BRISTOL HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
Welcome to the official web site for the
Bristol Historical Association!
History is told through the buildings and homes in a city. The mission of the Bristol Historical Association is to promote an interest in the history of Bristol. The Bristol Historical Association is dedicated to the identification, preservation, interpretation, and presentation of local history.
New BHA Exhibit on Display at Bristol Public Library!
The Kelly and Green vintage camera collection was donated to the Bristol Historical Association by Albert Sidney Kelly, Jr., who became president of the Kelly and Green Photo Company in 1945, following the death of its founder, his father, Albert Sidney Kelly, Sr.
Albert Kelly, Sr., was a native of Tazewell County Virginia, where he was born September 2, 1886, the son of John P. and Mary Groseclose Kelly, both members of pioneer families. He was educated in the schools of Tazewell County and came to Bristol in 1910. One year later, he established his photo finishing business, continuing actively in its operation until his death. Mr. Kelly married Miss Francis Berry in Dalton, Georgia, in 1912. The couple had two children, Jane Kelly (who later married Dr. William C. Grigsby, Jr.) and Albert Sidney Kelly, Jr.
Mr. Kelly established Kelly and Green Inc., at 514 Cumberland Street in Bristol, Virginia. Kelly and Green’s grand opening was on Saturday, July 3, 1920. At the time, Mr. Kelly’s brothers, Charles P. Kelly and George L. Kelly, were associated with the company. Prior to World War II, the company's photographers took pictures of stores, city scenes, and schools. In its early years of business, the company had a complete mailing service of form letters, multigraphing, addressing, mailing, public stenography, and notarizing. Kelly and Green became one of the largest and most prominent photographic companies in the region.
Described as “a man of gentle deportment, industrious in his business life, and intensely devoted to his family,” Mr. Kelly built a firm that had a national reputation for quality work, and the excellence of many of his staff’s products brought widespread attention to the Bristol region through their publication in national magazines. No other businessman in Bristol enjoyed a more pleasant relationship with his employees than did Mr. Kelly. He created a positive work environment for his “work family” and hosted events for them, the last one a party held at Hungry Mother Park in Marion the July before ill health forced him to cease active direction of his business. He was a member of State Street Methodist Church, the Rotary Club, and the Bristol Virginia Electoral Board.
Albert Kelly, Sr., passed away following a lengthy illness at 11 AM, Friday, October 19, 1945, at the relatively young age of fifty-nine, in the company of his family at his home, 1000 Prospect Avenue. His final resting place is in Glenwood Cemetery, Bristol, Tennessee.
Albert Sidney Kelly, Jr., born March 15, 1917, graduated from Bristol Virginia High School in 1934 and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from King College in 1938. At the time of his father’s death, Albert Jr. had only recently returned to Bristol after serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1942 until 1945, from which he was honorably discharged with the rank of captain. Following his father’s passing, Albert Jr. became owner and president of the firm of Kelly and Green Inc., which had become an iconic Bristol business and one of the South’s leading photo supply and photo finishing companies.
In 1960, Mr. Kelly, Jr., was elected president of the Master Photo Dealers and Finishers Association, a national organization representing photographic dealers and photo finishers in the United States and Canada, later serving on the Board of Trustees of that organization. In 1966, he graduated from the management development program at Emory University in Atlanta. During his career, Mr. Kelly served as chairman of the “Buc Rogers Group,” which was comprised of the twenty largest photo finishing firms in the United States and Canada. He served as president of the Bristol Host Lions Club and was a member of the Rotary Club of Bristol and the Bristol Elks Lodge. He was on the board of directors of the Bristol Chamber of Commerce and served as its president in 1973. He was also a member of the board of directors of Twin City Federal Savings Bank and was chairman of the board of Dominion National Bank (which later became First Union, now Wachovia). He served as president of both the Massengill DeFriece Foundation and the Bristol Memorial Hospital Board of Directors. He was a lifelong member of State Street United Methodist Church, having served on the board of administrators of the church.
