Historic Sites

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Whitmell School Historic Marker

Founded in 1878 as a two-room school and named for state senator Whitmell P. Tunstall, in 1918 the Whitmell Farm-Life School became the first rural consolidated school in Pittsylvania County. Sarah Archie Swanson Beverley, who between 1916 and 1951 taught here and served as principal, believed that “the country school must be the center of community life.” Under her leadership, Read more...

Bailey Log Cabin

Records show that that the Bailey family settled in what later became Tazewell County more than 230 years ago. Richard Peyton Bailey, Sr. received a warrant for land along the Bluestone River on October 15, 1770. Bailey was a scout and spay for the American army who gathered intelligence about the British and Indians in that part of Virginia. Since Read more...

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Alexander Black House & Cultural Center

1750, Samuel Black purchased 600 acres of land in Drapers Meadow, but never inhabited the land. When Samuel died, his land was split between his two sons, William and John Black. In 1798, William Black set aside 38 acres of his land to establish the Town of Blacksburg. William Black eventually left Blacksburg for Ohio, but his descendants continued to inhabit Read more...

Settlers Museum of Southwest Virginia

A visit to The Settlers Museum of Southwest Virginia is like stepping one hundred years into the past. Visit this 67 acre open air museum and learn the story of the people who settled the area. View the Migration Story and map at our visitor’s center, visit the restored 19th-century living history farm complete with farmhouse and 8 original outbuildings, Read more...

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King-Stuart House

The cabin was occupied from its beginning (circa 1795) through the 1960s. See the many visible indicators of the numerous transitional modernization periods the cabin has experienced. The original builders of the cabin probably never envisioned the cabins life expectancy nor the influence its occupants would have on the cultural developments. Enjoy the stories relating to the various families occupying Read more...

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Historic Sidna Allen Home

This capricious, if provencial, expression of the Queen Anne style was briefly the home of the notorious Sidna Allen. Allen was member of the so-called Allen Gang involved in the Carroll County Courthouse shooting in 1912. The house, finished the year before the shooting, was designed by Allen and his wife. It was built by Preston Dickens, a local carpenter, Read more...

Callands Courthouse and Gaol

The clerk’s office was built around 1770 (finished about 1771) as Callands served as Pittsylvania County’s first county seat from 1767-1777. It has been restored and is available for tours with sufficient advance notice.Precious American Revolutionary history revolved around here, some 11 miles west of Chatham. A dispatch of 1775 describes a meeting in the Callands courthouse where they elected Read more...

Callands Clerks Office

Site of first county seat of Pittsylvania County. The building that served as the debtor’s prison, 1767-1771, and later as the clerk’s office, 1771-1777, remains. Nearby stands the debtor’s gaol, built in 1778. It later served as Samuel Calland’s store and in 1808 became the post office for Callands. Read more...

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Emory & Henry College

Founded in 1836, Emory & Henry College is the oldest institution of higher education in Southwest. The college is named for John Emory, a leader in the United Methodist Church, and Patrick Henry, a renowned patriot of the American revolution and Virginia’s first governor. Emory symbolizes the belief in the union of faith and learning, while Henry represents the commitment Read more...

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Iron Bridge at Fieldale Park

The Historic Fieldale Iron Bridge was constructed in 1931 and is located in Southern Virginia. The Iron Bridge has been an important part of the community of Fieldale since its construction. When community members found out that the bridge would be destroyed to make way for a new more modern bridge, they joined forces to preserve the historic structure. A Read more...

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East Hill Cemetery

East Hill Cemetery, also known as Maryland Hill, Round Hill, Rooster Hill, and City Cemetery, is a historic cemetery located at Bristol, Tennessee and Bristol, Virginia. Founded in 185, the cemetery is the final resting place of Civil War soldiers and Revolutionary War hero General Evan Shelby. Read more...

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Wythe/Bland Artisans and Heritage Trails

In the counties of Wythe and Bland, we are blessed with scenic beauty, historic and cultural attractions and a wealth of talented artisans that produce everything from handwoven scarves to unique sculptures made from recycled materials. This trail will lead travelers to local artisans, artisan sales centers, heritage sites and other points of interest-all telling a vibrant story of our Read more...

