Photographs: Appalachian Trail Conservancy table at trailhead parking: Linda Mulheren, Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club; Leigh Anne Weitzenfeld, Appalachian Trail Conservancy; Alan Munshower, Virginia Tech Special Collections and University Archives; Ralph Robertson, Giles County resident; Suzy Bane, Giles County Historical Society, with poster exhibit; Virginia Tech students at the historical society, Reagan Hansen, Alexander Obando, Brayden Monahan; Display of cards, Do you remember when, with illustrations from Pearisburg / Giles High School Yearbooks, 1940s-1990s

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

Community members are invited to share their memories of historical events, people, and sites associated with the Appalachian Trail, the New River, Pearis and Peters Mountain, Bluff City, and Pearisburg. Virginia Tech students will be available to record memories and scan photographs, letters, and other print materials in partnership with Giles Historical Society.

Posters created by Virginia Tech students for the event are available from this link and at the Giles Historical Society through December 2026. 

Organizing Partners:
Giles County Historical Society; Giles Tourism;  Outdoor Club Virginia Tech; Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club; United States Forest Service
Virginia Tech Department of History,  Appalachian Studies, Special Collections & University Archives, and Center for Oral History
Students enrolled in the course, Virginia History along the Appalachian Trail, HIST 2624 & APS/PHS/SOC 4904, with the support of the
Appalachian Collegiate Research Initiative, Appalachian Regional Commission

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. More information:  https://www.wewantmorehistory.org/

Photographs: View of New River from Angels Rest, August 2026; A Walk Across the River, Pearisburg, September 2026