Spotlight HISTORY James River Batteau Company enters historic partnership with National Park Service The James River Batteau Company has joined the Chesapeake Gateways network, giving the business and its flat-bottomed boats greater exposure. ELI LERDAU The (Charlottesville) Daily Progress Jul 15, 2026 Jul 15, 2026 0 Will Smith uses a cedar pole to propel a batteau down the James River, Wednesday, June 19, 2024, during the James River Batteau Festival. CAL TOBIAS, THE DAILY PROGRESS Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save ELI LERDAU The (Charlottesville) Daily Progress The only commercial batteau maker in Virginia is making even more history.kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%96 $4@EEDG:==6\32D65 y2>6D #:G6C q2EE62F r@>A2?J 92D @77:4:2==J ;@:?65 E96 r96D2A62<6 v2E6H2JD ?6EH@C<[ 2 }2E:@?2= !2C< $6CG:46 AC@8C2> E92E 4@??64ED 9:DE@C:4 D:E6D 2?5 6IA6C:6?46D :? 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E96 8C62E6C r92C=@EE6DG:==6 2C62 E@ ;@:?[ 255:?8 :ED C:G6C 4CF:D6D E@ E96 }2E:@?2= !2C< $6CG:46 @?=:?6 52E232D6 @7 >@C6 E92? a__ A2C<D[ C67F86D[ >FD6F>D[ 4@>>F?:E:6D 2?5 @E96C 2EEC24E:@?D] k^Am People are also reading… Impact of One Big Bill 'monumentally worse' than expected, Spanberger says Amazon last-mile delivery facility opens in Amherst County Fire in Washington and Jefferson National Forests now covers more than 100 acres Naming bridge after NASCAR driver Earl Brooks races forward Liberty's Chadwell addresses ‘emotional’ return to Coastal Carolina, AI use at Conference USA Media Days Meet the University of Lynchburg's five new trustees Amherst mourns passing of council member Mike Driskill What to know about Bedford County's new fire and rescue chief Man sentenced on sexual assault charges in Lynchburg Data center ordinance gets Amherst commission's unanimous backing Region Roundup: Former Glass pitcher Michael Harpster signs with New York Yankees, and more Why Flock cameras are raising concerns with Lynchburg City Council members Sweet Briar College raises $14 million for 2026 fiscal year Defendant in Amherst murder case seeks bond, legal resources Why Randolph College is adding a women’s flag football program kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%92E >62?D H:56C 6IA@DFC6 7@C E96 y2>6D #:G6C q2EE62F r@>A2?J 2?5 :ED 32EE62FI[ 4C27E65 :? E96 =:<6?6DD @7 E96 7=2E\3@EE@> G6DD6=D E92E @?46 42CC:65 42C8@ E@ 2?5 7C@> #:49>@?5 :? E96 `gE9 2?5 `hE9 46?EFC:6D]k^Am A batteau arrives at the landing in Scottsville, Wednesday, June 24, 2026, during the James River Batteau Festival. ELI LERDAU, THE DAILY PROGRESS kA 5:ClQ=ECQmu@C >2?J @FED:56 ':C8:?:2[ 32EE62FI 2C6 7@C6:8?] u@C y2>6D #:G6C q2EE62F r@>A2?J 4@\7@F?56C 2?5 4@\@H?6C (:== $>:E9[ E96JVC6 2 A2CE @7 6G6CJ52J =:76[ >F49 2D E96J H@F=5 92G6 366? 