A Walk Across the River: Exploring History along the Appalachian Trail near Pearisburg, Virginia

A We Want More History Event, September 25, 2026, 1-4 pm

Site Locations:
Giles County Historical Society, 208 N. Main St., Pearisburg, VA
Angels Rest / Pearis Cemetery Trailhead, 2030 Narrows Road, Bluff City / Pearisburg, VA

Contact: Tom Ewing, Professor of History, Virginia Tech, etewing@vt.edu

Organizing Partners:
Giles Historical Society
Giles Tourism
Outdoor Club Virginia Tech
Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club
Virginia Tech Department of History,  Special Collections, and Center for Oral History

Community Partners:

We Want More History is a coordinated national day of programming to strengthen civic health, build community trust, foster democratic dialogue, and showcase the vital role of history in public life. It responds to heightened public interest in history and historical interpretation by activating trusted public institutions where people already gather to learn, reflect, and engage. At its core, the project amplifies public libraries as anchors of civic engagement, intellectual freedom, and community well-being. It also centers public lands including national parks, state parks, and city parks as shared civic spaces where history is interpreted in place and connected to lived experience. Historians and educators are positioned as scholars and teachers committed to the public good through evidence-based, contextualized understanding of the past, in order to promote excellence in scholarship, encourage wide public discussion, and advocate for history. More information:  https://www.wewantmorehistory.org/

Photograph: View of New River from Angels Rest, August 2026