The Waltons: Reel Locations in Central Virginia
A Slate River Ramblings reader recently pointed out that in teleplays for the long-running series, The Waltons, creator Earl Hamner, Jr. loosely disguised a wide variety of locations in and around his home in Schuyler, Nelson County. For example, Hamner’s alma mater, Richmond College, became Boatwright College, remembering Dr. Fredrick Boatwright, who was President of Richmond College when Hamner was a student.
Earl Hamner, Jr.
The website, The Walton’s Mountain Locations, collects, describes, and decodes some of the Virginia locales used in the series including: Rockfish, Covesville, Charlottesville, etc. Buckingham County is where the Baldwin family lived and it is featured in “The Reunion” (Season 1, Episode 13).
I think this charming show is what got me hooked on my Virginia family history. My mother remembered a Hamner working on her father’s Well Water farm one summer.
Carole, I suspect the nation fell in love with central Virginia and its values while “The Waltons” were on the air. Who was your mother’s father? What was the name of the farm at Well Water?
My grandparents were Clinton T. Baber and Lily Norvell. Their farm was on Sharon Church Road near to Rte. 20 and built on 80 acres purchased in 1916 from her mother Molly. The farm was sold after 1947. You featured Molly and Thomas B. Norvell’s home a few months ago.
Carole, Watch for more about Well Water is future posts!
Carole: Thanks for posting the the location of your family home. Well Water was great community.
SRR readers: Here is the link to the earlier post about the Norvell house:
https://slateriver.wordpress.com/2013/03/27/buckingham-mysteries-the-norvell-house/
I love this! I feel a Walton’s viewing marathon coming on ….
You can get a quick fix on YouTube!