Whitetop Mountain Molasses and Maple Syrup Company

This article is republished with permission from www.whitetopva.org Mark your calendars for Whitetop's upcoming Maple Syrup Festival, March 28 & 29.

Most people associate maple syrup with New England, but that changed in the 1970s when the Whitetop community set out to revive maple syrup as both a cultural tradition and a tool for local economic development. Inspired by a Virginia Tech project demonstrating modern syrup-making techniques, local leaders worked with People Incorporated, Virginia Tech specialists, and the U.S. Forest Service to launch a community-owned operation.

After securing grants and loans, the Whitetop Mountain Molasses and Maple Syrup Company was established, and a modern sugar house was constructed on Old Park Road. In March 1975, after 18 months of planning and construction and lots of volunteer help, the first sap run was boiled into syrup and offered for sale. Despite weather delays, the syrup earned a Grade A Fancy rating—the highest quality designation—and was a point of pride for the entire community. Importantly, profits stayed local, supporting community needs and reinforcing Whitetop’s long-standing tradition of self-reliance.

The revival of syrup making soon grew into a broader community celebration. By the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Whitetop Maple Syrup Festival had become an annual spring tradition, combining pancake breakfasts, music, crafts, and tours of the sugar house. Proceeds supported the Mount Rogers Volunteer Fire Department and other local organizations, while also sharing Whitetop’s maple heritage with visitors from across the region.

Maple syrup production in Whitetop continued for more than 40 years. Over time, as younger generations moved away, it became increasingly difficult to find enough volunteers to tap trees and boil sap locally. While the Maple Syrup Festival remains a major annual fundraiser for the Fire Department and syrup continues to be bottled in Whitetop, the tapping and cooking eventually moved elsewhere.

Today, the story is coming full circle. The Mount Rogers Volunteer Fire Department has recently added a new building on the Fire Hall property and plans are underway to move the syrup-making equipment there. With this new space, the community hopes to once again tap local trees and cook maple syrup in Whitetop—reviving a tradition that has been part of the mountain’s heritage for generations.

Republished with Permission by www.whitetopva.org