CITY OF STAUNTON
City Offices
116 W Beverley Street
Staunton 540-332-3800
www.staunton.va.us
Chamber of Commerce
30 Ladd Road
Fishersville 540-324-1133
www.augustava.com
Conveniently located at the crossroads of Interstates 64 and 81 and surrounded by Augusta County, Staunton is nationally recognized as one of America’s best small towns. Located just a few minutes’ drive from Charlottesville, the city proudly offers its own exceptional healthcare, education, culinary, and cultural amenities. Along with nearby Waynesboro, Staunton provides a charming urban center for rural county residents. Commercial air travel is available less than 30 minutes from Staunton at the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport in Weyers Cave.
Services
Residents of Staunton have quick and easy access to a world of educational opportunities that include “Blue Ribbon” Staunton City Schools and several private schools, two of which offer boarding options. No less than 12 colleges and universities are available within a 50-mile radius, including the two-year institutions of Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave, Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, and Piedmont Community College. Staunton is the proud home of Mary Baldwin College, a private Presbyterian-affiliated institution with residential undergraduate programs for women as well as coed adult degree programs and master’s level programs. Other options nearby include Bridgewater College and the universities of James Madison, Washington and Lee, Southern Virginia, and Eastern Mennonite. The state-supported Virginia Military Institute in Lexington enrolls military cadets exclusively and awards only baccalaureate degrees. Nearby Charlottesville is home to one of the nation’s most respected research institutions, the University of Virginia. With eight schools and three professional programs, UVA offers the highly ranked Darden Graduate School of Business Administration, Curry School of Education, School of Engineering and Applied Science, School of Law, and School of Medicine.
New residents will be equally impressed by the outstanding level of healthcare available locally and with a reasonable commute. Augusta Health with its flagship campus in nearby Fishersville is a nationally acclaimed institution that has been recognized for a number of advanced programs that include a state-of-the-art cancer center. Considered as one of America’s finest community hospitals and ranked by Healthgrades among the 50 Best Hospitals, Augusta Health maintains a 255-bed hospital staffed by 225 full-time physicians. Locally, Stanton offers an Augusta Health Urgent Care center and a Convenient Care Center. Just 45 minutes from Staunton, Charlottesville is home to the University of Virginia Health System with a 570-bed Magnet® hospital, Level I Trauma Center, nationally recognized cancer and heart centers, and a Children’s Hospital. UVA Health also maintains primary and specialty clinics throughout Central Virginia, staffed by professionals that have been recognized for clinical excellence in publications like US News & World Report, Best Doctors in America, and America’s Top Doctors.
Lifestyle
Long recognized as one of Virginia’s finest small cities, Staunton has been called “one of the prettiest and most progressive towns in the South” by Southern Living and “one of the best small towns in America” by Smithsonian magazine. The accolades come as no surprise to those who already know Staunton as an ideal place to call home. Walkable and friendly, downtown Staunton preserves six historic districts that showcase an amazing variety of stunning architecture. Locally owned and operated shops, restaurants, cafes, theaters, and galleries add to the city’s distinctive charm and overwhelming appeal. Historic highlights include the recently restored Stonewall Jackson Hotel & Conference Center, the birthplace of President Woodrow Wilson, and the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum. The Frontier Culture Museum tells the story of American immigrants during the 1600s and 1700s including reproductions of rural buildings and living history demonstrations. Other cultural jewels include the American Shakespeare Center, the Heifetz International Music Institute, and a summer calendar brimming over with music festivals from blues to jazz and folk.
Staunton has been cited as one of the best places for Shenandoah Valley exploration, including easy access to nation recreational treasures like the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah National Park with its Skyline Drive. The Appalachian Trail extends for 330 miles from the southern end of Shenandoah National Park along the Blue Ridge Parkway, which leads to the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. This vast preserve encompasses 1.8 million acres of breathtaking beauty—more than half of which remains undeveloped wilderness. The area’s idyllic four-season climate and bright sunshine encourage year-round outdoor adventures that include hiking, camping, horseback riding, cycling and mountain biking, river rafting, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, boating, and nature study. First-rate facilities are available for golf, tennis, and sports play. During the winter months, regional resorts like The Homestead, Wintergreen, and Massanutten offer skiing, snowboarding, and tubing. In the very heart of Stanton, Gypsy Hill Park provides a sprawling 214-acre green space and multi-use recreational facility. Hundreds of acres of natural beauty are preserved and maintained by Staunton’s Parks & Recreation Department, which also oversees a kaleidoscope of programs for every season and every age group. From hundreds of acres of lovely urban parks to delicious farm-to-table culinary experiences and truly beautiful neighborhoods, the City of Staunton is a wonderful place to call home.
