Mountain Poor People

Poor Mountain is a ridge of high peaks located in Roanoke County Virginia and Montgomery County Virginia. At 3,928 feet, Poor Mountain is the tallest mountain in the immediate area.
Poor Mountain has the largest known population, by far, of piratebush (Buckleya distichophylla), a plant which draws nutrients from the roots of Eastern Hemlock trees. Piratebush is found only in limited numbers at a few other locations in Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. The Poor Mountain Natural Area Preserve has been established to protect this population,
Twelve O'clock Knob is located adjacent to Poor Mountain in Roanoke County directly south of Salem, Virginia. The north slope of the ridgeline formed by Poor Mountain and Twelve O'clock Knob marks the southwestern boundary of the Roanoke Valley. Fort Lewis Mountain is located directly across the valley from Poor Mountain.

Poor Mountain is the location of several broadcasting antennas for radio and television stations in the Roanoke, Virginia-Lynchburg, Virginia Designated Market Area (DMA). On the apex of the mountain in what's referred to as an "antenna farm" are the broadcasting antennas on towers for radio stations WVTF(FM) 89.1, licensed to the Virginia Tech Foundation, Inc.; WXL60 (VHF-FM) 162.475 MHz (NOAA Weather Radio), licensed to NOAA, National Weather Service; W220BD 91.9, licensed to Family Radio; and three radio stations licensed to Mel Wheeler, Incorporated, WXLK(FM) 92.3; WSLC-FM 94.9; and WSLQ(FM) 99.1. Digital television stations located in the antenna farm are WBRA-TV 3 (PSIP Channel 15), WDBJ-TV 18 (PSIP Channel 7), WSLS-TV PSIP Channel (PSIP Channel WPXR-TV 36 (PSIP Channel and WEDD-LD All of these stations are licensed to Roanoke. Other telecommunication antennas and towers for local county, state and national public service, are also located on Poor Mountain, and their flashing Federal Aviation Authority tower lights can be seen from dozens of miles away especially at night.