Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery
NW of Speedwell, Speedwell, VA Local significance of the district:Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.
The first slave ship to arrive in the American colonies landed in Virginia in 1619. Virginia became a center of the transatlantic slave trade, and by 1860, Virginia had the largest population of enslaved people in the United States.
In the mid-18th century, European pioneers began to settle in the region, and the land that is now Wythe County was part of the 1749 Borden Grant. The county was officially established in 1789 and named after George Wythe, a prominent Virginia lawyer and signer of the Declaration of Independence.
During the American Revolutionary War, Wythe County played a crucial role in the fight for independence. The county was a hotbed of revolutionary sentiment, and many residents volunteered to serve in the Continental Army. The Battle of Kings Mountain, a pivotal turning point in the war, was fought near the border of Wythe County in 1780.
In the 19th century, Wythe County became an important center for trade and transportation. The completion of the James River and Kanawha Canal and the West Virginia Turnpike (now Interstate 77) brought economic growth to the county. Wytheville, the county seat, became a hub of commerce and industry, with the establishment of factories, mills, and a railroad line.
Today, Wythe County retains its agricultural heritage and is known for its natural beauty, including the scenic New River and the Blue Ridge Mountains. The county also boasts a rich cultural history, with landmarks like the Wytheville Historic District, the Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum, and the Wythe County Courthouse, which dates back to 1839.
Wythe County Timeline
This timeline provides a glimpse into the major events and milestones that have shaped the history of Wythe County, Virginia.
- 1650 - Wythe County area inhabited by Native American tribes
- 1744 - First European settlement established by Thomas Walker
- 1770 - Virginia Assembly establishes Montgomery County, including present-day Wythe County area
- 1789 - Wythe County officially formed from Montgomery County
- 1790 - First courthouse constructed in Wytheville
- 1811 - Wytheville becomes the county seat
- 1839 - Completion of the Virginia-Tennessee Railroad through Wythe County
- 1861-1865 - Wythe County heavily impacted by the American Civil War
- 1870 - First railroad bridge across the New River completed
- 1969 - Wythe County Community College founded
- 1989 - Wythe County Historical Society established