The Jewel of the Blue Ridge

Exterior of Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium, Sep-1996.

A spectacular view of the Blue Ridge Mountains above the Roanoke River is often available.

• Location: James E. Taliaferro Civic Center Complex, Salem, Va.
• Opened: 1995 as Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium
• Additional names: Lewis-Gale Field (2006)
• Home team: Salem Avalanche (1995-2008), Red Sox (2009-present), Carolina League
• Capacity: 6,300 (4,968 permanent seats)

Chronological Tour: Stop 107

Rating: 4 baseballs

You can’t knock the architecture of the city-owned park, which for several years also hosted the Division 3 College World Series as well as the Avalanche. But the true selling point is the view of the Blue Ridge Mountains beyond the outfield wall.

Often, the mountains themselves are obscured in a bluish haze. It isn’t fog or smog; it’s a natural phenomenon, which is how the Blue Ridge got its name. But where else can one see “purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain” and a ball game at the same time?