Historical Markers and War Memorials in Grayson County, Virginia
Independence is the county seat for Grayson County
Adjacent to Grayson County, Virginia
Carroll County(20) ► Galax(6) ► Smyth County(62) ► Washington County(109) ► Wythe County(57) ► Alleghany County, North Carolina(12) ► Ashe County, North Carolina(21) ► Surry County, North Carolina(32) ► Johnson County, Tennessee(11) ►
Touch name on this list to highlight map location. Touch blue arrow, or on map, to go there.
On Elk Creek Parkway (U.S. 21) at Comers Rock Road (County Route 658), on the right when traveling south on Elk Creek Parkway.
Nearby was the home of James and Lovice
Sage, whose five-year-old daughter Caty was
abducted in 1792. Fifty–six years later her
brother Charles located her in eastern Kansas
after a Wyandots Indian told him that a woman
named Yourowquains, with . . . — — Map (db m65758) HM
On Elk Creek Parkway (U.S. 21) south of Carsonville Road (County Route 660), on the left when traveling south.
Bork in Elk Creek, Virginia, June 29, 1821, member of the House of Delegates, 1874–1877, member state Senate, 1879-1882. One of the “Big Four,” a group which resisted many proposals of the Readjusters. Died in Elk Creek, December . . . — — Map (db m65760) HM
On West Main Street (County Route 1001) at Scenic Road and Ivanhoe Road (Virginia Route 94), on the left when traveling west on West Main Street.
The original “New River Train” song was claimed
by the Ward family of Galax as part of their
repertoire as early as 1895. The song was believed
to refer to the train that ran on the New River
Line in 1883 as part of the Norfolk and . . . — — Map (db m65723) HM
On Scenic Road (Virginia Route 94) north of Walnut Lane (Route 860), on the right when traveling north.
Fries is named for Colonel Francis H. Fries of
North Carolina, founder of the Washington
Mills Company. By 1900, Fries and his
associates had determined that the New River
could power a textile mill. The town was
incorporated in 1902, and by . . . — — Map (db m65695) HM
On West Main Street (County Route 1001) at Scenic Road and Ivanhoe Road (Virginia Route 94), on the left when traveling west on West Main Street.
On 10 Dec. 1923, millhand Henry Whitter of
Fries, Virginia, recorded nine songs in New York
City for OKeh Records. Released early in 1924,
the coupling of “Wreck on the Southern Old 97”
and “Lonesome Road Blues” became one of the
first . . . — — Map (db m65717) HM
On Grayson Parkway (U.S. 58/221) at Forestry Lane (Wild Turkey Lane), on the right when traveling west on Grayson Parkway.
America's commercial country music began in a cotton mill in Fries in 1923. Mill hand Henry Whitter traveled to New York and recorded a hit, "The Wreck of the Old '97". In 1924 a second mill hand, Ernest V. Stoneman, went north to record. They were . . . — — Map (db m208656) HM
On Skyline Highway (Virginia Route 89) 0.7 miles south of Blue Ridge Parkway at the state line, on the right when traveling south.
Grayson County Virginia. Area 425 square miles. Formed in 1792 from Wythe. Named for William Grayson, one of the firsrt two United States Senators from Virginia. Headwaters of the New River are in this county.
North . . . — — Map (db m104660) HM
On East Main Street (U.S. 58) at North Independence Avenue (U.S. 21), on the right when traveling west on East Main Street.
Grayson County Courthouse
has been registered as a
Virginia Historic Landmark
pursuant to the authority vested in the
Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission Act of 1966 — — Map (db m158005) HM
On East Main Street (U.S. 58) at North Independence Avenue (U.S. 21), on the right when traveling west on East Main Street.
Grayson County, VA.
In memory of
those who paid the Supreme Sacrifice
in World Wars I and II
World War I
Lee Adams • John A. Farmer • Estell L. Kiser • Guy Richardson • Warrick Anders • Everett M. Guynn • Posey L. Lamkin • Munsey . . . — — Map (db m158002) WM
On North Independence Avenue (U.S. 21) at Davis Street (Virginia Route T 1101), on the left when traveling south on North Independence Avenue.
[side 1]List of persons who hath sworn allegiance to the State in 1777We whose names are hereunto subscribed to swear or affirm that we renounce and refuse all allegiance to George III, King of Great Britain, his heirs and successors, . . . — — Map (db m174491) HM WM
On East Main Street (U.S. 58) at Morton Drive, on the right when traveling west on East Main Street.
Independence. Grayson County is noted for traditional music and altitude. Four of Virginia’s five highest mountains are to be found here. In 1850 Grayson County was in the midst of controversy concerning the location of the county seat. As a . . . — — Map (db m72616) HM
On East Main Street (U.S. 58) at North Independence Avenue (U.S. 21), on the left when traveling west on East Main Street.
This place became the county seat of Grayson County in 1850; the first case was tried in the newly erected courthouse in 1851. The present courthouse was built in 1908. Independence was incorporated in 1934. — — Map (db m65763) HM
On Davis Street (Virginia Route T 1101) at Courthouse Street (Virginia Route T 1137), on the left when traveling west on Davis Street.
Grayson County Board of Supervisors Brenda R. Sutherland — Chair • Elk Creek District Kenneth R. Belton — Vice Chair • Old Town District Michael S. Hash • Providence District G. Eddie Rosenbaum • Wilson District John S. Fant • At-large . . . — — Map (db m174489) HM
On Highlands Parkway (U.S. 58) at Grayson Highland Lane, on the right when traveling west on Highlands Parkway.
