▁of ▁Lyn ch burg , ▁University ▁of ▁Lyn ch burg , ▁Rand olph ▁College , ▁Central ▁Virginia ▁Community ▁College ▁and ▁Liber ty ▁University . ▁Near by ▁cities ▁include ▁Ro ano ke , ▁Char l ott es ville , ▁and ▁Dan ville . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Mon ac an ▁Indian ▁Nation ▁and ▁other ▁Si ou an ▁T ut elo - spe aking ▁tribes ▁had ▁lived ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁since ▁at ▁least ▁ 1 2 7 0 , ▁driving ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Alg on qu ians ▁east ward ▁to ▁the ▁coast al ▁areas . ▁Explorer ▁John ▁L eder er ▁visited ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁Si ou an ▁villages ▁( S ap oni ) ▁in ▁ 1 6 7 0 , ▁on ▁the ▁Sta un ton ▁River ▁at ▁Ot ter ▁Creek , ▁south west ▁of ▁the ▁present - day ▁city , ▁as ▁did ▁the ▁Thomas ▁Batt s ▁and ▁Robert ▁Fall am ▁expedition ▁in ▁ 1 6 7 1 . ▁ ▁Si ou an ▁pe op les ▁occupied ▁this ▁area ▁until ▁about ▁ 1 7 0 2 ; ▁they ▁had ▁become ▁weak ened ▁because ▁of ▁high ▁mort ality ▁from ▁inf ect ious ▁dise ases . ▁The ▁Sen eca ▁people , ▁who ▁were ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Ha uden osa une e , ▁or ▁I ro qu ois ▁Confeder acy ▁based ▁in ▁New ▁York , ▁defeated ▁them . ▁The ▁Sen eca ▁had ▁r anged ▁south ▁while ▁seeking ▁new ▁hunting ▁grounds ▁through ▁the ▁Sh en ando ah ▁Valley ▁to ▁the ▁West . ▁At ▁the ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁Alb any ▁in ▁ 1