June 24th Galax and the Crooked Road

This marker talked about the importance of music to Galax and the area:

Galax — The Crooked Road — Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail —

Inscription.  Galax. Much of America’s music was invented in Virginia, and Galax and surrounding communities have long been an epicenter for the keeping of historic sounds and the creation of new ones. Greenberry Leonard lived in the Old Town section of Galax and knew tunes he’d learned when Andrew Jackson was president. Leonard’s student, Emmett Lundy, born before the Civil War, brought those tunes to the 1930s and was recorded by Alan Lomax for the Library of Congress. Made famous by early radio, the Hill Billies gave their name to hillbilly music. A Galax barbershop band, they were active from 1924 until 1932, performed for President Coolidge, made the first sound film devoted to country music (1928), and toured vaudeville theaters in the eastern USA. In 1927 Galax Mayor DaCosta Woltz created a band, the Southern Broadcasters, who made notable and influential recordings. The Galax Moose Lodge organized the first Old Fiddlers Convention in 1935. This weeklong annual event is the nation's most respected event of its type. The Rex Theater and many jam sessions in Galax offer music by local artists. Only “Two songs away from Galax” is the Blue Ridge Music Center, at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Center is home to live music performances and historic exhibits. The New River Trail State Park is a 57 mile  walking, bicycling, and equestrian trail that showcases a variety of scenic locations including Foster Falls and Chestnut Creek Falls. The river offers fishing, rafting, and canoeing opportunities for the outdoor enthusiast. The Crooked Road, Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail. From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Coalfields region, southwest Virginia is blessed with historic and contemporary music venues, musicians, and fretted instrument makers. Historically isolated, the region retained its strong musical legacy by passing traditions down through musical families to an appreciative community. Old time mountain music, bluegrass, and gospel can be enjoyed all year long and several museums are devoted to showcasing the area’s rich musical heritage. The Crooked Road winds through the ruggedly beautiful Appalachian Mountains and leads you to the major hotspots of old time mountain music, country music, and bluegrass. Alive and kickin’ for today’s fans, these venues preserve and celebrate musical traditions passed down through generations. Annual festivals, weekly concerts, radio shows, and jam sessions ring out to large audiences and intimate gatherings. Please visit the Crooked Road website to plan your trip to coincide with the current entertainment events. Erected by The Crooked Road. Location. 36° 40.078′ N, 80° 55.467′ W. Marker is in Galax, Virginia. Marker is at the intersection of East Stuart Drive (U.S. 221) and New River Trail State Park, on the right when traveling south on East Stuart Drive. Click for map. It is at the parking lot at the trailhead of the New River Trail State Park.   Marker is in this post office area: Galax VA 24333, United States of America.

June 24th Galax and the Railroad

This marker paid homage to the importance of the railroad in Galax's history:

The Railroad: Lifeline to the World

Inscription. As you stand here, with cars rushing by you, imagine what the roads in the Galax area must have been like when the City was incorporated in 1906. There were very few roads, and those that did exist were little more than muddy ruts. Thinking Ahead. That’s why the City’s founders, being forward-thinking businessmen that they were, had obtained a commitment from the Norfolk and Western Railway to extend the railroad 2.7 miles from nearby Blair—before the first lot in Galax was ever sold. They understood how important the railroad would be for moving people and goods. Galax’s Railroad Heyday. The railroad had originally come to the region north of Galax to transport the lead and copper that was disgorged from the profusion of mines in the mountains. The extension of a spur to Galax, however, changed the mix of products that moved out of the region. During its heyday, which began after World War I, the Galax Station served a very diverse group of businesses. These included furniture and mirror manufacturers, a milk condensation company, a weaving company, numerous farmers, and many others. For each of them, the railroad was a critical life-line to far away markets. An Ending and A Rebirth. Times change. As the mines played out and improvements in roads opened up other transportation options for the people in the area, it eventually resulted in the closing of the railroad branch serving Galax. The last regularly scheduled train left Galax at noon on November 15, 1985. Fortunately, that is not the end of the history. In 1986, Norfolk and Western donated to the State of Virginia the rights-of-way for the 57-mile portion of the rail bed between Galax and Pulaski. That land became the New River Trail State Park, which provides recreation for over one million people per year! Location. 36° 39.995′ N, 80° 55.6′ W. Marker is in Galax, Virginia. Marker is at the intersection of East Stuart Drive (U.S. 211) and North Main Street (Virginia Route 89), on the right when traveling west on East Stuart Drive

June24th Galax.Virginia

This marker welcomed you to the town of Galax, which is on the dividing line between 2 counties in Virginia.....

Learned a lot about the town on my visit-  the home of Mountain Music....

Inscription. The town is on the dividing line between Grayson and Carroll Counties. Its original name was Bonaparte, which was changed to Galax, the name of a mountain shrub abundant in the vicinity. In 1904 a spur of the Norfolk and Western Railroad came here, bringing the town into existence. It was incorporated in 1906.
Erected 1941 by Virginia Conversation Commission. (Marker Number U-26.)
Location. 36° 39.45′ N, 80° 55.362′ W. Marker is in Galax, Virginia. Marker is on South Main Street (Virginia Route 89) near the entrance to Felts Park, on the left when traveling south.