South River Quaker Meeting House & Burial Ground
Lynchburg, Virginia
Eight of the eleven founders of Lynchburg belonged to the South River Quaker Meeting, including town founder and namesake John Lynch.
No place is more important to understand the origins of Lynchburg—and who we are as a city today.
John Lynch, Sr., the founder of Lynchburg, is buried in the northwest corner of the old burial ground beside the Quaker meeting house.
“May the spirits of these two typical Quakers, John Lynch and John J. Terrell...long continue to animate and inspire the citizens of their well loved county and city; and may their descendants...transmit to their children's children the sterling virtues of their Quaker ancestors.”
— Judge Don P. Halsey, 1934
Visit in Person
South River Quaker Meeting House & Burial Ground
5810 Fort Avenue
Lynchburg, VA 24502
The grounds are open every day of the year from dawn to dusk. The meeting house is only open by appointment or with a guided tour.
Schedule a Tour
Tours of the meeting house and burial ground are given by appointment with advance notice and depending on staff or volunteer availability. Please call (434) 455-6226 or fill out the form on the right.
“…every tree and bush and the whispering winds seem to recall the memories of the past and bring back the days when the faithful and spiritual members of the Society of Friends assembled at the Meeting House for religious worship.”
— Lynchburg News, 7 May 1901
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