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]

The 1908 Grayson County Courthouse in Independence has that proud early twentieth-century presence…read morethat feels both formal and handmade, its Classical Revival design by Frank Milburn* giving it the symmetry, brick massing, and columned entry that Virginia counties favored when they wanted to project stability. Grayson County itself was named for William Grayson, a US Senator from Virginia in the 1780s and the town's name, Independence, was chosen to mark the nation's spirit after the revolution. It hasn't always been the county seat. That honor originally belonged to Greenville, but won the seat in the early nineteenth century as settlement shifted westward and the community grew into a more central civic hub. By the time I visited on Friday afternoon, the courthouse was closed, which actually made the experience better. With the sunset hitting the brick and no one around, I could walk right up to the building and appreciate the details without interruption. The grounds still have the expected and familiar Confederate monument, but since this building is no longer the active courthouse, it feels more like a historical artifact than a statement. Today, the structure serves administrative and community functions rather than full judicial operations, and wandering the quiet grounds made it easy to admire the architecture without the bustle of modern court traffic. [Review 886 of 2026 - 1537 in Virginia - 26067 overall] *I've seen many of Milburn's courthouses including the 1904 Wilkes County in Washington GA, 1907 Rockingham County in Reidsville NC, 1909 Swain County in Bryson City NC, 1914 Rowan County in Salisbury NC, Boyd County in Catlettsburg KY and more than 250 other major buildings across the South.

"We Hold These Truths To Be Self-Evident" feels like the right line to have in mind when you walk…read moreip to the Charters of Freedom installation at the current Ashe County Courthouse in Jefferson. There are a number of these around the US and this set was installed here in 2014. It sits on the hilltop approach in front of the courthouse. The replicas of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights are arranged so that you can take your time with them before you even reach the front steps. I stopped by on a quiet Friday afternoon and with the building locked up, it made for easy parking and uninterrupted photos. The installation is clean, well maintained, and fits naturally with the Honor Roll memorial nearby. It's a thoughtful addition to the courthouse grounds and a nice reminder of the documents that shape the work happening inside. [Review 874 of 2026 - 4765 in North Carolina - 26055 overall]

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]

This marker stands at a three-way intersection with plenty of room to stop and read. It points out…read morethe home of a powerful twentieth-century legislator. It has the same text on both sides. It reads, "Congressman, 1911-1953. Chairman, House Ways and Means Committee, 1933-1947, 1949-1953. Home 2/10 miles southeast." I'm not sure why they chose 2/10 and not 1/4 but hey, whatever. As is customary with North Carolina markers, there is more information online. Robert Lee Doughton was born in 1863 in Laurel Springs and grew up in Alleghany County before beginning public service as a farmer‑turned‑state official in the early 1900s. He entered Congress in 1911, ultimately serving twenty‑one consecutive terms and becoming the longest‑tenured chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee. Doughton played major roles in passing the Social Security Act of 1935 and in securing the creation of the Blue Ridge Parkway. He married twice, raised three children, and died in 1954 at his home in Laurel Springs, where he is buried in the Laurel Springs Baptist Church Cemetery. It is marker M-34 and it was erected in 1987 by the Division of Archives and History. [Review 881 of 2026 - 4772 in North Carolina - 26062 overall]

There are 30+ tripoints in the United States that are accessible. These are corners where three…read morestates meet and some borders are rivers. Can't get to them! There is also the famous Quad Corners where Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah meet. But I'm not out west. I'm driving across Tennessee and into Virginia today so I detoured for this spot that exists along a few invisible lines. This tripoint is not at all easy to reach. About an hour off I-81 and then the last three or so miles are a dirt and gravel single-lane "road" that is past the sign that says "State maintenance ends here" because yeah, it does. And then you get to a point that I would not recommend for anything but a high clearance vehicle such as a jeep or such. I opted to leave the Sprinter van on the side of this turn around. This last 3/4 mile is a walk on a dirt and stone road. Because it had rained lately, there were some four-wheeler tracks and I noticed some deer prints in the mud as well. On the second hill where the treeline begins you'll find this very small marker. It's only three inches across but it's a rare spot and here you are. Enjoy the hike and remember - never hike alone and always bring a friend! Most of the road has no cellular coverage but I was surprised that I had three bars of LTE at the very peak. NOTE: I'm sure Yelp is going to do weird things with the pin placement. The spot is on Pond Mountain Road in Whitetop, Virginia. The Google Maps pin is correct. [Review 20338 overall - 1437 in Virginia - 1316 of 2023.]

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]