The neighborhoods of the Wilmont community are located along a stretch of Wilmont Avenue in upper western Roanoke, between Troutland Avenue and Rolling Hills Avenue. Neighboring communities in the area include South Washington Heights, Cherry Hill and Ridgewood Park. The area was annexed from Roanoke County in the late 1940s to become a suburban residential area consisting primarily of single-family homes that were built between 1920 and 1950.
Residents in search of a family-friendly outing have less than three miles to travel before they arrive at the Science Museum of Western Virginia. Housed inside a futuristic looking building that resembles a spaceship, this is the oldest science museum in the state. It was established during the 1970s by a group of teachers and community residents who wanted to make science and technology easily accessible to everyone. They hoped to nurture and enhance education in the classroom by providing interesting and informal science experiences. The museum features a range of fun and fully interactive exhibits for adults and children, including a weather gallery, where they can experience a simulated tornado, view moon rocks or walk through a giant human mouth in the exhibit dedicated to the human body. There is also a planetarium, a theater, and a gift shop.
A short three-mile drive will bring Wilmont residents to the History Museum of Western Virginia, where they can trace the history of the area from the days of the Native Americans, more than 10,000 years ago. Visitors can see what life was like during the days of the pioneers 200 years back, and they can view significant artifacts from modern life, such as a restored model of the Crystal Spring Pumping Station and Snow Steam Pump. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this pump was used to draw water from a nearby spring to power local mills for more than 50 years.