National Register of Historic Places

Big Crab Orchard Site

Tazewell, Tazewell County, Virginia
Listed
August 10, 1980
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
80004230

About this property

Big Crab Orchard Site is a historic archaeological site located near Tazewell, Tazewell County, Virginia. The Crab Orchard site was patented in 1750, and was one of the first European settlements in Southwest Virginia. Parts of the tract were later owned by Morris Griffith and William Ingles and then acquired by Thomas Witten Sr., who settled here about 1768. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It is also known as Fort Witten or Witten's Fort and Pisgah Church, according to the National Register Nomination Form.

Location

Tazewell, Tazewell County, Virginia

Categories

PREHISTORICHISTORIC - ABORIGINALHISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINALMILITARYEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTRELIGION
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Big Crab Orchard Site

This page lists Big Crab Orchard Site. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Big Crab Orchard Site report
Or see a real report first

Questions about this property

When was Big Crab Orchard Site listed on the National Register?

Big Crab Orchard Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 10, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Big Crab Orchard Site?

Big Crab Orchard Site is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Big Crab Orchard Site?

The period of significance for Big Crab Orchard Site is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Big Crab Orchard Site?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Big Crab Orchard Site will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Tazewell County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Tazewell County.

Explore TazewellCounty ›

More historic places in Virginia

Browse all historic places in Virginia.

View Virginiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Virginia history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Virginiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Big Crab Orchard Site will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report