Bristol History

05/30/2026

With WCYB TV celebrating their 70th anniversary in 2026, Bristol History will be posting some highlights that many will remember. This video comes from Buzz Rawls who was a videographer in the 1970's and early 1980's. Feel free to forward, enjoy!

This is a WCYB Promo for the 27th Annual Southeastern Band Festival Parade which occured on Oct. 1, 1977. Music: Unknown

05/10/2026

Thursday, May 14th at 5:30pm

04/25/2026

SAVE THE DATE! A GREAT AMERICA 250 PROGRAM, MAY 11TH, 6:30PM AT THE BRISTOL PUBLIC LIBRARY! FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

04/20/2026

Bristol's Dogwood Memorial Trail is ablaze with color this month but every year there are fewer healthy trees. The trees have not been replaced as they die out. Typically, around Easter Bristol's dogwoods bloom throughout the city, and especially along Euclid Avenue. The Dogwood Memorial Trail was established as a memorial to Bristol's World War II soldiers that gave their lives in service to our nation. For decades trees were donated to beautify Euclid between Commonwealth Avenue and Chester Street. A garden club started the wonderful legacy, then Nancy Marney managed this effort for many years. Now it is maintained by the City of Bristol, Virginia. Lest we forget, this trail needs to be updated with new dogwoods to replace those that have been removed. They are just a beautiful sight!!

04/05/2026

The Robert Preston House in Bristol, Virginia.

03/28/2026

Bristol is in round 2 of Best Main Street in the South. Round two ends March 30 and we are in a slight lead with Fredricksburg, Virginia. We need Bristolians to vote to get us into round 3. You can vote every hour and on different apps. Let's keep the momentum going!

🗳️ Vote at the link below and help us hold the lead!

It's a downtown showdown in the battle for the South's most charming stroll

03/09/2026

As our nations celebrates the 250th Anniversary of the United States, through the local Virginia250 committee, the Bristol Historical Association has joined with the King University Institute of Faith and Culture and with the Rocky Mount Historic Site to co-sponsor a unique two-day event for our community on March 26 and March 27.

The presentations will focus on the role of religion during the times and trials of the Revolutionary War. Three opportunities will be provided to hear Vanderbilt University Divinity School professor Dr. James Byrd. Dr. Byrd is the author of the book, Sacred Scripture, Sacred War: The Bible and the American Revolution. The book, published in 2017, was a winner of an Award of Merit in the Christianity Today Book Awards, History/Biography category. A review stated that through this book, “James Byrd offers the first comprehensive analysis of how American revolutionaries defended their patriotic convictions through scripture. ... Brilliantly researched and cogently argued, “Sacred Scripture, Sacred War sheds new light on the Revolutionary War.” Dr. Byrd will speak in the chapel of State Street United Methodist Church at 6:00 P.M. on Thursday, March 26. This event will be free and open to the public.

On Friday morning, March 27, at 9:15 A.M., Professor Byrd will speak in the chapel of King University. This event is designed for the students of King University, but the public will be welcome. On Friday evening, March 27, Professor Byrd will speak at the Rocky Mount Historic Site, with the time and details of that event to be soon announced. Do not miss this extraordinary opportunity to broaden your view and understanding of the war that set the stage for the United States of America.

02/18/2026

We want to acknowledge the passing of a tradition in Bristol. The VFW Post 6975 has been a Bristol tradition since soldiers returned home from World War 2. In 1946 this Post was formed on Piedmont Street, now the location of the Boys & Girls Club. It moved to its "Rebel Retreat" headquarters across the line in Bristol, Tennessee but had maintained itself as a Virginia Post. Recently the few remaining members turned their charter in to end nearly 80 years of service to the region and a reminder of The Greatest Generation.

At one time the Bristol Post 6975 was the largest VFW Post in Virginia and was involved in many charitable causes which are too numerous to mention. If you grew up in Bristol it is likely this Post supported your non-profit organization, school, community park and sports team. They raised money for the March of Dimes, Salvation Army, Rescue Missions, they sponsored Minor, Little and Pony League baseball teams, the Boy & Girl Scouts, worked for the development of Steele Creek Park, and countless other causes. Then they were the backbone of every civic event, Veteran & Fourth of July parades, and Bristol's Centennial in 1956.

Gone but not forgotten. . . .

02/14/2026

The Bristol Historical Association is proud to announce the official launch of the East Hill Cemetery Grave Locator feature. This feature was created for BHA by David Carney and Johnathan Smith from the city of Bristol, Tennessee, and Linda Kirk, a member of BHA's Board of Directors. Together, over the course of more than a year, they conducted a special project to locate, identify, and document all burials in East Hill Cemetery. The database is complete now and available to the public through the Bristol Historical Association website: bristolhistoricalassociation.com. On the front page go access the Grave Locator Link.

East Hill Cemetery is a historic site known for its serene environment and rich heritage. Its historical significance is marked by notable graves and memorials, including that of Nellie Gaines, the first person buried here in 1857. Nellie was 5 years old, a daughter of tenant farmers. At the time, the cemetery location was known as Round Hill and was covered with large trees and brush. It had been laid aside as a future burial ground for the new town of Bristol Tennessee -Virginia. Soon after her death, her family moved to Texas, but in 1887, her father returned here and build a small shed over the little grave. It so remained as the sole marker for many years. Later her only marker was a huge poplar tree that stood at the head of the grave. Her grave is now marked with a fine modern headstone. The Reverend James King himself preached her funeral.

Other noteworthy burials in East Hill are the founder of Bristol, Tennessee, Joseph Anderson, founder of Bristol ,Virginia, Colonel Samuel Goodson, Revolutionary War hero General Evan Shelby, James King, minister, landowner and King College patron, V.N. "Bud" Phillips, Bristol's beloved official historian and author.

02/07/2026

Great picture of Bristol's own David Browning speaking with Howard Morris, who played Ernest T Bass on the Andy Griffith television show. David portrayed the Mayberry Deputy for many years, until recently. Howard Morris died May 21, 2005.