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Town of Appalachia

The town of Appalachia is considered to be a largely intact “era” town of the late 1800s, early 1900s. At one time, the town was the center of a booming coal mining culture. The town was the “hub” of eight “coal camps” located along the outskirts of the town. The town sprang up after the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and Southern Read more...

Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum

Visit the birthplace and childhood home of First Lady Edith Bolling Wilson. Born and raised in Wytheville, Edith Bolling Wilson is a descendant of Pocahontas. As one of only eight historic sites across the country dedicated to the interpretation of a First Lady, the museum tells the story of the overlooked, yet vitally important role Edith Bolling Wilson played in the Read more...

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Robert Munford Hiking Trail

This moderate to advanced trail is 7 miles long one-way, and offers various terrain and beautiful lakeside views of Kerr Lake. Two trailheads exist, the one on Greenwood Rd offers a short hike to the Robert Munford Grave historic site. Robert Munford was an influential land-owner in Mecklenburg County in the late 1700’s, and while very politically active, is best Read more...

Smithfield Plantation Reference Library

The reference library collection is housed inside Historic Smithfield Plantation house. It includes Preston Family information, Colonial and early Virginia information, and local historical data. Hours: 10:00 AM-5:00 Mon, Tues, Thru, Fri, Sat. Read more...

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Botetourt County Historical Museum

The Botetourt County Historical Museum serves as a repository for hundreds of artifacts that have helped to interpret the history of Botetourt County for thousands of visitors. Located directly behind the historic Botetourt County Courthouse, the museum is housed in a building that dates back to the late eighteenth century. The museum contains documents and articles of use in daily living dating Read more...

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Town of Buchanan

Discover firsthand why Buchanan captures the hearts of so many. An important stopping point for travelers since the 1700’s, Buchanan offers visitors the quintessential small-town America experience. Whether you are planning an afternoon shopping spree, or a weekend getaway, include Buchanan as part of your itinerary. Surround yourself in the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains while you discover more than two hundred years Read more...

Schaeffer Memorial Baptist Church

This church was part of the original Christiansburg Institute. It was built in 1885 in honor of Union Captain Charles S. Schaeffer who founded the school. It still serves an active congregation. A small grave memorial is located in the church yard called the Principal’s cemetery. Read more...

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Patrick Henry’s Red Hill

Patrick Henry lived in several homes, but he loved best this plantation on the Staunton River which he fondly called “one of the garden spots of the world.” The “Voice of the Revolution” moved to Red Hill, Henry’s last home and burial place, in 1794 at the age of 57. Visit the reconstructed house and dependencies, the original law office, Read more...

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Chatmoss Historic Marker

Martinsville-Henry County VA is rich in history with historical markers throughout the community acknowledging commemorative locations. The Chatmoss Historic Marker is located at 550 Mt. Olivet Martinsville, VA at Chatmoss Country Club. The marker is within sight of the parking lot of the country club. Chatmoss was one of about fifty Hairston family plantations in Virginia, North Carolina and Read more...

Mecklenburg County Courthouse

The Roman Revival Mecklenburg Courthouse was built between 1838 and 1842 by area master building, William A. Howard. Read more...

Birthplace of Tennessee Ernie Ford

Birthplace of country music legend Tennessee Ernie Ford is now the Bristol Historical Association and is open for tours by appointment. A room contains furnishings from the early 1900s, Ford family photos and an upright piano. Read more...

St. Michael’s Lutheran Church

This modern day church sits on the site of the original St. Michael which was established in the 1750’s and one of the earliest churches in the area. The old church burying ground is located in the church yard and contains several Confederate soldiers, one of which is David Scantlon who was possibly the oldest drummer boy in the Army Read more...

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Roaring Run Recreational Area

Roaring Run Recreational Area is in Botetourt County, 8 miles northwest of Eagle Rock. Roaring Run Furnace is a 19th century iron furnace on National Register of Historic Places. Informational signs explain the turn of the century furnace operation. Roaring Run falls and Furnace Trail is an excellent hiking trail for the whole family. Two trails lead to the falls creating Read more...

