Historical Markers and War Memorials in Scott County, Virginia
Gate City is the county seat for Scott County
Adjacent to Scott County, Virginia
Lee County(47) ► Russell County(14) ► Washington County(109) ► Wise County(32) ► Hancock County, Tennessee(2) ► Hawkins County, Tennessee(34) ► Sullivan County, Tennessee(116) ►
Touch name on this list to highlight map location. Touch blue arrow, or on map, to go there.
On Sunbright Highway (County Route 871) just north of County Route 650, on the right when traveling north.
Three miles east in Rye Cove stood Carter’s Fort, built by Thomas Carter in 1784. It was a station on the Old Wilderness Road from North Carolina to Kentucky. — — Map (db m44511) HM
On Daniel Boone Trail (U.S. 58) at County Route 726, on the right when traveling west on Daniel Boone Trail.
Scott County. Area 543 square miles. Formed in 1814 from Lee, Washington and Russell. Named for General Winfield Scott, later commander of the American Army. The natural tunnel is in this county.
Lee County. Area 446 . . . — — Map (db m35986) HM
On Veterans Memorial Highway (Virginia Route 65) east of Virginia Route 72, on the left when traveling east.
The Clinchfield Railroad (1902–1983) which runs 277 miles from Spartansburg, SC to Elkhorn City, KY was built originally to haul coal and timber from the mountains
to the markets. The first
passenger train stopped in Dungannon, Virginia . . . — — Map (db m90943) HM
On Veterans Memorial Highway (Virginia Route 65) west of Virginia Route 72, on the left when traveling east.
Prehistoric hunters and gatherers traveled this land more than 10,000 years ago and later Native Americans settled here about A.D. 800. From evidence recovered by the Archaeological Society of Virginia in 1977, it appears that Indians camped at the . . . — — Map (db m90958) HM
On Virginia Route 65 west of Virginia Route 72, on the right when traveling west.
Patrick Hagan (1828–1917) emigrated from
Dungannon, Ireland, about 1844 and joined
his uncle, Joseph Hagan, in Scott County. He
read law, was admitted to the bar,
and became
one of the state’s foremost land lawyers. Hagan
amassed large . . . — — Map (db m90940) HM
On Virginia Route 65 west of Route 72, on the left when traveling east.
Patrick Porter was among the early pioneer
settlers in present Scott County. Nearby on
Fall Creek is the site of Porter’s Mill, built
by Porter in 1774, the earliest licensed mill
on waters of the Clinch River. Porter is also
credited with the . . . — — Map (db m91004) HM
On Main Street (U.S. 23/58), on the right when traveling west.
In March, 1775, Daniel Boone made a road through this gap to Boonesboro, Kentucky. It followed the original Indian path and was known as the Wilderness Road. For a long time it was the main route to Kentucky from the east. — — Map (db m35965) HM
On Kane Street (Business U.S. 421) east of Jones Street, on the right when traveling east.
Blackmore's Fort stood to the northeast on
the Clinch River near the mouth of Stony
Creek. John Blackmore and others likely
constructed the fort by 1774. It served as a
defensive fortification for settlers of European
descent on the frontier. . . . — — Map (db m89868) HM
On Main Street (U.S. 23/58), on the right when traveling west.
The Carter Family of Scott County, the "First Family of Country Music", consisted of Alvin Pleasant "A.P." Carter (1891-1960), who sang and composed; Sara E. Doughtery Carter (1898-1979), who sang lead and played the guitar and autoharp; and . . . — — Map (db m7126) HM
On West Jackson Street (Business U.S. 421) east of Municipal Avenue (Virginia Route 665), on the left when traveling east.
Daniel Boone Trail, from North Carolina through Virginia to Kentucky, marked by the Virginia Daughters of the American Revolution — — Map (db m135669) HM
On Main Street (U.S. 23/58), on the right when traveling west.
John Donelson's Line, surveyed after the treaty of Lochaber with the Indians, 1770, crossed the road here. This line separated Indian territory from land open to settlement. Violations of the line by settlers contributed to Dunmore's War, 1774. — — Map (db m35947) HM
On U.S. 23/58, 0.3 miles east of Kane Street, on the right when traveling west.
