National Register of Historic Places

Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park

Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Virginia
Listed
November 22, 2002
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
02001362

About this property

The Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park is a Virginia museum, run as a state park, dedicated to preserving the history of the southwestern part of the commonwealth. It is located in Big Stone Gap, in a house built in the 1880s for former Virginia Attorney General, Rufus A. Ayers. It was designed and built by Charles A. Johnson. Construction began in 1888 and was completed in 1895. The limestone and sandstone used on the exterior walls came from area quarries. Red oak lines the interior walls and ceilings. A small moat once surrounded the house. The structure was acquired by the state in 1946 from a foundation managed by C. Bascom Slemp. Much of the museum's collection focuses on the coal boom of the 1890s; there are also exhibits dedicated to the history of Big Stone Gap and the surrounding area, as well as the story of the pioneers who migrated westward during the 18th century. The museum is also the location of the Southwest Virginia Walk of Fame. The museum building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

Location

10 W. Street N
Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Virginia
36.86354, -82.78021

Categories

ARCHITECTUREPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTINDUSTRY
National Register nomination ›
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.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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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
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
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Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

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Christ Episcopal Church
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0.2 mi
U.S. Post Office and Courthouse
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0.4 mi
"June Tolliver" House
Industrial
0.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park listed on the National Register?

Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 22, 2002.

What type of historic resource is Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park?

Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park?

The period of significance for Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park?

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