In 1852, Joseph Anderson bought acreage on other side of the Tennessee-Virginia border where two…read morerailroad lines were planned to meet. He started a town called Bristol on the Tennessee side, with his house being the first building. The settlement on the other side of the border came to be known as Goodsonville after the city's founder Samuel Goodson. The borders of their lands would help form the city boundaries, but since they abutted each other so closely, the distinction began to seem a bit perfunctory. Goodsonville would officially rename itself Bristol in 1890. As the towns grew, their downtowns would follow State Street, the center of which contains boundary markers between the yellow lane lines. Yes, you'll see the brass name plates embedded in the center of the roadway. You'll see a difference in the sidewalks on each side. You'll notice historical markers are different on each side as well. And of course, the beautiful sign that proclaims Bristol Virginia and Bristol Tennessee "A good place to live." I don't know how many other cities are intentionally split like this. [Review 14959 overall, 461 of 2021, number 1268 in Virginia.]

Love the history. Knowledge is power. Showed off the area to West Coast visitors. ThEIR…read morecomments: Lovely small town. Great weather when we (Group 1) were there in the late Spring! (Group 2) All Leaf views extraordinary (last) Fall. (Both Groups) People unbelievably friendly! Smiles everywhere! Safe place, no lunacy! Quite inexpensive compared to other places around the country.

Installed in 2014, this historical marker was placed by the Sons of Confederate Veterans. It is not…read morean official Commonwealth of Virginia marker. It is located on the Bristol border of Tennessee and Virginia next to where the rail line crosses State Street. The marker is in excellent condition. It reads, "On this site was formerly located the Bristol general Confederate Hospital. it was housed in the former Exchange Hotel erected in 1858 (later known as the Nickels House). The building was demolished in about 1898. Sick and wounded soldiers were brought here by train for medical and surgical treatment. Bristol was approximately halfway between the battlefields of Virginia and the south. Over 100 men who died in this hospital are buried in East Hill Cemetery six blocks east. This marker placed by James Keeling Camp 52. Sons of Confederate Veterans." From to a news article https://heraldcourier.com/news/local/bristol-civil-war-hospital-finally-gets-honored/article_fda0d902-ce72-11e3-b891-001a4bcf6878.html, "Confederate injured were thus transported from battle via the era's "interstate highway" and to Bristol's Confederate Hospital. They were then quickly taken to a ramp of entry at the hospital... Exact numbers of patients served and soldiers who died within the hotel, which operated from 1862 until the end of the Civil War in 1865, are not known." "As the guys died," Hawthorne said, "they were put on the back porch (of the hospital), loaded into a wagon that went up the dirt trail -- about straight up the steep bank, to East Hill Cemetery." East Hill Cemetery is nearby: https://www.yelp.com/biz/east-hill-cemetery-bristol?hrid=SpdF3SgglzNChTsdrCXqxA [Review 15002 overall, 504 of 2021, number 1281 in Virginia.]

Kingsport's 1850s Living History farm is a great place to retreat when life becomes to hectic. I…read morehave enjoyed visiting the different seasonal events here and learning from the reenactment volunteers. It reinforces the reputation of eastern Tennessee as an arts and crafts community. The structures are well maintained and the period garden is carefully managed by the Master Gardeners. It is a joy to visit.

This marker is located with a small cluster of other interesting historical markers and there is a…read morepark, which makes it a great stop as you're passing through the Virginia mountains on US-58. There is room to park and read the markers. This one has the same text on both sides. It reads, "Moccasin Gap in Clinch Mountain links the valleys of the Holston and Clinch Rivers. Through here passed the main trail between Cherokee territory to the south and Shawnee lands in present-day Ohio. Hunters and explorers of European descent were using the gap by the mid-18th century. In 1775 Richard Henderson, a land speculator, hired Daniel Boone to clear a route to Kentucky. Boone and 30 men widened the existing Indian path to create the Wilderness Road, over which thousands of settlers later passed. The arrival of the railroad in the 1880s and the construction of U.S. highways in the 20th century ensured that Moccasin Gap would remain a significant transportation route." This is marker number K-15 and it was erected by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources in 2016. [Review 80 of 2026 - 1526 in Virginia - 25270 overall]

Small wooden piece of public art tucked into some untamed weeds and bushes next to a gas station in…read moresmall town Castlewood Virginia. My buddy and I was on a small road trip and we both always enjoy finding public art and adding and reviewing to Yelp so we noticed this and stopped. Overall solid and cool little piece. Be nice if they took care of the shrubbery around it so it is more visible.

First time visiting the City of Bristol Tennessee and I even checked out the Virginia side as well…read more There's way more things to do on the tennessee side than virginia but I will say that the library was one of the best parts on the Virginia side. As a precaution if you were visiting any of the stores most of them are apparently closed on Mondays which is a shocker to me. Many of the parking spaces have a 2-hour window. Plenty of good restaurants and shop to check out many antique shops too. This area features plenty of cool events to check out as well. Though I wasn't completely amazed, I felt that the City of Bristol was a nice casual visit.

I've lived here most of my life. It truly is a great place to live. Hosts the worlds fastest half…read moremile..BMS. Rythm and roots music festival. Alot of really cool local non chain restaurants and shops. Beautiful mountains surround Bristol as well as several great lakes to play on. If your ever in this part of the country it's a fun little stop.

This library is an exceptional resource for the city of Kingsport. I have found the staff to be…read morehelpful and the library well organized with plenty of state-of-the-art resources. Unless you're trying to build a personal library I do not understand why people buy their books. Why not take advantage of those tax dollars you're paying? When I'm with our grandkids this is one of our favorite places to visit.

I find it very strange that they would intentionally make it harder than need be to support the…read morelibrary. I tried to donate a couple of hundred dollars worth of books to the library - most of them hard cover - all of them in excellent condition. After lugging the books into the library, I was informed that I could not donate books at the library (they would not accept them at the main library location). I had to call so-and-so and make arrangements to donate the books at another location. This was the last time I'll try to donate to the Kingsport Library.

This marker sits just outside Gate City along US‑23, part of the small roadside cluster that traces…read morethe deep history of the valley long before the town existed. The marker has the same text on both sides. It reads, "Cherokee Indians lived in this area before European settlement. In the Treaty of Lochaber (1770), the Cherokee agreed to shift westward the boundary between their land and territory open to settlers. This new line was to run from the vicinity of present-day Kingsport, Tennessee, to the confluence of the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, now in West Virginia. John Donelson represented Virginia in the party that surveyed the line in 1771. With the consent of Cherokee representative Attakullakulla, Donelson blazed a line that extended to the mouth of the Kentucky River, well to the west of the boundary delineated in the treaty. Donelson's line crossed the road near here." This is marker number K-16 and it was erected in 2016 by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. With the small park and gazebo beside the markers, it makes an easy and surprisingly reflective stop for anyone traveling through the mountains, a place where the long story of shifting borders and cultural change becomes part of the drive. [Review 89 of 2026 - 1535 in Virginia - 25279 overall]