History

In 1930 Grover C. Thompson, Sr. and his wife, Ida Wright Thompson, moved from Rockbridge County to Botetourt County with their six young children, and purchased land in the small community of Gala, located in Eagle Rock, VA. Grover and his family began farming the land, raising beef cattle, chickens and hogs.

When their youngest son, G.C. (Grover, Jr.) returned from the army in 1944, he and his wife, Jeanne Dew Thompson, joined his family in the farming business, raising their three children on the farm. Later, G.C. and his father, Grover, became partners in the farming business and the farm was named G.C. Thompson & Son.

The Thompsons raised hybrid seed corn, cattle and field crops.

When G. C. and Jeanne’s youngest son, Richard, graduated high school, he joined his parents in the farming business and they transitioned from raising seed corn to operating a dairy farm. The farm then became known as Thompson Dairy.

Upon G. C. and Jeanne’s retirement, Richard and his wife, Robin, purchased the farm from his parents, renamed the farm Thompson Dairy, and raised their three children on the farm. Richard continued to operate the dairy until 2011 when they sold out of the dairy business and took on new adventures.

In 2013, no longer being a dairy, the farm was renamed Gala Farm, LLC and the original farmhouse was renovated and updated and is now a beautiful vacation rental.

Shortly after, Gala Farm joined forces with Twin River Outfitters and converted the woodland on the banks of the James River into a pristine, primitive campground known as Gala River Front Campground. Richard and Robin have added two primitive cabins at the campground and rent them out from April through October. The Thompson family has owned and maintained this farmland for almost 100 years and continue to this day, the traditions of good, clean, country living, and enjoy sharing the blessings that God had bestowed upon them with the guests who visit our property.