Bristol, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
City Historian
Photographed by Don Morfe, July 31, 2013
1. City Historian Marker
Inscription.
City Historian. . Erected by friends in honor of V.N. Bud Phillips who came to Bristol as a total stranger on August 20, 1953 yet in time became one of her best known, highly respected and influential citizens so much so that Bud Phillips Day was celebrated in Bristol on May 5, 2004 and on April 27, 2008 he received a Mayors Outstanding Citizens Award. Though he came here with no knowledge of the citys past, he eventually wrote books of local history, a very popular newspaper column, had two television shows, one radio show, gave countless speeches and conducted numerous tours, all dedicated to the exhaustive history of his chosen city. In 2006, he was made the Official Historian of Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee. He long resided at historic Pleasant Hill at 214 Johnston Street in Bristol, Virginia., Truly, he was a workman that needeth not be ashamed.
Erected by friends in honor of V.N. Bud Phillips who came to Bristol as a total stranger on August 20, 1953 yet in time became one of her best known, highly respected and influential citizens so much so that Bud Phillips Day was celebrated in Bristol on May 5, 2004 and on April 27, 2008 he received a Mayors Outstanding Citizens Award. Though he came here with no knowledge of the citys past, he eventually wrote books of local history, a very popular newspaper column, had two television shows, one radio show, gave countless speeches and conducted numerous tours, all dedicated to the exhaustive history of his chosen city. In 2006, he was made the Official Historian of Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee. He long resided at historic Pleasant Hill at 214 Johnston Street in Bristol, Virginia.
Truly, he was a workman that needeth not be ashamed.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Cemeteries & Burial Sites. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1781.
Location. 36° 35.688′ N, 82° 10.392′ W. Marker is in Bristol, Virginia. It can be reached from East Hill Cemetery Drive north of East State Street, on the left when traveling north. Marker is located in East Hill Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 310 E State St, Bristol VA 24201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Tri-Cities Area, in Southwest Virginia, and in the Blue Ridge Highlands. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. 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.
Victor Nicholas (Bud) Phillips August 25, 1929 January 9, 2017
Photographed by Mark Parker, October 17, 2024
4. Top of the Bud Phillips Memorial Bench near the marker
Friend rest here a while and look to the west
And view the city which I chose for my home in 1953
And found it to be truly A Good Place to Live
Credits. This page was last revised on October 21, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 4, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 888 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on August 4, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. 3, 4. submitted on October 17, 2024, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
