Immerse yourself in a world of captivating stories, insightful narratives, and tangible remnants that bear witness to the remarkable journey of our communities. Our carefully curated collection of books and ephemera invites you to embark on a fascinating exploration of history, allowing you to uncover the tales that have shaped our collective identity. Whether you're a passionate historian, a curious learner, or simply someone who appreciates the value of preserving our heritage, our online store offers a treasure trove of knowledge and artifacts that will transport you through time and ignite your imagination.
PLACES IN TIME - VOL I - Pictorial history of homes and buildings in Abingdon, 1788 - 1880. By Nanci C. King. Item: 35 Price: $20.00
PLACES IN TIME - VOL II - Pictorial history of homes and buildings in Abingdon, Meadowview and Glade Spring, Virginia. By Nanci C. King. Item: 36 Price: $20.00
PLACES IN TIME - VOL III - Pictorial history of homes and buildings in Abingdon, Meadowview and Glade Spring, Virginia. By Nanci C. King. Item: 37 Price: $35.00
HIGH ON A WINDY HILL,VOL I [REPRINT] - Cemeteries of Washington County, Virginia by Catherine McConnell (Including surname index). 333 cemeteries, 426 pages, 1968. Item: 42 Price: $18.00
CEMETERIES OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA - The long-awaited book, CEMETERIES OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA has just been released. The book updates the well-known High On A Windy Hill cemetery book published in 1969. It contains Additions and Corrections to more than 333 cemeteries that were listed in High On A Windy Hill. The book is available exclusively at the Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia library in Abingdon, Virginia or through the Society’s website, www.hswcv.org. This hardbound edition consists of 642 pages and is priced at $49.95 plus tax. If ordered online, a shipping and handling fee is added. Cemeteries of Washington County, Virginia is the perfect Christmas gift for genealogists with research interests in Washington County area. Item: 421 Price: $49.95
Southwest Virginia Crossroads: An Almanac of Place Names and Places to See - Southwest Virginia Crossroads is a history and guide in 17 counties and four cities - from Blacksburg to Big Stone Gap. Journey along the Blue Ridge Parkway, the back roads, and the byways of this fabled region, where the mountains stand a mile high in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. Discover 26 lakes and 50 waterfalls - with road directions, trail directions, boat launches, fishing tips, and local folklore. Discover where movies were filmed, how the legendary Devil's Bathtub took its name, and where you can find Frog Level, Haysi, and Goose Pimple Junction. The second edition of this critically-acclaimed local bestseller contains 39 maps and 158 photographs - including 20 photos that are new to this edition. Hear about the Hillsville courthouse shooting of 1912 and discover the Devil's Den. Look for The Cascades and the 200-foot-high waterfall at Bottom Creek Gorge Preserve. Learn the origins of the Bush Mill, Mabry Mill, Palmer Mill, Cowan Mill, and White's Mill. Subtitled "An Almanac of Place Names and Places to See," this 180-page encyclopedia of Southwest Virginia contains the place-name origins - and road-crossing locations of 750 places in the region, making it an invaluable tool for researchers and explorers.; By Joe Tennis; Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 180 pages; Item: 015 Price: $29.95
Along Virginia's Route 58: True Tales From Beach to Bluegrass (History and Guide) - Route 58 stretches across all five hundred miles of Virginia, from the sandy shores of the Atlantic to the waterfalls and wild ponies of the Blue Ridge Highlands. Weird, quirky and intriguing legends and lore lie along this historic highway, including a UFO landing in South Hill, Virginia Beach's "witch duck" controversy of 1706 and Nat Turner's bloody insurrection in 1831. Country music icon Johnny Cash played his final shows at the world-famous Carter Fold. Civil War skirmishes touched towns. The "Wreck of the Old 97" happened in Danville, and haunting memories of a schoolhouse lost to a tornado remain in Rye Cove. Author Joe Tennis provides a guide to Route 58 with a trail of tales, accompanied by easy driving directions and vivid photography.; By Joe Tennis; Publisher: The History Press; 224 pages; Item: 046 Price: $19.99
VIRGINIA RAIL TRAILS: CROSSING THE COMMONWEALTH - By Joe Tennis.Join the author as he explores restored train stations, discovers a railroad's lost island graveyard and crosses the commonwealth on its idyllic paths. Softcover, 2014, 254 pps., including index. Item: 82 Price: $19.99
