Tightsqueeze in Pittsylvania County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Samuel Harris
1724 1799
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, June 8, 2026
1. Samuel Harris Marker
Early advocate of church & state
(reverse)
This church is named in memory of Rev. Samuel Harris
Father and organizer of the Baptist faith in Virginia
1758 1799
Erected 1973 by Pittsylvania Baptist Association.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Religion & Religious Structures • War, French and Indian • War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical year for this entry is 1773.
Location. 36° 47.3′ N, 79° 23.929′ W. Marker is in Tightsqueeze, Virginia, in Pittsylvania County. It is at the intersection of Tight Squeeze Road and Samuel Harris Lane, on the right when traveling west on Tight Squeeze Road. The marker is located at Samuel Harris Memorial Baptist Church. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 525 Samuel Harris Lane, Chatham VA 24531, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southern Virginia, specifically in the Piedmont, and in Southside Virginia. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, 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 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Whitmell P. Tunstall (approx. 0.3 miles away); Rawley White Martin Residence (approx. 2.1 miles away); Giles Gateway Park
this page online
More about this marker. In the early 1900s, this marker was originally placed at the Harris Homestead family cemetery (4020 Marion Road), roughly four miles west of its current location. Because Samuel Harris is not buried there, the marker was moved to the Old Banister Baptist Church in 1973 to celebrate the church's 200th anniversary. Founded by Harris, the church renamed itself in his honor and added the reverse inscription to coincide with the relocation.
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, June 8, 2026
2. Samuel Harris Marker
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, June 8, 2026
3. Samuel Harris Marker
Samuel Harris Memorial Baptist Church can be seen in the background.
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, June 8, 2026
4. Samuel Harris Marker
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, June 8, 2026
5. Samuel Harris Marker
Photographed by C. Ryan Dodson, June 8, 2026
6. Samuel Harris Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on June 12, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 8, 2026, by C. Ryan Dodson of Danville, Virginia. This page has been viewed 22 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on June 8, 2026, by C. Ryan Dodson of Danville, Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
