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The modern day town of Wytheville traces its origins to the earliest days of Wythe County as the site of the county's courthouse and center of commerce. When Wythe County was officially formed in 1790 by the General Assembly, the county justices established the county seat as a town. On October 19, 1792, an act was passed by the General Assembly establishing the new town as Evansham, in honor of a prominent county citizen, Jesse Evans. Forty seven years later, in 1839, the town trustees officially changed the name from Evansham to Wytheville.
With Wytheville's location at the crossroads of early transportation routes such as the Peppers Ferry and Ingles Ferry Trails and The Great Road from Philadelphia, it became a supply center and stopping point for settlers heading to the western frontier. Blessed with natural mineral spas and a moderate mountain climate, the town became a summer resort for families seeking to escape the heat and disease of the summers in the deep south. During the Civil War years, Wytheville was a target for Northern forces seeking to stop the flow of supplies to the confederate troops and destroy the production of lead at the nearby Lead Mines. There were four major skirmishes in Wythe County. During the Battle of Wytheville in July of 1863, many homes and businesses were destroyed by troops led by Colonel John Toland.
Wytheville's history includes many citizens who have played a prominent role on the state and national levels. The woman whom many have called "the first female American President," Edith Bolling Wilson, was born in Wytheville. Virginia Governor E. Lee Trinkle and Col. Robert Enoch Withers, U.S. Senator and Consul to Hong Kong, also made their homes here. Confederate Generals James Walker and William Terry, both known as the last commanders of the Stonewall Brigade, practiced law in Wytheville and are buried in the historic East End Cemetery. The heroic Confederate General, J.E.B. Stuart, had family connections in Wytheville and attended school here as a young man. His will was probated in Wythe County court and is still on file in the Wythe County Clerk's office.
Learn more about the rich cultural heritage of Wytheville and Wythe County with a visit to our two museums, the Haller-Gibboney Rock House and The Thomas J. Boyd Museum. Plan to spend some time walking through our beautiful historic district and touring through Wytheville's historic cemeteries filled with examples of the German folk art of stone carving. To find out more about any of these topics, please visit the Museums Of Historic Proportion section of this website.