Haunts of Virginia's Blue Ridge Highlands (Haunted America) - A Confederate soldier forever lost at Cumberland Gap. The wispy woman of Roanoke College. The spectral horse that runs the streets of Abingdon. These are just a few of the restless spirits of southwestern Virginia. Join local author Joe Tennis as he takes readers on both sides of the Blue Ridge to explore the ghostly tales of Appalachia and the Crooked Road. Peer over the rim of the New Castle Murder Hole, dive into the mysteries of Mountain Lake, and wander among the lost graves of Wise County to discover the haunted lore of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Highlands. This book bridges the Blue Ridge Parkway and follows the entire length of the Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail. It explores a couple dozen counties, with tales of towns called Fincastle and Saltville tucked away in Virginia’s scenic southwestern corner. Each chapter is based on a blend of folk legends, longtime traditions, historical research, and firsthand accounts—and the book also includes a bibliography, a map, and forty-five photographs.; By Joe Tennis; Publisher: The History Press; 115 pages; Item: 317 Price: $14.95
Marble and Other Ghost Tales of Tennessee and Virginia - In this collection of twenty-two ghost tales, author Joe Tennis explores the legends and lore of the Mountain Empire, from Big Stone Gap and Abingdon in Virginia to Johnson City and Kingsport in Tennessee. Discover the details of the Devil's Looking Glass, the friendly ghost of the Barter Theatre, plus mysteries on the campuses of Emory and Henry College, East Tennessee State University, and the University of Virginia's College at Wise.; By Joe Tennis; Publisher: Backyardbooks; 70 pages; Item: 393 Price: $6.99
The Ghostly Tales of Virginia's Blue Ridge Highlands (Spooky America) - Ghost stories from Virginia's Blue Ridge Highlands have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! The haunted history of the highlands comes to life--even when the main players are dead. Visit the Bolling Wilson Hotel in Wytheville to meet its charming elderly ghost. Or head to the Inn at Wise to play with the fun-loving boys whose spirits linger in the halls. Perhaps you'll spot the ghost horse in Abington as it gallops across the grounds of the Martha Washington Inn! Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.; By Joe Tennis; Publisher: Arcadia Children's Books; 112 pages; Item: 423 Price: $12.99
Haunted Highlands: Ghosts and Legends of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia - Does the devil climb stony stairs in North Carolina? Does a shadow man lurk outside Virginia's Major Graham Mansion? Does a ghostly bride wait on the banks of Tennessee's Holston River? Step inside an empty and eerie hospital called St. Albans. Meet the "Restless Soul" of Mayberry. And discover what's believed to be a ghostly boy throwing marbles in a college dormitory at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City. Haunted Highlands: Ghosts andLegends of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia explores twenty-two strange stories of restaurants, theaters, and schools plus peaks called Stone Mountain, Roan Mountain, Brown Mountain, and Beech Mountain.; By Joe Tennis; Publisher: Independently published; 68 pages; Item: 424 Price: $6.99
WASHINGTON COUNTY REVISITED - In an attempt to thoroughly cover this county in Virginia, Washington County Revisited explores the history of settlements that were once major community centers, including Lodi, Blackwell's Chapel, Rich Valley, Lindell, Bethel, Taylor's Valley, Hayter's Gap, Clinchburg, and Alvarado. Learn even more of the fascinating history surrounding the railroad towns of Damascus, Glade Spring, and Meadowview. Officially formed in 1776 from Fincastle County, the county was named for Gen. George Washington, who was then serving as commander in chief of the Continental Army. Washington County holds the distinction of being the first geographical region to be named for the first U.S. president. With more than 200 images, Washington County Revisited provides a unique visit to this rural region that once served as a gateway to the West along the Great Wagon Road and saw thousands of settlers and goods pass through to uncharted lands. By Donna Akers 128 pps. Item: 389 Price: $21.99
SMYTH COUNTY REVISITED - Smyth County Revisited, depicts some of the history of the area. Come examine the first land tracts surveyed west of New River. Learn of the vast amount of history surrounding Fort Kilmackronan, which still stands today. Explore the Indian Fields, and learn of the ghosts that still haunt them. Visit the many Civil War sites in this area and tour the localities where Civil War uniforms and supplies were manufactured for the Confederacy. Find out why Smyth County became "the hub of the herbal industry" and how it went on to become the world's largest distributor of these medicinal remedies. Discover why the county's first library was located in the ladies' room of the courthouse. Come survey the many other sites and memorable events that entertained so many generations for decades. By Kimberly Barr Byrd and Debbie J. Williams Item: 13 Price: $21.99
