THANK YOU
for helping to ensure that Southwest Virginia always has a voice at the table in Richmond
CONTRIBUTE TO TODD PILLION
Buchanan County
Formed in 1858 in the mountains where Virginia meets Kentucky and West Virginia, Buchanan County was built on coal, and mining remains an important part of its identity. The county seat, Grundy, is home to the Appalachian School of Law and the Appalachian College of Pharmacy, which bring students and professionals to the region. Grundy High School’s Golden Wave has won more state wrestling championships than any other school in Virginia, a tradition dating back to the 1970s that has produced more than 80 individual state champions and earned the program national recognition. Visitors come for the Spearhead Trails ATV system, mountain scenery, and the restored elk herds that once again roam the high country.
Dickenson County
Dickenson County, formed in 1880, is Virginia’s youngest county. It is home to Breaks Interstate Park, often called the Grand Canyon of the South, where the Russell Fork River has carved one of the deepest gorges in the eastern United States. The county seat of Clintwood is home to the Ralph Stanley Museum and Traditional Mountain Music Center, which honors the bluegrass pioneer who lived in Dickenson County. Fishing and boating at the John W. Flannagan Reservoir, elk viewing, and whitewater rafting round out the county’s outdoor offerings.
Lee County
Lee County is the westernmost county in Virginia. Formed in 1792 and named for Revolutionary War officer “Light-Horse Harry” Lee, it includes the Cumberland Gap, the mountain pass Daniel Boone opened with the Wilderness Road, the route many thousands of settlers followed into Kentucky. Cumberland Gap National Historical Park offers about 70 miles of hiking trails, tours of Gap Cave, and the historic Hensley Settlement, while Wilderness Road State Park recreates frontier life at Martin’s Station. At the county’s westernmost point, nine other state capitals are closer than Richmond, a fact that should never be lost on those who represent this community in Virginia’s government. Farmland, mountains, and history make Lee County a distinctive part of the Commonwealth.
Russell County
Founded in 1786 and named for Colonel William Russell, Russell County sits in the Clinch River Valley. The Clinch is among the most biologically diverse rivers in North America, and Clinch River State Park, Virginia’s newest state park, is being developed along its banks. In the county seat of Lebanon, the Old Russell County Courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Russell County Fair brings the community together each year. Rolling farmland and a growing outdoor economy reflect the county’s rural character.
Scott County
Scott County’s history reaches back to the frontier era. Daniel Boone carved part of the Wilderness Road through Big Moccasin Gap here in 1775, and settlers defended log forts along the Clinch River during the Revolution. Formed in 1814, the county is home to Natural Tunnel State Park, an 850-foot tunnel carved through a mountain, and the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, where old-time and bluegrass music is performed weekly in honor of the first family of country music. The Devil’s Bathtub, a popular natural swimming hole, adds to the county’s outdoor appeal.
Washington County
Established in 1776, Washington County was the first locality in America named for George Washington. Its county seat, Abingdon, is home to the Barter Theatre, the State Theatre of Virginia, founded during the Depression when audiences could pay for admission with food. Abingdon also anchors the Virginia Creeper Trail, a 34-mile rail-trail that runs through Damascus to Whitetop Mountain and is a member of the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame. The annual Virginia Highlands Festival, a strong arts community, and a historic downtown round out the county’s appeal.
Wise County
Wise County, formed in 1856, grew quickly when the railroads arrived in the 1890s and coal shaped Southwest Virginia. Big Stone Gap, known today as the setting of Adriana Trigiani’s novels, is home to the Southwest Virginia Museum and the Trail of the Lonesome Pine, the official Outdoor Drama of Virginia. The county is also home to The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, an important center of higher education in the region. The Guest River Gorge and the forests of High Knob offer natural beauty alongside the county’s mountain heritage.
City of Bristol
Bristol’s main street, State Street, runs along the Virginia-Tennessee line. In 1927, the Bristol Sessions recorded the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers, and Congress later designated Bristol the Birthplace of Country Music. That heritage continues at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, a Smithsonian affiliate, and at the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, a festival held downtown each September. With the historic Paramount Center, local shops, and restaurants, Bristol combines its musical roots with new economic growth.
City of Norton
Norton is Virginia’s smallest independent city. Originally called Prince’s Flats, it was renamed in the 1890s for railroad executive Eckstein Norton as it grew into a hub for the region’s coal and rail industries. Today Norton is a base for outdoor recreation. The Flag Rock Recreation Area offers a thousand acres of hiking and biking with overlooks above downtown, and nearby High Knob rises to more than 4,200 feet. Norton also has its own local legend, the Woodbooger, celebrated at an annual festival each fall.