Thanks to a national competition to find the “Prettiest Painted Places in America,” people across the country are discovering what Virginia residents have long known: the Commonwealth has some of the most beautiful towns and neighborhoods to be found anywhere.
Sponsored by the Paint Quality Institute, whose mission is to educate the public about quality paints and coatings, the “Prettiest Painted Places” competition has drawn nine entries from Virginia: Abingdon, Alexandria’s Old Town, Charlottesville, Manassas’ Old Town, Newport News, Occoquan, Smithfield, Staunton, and Winchester-Frederick County.
Over the next few weeks, the nine Virginia communities will vie with nearly 200 nominees from other states for regional and national honors, as judges with expertise in color selection, exterior painting, and home improvement review the entries, conduct additional research and make selected site visits. Finalists will be announced in late September, and the nation’s 12 “Prettiest Painted Places” will be revealed in mid-October.
“Staunton is a beautiful small city and we’re hoping the judges come for a site visit,” says Amanda Glover, Assistant Director of Economic Development for the City of Staunton. “Staunton’s Victorian legacy, especially in the downtown area and the surrounding historic neighborhoods, make for a robust and architecturally distinctive sense of place. Many of the buildings, even brick facades, feature gorgeous painted surfaces and colors.”
Previously, Staunton has won notice and acclaim from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Smithsonian, Travel + Leisure, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, and more.
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