Historical Markers
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Self-guided · County in Virginia

Library Local History Programs in Smyth County, VA

Programs a library can run around the listed sites in its own service area, from walking clubs to research nights.

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A club needs a reason to show up on a Saturday. Smyth County is one of 134 counties in Virginia. A route through local history is a reason people will actually put on the calendar.

People studying at tables in a large library - library local history programs
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People studying at tables in a modern library with bookshelves - library local history programs
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Team engaged in a collaborative meeting in a modern library setting - library local history programs
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On the record near Smyth County, VA

The 12 nearest

61 listed historic sites on the record within 30 miles of Smyth County, VA. 16 listed sites carry Smyth County as their county.

  1. Marion Male Academy2.7 miles from the center of Smyth County · Building · Marion · listed 1989National Register of Historic Places
  2. Hotel Lincoln3.1 miles from the center of Smyth County · Building · Marion · listed 1995National Register of Historic Places
  3. Lincoln Theatre3.1 miles from the center of Smyth County · Building · Marion · listed 1992National Register of Historic Places
  4. Greer, R. T., and Company3.3 miles from the center of Smyth County · Building · Marion · listed 1997National Register of Historic Places
  5. Henderson Building, Southwestern State Hospital3.5 miles from the center of Smyth County · Building · Marion · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
  6. Southwestern State Hospital Tubercular Building3.6 miles from the center of Smyth County · Building · Marion · listed 2023National Register of Historic Places
  7. Norfolk & Western Railway Depot3.7 miles from the center of Smyth County · Building · Marion · listed 1995National Register of Historic Places
  8. Aspenvale Cemetery3.8 miles from the center of Smyth County · Site · Seven Mile Ford · listed 1980National Register of Historic Places
  9. Thomas, Abijah, House3.8 miles from the center of Smyth County · Building · Marion · listed 1980National Register of Historic Places
  10. Smyth County Community Hospital4.0 miles from the center of Smyth County · Building · Marion · listed 2015National Register of Historic Places
  11. Chilhowie Methodist Episcopal Church6.2 miles from the center of Smyth County · Building · Chilhowie · listed 1991National Register of Historic Places
  12. Downtown Chilhowie Historic District6.3 miles from the center of Smyth County · District · Chilhowie · listed 2000National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Smyth County, VA. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Library Programs in Smyth County, step by step

  1. 1

    Choose the theme your group knows best

  2. 2

    Build a route from the listed sites that fit it

  3. 3

    Write the group's own notes for each stop

  4. 4

    Run the route once with members and fix what did not work

  5. 5

    Open it to the public and track who walks it

What people in Smyth County, VA ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Smyth County, VA?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Can our group in Smyth County, VA build its own route?

Yes. Pick the listed sites that fit your theme, add your own notes for each stop, and share the route with members or the public.

Do members need to download anything?

The map runs in a phone browser, so members can open a link and go. The app keeps track of badges for anyone who signs in.

How a visit works in Smyth County

  1. Step 1

    Find the place

    Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Smyth County, VA the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.

  2. Step 2

    Read the story

    The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.

  3. Step 3

    Get there under your own power

    Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Smyth County, VA are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.

  4. Step 4

    Collect it and come back

    Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.

The rules that make it work

The record comes first

Every site on these pages comes from a published register or marker program, with its source named. Nothing is listed that is not on the record.

Read the whole story

A marker is a few lines on a post. The story behind it is longer, and it includes the hard parts. Both are worth the stop.

Movement makes it stick

People remember the places they walked to. A route through five markers teaches more than fifty marker pages read on a couch.

Local beats famous

The marker two streets over usually has a better story than the one in the guidebook, and nobody else is standing in front of it.

Respect the ground

Many sites are private homes, working churches or cemeteries. View from the public way, follow posted hours, and leave it as you found it.

Every visitor can improve it

Markers go missing, get moved, or carry mistakes. A photo or a location fix from the person standing there is how the record stays right.

More ways in around Smyth County, VA

Group of seniors walking down a city street - historical society toursHistorical Society ToursA group of people viewing historical artifacts in a museum exhibit - museum walking toursMuseum Walking ToursPeople gathered in a large, ornate church hall - congregation history toursCongregation ToursMen and women in a fun run activity - running club history routesRunning Club RoutesThree men and laughing two women walking side by side - walking group history routesWalking Group RoutesA group of people riding bikes down a road - cycling club history ridesCycling Club RidesA group of people with backpacks hiking up a grassy hill in silhouette - hiking club history hikesHiking Club HikesA group of people walking down a dirt road - senior center history outingsSenior Center Outings

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