A Frontier Tale

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Smithfield Plantation

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Living on the frontier

Home built in 1774 by Colonel William Preston who served as member of the House of Burgesses and county surveyor for Fincastle. Preston signed and possibly wrote the Fincastle Resolutions of 1775, a declaration of rights and freedom that preceded the Declaration of Independence.

Chief Benge Hiking Trail

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Wise County
Norton
URL: 
http://clinchcoalition.net/index.php?pr=benge_scout_trail
county_WiseWise County

Robert Benge was born circa 1760 probably in the Cherokee village Toquo to John Benge and Wurteh, a Cherokee. Red-haired and fluent in English, he grew up to be the most notorious Cherokee in history. He was so feared in the central Appalachian areas of present-day Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee, that settlers admonished their children by saying, "if you don't watch out, Captain Benge will get you." In 1794, militia were called out after a raid on a family in Powell Valley, and Benge was killed.

A Frontier Christmas

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Lee County
Venue: 
Wilderness Road State Park
Address: 
Rt. 2
Ewing
24248
Phone: 
(276) 445-3065
URL: 
http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/wil.shtml
county_LeeLee County

Join us for a festive, yuletide celebration with music, dance and caroling as the Christmas spirit illuminates the Virginia frontier. Enjoy a candlelit tour of historic Martin's Station at the height of the season. Take part in historical festivities or just sit back and enjoy a warm fire in a settler's cozy cabin. Except for parking fees, it's all free.

Ghosts of Christmas Past History Tours

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Washington County
Date: 
Repeats every day until Fri Jan 20 2012 .
Venue: 
The Barter Stage II Cafe
Address: 
110 North Main Street
Abingdon
24201
Phone: 
(423) 743-9255
URL: 
http://www.AbingdonGhostWalk.com
county_WashingtonWashington County

Since the days that the first English Settlers began arriving here on the North America Continent 'ghost stories' were told around the hearth at Christmastime. This we know according to the colony diaries of Jamestown, Virginia written in the seventeenth century.

History Comes Alive

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Wythe County
Date: 
Repeats every month until Thu Nov 03 2011 . Also includes Sun Sep 04 2011, Sat Oct 29 2011.
Venue: 
Big Walker Lookout & Country Store
Address: 
8711 Stony Fork Road
Wytheville
24382
Phone: 
(276) 663-4016
URL: 
http://www.scenicbeauty-va.com
county_WytheWythe County

History comes alive as you stroll the grounds of this mountain top haven and you experience the sights & sounds of Virginia's finest scenic Southwestern vistas just as Dr. Thomas did over 250 years ago. Go back in time as our mountaineer storyteller recalls life on the mountain, and enjoy his tales of the mountain. Make sure you ask about Dr. Walker and how he helped to open the wilderness for settlement. Our mountaineer is sure to set you smiling with his stories surrounding the life, history and legends of Big Walker Mountain.

Wilderness Road Heritage Festival

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Lee County
Venue: 
Wilderness Road State Park
Address: 
Rt. 2
Ewing
24248
Phone: 
(276) 445-3065
URL: 
http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/wil.shtml
county_LeeLee County

Glimpse into Southwest Virginia's unique historical and cultural heritage. Appalachian craft-makers fill the lawn of the Karlan mansion with their wares as bluegrass music dances on the air. The always popular Children's Festival offers young ones the chance to enjoy games, crafts and activities, including entertainment by Karen the Clown and a puppet show. The sweet smell of home cooking by vendors will make your visit pleasurable. At historic Martin's Station, immerse yourself in living history and experience life as it was on Virginia's frontier.