Cherokee Indians lived in this area before European settlement. In the Treaty of Lochaber (1770), the Cherokee agreed to shift westward the boundary between their land and territory open to settlers. This new line was to run from the vicinity of . . . — — Map (db m135668) HM
On Kane Street (Business U.S. 58) east of Jones Street, on the left when traveling west.
About two miles east of Moccasin Gap,
Elisha
Faris (Ferris) in 1787 obtained 116 acres on
both sides of the Moccasin Creek. He and his
family settled in the area about 1782 and
their home became a stop on the Wilderness
Road. On 26 Aug. 1791, . . . — — Map (db m90926) HM
On Main Street (U.S. 23/58), on the right when traveling west.
The monument in the field to the west marks the site of Benjamin T. Hollins's home, in which was held the first court of this county, February 14, 1815. — — Map (db m35966) HM
On U.S. 23/58, 0.3 miles east of Kane Street, on the right when traveling west.
Scott County, named for Gen. Winfield Scott, was formed in 1814 from portions of Lee, Russell, and Washington Counties. The first court met on 14 Feb. 1815 at the house of Benjamin T. Hollins, about half a mile southeast of here. Hollins's house . . . — — Map (db m135659) HM
On Kane Street (Business U.S. 58) at Jones Street, on the left when traveling west on Kane Street.
The town was laid off in 1815 as the county seat of Scott County. The original name of Winfield, for General Winfield Scott, was changed to Estillville for Judge Benjamin Estill. In 1886, the name was changed to Gate City because of its situation in . . . — — Map (db m90930) HM
On U.S. 23/58, 0.3 miles east of Kane Street, on the right when traveling west.
John P. McConnell, educator, was born about eight miles north of here. He served as acting president of Milligan College in Tennessee and later taught history and economics at Emory and Henry College. An advocate of higher education for women, . . . — — Map (db m135599) HM
On Main Street (U.S. 23/58), on the right when traveling west.
Eight and one-half miles northwest was born John Preston McConnell, noted educator. He taught in Milligan College, the University of Virginia and Emory and Henry College. He was president of the Radford State Teachers College, 1913-1937. Dr. . . . — — Map (db m35967) HM
On U.S. 23/58, 0.3 miles east of Kane Street, on the right when traveling west.
Moccasin Gap in Clinch Mountain links the valleys of the Holston and Clinch Rivers. Through here passed the main trail between Cherokee territory to the south and Shawnee lands in present-day Ohio. Hunters and explorers of European descent were . . . — — Map (db m135598) HM
On U.S. 23/58/421, 0.8 miles north of Wadlow Gap Highway (U.S. 58/421).
Prospect School, for six decades Scott County's
only public school for African Americans, moved
into a new building 1.5 miles northwest of here
ca. 1919. Contributions for the two-room school
came from the black community ($1,200), the
county . . . — — Map (db m228718) HM
On West Jackson Street (Business U.S. 421) east of Municipal Avenue (Virginia Route 665), on the left when traveling east.
Dedicated to the Confederate Soldiers of Scott County by the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
Let not ignorance of fact or time overshadow their acts of patriotism, bravery, and courage for Virginia and the Confederacy.
C.S.A. ”Deo . . . — — Map (db m135670) WM
On U.S. 58, 6.2 miles north of Natural Tunnel Parkway (County Route 871), on the right when traveling west.
Near here stood a fort first known as Crissman’s
Fort, and later as Carter’s or Rye Cove Fort,
and by militia officers as Fort Lee.
Built by
Isaac Crissman, Sr. in 1774, it was acquired by
Thomas Carter
(1731 1803) after Crissman’s
death at . . . — — Map (db m90918) HM
Near Sunbright Highway (County Route 871) at County Route 646.
Railroads, like water, tend to follow the path of least resistance. Early railroad engineers saw Natural Tunnel as a logical path through the mountains to the growing rail systems of the Midwest.