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Big Otter Mill

Big Otter Mill is situated on the banks of the Big Otter River, a few miles north of the Town of Bedford, Virginia on Route 122 North. The site of Big Otter Mill has been used for grist and sawmills for more than two hundred years. Big Otter Mill was first built and operated by Joseph Hardy, Sr., a veteran Read more...

Elk Garden Church

In 1774, defenders of the Clinch River frontier built a stockade-style fort in Elk Garden. This fort was located just south of State Route 19, on land now owned by the Stuart Land and Cattle Company, and in the general vicinity of the historic Elk Garden Methodist Church. Founded in 1788, the Elk Garden Church is the second oldest church Read more...

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Dix’s Ferry Historic Marker

In 1766 John Dix established his ferry approximately three miles south of here on the Dan River. During the American Revolution, in February 1781, the ferry was a strategic site in Gen. Nathanael Greene’s “race to the Dan,” the pursuit of Greene to the Dan River in Virginia by British Gen. Charles Cornwallis. The ferry also transported troops and supplies Read more...

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Halifax County War Memorial

This memorial is dedicated to the memory of those brave men and women who answered their country’s call to arms in wars and conflicts from the American Revolution through Desert Storm. Seven hundred thirty-four of these citizen solders from Halifax County, Virginia, made the supreme sacrifice. Their names are engraved on this memorial to ensure that they will never be Read more...

Camp Allegheny, Confederate Outpost

Inscription reads: “Two miles west on the former Staunton-to-Parkersburg Turnpike is Camp Allegheny, the highest Civil War fortification east of the Mississippi. Its rolling meadows and spectacular views belie a punishing winter climate.” The turnpike was completed in 1839 to “benefit the state by retaining and increasing its western population, clearing and settling an extensive territory, and adding to the Read more...

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Historic Town of Buchanan

Discover a place where Main Street meets the mountains, downtown Buchanan. Nestled within the steep slopes of the Blue Ridge and Alleghany Mountains the Town’s Main Street straddles the James River. An important stopping point for travelers since the 1700’s, Buchanan offers scenic beauty and an historic setting. Explore more than 200 years of history as you walk our Main Street, paddle the James River, peddle the Read more...

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Mansion at Fort Chiswell

For more than a decade The Mansion at Fort Chiswell has been lovingly restored. Now this private residence, listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and as a Virginia State Historic Landmark, is ready to be shared with you. From the gracious bedrooms – to the wood-burning kitchen fireplace – to the elegant stairways and halls, you will find rich history Read more...

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Rock Churches in Floyd County

Constructed of native stones from the Blue Ridge Mountains, the beautiful rock churches in Floyd are three of the six rock churches built in the first half of the 20th century under the leadership of Rev. Bob Childress. Made famous by the book The Man Who Moved a Mountain by Richard C. Davids (1970), these historic-but-active churches stand as living Read more...

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HumanKind

HumanKind is a human services nonprofit organization that has been serving children and families since 1903. We are building on more than 100 years of faithful service to provide hope and help equip people to build better lives for themselves and their families. We offer a broad range of services that foster the social, mental and financial well-being of families Read more...

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Civil War Trails Historic Marker

Martinsville-Henry County, VA is included in the Virginia Civil War Trails with an official historic marker located in Uptown Martinsville in the Courthouse Plaza. The marker sits across from the front-side of the former Henry County Courthouse, which is now the Martinsville-Henry County Heritage Center & Museum. Along with a few pictures, the Martinsville-Henry County Civil War Trail historic marker Read more...

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The Grey Lady

JOHN WADDEY CARTER HOUSE- “The Grey Lady” | Circa 1896 “This beautiful Queen Ann residence was built in 1896 by John W. Carter as a wedding present for his young bride, Miss Mary Kizziah Drewery, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Henry M. Drewry. Referred to as ‘The Grey Lady’, the dwelling is a textbook example of the Queen Anne Read more...

Historic Sites

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