Grayson County. Western Grayson County has produced fine traditional musicians, performers at school entertainments, fiddlers’ conventions, and community gatherings for many generations. Among them was the old-time string band, the Rugby Gully . . . — — Map (db m70778) HM
On Highlands Parkway (U.S. 58) at Grayson Highland Lane (Virginia Route 362), on the right when traveling west on Highlands Parkway.
Designed and pioneered in the 1890’s. First manufactured by John Deere in 1911, commonly known as a “horse drawn hay” mowing machine. — — Map (db m65765) HM
On Grayson Highland Lane (Virginia Route 362) 0.8 miles north of Highlands Parkway (U.S. 58), on the right when traveling north.
This log cabin was originally built by the Pendry family on nearby Shippies Branch. It was moved into the park in 1973 and restored. The oak logs and natural stone chimney have been chinked with clay and the roof is of hand-rived oak shingles. The . . . — — Map (db m162835) HM
Near Sugarlands Overlook Road, 1.2 miles east of Grayson Highlands Lane (Route 362), on the left when traveling east.
The land where the picnic and cabin areas are today was once the homestead of William Marshal Jones and his family. Their homesite was adjacent to the creek, just across the old stone bridge. William Jones and his wife, Eunnace Phipps, were married . . . — — Map (db m162845) HM
On Grayson Highland Lane (Virginia Route 362), on the right when traveling north.
This trail goes .6 mile along Rock House
Ridge to a meadow offering a view of the
Mill Creek and Rugby areas. The trail then
loops back to the homestead area where
there are several log cabins and outbuildings
from the late 1800s and the early . . . — — Map (db m162839) HM
Near Sugarlands Overlook Road, 1.2 miles east of Grayson Highlands Lane (Virginia Route 362), on the left when traveling east.
This cabin was originally located on park property south of Route 58. It is named after William Glen and Hester Spencer, who lived in it from 1936 until Hester's death in 199O.
Spencer Cabin was built by John Calvin Ingram in the early 1900's. . . . — — Map (db m162843) HM
Near Sugarlands Overlook Road, 1.2 miles Grayson Highlands Lane (Route 362), on the left when traveling east.
Early settlers used a very simple, effective way to refrigerate vegetables and dairy products... the cold, sweet waters of an underground spring.
Coming from deep within the mountains, the cold water ran constantly even during the hot summer . . . — — Map (db m162842) HM
On Sugarlands Overlook Road, 1.2 miles east of Grayson Highlands Lane (Virginia Route 362), on the left when traveling east.
The logs in this cabin were taken from one built by Grant Weaver near Mud Creek in 1902. It is believed that Mr. Weaver took some of the logs from another older dwelling and that this lumber is 150 years old.
The cabin is constructed mainly of . . . — — Map (db m162840) HM
On Whitetop Gap Road (County Route 726) at Old Park Road (County Route 755) on Whitetop Gap Road.
The Abingdon Branch of the Norfolk & Western
Railway was nicknamed the “Virginia Creeper,”
likely for the train’s slow speed through this
mountainous region. Initially chartered by the
Abingdon Coal & Iron Railroad in 1887, little construction . . . — — Map (db m65773) HM
On Whitetop Gap Road (County Route 726) near Pond Mountain Lane (County Route 755).
The national demand for commercial Christmas trees has brought a new look to the highest mountains of Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina. Billion of dollars worth of Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri) plantations produce regular crops of Christmas trees . . . — — Map (db m72520) HM
On Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail west of Whitetop Gap Road (Virginia Route 726), on the right when traveling west.
Here you see something like the old growth forest that grew along all these upper slopes, some of the last old growth cut in eastern North America. The largest mature yellow poplar trees (Liriodendron tulipifera) and hemlock (Tsuga . . . — — Map (db m211208) HM
On Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail west of Whitegap Road (Virginia Route 726), on the left when traveling west.
Just a few hundred feet west of this point is an odd corner in the state line between Tennessee and Virginia, part of an error in the state boundary line that extends a "point" of Tennessee into Virginia for a short distance. The original surveying . . . — — Map (db m211089) HM
On Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail west of Whitetop Gap Road (Virginia Route 726), on the right when traveling west.
This is one of several trestle bridges along the Virginia Creeper Trail. The original railroad required over 100 bridges, mostly made of wood. When the railroad was being constructed in the period 1900 - 1912, these structures were more practical . . . — — Map (db m211082) HM
On Whitetop Mountain Road (County Route 600) at Mud Creek Lane, on the left when traveling north on Whitetop Mountain Road.
The White Top Folk Festival was held annually
from 1931 to 1939, (except 1937) on Whitetop
Mountain—the second highest peak in Virginia.
Annabel Morris Buchanan, John Powell, and
John A. Blakemore organized the event that featured banjo . . . — — Map (db m65774) HM
On HIghlands Parkway (U.S. 58) close to Old Park Road (County Route 754), on the right when traveling west.
Whitetop, Mt. Rogers. Visible at great distances, Whitetop Mountain was known as the “Meadow Mountain” in colonial times. With a climate similar to southern Canada, this beloved mountain is Virginia’s second highest peak and immediately . . . — — Map (db m71555) HM
