Grundy, VA

Grundy sits tucked deep in the Appalachian mountains of southwest Virginia, right along the Levisa Fork River. As the seat of Buchanan County, it has a long history tied to the regional coal industry, though its mountain setting has shaped daily life just as much. After devastating floods in the late 1970s, the community took on a massive redevelopment project to move much of the downtown area onto higher ground, giving the small town an unusual layout perched above the river valley.

ATTRChrisfortier at English Wikipedia / Public domain

Today, Grundy balances its coal-country roots with a quiet college-town feel, largely thanks to the Appalachian School of Law and the Appalachian College of Pharmacy. Students and longtime locals share a compact downtown framed by steep, forested ridges and scenic mountain drives. It is a peaceful, tight-knit community surrounded by outdoor recreation, offering a slow pace of living in one of Virginia's most secluded corners.