Southside Virginia: Echoing Through History

A rich, fascinating history permeates Southside Virginia, a grouping of seven picturesque counties nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. In this compelling new book, author and historian Herman Melton offers a collection of historical vignettes that explore past of this beautiful Virginian landscape, revealing an exciting array of intriguing characters and fascinating stories.

As Melton delves into the world of Southside Virginia’s inhabitants, we meet Carson Davenport, an artist who paints a mural as part of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s relief program for unemployed artists during the Great Depression. We learn about the workings of a gristmill, an essential element of the region’s economy, built by Thomas Jefferson’s uncle, George, in the year Pittsylvania County was founded. On a more sinister side, Melton also exposes the saga of a Civilian Conservation Corp camp that was converted into a prisoner of war camp for World War II German naval personnel.

Southside Virginia’s long history is at once dark and dazzling. From the suffocating blanket of slavery to the welcome changes of the Industrial Revolution, this area east of the Blue Ridge Mountains offers a story that spans the gamut of the American experience. Using precise details and beautiful illustrations, Herman Melton weaves a story that will strike a chord with Southside residents both old and new.