DICKENSON COUNTY

Dickenson County is a living painting of rugged terrain, scenic beauty, natural attractions, music and history. Formed in 1880 as the last Virginia County from surrounding counties, it shares part of it's western border with Kentucky in the "breaks" of the Cumberland/Pine Mountain. Clinchco, Haysi, and Clintwood, the county seat, are the incorporated towns, but the majority of the 16,000 residents live along the ridges of the mountain tops and in the hollows or narrow valleys. Settled mainly by the Scots/ Irish, the County became a mini-melting pot of cultures as other nationalities came to build the railroads, work the world's largest timber industry at the time, and to labor in the coal mines. Evidence of the music, food, and material culture that these people brought with them can still be found tucked away in this mountainous refuge and is proudly celebrated by it's people.

In recent years, coal, the primary industry of the region has taken a sharp downturn and the County has turned to its other assets, natural and cultural, to establish a tourism industry. Dickensonians love to share with those who come to visit the natural beauty and cultural heritage of their County. Although challenged to provide an adequate support system to meet the needs of the traveling public, such as food and lodging facilities, there seems to be a re-birth of the Appalachian entrepreneurial spirit. Recent growth has been very evident with the addition of several guest cottages and new food facilities.

Dickenson County thrusts up through the heart of the Appalachians with some of the most breath-taking scenery in the eastern United States. Breaks Interstate Park, John W Flannagan Lake, and Cumberland/ Pine Mountain Riding and Hiking Trail are evident of that fact.

Music has always been a part of the culture in Dickenson County from the earliest settlers who brought their banjos, fiddles, and ballads, to be joined by guitars. Many families cannot remember any generation of it's people who did not sing and play in their homes, on their porches, and at community gatherings. Unique church music of several varieties, including the Old Regular Baptist, Primitive Baptist, Freewill Baptist, and Church of the Brethren was, and still is an important part of everyday life and had a great influence on some of those who would go on to be legends of their genre of music. One of those musicians who has always made his home here is Dr Ralph Stanley, three time Grammy winner of bluegrass and old time mountain music; a museum will open in October of 2004 in Clintwood in his honor.

Other musicians deeply influenced by their roots in Dickenson County are the Mullins Family, Eates Rae Fleming, Stanifur Stanley, and Vic Lambert, etc. Today in the County there are venues where you will find the O’Quinns, South Mountain Boys, Ken Childress and Jimmy Blaine Mullins and many others. Mountain Art Works on Thursday and Friday evening in Haysi, D and B’s Restaurant in Bichleaf, also, on Thursday and Friday evenings, and Breaks Interstate Park Ampitheatre on Saturday evenings, May through August will be the places to find jam and dance sessions.