This marker is on the corner of the Grayson County Courthouse and points out the history of this…read morecity. It has the same text on both sides. It reads, "This place became the county seat of Grayson County in 1850; the first case was tried in the newly erected courthouse in 1851. The present courthouse was built in 1908. Independence was incorporated in 1934." Independence began taking shape in the early nineteenth century as settlement pushed into the highlands of what had recently become Grayson County, and it was officially named to reflect the young nation's patriotic spirit. The town became the county seat after Greenville lost the role, a shift driven by Independence's more central location and growing civic activity. In 1908, the community built the landmark Classical Revival courthouse, designed by Frank P. Milburn, which has anchored the town's identity for more than a century. Independence also played a role in regional commerce as a stop along early roads linking th New River valley to the North Carolina line. The Civil War didn't sweep directly through what is now Independence and no major engagements took place in the immediate area. Grayson County was geographically tucked into the highlands, away from the primary Shenandoah Valley campaigns and the major east‑west troop movements. When I was here, the marker was in very poor condition. Maybe they cleaned it up in the last couple of weeks since my visit? [Review 889 of 2026 - 1540 in Virginia - 26070 overall]

This marker is at the roadside along US-21 and is a little challenging as there is not much room to…read morepull over. I was fortunate that there wasn't much traffic, but you should use caution. The marker briefly tells about a local politician who was born and lived nearby. It reads, "Born in Elk Creek, Virginia, June 29, 1821, Member of the House of Delegates, 1874-1877. Member State Senate, 1879-1882. One of the "Big Four," a group which resisted many of the proposals of the Readjusters. Died in Elk Creek, December 25, 1885." This is marker number U-23 and it was erected by the Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission in 1970. Peyton Guyn Hale spent most of his life rooted in Elk Creek, where he became known as a steady and deliberate local leader long before he ever held office. He built his reputation through community involvement and a careful, methodical approach to public issues, which later shaped the way he worked in Richmond. Hale was particularly noted for his willingness to push back against political movements he believed would destabilize Virginia's finances, earning him a reputation as a firm and sometimes stubborn defender of fiscal caution. His colleagues often described him as quiet but immovable, a man who preferred principle over popularity. Even after his legislative years, he remained closely tied to the people of Grayson County, finishing his life in the same community where it began. [Review 892 of 2026 - 1543 in Virginia - 26073 overall]

The current Grayson County Courthouse in Independence is a solid, practical government building…read morethat does exactly what a modern rural courthouse is supposed to do without trying to compete with the 1908 historic courthouse a short distance away. This building was completed in 1979, designed by J. Everette Fauber & Associates, and it follows a straightforward Modernist civic architecture style. Red brick, clean lines, no ornament, and a layout meant for offices rather than ceremony. Inside, you'll find the working heart of the county's government including the Clerk of the Court, Circuit Court, General District Court and many administrative offices that keep the county running. It is not a building you visit or tour for architectural drama. Instead, it is efficient, easy to navigate, and clearly built for function over flair, which fits Independence just fine. You'll find the drama and ornamentation at the historic courthouse nearby. [Review 891 of 2026 - 1542 in Virginia - 26072 overall]

Friday afternoon in Jefferson gave me a quiet look at the Ashe County Courthouse and the…read moreapproaching drive up the hill absolutely adds curb appeal before you even step out of the car. The building was closed and locked but that worked in my favor with easy parking and no foot traffic. This is the county's modern Colonial Revival courthouse, finished around 2000, all red brick with a tall columned portico and the green roof that softens the civic look. This is the fifth courthouse to serve the county. With the place closed, I had time to walk the grounds and take pictures without anyone around. The Honor Roll memorial sits quietly out front, and the Charters of Freedom installation is a thoughtful touch that makes the stop feel like more than just a photo op. It's not the most ornate courthouse in North Carolina but it's well kept, easy to reach and the hilltop approach alone makes it worth a few minutes if you're already in Jefferson. Ashe County is named for Revolutionary patriot and superior court judge who served as the ninth governor of North Carolina (1795-1798). The city is named for Thomas Jefferson who at the time was serving as Vice President under John Adams. [Review 873 of 2026 - 4764 in North Carolina - 26054 overall] [Ashe County is number 80 of my quest to visit all 100 North Carolina County Courthouses. See https://www.yelp.com/collection/bgSlwoF6jU6MHqVx1fJ_oA/.]

The Alleghany County Courthouse in Sparta, NC, is a working courthouse. It was built in 1933 after…read morea huge fire in 1932 destroyed a block of businesses in Downtown Sparta, including the 1909 county courthouse. The original 1933 brick structure was designed by prominent architect Harry Barton and constructed by the Fowler-Jones Lumber Company, using the neoclassical design to restore its presence in Downtown Sparta. It was built during the Great Depression, so the lean times meant fewer lavish features. The building's front facade layout features a classic tetrastyle (four-column) Tuscan order portico that greets visitors at the sidewalk. It was built to be the center of Downtown Sparta. It was built in an H-shape design to allow more natural light into the courthouse and offices, which was a popular design in the early 20th century. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 10, 1979. The 1933 courthouse was eventually outgrown; it needed to be expanded and did not meet ADA standards or have needed safety measures. An extensive interior remodel of Barton's layout was completed on July 1, 2025. The modern upgrade ensured the courthouse met strict fire codes and safety measures for entering the building. They were able to do all this without changing the historical facade, simply making better use of what was inside. The court handles district court cases, divorces, misdemeanors, traffic court, child custody, and civil cases. Superior court handles civil cases over $30,000, felony cases, and appeals from the district court. Additionally, the Clerk of Superior Court manages the complete archive of county court records, estates, wills, and electronic eFiling systems. The Sheriff's Office Security Annex provides secure, separate holding cells and controlled transit corridors to keep inmates completely isolated from the public during high-profile felony hearings. Needless to say, this is an incredibly busy building!

