Danville, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Tobacco Heritage Mural
December 2016
This mural, created by noted artist West Hardin, recalls a time when growers from throughout the Piedmont would bring their flue-cured, "bright leaf" tobacco to Danville to be sold, first by bateaux, using the Dan River canal system, then by rail or wagon. Piles of loose-leaf tobacco, which allowed for the inspection of individual leaves, were sold under the lilting cadence of auctioneers taking bids. This became known as the Danville System and soon became an industry standard. By the late nineteenth century, Danville's Tobacco Warehouse district had become a regional hub for the processing, storage and distribution of the popular "golden leaf."
The Historic Murals Committee and the River District Association proudly dedicate this mural to the families, growers, laborers, warehouse owners, processors and auctioneers who made Danville "The World's Best Tobacco Market."
Erected 2016 by The Historic Murals Committee and the River District Association.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce.
Location. 36° 35.212′ N, 79° 23.359′ W.
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Southside Virginia and specifically in Central Virginia. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Danville Tobacco Warehouse and Residential District (a few steps from this marker); Confederate Prison No. 6 (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Prison Number 6 (about 400 feet away); The Worsham Street Bridge (about 500 feet away); Loyal Baptist Church (about 600 feet away); Wynne's Falls
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, October 31, 2024
3. Tobacco Heritage Mural
Credits. This page was last revised on December 6, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 26, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 326 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 26, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on December 5, 2024, by C. Ryan Dodson of Danville, Virginia.