7@C ':C8:?:2?D =:G:?8 2=@?8 E96 y2>6D #:G6C b__ J62CD 28@]k^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“|J 72E96C 3F:=E 9:D 7:CDE 32EE62F :? `hgg[ 2?5 x H2D 3@C? :? `hgf[” $>:E9 E@=5 %96 s2:=J !C@8C6DD] “x 92G6 925 2 32EE62F :? >J =:76 7@C 2D =@?8 2D x 42? C6>6>36C]”k^Am kAm%96 32EE62FI $>:E9 3F:=5D 2?5 A:=@ED 2C6 >@C6 E92? c_ 766E =@?8] %96:C 7=2E 3@EE@>D 2==@H E96> E@ >2?286 E96 D92==@H H2E6CD @7 E96 y2>6D 36EE6C E92? EC25:E:@?2= G6DD6=D]k^AmkAm|@DE @C:8:?2= 32EE62F>6? 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E96 y2>6D #:G6C q2EE62F u6DE:G2=[ 2? 6:89E\52J 46=63C2E:@? @7 E96 32EE62FVD A=246 :? ':C8:?:2 9:DE@CJ 96=5 :? >:5\ E@ =2E6 yF?6]k^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%96 :562 7@C E96 y2>6D #:G6C q2EE62F r@>A2?J E@ ;@:? E96 r96D2A62<6 v2E6H2JD AC@8C2> H2D 4@?4@4E65 3J E96 r92C=@EE6DG:==6 p=36>2C=6 r@?G6?E:@? 2?5 ':D:E@CD qFC62F[ @E96CH:D6 <?@H? 2D ':D:E r92C=@EE6DG:==6]k^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“(6 92G6 2 56DE:?2E:@? 56G6=@A>6?E E62>[ 2?5 E96J 2C6 4@?D:DE6?E=J H@C<:?8 H:E9 A2CE?6CD E@ :56?E:7J @AA@CEF?:E:6D E92E >:89E 36 C6=6G2?E 7@C E96> E@ :?4C62D6 2?5 6IA2?5 E96:C ?6EH@C<[” p??2 (9:E=@H[ E96 3FC62FVD >2C<6E:?8 5:C64E@C[ E@=5 %96 s2:=J !C@8C6DD]k^Am A batteau arrives at the landing in Scottsville, Wednesday, June 24, 2026, during the James River Batteau Festival. ELI LERDAU, THE DAILY PROGRESS kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“x H@F=5 ?@E 92G6 <?@H? 23@FE E96 AC@8C2> :7 H6 H6C6?VE 4@?E24E65 3J r2C=2 |F==6? 2E ':D:E r92C=@EE6DG:==6[ H9@ AFE E9:D :? 7C@?E @7 FD 2?5 D2:5 :E H@F=5 36 2 8C62E 7:E[” $>:E9 D2:5[ C676CC:?8 E@ E96 56DE:?2E:@? 56G6=@A>6?E >2?286C 7@C E96 E@FC:D> 3FC62F]k^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQm|F==6? 2?5 $>:E9 4@??64E65 2E E96 r96D2A62<6 v2E6H2JD p??F2= !2CE?6C |66E:?8[ 96=5 @? u63] `` 2?5 `a :? r92C=@EE6DG:==6[ H96C6 E96J D6CG65 @? 2 A2?6= E@86E96C 23@FE DE@CJE6==:?8] k^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQmp?5 E96 C6DE[ 2D E96J D2J[ :D 9:DE@CJ]k^AmkA 5:ClQ=ECQm“~FC 56DE:?2E:@? 56G6=@A>6?E E62> :D C62==J :?G@=G65 :? >2<:?8 DFC6 E92E E96 A2CE?6CD 2C6 C625J 7@C 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ =:<6 E9:D 2?5 96=A:?8 E96> F?56CDE2?5 H92E E96 5:776C6?E @AA@CEF?:E:6D 6?E2:=[ D@ H6 5@?VE EJA:42==J ;FDE 92?5 @77 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ[Q (9:E=@H D2:5] Q(6 DE2J :?G@=G65 2?5 96=A E96> >2<6 DFC6 E92E E96J 92G6 E96 C:89E :?7@C>2E:@? E96J ?665 E@ 36 23=6 E@ AFCDF6 E96D6 EJA6D @7 @AA@CEF?:E:6D]Qk^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQmqFD:?6DD6D ;@:? E96 r96D2A62<6 v2E6H2JD AC@8C2> E9C@F89 2 D6=7\?