I live in Austinville Virginia, the Birth Place of Texas.There are blood ties that bind Texas to the south!
It is amazing that literally, this “TINY bump in the road” which is nothing more than a cluster of houses spread along half a mile of road, has played such HUGE part in American history. The town was once named “Lead Mines” for the 1700’s era lead mines found here. Lead and zinc was mined here until the early 1980’s making it the longest continually operated mine in America. Its Lead was used for the revolutionary war AND it was the primary suppler of lead to the Confederacy. Many yankee raids took place on this area during that time. Austinville was also the county seat for Fincastle county Virginia.
But at that time Fincastle County spread from Western Virginia, from about Roanoke up through Ohio and west thru what was to become Kentucky to the Mississippi river!
The “Fincastle Resolutions” was signed here!! A Important forerunner to our magnificent “Declaration of Independence” an amazing document that came out of the Appalachian Mountains. The FIRST to tell the British to STICK IT.
A Quote from the Document.
"But if no specific measures shall be proposed or adopted by Great Britain and our enemies shall attempt to dragoon us out of the inestimable privileges, which we are entitled to as subjects, and to reduce us to a state of slavery, we declare that we are deliberately determined never to surrender them to any power upon earth but at the expense of our lives.
"These are real though unpolished sentiments of liberty and in them we are resolved to live or die."
Now to the Texas Part;
Steven Austin was BORN HERE, nearly all of his family where from here. His family owned the Mines back at that time. Their still are lots of his family descendants still in the area. The family name of “Austin” is common here. Their also is a monument that flies the Texas flag over Virginia soil, here also!
Now for the narrow gauge content. Their was a narrow gauge line that ran through here, that was owned by a mining company. Iron Ore, it stretched for miles back around thru these hills. But it is nearly all forgotten to history. The mighty iron furnaces still stand in many places. I have traced about 25% of the grade it is hard to trace as the rails where removed 75+ years ago. it was part of the “Virginia Iron Ore Coal & Coke” railroad. I have yet to find any book about it. Most of my info is coming from old maps. But I persevere.
Andy J
