured an option to buy the old high school (above in Times photo by Stephanie Klein-Davis) and turn it into an arts center. So far, she has opened an antique store, Gallery 416, and bought the town's popular hangout, Averill's Country Store, which she has renovated. Her efforts have inspired others, and the town is working to create a tourism trail to unite the communities of the Allegheny Highlands, Clifton Forge's interim town manager LeeAnn Tyler told Conley. (Read more)