The South Atlantic and Ohio Railroad began . . . — — Map (db m167000) HM
On Smith Hollow Road (County Route 606) just north of East Carter Valley Road (County Route 704), on the right when traveling north.
The starting point of the road through the wilderness to Kentucky, and the station where travelers used to wait until parties collected large enough to defend themselves against Indians on the journey.
Built about 1777 by Captain John Anderson, . . . — — Map (db m104335) HM
On Bristol Highway (U.S. 58) at A P Carter Highway, on the left when traveling east on Bristol Highway.
Valerie June Carter, born in Maces Springs to
Maybelle Addington and Ezra Carter, was a member
of the “First Family of Country Music.” She and
her sisters, Helen and Anita, performed alongside
the original Carter Family trio beginning in . . . — — Map (db m228720) HM
Near A P Carter Highway (Virginia Route 614) at Anchored in Love Drive, on the right when traveling west.
“Few places speak to me like A. P. Carter's
Cabin. Many of America's songs and stories
come from within these walls. While the
cabin was still standing in the middle of a
pasture, I loved going there just to feel the
wind blow . . . — — Map (db m228754) HM
Near A P Carter Highway (Virginia Route 614) at Anchored in Love Drive, on the right when traveling west.
“[A.P.] would go anywhere if he heard someone that had a new song. I would be traveling somewhere and hear a song that I'd think would be in [the Carter Family] style. He would get in the car and go and see about it.” – Leslie . . . — — Map (db m228758) HM
On Nickelsville Highway (Virginia Route 71) north of Angus Glen Drive, on the right when traveling north.
The Kilgore Fort House was built in 1786 by
Robert Kilgore whose family were early settlers
in this area. It was one of the twelve forts
between Castlewood. and Cumberland Gap
providing ready refuge for settlers from Indian
attacks in the late . . . — — Map (db m90933) HM
On Big Moccasin Road (County Route 613) 6.7 miles east of Nickelsville Highway (Virginia Route 71), on the right when traveling west.
The first known settler of European descent
in Scott County, Thomas McCullough, moved
here in 1769 and lived on Big Moccasin
Creek until about 1771. Houston's Fort, built by
William Houston and other settlers about 1774
stood near McCullough's . . . — — Map (db m89862) HM
On Orby Cantrell Highway (U.S. 58), on the right when traveling north.
As early as 1852, railroaders, local merchants, and mineral speculators knew Natural Tunnel would be the most economical rail route to the coal fields of Lee County and the western part of present day Wise County, because the Tunnel would let them . . . — — Map (db m36109) HM
On Orby Cantrell Highway (U.S. 58), on the right when traveling north.
(Right Side):Speers Ferry Historically the Clinch River served as a major avenue for settlement and opened up the area of southwestern Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Among other settlers, Daniel Boone lived along the banks of this . . . — — Map (db m36087) HM
On Orby Cantrell Highway (U.S. 58), on the right when traveling north.
The Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio Railway built the taller of the two structures which stand before you in 1908. At 167 feet over the Copper Creek-Clinch River junction, the Copper Creek Viaduct was then one of the tallest railroad bridges in the . . . — — Map (db m36106) HM
On Orby Cantrell Highway (U.S. 58), on the right when traveling north.
In 1775 Daniel Boone and a group of axmen, following a Native American trade route, blazed a trail from the Anderson Blockhouse to a site on the Kentucky River. This trail, later to become the Wilderness Road, traversed 200 miles of wilderness and . . . — — Map (db m36100) HM
On Main Street (U.S. 23/58) at Hilton Road (U.S. 421), on the right when traveling west on Main Street.
This monument marks the spot where the first court of Scott County was held February 14, 1815. Erected to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of Scott County, Virginia 1815 - 1915. — — Map (db m35968) HM
On U.S. 23, 0.2 miles north of East Carters Valley Road, on the right when traveling north.
Scott County. Scott County was formed in 1814 from Lee, Washington, and Russell Counties. It is named for native Virginian Gen. Winfield Scott (1786-1866) in recognition for his victories during the War of 1812. Scott later became commander . . . — — Map (db m158076) HM
