"Centre of the universe?" Top 5 Page for this destination Ashland Local Custom Tip by b1bob

Folks from Ashland, Virginia like to think of themselves as the centre of the universe. They are definitely at the geographic centre of Hanover County, Virginia. Former mayor Dick Gillis came with the slogan in the 1980s supposedly because it was close to the mountains, the beach, Richmond, and D.C. It is right along the railroad line and it is a college town: home to Randolph-Macon University. Many in the rest of Hanover County believe Ashlanders like to think of itself as more cosmopolitan and urbane read: better than the rest of the county. In the autumn of 2008, Peter Greenberg wrote a book "Don't Go There! The Travel Detective's Essential Guide to the Must-Miss Places of the World" and included beloved Ashland under Lamest Claims to Fame. Of course Ashlanders were up in arms, demanding equal time to state the town's case on the same programme. While Greenberg's comments may have ruffled the feathers of Ashlanders, when put in context it makes sense. He said in the Today show interview, "I think it's (Ashland is) a nice place, but the point is, when you have hyperbolic overly stated claims that's a red flag to me." I will give Ashland its due for its fine architecture and more fine dining opportunities for a town this size, but I hardly think it is better than anywhere else in Hanover County...or the universe.