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| Views of Carroll County and surrounding
areas. Click on images to view full size picture. |
Carroll County is located on the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwestern
Virginia. Carroll County capitalizes on its history, mountain views and access from
Interstate 77 and the Blue Ridge Parkway to attract tourists by the
thousands each year. The County seat of Hillsville
attracts some 500,000 people with the VFW's Flea Market and Gun Show
each Labor Day weekend. Carroll County is second to none in the region
for growing produce. Many people pick their own in the orchards in
Cana or can buy their supplies at roadside stands or at the Southwest
Virginia Farmers' Market. |
Carroll County was founded in 1842 and named for Charles Carroll, a signer of the Declaration Of Independence. The courthouse in the town of Hillsville,
is the site of the historical 1912 gun battle, which has come to be known as the Courthouse Tragedy. Five people were killed in the shoot-out, which
took place on March 14, 1912, and involved Floyd and Sidna Allen.
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In 1911 J. Sidna Allen and his wife, Bettie moved into the house which he had described as "the culmination of our dreams". One year later, Mr. Allen, who
was one of the wealthiest men in the county, was involved in the shoot-out at the Carroll County Courthouse in Hillsville, Virginia. The eight-room Queen Anne style
house is unique to the County and to the area in it's architecture and distinctive features, which included detailed woodworking, iron crestings, corbeled chimneys and a slate roof.
The house and lands were taken by the State of Virginia and sold at auction after the Courthouse Tragedy occurred. In 1926, Mr. Allen was pardoned by the Governor, but he and his
family never returned to this beautiful house.
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The Carroll County Parks and Recreation Department was created in February, 1975, to provide a well-rounded recreation program for citizens of all ages in Carroll County.
The Recreation Department offers year-round recreation activities for youth and adults. They include Dixie Baseball age 8-16, Dixie Softball ages 8-15, T-Ball ages 5-7
years old and Church League Softball. The County Pool opens the first Saturday in June and operates 7 days a week until August for public swimming. The pool hours are
as follows: Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and re-open from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for Family Night, Saturday, 11:00 a.m.
to 6:00 p.m., Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission is $2.00 for 5 years and older, Senior Citizens admission is free. The Park has Picnic Shelters and a small playground
that is offered to the public from May through September. The Shelters can be reserved with fee by contacting the Recreation Office.
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Located at Mile Post 176 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Mabry Mill is one of the most photographed and painted mills in the USA. Ed Mabry,
who had been a coal miner in West Virginia, saved money so he and his wife could move here and buy a farm. He had always enjoyed
machines and fixing things more than other farm or mining tasks, and soon became well known as a "man who could fix most anything."
He built a blacksmith shop which is still a part of the working display here, and soon thereafter added the gristmill and sawmill operations.
This site gives a glimpse of turn-of-the-century life. The Mill, which was in operation from 1910 to 1935, still runs and is a combination sawmill and gristmill.
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