Marion and Hungry Mother State Park - Images of America - Situated in Virginia's southwestern corner in the splendor of the Blue Ridge Mountain Highlands, Marion and neighboring Hungry Mother State Park are steeped in natural beauty. Marion, the name chosen to honor American Revolutionary War hero Gen. Francis Marion, was officially incorporated by the General Assembly on March 15, 1849. The railroad arrived in 1856 and fueled the economy by promoting industrial growth throughout the region. In 1933, John D. and Mildred Lincoln donated 1,881 acres to the state for the establishment of a state park on Hungry Mother Creek. On June 13, 1936, the park was officially dedicated with public opening ceremonies at Hungry Mother State Park, and more than 5,000 turned out to see the park as Gov. George Peery and State Park Director Robert Burson officiated. By Kenneth Wm. Heath. Arcadia Publishing. Paperback. 128 Pages. Item: 251 Price: $21.99
Norfolk and Western Railway Stations and Depots - Images of Rail - The tracks of the Norfolk and Western Railway snaked through Virginia's Shenandoah Valley and the coalfields of West Virginia. For nearly 100 years, the Norfolk and Western brought freight, passengers, and economic vitality to large cities and rural mining towns. At each stop was the depot or station; some stations were large, architecturally ornate structures that represented the muscular energy and romantic era of this great steam railway with its famed J-class engines. In other places there were small wooden depots that depicted the hard-scrabble life of the mining communities, tucked amid steep mountain valleys that were indelibly shaped by the railway's presence. Today some of those structures remain, while many disappeared when the railway ceased passenger or other service. The Norfolk and Western eventually merged with the Southern Railway, and though the trains of the Norfolk Southern still run along those same lines, they simply pass by where they used to stop many years ago. By C. Nelson Harris. Arcadia Publishing. Paperback. 128 Pages. Item: 252 Price: $21.99
O. WINSTON LINK POSTER MAX MEADOWS - Item: 57 Price: $35.00
ABINGDON POSTER - 11" x 17" poster of various historic sites in Abingdon, Virginia Item: 303 Price: $7.50
O. WINSTON LINK POSTER TRESTLE #52 (COLOR) - Item: 60 Price: $35.00
POSTER NORFOLK AND WESTERN ENGINE 433 (ABINGDON'S "MOLLIE") - 11" x 18" poster by Michael J. Pierry, Jr. Item: 56 Price: $7.50
T-SHIRT WITH 80th ANNIVERSARY LOGO - All cotton, mid weight, white unisex tee. Sizes S, M, XXXL (please specify on order form). Item: 342. Price: $12.35
MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE - This Matrimonial Certificate has been digitally reproduced from a late 1800's Washington County family Bible. It is printed on matt finish 13x19 inch photo paper (so the names can be written in), and is suitable for framing. This would make a unique gift for a wedding, anniversary, or any special family occasion. The Certificate is not printed until ordered, and is sent by regular mail only. Item: 62. Price: $6.95
1850 WASHINGTON COUNTY CENSUS, ANNOTATED - Published by Holston Territory Genealogical Society, 545 pps, Hardbound. Item: 10 Price: $10.95
1870 WASHINGTON COUNTY CENSUS - Edited by Jack Hockett, 194 pps, paperback. Item: 12 Price: $30.00
MARRIAGES, WASHINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA 1781-1853 - Compiled by D. E. Brown. Includes short sketches of the early ministers of the county, 162 pps, paperback. Item: 25 Price: $12.00
MARRIAGES, WASHINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA 1891-1902 - Compiled by Hunt and Hockett. Item: 23 Price: $27.00
WASHINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA SELECTED DEATH RECORDS, VOL. 2 - Annotated, with selected Confederate Civil War Fatalities Researched by Jack Hockett, compilied by Donald W. Helton, 2012 Item: 208 Price: $44.95
1880 WASHINGTON COUNTY CENSUS - Transcribed, Annotated and Edited by Jack Hockett and Shelia Hunt Steele Item: 17 Price: $35.00
MARRIAGES, WASHINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA 1853-1880 - By Thomas Colley, 511 pps, softcover. Item: 27 Price: $35.00
WASHINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA SELECTED DEATH RECORDS, vol.1 - Donald W. Helton Item: 207 Price: $44.95
WASHINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA SELECTED DEATH RECORDS, VOL. 3 - June 1915-April 1926 Researched by Jack Hockett, compilied by Donald W. Helton, 2012 Item: 209 Price: $44.95
UNFILED DEATH RECORDS, WASHINGTON COUNTY, VA - Compiled by D. E. Brown. Over 2,800 death records of Washington County, Virginia includes Parents, Place of Birth, and Consort. Item: 61 Price: $20.00
History of the Settlement and Indian Wars of Tazewell County, Virginia - by Geo. W. L. Bickley, M.D. with added material compiled by J. Allen Neal, McClain Printing Company, 1974, Item #: 94 $15.00
HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND WASHINGTON COUNTY - The history of Southwest Virginia and Washington County by Lewis Preston Summers. 921 pps. Item: 44 Price: $42.50
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA TO 1865 - By James William Hagy
James Hagy is a Washington County native and retired professor of history at the College of Charleston, Charleston, SC. The book is divided into 12 chapters, organized according to subject from "The Land and the People" and "Earliest Times", to the "Civil War". To quote the author, "I have sought to give an accurate account of the events in Washington County until the end of the Civil War and to make known much that has been overlooked in the past." Hardcover, 2013, 306 pps. including index. Item: 328 Price: $47.50
THE FORTS OF THE HOLSTON MILITIA - By Lawrence J. Fleenor and Dale Carter, 265 pps. "The Forts of the Holston Militia is a valuable addition to individuals who have an interest in the early frontier history of Southwest Virginia." Harold L. Jerrell, President, Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail. Item: 200 Price: $37.50
THE BATTLE OF KINGS MOUNTAIN, EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS - By Robert M. Dunkerly. Paperback, 160 pages, Publisher: The History Press, 2007 Item: 311 Price: $19.99
BATTLE OF KINGS MOUNTAIN PARTICIPANTS - A listing of the participants in the 1780 Battle of Kings Mountain. Item: 19 Price: $2.50
WASHINGTON COUNTY MONUMENT [DAR/REVOLUTIONARY WAR] - Brief biographical descriptions of Revolutionary War soldiers listed on the Washington County monument; 12 pps, paperback. Item: 50 Price: $1.00
IN MEMORY OF SELF AND COMRADES - Thomas Wallace Colley's Recollections of Civil War Service in the 1st Virginia Cavalry, Edited by Michael K. Shaffer, Item: 419, Price: $47.00
Civil War Adventure - Real History: More Stories of the War That Divided America by Chuck Dixon. Publisher: History Graphics Press. Illustrator: Gary Kwapisz. Paperback. Item: 314 Price: $14.95
WASHINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA, IN THE CIVIL WAR - By Michael K. Shaffer Quality Paperback, 128 pp. with Over 35 Photos ISBN 978-097247656-0 In his impassioned speech at the Virginia Secession Convention.Washington County's delegate, John A. Campbell, concluded his fiery rhetoric with a call to arms: "I don't know but that from this hour forward my way may be lighted by the blaze of civil war." Soon his sentiment was fully embraced by his previously undecided constituents. Though no major battles were fought on Washington County's soil, it became a key supply area for Confederate armies. Union attempts to secure the coveted region resulted in targeted attempts to destroy the area's vital resources. Join Civil War historian Michael Shaffer as he reveals Washington County's Civil War sacrifices and heroism, both on and off the battlefield. Item: 16 Price: $19.99
William Edmondson Grumble Jones - The Life of a Cantankerous Confederate by James Buchanan Ballard. William Edmondson Grumble Jones (b. 1824) stands among the most notable Southwest Virginians to fight in the Civil War. The Washington County native graduated from Emory & Henry College and West Point. As a lieutenant in the Old Army between service in Oregon and Texas, he watched helplessly as his wife drowned during the wreck of the steamship Independence. He resigned his commission in 1857. Resuming his military career as a Confederate officer, he mentored the legendary John Singleton Mosby. His many battles included a clash with George Armstrong Custer near Gettysburg. An internal dispute with his commanding general, J.E.B. Stuart, resulted in Jones's court-martial conviction in 1863. Following a series of campaigns in East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, he returned to the Shenandoah Valley and died in battle in 1864, leaving a mixed legacy. Item: 413 Price: $39.99
