On the eve of the American Revolution, the Virginia backcountry was a place of colliding cultures, clashing ideals, and physical danger. Wolves howled at night; panthers roamed the forest. Europeans and native Shawnee and Cherokee vied for the same fertile farmlands, often erupting into murderous violence.
It
was here, at the eastern continental divide - the literal edge of
European/American
civilization - that leader of westward expansion and Revolutionary War
patriot William Preston established Smithfield Plantation. In a
land
of log cabins and physical hardship, Smithfield provided a haven of
aristocratic
elegance and became the social and political center of the county.
Historic
Smithfield is on the National
Register
of Historic Places, the Virginia
Landmarks Register, and is a Preservation Virginia property.
Be sure to check out this year's classes!
Summer
History Camps: From Buckskin to Burlap
July 20-24 and 27-31
1000 Smithfield Plantation Road
Blacksburg, Virginia 24060
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please contact tlfisher@vt.edu