My 81st North Carolina county courthouse, out of the 100 counties, I arrived here as the sun was…read moresetting which made for a great photo opportunity with the light as it faces southwest into the sunset. Late on Friday so the courthouse was closed, but I was able to walk around and appreciate the beauty and structure easily. The Alleghany County Courthouse in Sparta is one of those buildings that rewards a stop even if you're just passing through, a solid early twentieth-century civil landmark completed in 1910. It was designed by Wheeler & Runge, the same firm responsible for several western North Carolina courthouses. It is a Classical Revival structure with the symmetry, brickwork, and restrained ornament that defined the era's public architecture. Alleghany County itself was formed in 1859 and named for the Allegheny Mountains, reflecting the region's geography rather than a person. Even with later updates, the courthouse still anchors downtown Sparta with the kind of confident, small-county presence that makes these stops worth seeking out. [Review 884 of 2026 - 4775 in North Carolina - 26065 overall]

Brinegar Cabin is located on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Doughton Park. I originally expected just a…read morequick photo stop, but I was in for a wonderful treat and got a fascinating glimpse into early Appalachian life. The cabin has its own dedicated parking lot, and then you need to walk down a path to reach the structure, which is steep and uneven in some places. Martin Brinegar originally purchased the land in 1876 for $200 and married Caroline two years later. It took him about five years to clear the rocky hillside and build this hand-hewn white pine log homestead, hand-shaving cedar shakes for the roof, stacking two fieldstone chimneys, and building a drystone retaining wall. The couple went on to successfully raise three children on the 125-acre mountain farm, where they grew rye, oats, sorghum, buckwheat, and corn. They also managed a large apple orchard of 25 to 30 trees, while their free-roaming livestock and poultry foraged in the woods. The family was incredibly resourceful. Martin was a local cobbler who set up a shoemaking bench inside the cabin to custom-make shoes for neighbors, charging roughly one dollar per pair depending on the size of the customer's foot. Caroline was a master weaver who grew her own flax and kept sheep for wool, spinning and dyeing her own yarn with native mountain roots, bark, and flowers. To earn extra money, Caroline and the children spent weeks foraging the wilderness mountainsides to collect wild native roots and medicinal herbs. They dried and sold roots like bloodroot, mayapple, and black snakeroot to traveling drug merchants who came from Boone and Jefferson, NC. During my visit, a National Park Service ranger was inside the cabin actively demonstrating the craft on Caroline's original historic loom, which was wonderful to see! Caroline fiercely maintained the farm alone for ten years after Martin passed away in 1925. In 1935, when the federal government started buying mountain land to build the Blue Ridge Parkway, the state purchased the homestead from Caroline and donated it to the National Park Service [nps.gov]. The springhouse, log structures, and root cellars were beautifully restored during the Great Depression by workers from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to ensure it would stand as an authentic outdoor museum. Finding these hidden artistic and historical gems tucked away on the Parkway makes the whole road trip special & memorable!

This marker is located at the corner of Highway 88 and Little Peak Creek Road which makes for an…read moreeasy enough stop to read the marker. I did not venture to see if there was anything at the mines but the sign and the research was enough. Marker M-28 has the same text on both sides. It reads, "Copper mine operated intermittently, 1850s to 1962. Site of Ore Knob, boom mining town, inc. 1875. Shafts 1 mile N." Ore Knob began in 1855 after a rich copper vein was found near the New River, though the first operation collapsed quickly because hauling ore more than sixty miles to rail made the venture unprofitable. The mine roared back to life in 1873 under Clayton & Company, growing so fast that the surrounding settlement became Ashe County's largest community and was briefly incorporated. Employment peaked above 700 men in the late 1870s, supported by a deep vertical shaft that eventually reached more than 1800 feet and made Ore Knob one of the most significant copper mines in the eastern United States. Falling copper prices shut the operation down in 1883, with only sporadic activity until its final closer in 1962. The site still shows tailings, structural remnants and mineral deposits, and in 1972 a group of Ashe County businessmen purchased the property for about $240,000. [Review 880 of 2026 - 4771 in North Carolina - 26061 overall]

I spotted this marker in Jefferson and stopped to photograph it. As I was doing so, I'm thinking…read morethat the subject seems very familiar and as I'm doing my research for the review, I see that I reviewed an Asa Gray marker in Bakersville in 2025. That's about 60 miles from here! This marker has the same text as the other and it also has the same on both sides. It reads, "American botanist and Harvard professor. In July 1841, investigated the region's flora. Headquarters was in house that stood 50 yds. N." Born in 1810 in New York, Gray initially trained in medicine but shifted his focus to botany, eventually becoming a leading figure in the field. His journey through Ashe and Mitchell counties involved collecting plant specimens and retracing paths once taken by French botanist André Michaux. Gray's findings contributed to his 1842 Botanical Textbook, which became a foundational science resource and helped secure his position at Harvard. Over the next 45 years, he published extensively, helped found the National Academy of Sciences, and served as a Smithsonian regent. Gray also corresponded with Charles Darwin, becoming a key American supporter of evolutionary theory until his death in 1888. [Review 877 of 2026 - 4768 in North Carolina - 26058 overall]