Big Stone Gap: Theater, History and Nature

Big Stone Gap offers access to literary history, museums, historic buildings, and outdoor trails. When planning your trip, you can first consider whether you are more interested in theater and regional history or activities on the Powell River. The different places and routes each give these interests their own character.

Literature and Theater

The Trail of the Lonesome Pine Outdoor Drama has been performed in Big Stone Gap since 1964 and is Virginia’s longest continuously running outdoor drama. It is based on the novel of the same name by John Fox, Jr. The literary connection leads to the John Fox, Jr. House, where Fox wrote the novel. The house is a Virginia historic landmark and serves as a museum and memorial to the Fox family.

Another theater venue is the Barbara Polly Theatre in the Jerome Street Historic District. It offers approximately 335 seats. The two theater connections differ in form: the Trail of the Lonesome Pine is an outdoor drama with a long performance history, while the Barbara Polly Theatre is described as a theater building with an approximate seating capacity.

Museums and Regional History

The Southwest Virginia Museum is housed in a mansion that Rufus Ayers, a Virginia attorney general, originally had built in the 1880s. Its exhibits document the arrival of the railroad, the development of the mining industry, and the lives of many prominent residents of the region. Transportation and industrial history are presented alongside personal stories.

Photographs, mining equipment, and mining tools are on display at the Harry Meador Jr. Coal Museum. The memorabilia comes from private homes and public buildings in Big Stone Gap and nearby communities. The Lonesome Pine School and Heritage Center also focuses on regional history, with a particular emphasis on the schools of Wise County.

The June Tolliver House & Folk Art Center is listed on the national and state registers of historic landmarks. The June Tolliver House contains antiques dating from around the turn of the century. Together with the John Fox, Jr. House, these houses reflect different historical themes: the memory of the Fox family on the one hand, and antiques and folk art associated with the June Tolliver House on the other.

Historic Sites and Views

Big Stone Gap’s Historic District includes architecturally significant buildings and historic structures listed at the state or national level, all within easy walking distance of one another. This makes the district a good focus if you want to explore historic architecture on foot. The Barbara Polly Theatre is also located in the district.

The 101 Historic Traincar is an example of a typical late-19th-century passenger car. It retains most of its original fittings, including toilets, light fixtures, and the speedometer in the rear observation area. It also serves as a viewpoint with expansive views of Bullitt Park, downtown, and the surrounding mountain ranges.

Trails and Outdoor Activities

The Greenbelt Trail offers nearly three miles of easy hiking and biking. It follows the Powell River and can be accessed from several points around Big Stone Gap, including Bullitt Park. The Powell River and its tributaries also offer kayaking opportunities, most of which are within walking distance of downtown.

Nearby is the Roaring Branch Trail, an 8.8-mile out-and-back hiking trail. It passes through old-growth forest and leads to a viewpoint at High Butte overlooking the Powell River Valley. Based on the stated distances, this route is longer than the nearly three-mile Greenbelt Trail; the activities also differ: hiking is the main focus here, while the Greenbelt Trail can also be used for biking.

The Powell Valley Scenic Overlook can be reached from the northbound lanes of U.S. Route 23. When choosing among the different natural attractions, you can use the activities, routes, and viewpoints described here as distinct points of reference for planning your trip.

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