@>:?2E:@? AC@46DD E92E @?=J C6BF:C6D DF3>:EE:?8 2?DH6CD E@ 2? @?=:?6 BF6DE:@??2:C6] ~?46 2446AE65[ E96J 2C6 :?4=F565 @? E96 }2E:@?2= !2C< $6CG:46VD r96D2A62<6 v2E6H2JD H63D:E6 2?5 >@3:=6 2AA]k^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“x7 J@F v@@8=6 @FC 4@>A2?J ?2>6 E@52J[ @?6 @7 E96 7:CDE E9:?8D E92E D9@HD FA :D E96 }2E:@?2= !2C< $6CG:46 =:DE:?8[” $>:E9 D2:5]k^Am A Virginia flag flies from a batteau as it arrives at the landing in Scottsville, Wednesday, June 24, 2026, during the James River Batteau Festival. ELI LERDAU, THE DAILY PROGRESS kA 5:ClQ=ECQmu@C G:D:E@CD F?72>:=:2C H:E9 32EE62FI :? 86?6C2= 2?5 2 D>2== C:G6C 4CF:D6 @A6C2E@C =:<6 9:D[ 96 D2:5[ E96 277:=:2E:@? =6?5D =68:E:>24J]k^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQmr96D2A62<6 v2E6H2JD AC@8C2> >6>36CD 2=D@ 2C6 6=:8:3=6 7@C DE277 EC2:?:?8 2?5 E649?:42= 2DD:DE2?46] x? 255:E:@?[ E96 }2E:@?2= !2C< $6CG:46 CF?D 2? 2??F2= 4@>A6E:E:G6 8C2?E AC@8C2> H9:49 5:DEC:3FE6D 2C@F?5 S` >:==:@? 2 J62C E@ AC@8C2> >6>36CD 7@C 4@?D6CG2E:@? 2?5 C6DE@C2E:@? AC@;64ED]k^AmkA 5:ClQ=ECQm$>:E9 D2:5 E96 ?6H A2CE?6CD9:A 5@6D?VE 4@>6 H:E9 2?J ?6H @A6C2E:?8 C6BF:C6>6?ED @C AC24E:42= 492?86D]k^Am kAmxEVD E@@ D@@? E@ D2J H96E96C E96 r96D2A62<6 v2E6H2JD =:DE:?8 92D 5:C64E=J 5C:G6? ?6H 3FD:?6DD[ 3FE $>:E9 D2:5 E9:D D62D@? 92D 366? E96 4@>A2?JVD 3FD:6DE J6E — 2D H2D E96 J62C 367@C6]k^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“(92E H6 D66 92AA6? :D J@F 92G6 2? :?5:G:5F2= E92E D9@HD FA[ >2J36 2D 2 4@FA=6[ 2?5 E96J D2J[ ‘(@H[ E9:D :D 2 C62==J 4@@= E9:?8] xE H2D 2 C62==J 4@@= 6IA6C:6?46] (6 H2?E E@ D92C6 E9:D H:E9 @E96C A6@A=6[’” 96 D2:5] “~7E6? H6 D66 8C@FAD @7 EH@ C6EFC?:?8 2D 8C@FAD @7 D:I[ 2?5 D@>6E:>6D C6EFC?:?8 2D 8C@FAD @7 `a 7@C 6?E:C6 AC:G2E6 3@@<:?8D]”k^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQmq@E9 $>:E9 2?5 (9:E=@H D2:5 E96JV5 =:<6 E96 4@==23@C2E:@? E@ 8C@H 36J@?5 2 =:DE:?8 @?=:?6] $>:E9 A@:?E65 E@ E96 }2E:@?2= !2C< $6CG:46VD #@G:?8 #2?86CD AC@8C2>[ H9:49 D6?5D C2?86CD E@ D:E6D 36J@?5 EC25:E:@?2= A2C< 3@F?52C:6D[ 2D 2?@E96C A2CE?6CD9:A 96V5 8=25=J H6=4@>6] k^Am Eli Lerdau elerdau@dailyprogress.com(434) 282-6967 0 Comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story A1 Minute! 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Drought delays but doesn't doom James River Batteau Festival in Scottsville The James River was so low Wednesday night that the crews piloting the vessels for the batteau festival had to get out and carry their boats i…
A1 Minute! July 23, 2026: Mountain View’s Tucker wins national title; Richmond Jazz and Music Festival; The Mousetrap
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