Lynchburg community to unveil statue of late Mayor Murrell Warren “Teedy” Thornhill Jr.

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - The City of Lynchburg has invited the public to an unveiling of the Mayor Murrell Warren Thornhill, Jr. statue at the Fifth Street Roundabout Saturday at 10 a.m.

Murrell Warren “Teedy” Thornhill, Jr. was Lynchburg’s first Black mayor and a renowned Civil Rights activist, serving on Lynchburg City Council from 1976 to 1990 and then Mayor from 1990 to 1992.

The program will include guest speakers, music and light refreshments. According to the city, the program is a rain or shine event.

On Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon detour routes will be in place for road closures. Jackson Street to Harrison Street and Fourth Street to Sixth Street will close to all traffic, including emergency vehicles.

Streets will reopen at noon after the ceremony.

Free on-street parking will be available on Saturday, with the exception of permit-only spaces. Public parking will be available in the following lots on Saturday

• 601 Fifth Street Parking Lot

• Community Funeral Home, 909 Fifth Street

• Court Street Parking Lot, 200 Court Street

• Elks Lodge, 507 Polk Street

• Fifth Street Baptist Church, 1007 Fifth Street

• Johnson Health Center, 3320 Federal Street

• St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Sixth and Madison Streets

The Greater Lynchburg Transit Company will offer a free roundtrip shuttle from 9:00 a.m. to 9:40 a.m. from the Lynchburg Grand Hotel to the event. The shuttle will run again after the event.

For more information, click here.