Virginia to place nine new historical markers across the state

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The Virginia Board of Historic Resources recently approved the placement of nine historical markers on the sides of roads throughout the state.

On Dec. 11, 2025, the board approved nine additional historical markers during a quarterly meeting in Richmond, hosted by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR).

The new markers will feature various historical topics, such as the Kiskiak Indians’ new homeland located in the Middle Peninsula, a former enslaved man who helped Union forces win the Civil War and the former home of U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife.

The new markers are listed below:

The Kiskiak Indians’ New Homeland

The marker is proposed to be located on the east side of Route 3, by Twigg Bridge in Mathews County.

The Kiskiak Indians once lived within the Powhatan chiefdom, but English settlers forced them out to the Middle Peninsula. In 1649, they were issued 5,000 acres from the colonial government, spreading from Chapel Creek to Harper Creek. Over time, Kiskiak leaders began to sell off the land. In 1677, it seemed the tribe had dispersed and joined other tribes.

Gen. Anthony Wayne crossing the Rappahannock River

The marker is proposed to be located at the intersection of Summerduck Road and Normans Ford Road in Fauquier County.

On June 8, 1781, Brig. Gen. Anthony Wayne commanded his 1,000 soldiers to the Rappahannock River to help assist Marquis de Lafayette in Virginia. A couple of days later, Wayne's troops joined Lafayette in Orange County. Together, they traveled to Charlottesville to stop British Lt. Gen. Charles Cornwallis raids on military stores. Their troops followed Cornwallis' troops east, which was a massive contribution to his surrender in Yorktown on Oct. 19.

Battle of Wyerman’s Mill

The marker is proposed to be located along 242 Neighborhood Lane in Lee County.

On Jan. 1, 1864, Confederate Brig. Gen. William E. “Grumble” Jones entered Lee County in an attempt to reclaim the Cumberland Gap. After a victory on Jan. 3, Jones' men patrolled for Union troops as well as a route to the gap. He discovered an encampment by Wyerman's Mill along Indian Creek, and on Feb. 22, Jones attacked. 13 men were killed, and over 250 were taken as prisoners. The Confederates were able to remain in control of Lee County after the battle.

Thomas Laws (1817-1896)

The marker is proposed to be located at the intersection of U.S. 340 and Route 255 in Clarke County.

Thomas Clarke was born enslaved in what is now called Clarke County. In Sept. 1864, Union Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan discovered that Laws was able to cross over Confederate lines. Laws risked his life to deliver a note, wrapped in tin foil and held in his mouth, to Unionist Rebecca Wright. She was able to notify Sheridan of weaknesses located within the Confederate troops by using Laws as a messenger. Sheridan was then able to secure a victory and gain control over the lower Shenandoah Valley. This win allowed Pres. Abraham Lincoln's presidential campaign to gain momentum for his reelection. After the war, Laws became a farmer in Clarke County.

Cypress Baptist Church

The marker is proposed to be located at Runnymede Road by the intersection with Walkers Road in Surry County.

Cypress Baptist Church is one of the oldest African American churches in Surrey County, with its origins dated back to 1866. Irene George, who was freed before the Civil War, was a founder of the congregation. The church was able to fully purchase the property in 1874. The first pastor was Rev. Baylor (Bailey) Wyatt, who escaped slavery and crossed to Union lines during the Civil War. The church is now a member of the Lebanon Virginia Baptist Association.

Maymont

The marker is proposed to be located at the intersection of Shirley Lane and Spottswood Road in the City of Richmond.

Maymont is one of the last intact estates from the Gilded Age. It was the home of railroad magnate James H. Dooley and Sallie May Dooley. The mansion was completed in 1893 in Richardsonian Romanesque style. The property is 100 acres and features an English style park, Italian and Japanese gardens and multiple service buildings. It took a staff of 30, mostly African American, to maintain the estate. After the Dooleys' death, they left Maymont to the City of Richmond as a museum and a park.

Hippodrome Theatre and the TOBA Circuit

The proposed marker is located at 215 N. Union Street in the City of Danville.

First opened in 1917, the Hippodrome is Danville's first purpose-built theater for black audiences. It was owned by Don Levy and offered live performances and movies. In 1922, the Hippodrome joined the Theater Owners' Booking Association (TOBA), which provided vaudeville performances to venues for African Americans. TOBA helped start the careers of many black artists by booking them in venues across the eastern U.S. Performers at the Hippodrome include Mamie Smith and Gonzell White's Jazzers. It was renamed to the Lincoln Theater in 1931, but closed in 1935, and burned down in 1962.

Home of Jimmy Carter, 1946-1948

The proposed marker is located at the corner of Westmoreland Avenue and Monroe Place in the City of Norfolk.

Jimmy Carter was stationed in Norfolk after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in June of 1946. He and his wife, Rosalynn Smith, lived in an one bedroom apartment. Carter, during his life, served as governor of Georgia and was the 39th president of the United States. As president, he created the Department of Energy and Education and grew the National Park System. Carter was also awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

James A. Bland High School

The proposed location is at 505 E. Fifth Street in the town of Big Stone Gap.

James A. Bland High School was opened in 1954 and is named after the famous African American composer. The school taught black students from Wise and Lee counties. It was built as black schools across Virginia were improved, as mandated by federal courts requiring equalization. Bland High School closed in 1965 when Wise County schools desegregated after the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 1969, the building became an elementary school, and then the town hall for Big Stone Gap in 1988.