Enter our James River Watershed Poetry Contest
The James River and its tributaries are deep sources of connection and memory, holding different meanings for different individuals and communities. If you live in the Greater Lynchburg Area, illustrate and honor the varied relationships we have with the river with a poem.
Choose your story
to experience voices across the James sharing the impact the river has on their lives.
Choose your story
to experience voices across the James sharing the impact the river has on their lives.
A peaceful refuge
A river connects us
About the Project
The James River Association (JRA) is excited to bring you Stories by the James, a community collaboration that harnesses the magic of stories through the lens of diverse storytellers within our James River watershed.
Our hope is that this sneak peek into how the James shows up in our collective lives will provide awareness, discovery, understanding, and the sense that while our stories may be different, the river running through these stories is a common thread that unites us all. It is our river to share. It is also our river to protect.
Listen, that’s what the James River does. It draws people from all different backgrounds. They go down to the river to find some peace … it draws people together.
Storyteller Series
Earth Day 2022
Stories by the James launched on April 22, 2022, with a goal to progressively roll out a total of 50 stories by the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act on October 18, 2022.
These stories pay tribute to how this groundbreaking measure not only gave us a cleaner river to enjoy, but also propelled us towards a fishable, swimmable, drinkable James across Virginia, ensuring that we have river stories to share.