Pound Gap in Wise County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Wise County / Kentucky
Wise County. Wise County was formed in 1856 from Lee, Scott, and Russell Counties. It was named for Henry Alexander Wise who was governor of Virginia from 1856 to 1860. The county seat is the town of Wise. After the Civil War the town of Wise grew and the county's industry expanded because of the growth of the railroads and the increased mining of coal in the region. Noted novelist John Fox Jr. lived in the town of Big Stone Gap here for a portion of his life and wrote the best- selling novels The Trail of the Lonesome Pine and The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come.
Kentucky. The state of Kentucky was once a part of Virginia. The first permanent European settlement was established at Harrodsburg in Between 1784 and 1792, residents of this region known as the district of Kentucky held a number of conventions to discuss possible statehood. The General Assembly of Virginia passed an act on 18 Dec. 1789 to allow Kentucky to apply for statehood. Kentucky became the 15th state admitted in 1792 to the United States. Noted individuals who have resided in Kentucky include statesman Henry Clay (1777-1852), frontiersmen Daniel Boone (1734 1820), and U. S. President Abraham Lincoln, who was born there in 1809. The capital of Kentucky is Frankfort.
Erected 2003 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number Z-228.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Political Subdivisions. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1784.
Location. 37° 9.277′ N, 82° 37.937′ W. Marker is in Pound Gap, Virginia, in Wise County. Marker is at the intersection of Orby Cantrell Highway (U.S. 23), on the right when traveling south on Orby Cantrell Highway. It is just inside the state line. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Pound VA 24279, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Leonard Woods Lynched (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Brothers Once More (about 500 feet away in Kentucky); Caudill’s Army (about 500 feet away in Kentucky); Pound Gap (about 500 feet away); Pound Gap Massacre (about 500 feet away in Kentucky); a different marker also named Pound Gap (approx. 0.3 miles away in Kentucky); Pound Gap Engagement (approx. half a mile away); The Crooked Road (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pound Gap.
More about this marker. Marker is facing the wrong way. Travelers entering Virginia see the Kentucky face of the marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 14, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 21, 2015, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 839 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 21, 2015, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.