Shot Tower State Park
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Where
Wythe County, Southwest Virginia
Main landmark
Jackson Ferry Shot Tower
Grounds
Open dawn to dusk
Before you go
Check current tower access and parking details
Shot Tower State Park is a compact historic stop overlooking the New River in Wythe County. Its landmark, the Jackson Ferry Shot Tower, was built to produce lead shot for firearms; interpretive signs help explain how the unusual industrial process worked. The grounds are open from dawn to dusk, but tower tours and access are subject to availability, so check with the park before making a special trip. [1]
The visit is best approached as a brief blend of local history and river scenery rather than a full-day park outing. The tower stands on a bluff above the New River, and its story connects nearby lead mining with the making of ammunition on Virginia’s early frontier. [2]
Plan a trip to Shot Tower State Park
Why visit Shot Tower State Park?
The park offers an unusually tangible look at an early manufacturing technique. Rather than casting each pellet in a mold, workers dropped molten lead from the top of a tall tower; as it fell, the metal cooled into small shot before landing in water below. The tower and the shaft beneath it made that long drop possible. [3]
It is also a worthwhile stop for visitors exploring the New River area who are interested in how industry, transportation and the landscape intersected. The site is modest in scale, but its setting and surviving structure make the process easier to picture than a history-book description alone.
Start here
Begin with the interpretive signs and a look at the stone tower from the grounds. They introduce the shot-making process and the site’s connection to lead from the nearby Austinville mines. If tours are being offered during your visit, ask about going inside or ascending the tower; access is not guaranteed, so call ahead to confirm. [4]
What to see and do
See the Jackson Ferry Shot Tower
Take in the stone structure that gives the park its name. The tower stands above the New River and was built for the production of lead shot.
Follow the shot-making process
Use the interpretive signs to understand how molten lead was dropped through the tower and the shaft beneath it, then cooled in water.
Look out over the New River
Pause on the bluff for the river setting that shaped the site’s industrial layout and access.
Ask about a tower tour
Tower access is offered only when tours are available. Contact the park before visiting if entering or climbing the tower is important to your plans.
History and significance
The Jackson Ferry Shot Tower was erected around 1807 by Thomas Jackson on a bluff in Wythe County. The operation used lead supplied from the Austinville mines, several miles away, to manufacture shot for firearms. [5]
Molten lead was poured through an opening at the top of the tower. The drops cooled as they fell through the tower and a shaft sunk into the bluff, landing in water below; a tunnel connected the shaft area with the riverbank, where shot could be moved to boats. The tower is listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places. [6]
Planning a visit
The grounds are open from dawn to dusk. Virginia State Parks advises visitors to call for current availability of tower tours; admission to the tower is free when it is open, but the standard parking fee applies. Confirm current access, fees and any changes before traveling. [7]
The park’s listed contact number is 276-699-6778. The state parks page gives an administrative mailing address at 116 Orphanage Drive, Max Meadows; use the official park directions or map to navigate to the Shot Tower entrance rather than assuming the mailing address is the tower’s location. [8]
Nearby attractions
Southwest Virginia
Explore the wider region’s mountain landscapes, small towns and outdoor destinations.
Claytor Lake State Park
A state park destination on the New River near Dublin, with lake-oriented recreation.
New River Trail State Park
The New River area is also known for its long rail-trail route; check official park information for access points and current conditions.
Books and useful gear: Browse related travel books and outdoor gear on Amazon
References
- ↑ Shot Tower State Park, Virginia State Parks, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- ↑ Shot Tower, Virginia Landmarks Register, Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- ↑ Shot Tower State Park, Virginia State Parks, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- ↑ Shot Tower State Park, Virginia State Parks, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- ↑ Shot Tower, Virginia Landmarks Register, Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- ↑ Shot Tower, Virginia Landmarks Register, Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- ↑ Shot Tower State Park, Virginia State Parks, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- ↑ Shot Tower State Park, Virginia State Parks, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved October 22, 2026.