AFTER THE WAR WAS OVER: RECONSTRUCTION IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA 1865-1870 - This essay is an examination of what happened during the Reconstruction Era in one place in the South, Washington County, Virginia. When the Civil War ended, the people struggled to reestablish their economy and cope with the frequently changing political situation. Although most white people bitterly opposed political reconstruction, they persevered and gradually accepted their new situation, rebuilt old institutions, and formed new ones. The time was not as bleak as most would imagine, at least not in this place. Soft cover, with photographs, 2015, 119 pages with index. Item: 329 Price: $18.99
1845 SKETCH OF OLD ABINGDON - Copy of an 1845 pen and ink sketch of old Abingdon drawn by Henry Howe. On cream-colored 8 1/2 X 11 inch paper. Item: 340 Price: $1.00
ABINGDON - A new book by Donna Akers in the Images of Modern America series. This collection of photographs and postcards is intended to allow residents and visitors to recall the decades from the 1950s to the 1980s with images of streetscapes, buildings, businesses, churches, schools, friends, and community leaders. Soft cover, 9 x 6", 95 pages, 2017 Item: 411 Price: $22.99
The Industries and Resources of the City of Bristol-Goodson - Tennessee and Virginia. A Historical and Descriptive Review Including Sketches of Its Public Spirited Men and Enterprising Business Establishments. Empire Publishing Company, New York, 1885. Item: 417 Price: $10.00
Historical Novel set at Martha Washington College, Abingdon, in 1915. The Martha Odyssey, by local author Bonny Gable, is a fictional story that weaves local history and legend into its pages. The campus of Martha Washington College, thriving today as The Martha Washington Inn & Spa, was once a vibrant scene of academic pursuit and social life for young women from myriad states in the American South. Gable’s book sweeps the reader into that world of early twentieth-century college life in a mystery tale of one young woman’s complex journey of determination and bravery.
The book can be purchased through Amazon by clicking the buy link or purchased locally at Holston Mountain Artisans or Abingdon Commons. Learn more at bonnygable.com.
Blue Ridge Chronicles - By Rex Bowman
Blue Ridge Chronicles, A Decade of Dispatches from Southwest Virginia by Rex Bowman, American Chronicles. Many of the highlanders in Virginia's western mountains live in small communities with names such as Stonebruise, Novelty, and Wangle Junction, and here their stories are chronicled by one of their own, Floyd County native and Pulitzer-nominated journalist Rex Bowman, roving reporter for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Colorful characters abound, from folks in Independence who have a decades-old tradition of racing outhouses, to the brawlers in St. Paul who once gave the town a reputation for world-class wickedness, to the purveyors of Roanoke's Texas Tavern who have never in seventy years put ketchup on their hamburgers. Blue Ridge Chronicles is a delightful look at how the lively have lived in Southwest Virginia's backcountry. Paperback. The History Press. 160 Pages. Item: 043 Price: $20.00
The Virginia Creeper: Remembering the Virginia-Carolina Railway - The Virginia Creeper: Remembering The Virginia-Carolina Railway is a history of the Virginia Creeper, a short-line train that ran from Abingdon, Virginia, to Todd, North Carolina, a distance of 75 miles, from 1900 until 1977. The line was owned by the Virginia-Carolina Railway Company until 1919, when it was sold to Norfolk and Western Railway Company and was designated as the Abingdon Branch. Doug McGuinn's book, which contains many old and recent photographs, maps and train schedules, is not so much a technical book for railfans, but a celebration of the friendly train, as the Virginia Creeper was called by many of the people who lived by the wayside. The Creeper was considered a family member by some people who still remember it fondly. By Doug McGuinn, 80 Pages, Bamboo Books, Publication date January 4, 1998, Item: 45 Price: $15.00
Working for Stuarts: Life on One of the Oldest and Largest Cattle Farms East of the Mississippi - By Kathy Shearer. Working for Stuarts reveals the rich history of this immense farming operation whose family roots reach back to 1776. Stories and pictures from the 1900s to the present tell of the lives of the men and women who worked and lived on the four farms: Elk Garden, Rich Mountain, Clifton, and Rosedale. Soft cover (8 X 10), with 100s of photographs, 2015, 575 pages with index. Item: 401 Price: $40.00
The Extraordinary Life of William Alexander Stuart - From Antebellum to Late Victorian Virginia 1826 - 1892 by John White Stuart, III. Item: 024 Price: $59.95
Myths of Samuel Newell, 1754 - 1841 - By Fred Weyler. Item: 090 Price: $4.00
Leaving a Trail 2. Crabtree Bales Jackson - (Lynam) Presley - By Norma Jean Crabtree. Item: 250 Price: $2.00
Michael Sword - Ancestry and Historical Narrative - By Randy F. McNew Crouse. Item: 321 Price: $13.95