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Welcome to
Bland County... |
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James Bland of Revolutionary
War fame. |
The County of
Bland was formed from necessity and
popular demand. The people became
dissatisfied with the inconvenience
of traveling over long mountain
trails to other counties to transact
legal affairs, and too, they were
unhappy over taxes they paid for the
upkeep of other counties. As a
result of this dissatisfaction and
the growing population in this area,
there was a demand for local
government supported by local
revenue.
Richard Bland was a Virginia
statesman and champion of public
rights. Son and grandson of
successful planters, he was educated
at The College of William and Mary.
From 1742 until his death in 1776,
he was a state legislator, first in
the House of Burgesses, and later,
with the adoption of a state
constitution, in the House of
Delegates. He also served as a
delegate from Virginia in the First
and Second Continental Congresses.
Because of his careful study of the
ancient records of the colony, he
was respected not only as a
political leader, but also as the
leading authority on Virginia's
history.
(Source: https://blandcountyhistsoc.org/About/History.html)
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Bland County was
formed March 30, 1861 from Wythe,
Tazewell, and Giles County. Later there
was more of Giles County added on. It
was named in honor of Richard Bland, the
prominent Revolutionary period Virginia
patriot. Situated almost on the West
Virginia border, Bland felt divided
loyalties during the Civil War.
In 1864, a skirmish was fought at Rocky
Gap in connection with a raid on the
Virginia and Tennessee railroad. Bland
County is spanned by Interstate 77,
running north to south. Old US Highway #
21/52 runs north to south through Bland
County.
Neighboring Counties:
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