Bristol Trailhead

Bristol Trailhead. Mendota Trail. , Bristol History , . The cities of Bristol, Virginia (originally Goodson, VA) and Bristol, Tennessee were created in 1856 when two separately built railroads met at the state line. , . The Southern Railway, a portion of which is now the Mendota Trail, was completed 35-years later in 1890. Its primary purpose was to bring coal from the Virginia coalfields to Bristol, where it would then be distributed along the main railroad lines. , . The railroad ran from St. Charles in Lee County to Bristol, Virginia, with a stop at Maces Srping, Virginia, home of the famous Carter Family., The Carter Family , The Carter Family, originally consisting of Sara Carter, her husband A.P. Carter, and her cousin and sister-in-law Maybelle Carter, came to Bristol in 1927 to record "hillbilly music" for Victor Talking Machine Company., These recordings , along with those by several other acts , became known as the "Bristol Sessions" and were called "the most important event in the history of country music" by Johnny Cash. By the end of 1930, the Carter Family had sold more than 300,000 records; they are now known as "The First Family of Country Music.", Due to the impact of the Bristol Sessions on early commercial country music, the U.S. Congress officially designated Bristol as the "Birthplace of Country Music" in 1998. In 2014, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum , showcasing the historic story of The Carter Family and others , opened in Bristol, VA.