Starved for attention from tourists, this sleepy little Virginia
town built a large electic light in the shape of a star on the
top of one of the surroundings hills (they call this Mill
Mountain although it is less than 600 ft. in elevation).  After
it was completed, the chamber of commerce added the nickname-
Star city of the south  to their advertising literature. There
is no reason given for why this, or any other star would be
relevant to Roanoke.  The light, still standing, shines white
and bright in the distance, except for special occasions, when
colored lights are added. In the 70s red lights were used in the
star when there was a traffic fatality. (I understand this was
discontinued in the 80s).  City in the Roanoke Valley (so named
for the Roanoke River) of southwestern Virginia. Approximately
3.75 hours southwest of Washington, DC via Interstates 66 and
81, or 2.75 hours WSW of Richmond.  Roanoke wasn't much of a
city, or even named Roanoke for that matter, until after the
Civil War. Its original