Visiting Wytheville, Virginia

This article is presented by the abuse attorneys in Wytheville. Our legal team hopes you enjoy learning about the town of Wytheville.

Short History of Wytheville

Wytheville is a town in southwestern Virginia. The area was surveyed by Robert Adams in November 1790 to establish a town and county seat for Wythe County, which was created in 1789 and named after the "father of American Jurisprudence" George Wythe. Generally known as Wythe Court House, the town was officially named Evansham in October 1792, after prominent local citizen Jesse Evans. In March 1839, Evansham was devastated by a fire. The town was then renamed Wytheville.

The town of Wytheville played a strategically important role in the American Civil War. In 1863, it was attacked during the Toland's Rail, or Wytheville Raid. The town was attacked again in the Stoneman's 1865 Raid. In the 1900s, the last documented lynching in Virginia occurred in Wytheville. In 1926, an African American man, Raymond Bird – who was arrested for the accusation that he assaulted the minor daughter of his employer, Grover Grubb – was shot and killed by a mob of masked and costumed men in his jail cell. He was then tied to the back of a truck, dragged for miles, and hung on a tree on one of the roads. The event was a catalyst in Virginia passing their anti-lynching law in 1928. During the summer of 1950, the Polio epidemic hit the town. 184 residents contracted the disease, and 17 died. African American patients were forced to drive 300 miles to St. Philip's Hospital in Richmond because they were denied admission to the closest hospital near Wytheville, the Memorial Crippled Children's Hospital in Roanoke.

Also check out a Guide to Abingdon, Virginia.

Notable People

As of 2010, Wytheville has a population of 8,211 people. Notable people who have lived in the town are the former presidents of Louisiana State University David French Boyd and Thomas Duckett Boyd, writer William Gibson, poet William Nauns Rick, former Governor of Virginia E. Lee Trinkle, Confederate General James Walker, second wide of President Woodrow Wilson Edith Bolling Wilson, and the former U.S. Senator Robert E. Withers.

Historic Sites

The town of Wytheville is home to a number of landmarks and architecture that depict the history of the area. Visitors to the town can spend their time exploring the following historic sites.

• Crockett's Cove Presbyterian Church
  • Also known as Cove Brick Church, it is a historic Presbyterian church built near Wytheville in 1858.
• Haller-Gibboney Rock House
  • Built between 1822 and 1823, the two-story, five-bay, late Federal style limestone dwelling is a historic home in Wytheville. Today, it houses a museum that's sponsored by the Wythe County Historical Society.
• Loretto
  • Loretto is a historic home just north of the historic downtown Wytheville. Built in 1852, it has been renovated to serve as an event venue and conference space for corporate conferences, educational seminars and indoor recitals. Tours of the house are also available for reservations.
• St. John's Episcopal Church
  • The historic Episcopal church was built between 1854 and 1857. It is of the Classical Revival architectural style.
• St. John's Lutheran Church and Cemetery
  • A national historic district near Wytheville, the historic Evangelical church was built in 1854. The cemetery adjacent to it features a notable group of German-style monuments.
• Wytheville County Poorhouse Farm
  • Established in 1858, the historic poor farm complex was the second poor farm in Wythe County. It features a Queen Anne style overseer's house, shed, spring house, smokehouse, wash house, eight pauper homes, and a chicken coop.
• Wytheville Historic District
  • The national historic district encompasses 245 buildings in the historic core of Wytheville. Notable establishments include the Fleming K. Rich House, Ephraim McGavock House, Trinkle Mansion, Edith Bolling Galt Wilson Birthplace, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Wythe County Courthouse, Wytheville Municipal Building, Wytheville AM&O Station, George Wythe Hotel, Millwald Theatre, Haller-Gibboney Rock House and St. John's Episcopal Church.

These sites have been all added to the National Register of Historic Places individually.

Our Local Office

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