Albert S. Kelly, Jr., married Annie Neville Hill. The couple had one daughter, Neville. Following Annie’s death in 1984, he later married Mary Holton Kelly. Mr. Kelly Jr. passed away on Tuesday evening, October 29, 2002, in Savannah, Georgia. He rests in Glenwood Cemetery, Bristol, Tennessee, near his father, both giants in the field of photo finishing, an art that has become rare following the advent of cell phone cameras and personal computers that afford each person the ability to take and print one’s own photos.
These cameras represent years of technological advancement and innovation. The inspiration, dedication, personal achievement, and hard work on the part of both father and son captured history and created lasting memories for our entire region.
Bristol Residents Recognized
with Historic Preservation Awards
Efforts to restore both century-old homes in Bristol’s historic neighborhoods and commercial buildings that have long been a part of the downtown landscape were recognized Thursday as officials from Bristol, Va., and Bristol, Tenn., gathered to present the cities’ 2024 Historic Preservation Awards.
Each city also presented Stewardship Awards to individuals for significant preservation efforts during the ceremony at the historic Bristol Train Station. Held in conjunction with the national observance of Historic Preservation Month and hosted by the City of Bristol, Va., the event marked the first joint awards program since both cities began recognizing historic preservation efforts.
“The property owners we recognized tonight have invested their time, physical labor, and monetary resources as a labor of love,” said Daniel Shew, chair of the Bristol Virginia Historic Preservation Committee. “No matter how large or small the project, any investment in preserving an old building is a huge investment in our community that will benefit citizens for years to come. These efforts play a role in developing safer and more vibrant neighborhoods, while preserving the rich history, culture, character, and landscape of our cities.”
Lucia Schneider of the Bristol Tennessee Historic Preservation Committee agreed, adding “Coming together to celebrate preservation efforts on both sides of the state line and share the rich history that is reflected in our grand old buildings reminds us all that Bristol truly is a special place with a remarkable past and a promising future.”
Bristol Virginia Historic Preservation Awards
• Susan and Clyde Long were presented with the Solar Hill Historic District Award for their efforts to save a 1925 bungalow at 820 Sycamore Street. The couple began by installing a new roof to stop numerous leaks and protect the home from further damage, then rebuilt the chimney, repaired the crumbling brick foundation, and re-glazed the windows before adding a three-color paint scheme to give new life to this historic home in one of Bristol’s oldest neighborhoods.
• The Downtown Commercial Historic District Award was presented to Bonnie Flinner and Clinton Holly for their work to restore the three-story brick building located at 152 Lee Street that is now home to The Earnest Tube recording studio. The building is one of only a few in the immediate area that survived the urban renewal movement. After purchasing the building in 2016, the couple removed an old stucco façade, installed new windows, painted the exterior, and created access to a second-floor residential area. The front door was also restored, creating an entrance that takes visitors back to the building’s1909 beginnings.
• The Stewardship Award was presented to Brittany and Tyler Rutherford for preservation efforts that have transformed the buildings at 501 and 503 State Street – built in 1890 and 1904, respectively - to highly sought-after space downtown. Great strides were taken to save many of the original features of the two buildings as the couple worked tirelessly to transform them to include ground-floor commercial space with residential areas above. Through their work, the couple has made a significant contribution to the local economy and made it possible for Bristol residents to work, shop, and live downtown.
Bristol Tennessee Historic Preservation Awards
• Bristol businessman Allen Hurley was presented with the Downtown Commercial Historic District Award for extensive renovations to the two-story brick building at 815 Shelby Street. Built in 1910, it was the first industrial building in Bristol to have electric power. After purchasing the building at auction in 2015, Mr. Hurley completed extensive interior renovations to prepare the structure for two commercial tenants, then greatly enhanced the building’s outward appearance by removing a deteriorating wood awning, installing new windows, cleaning the façade, and applying a fresh coat of paint.
• The Holston Historic District Award was presented to George and Junella McClellan, who have lived at the 1920s Craftsman Bungalow at 904 7th Avenue for more than 50 years. After purchasing the home in 1972, the couple went to work to save the picturesque home’s historic features, including a brick basement with cedar-shake shingles, square columns, exposed beams, brick chimneys, and an inviting front porch with a full-length gable roof and dentil molding. A one-story garage to the rear of the house once served as the servants’ quarters but is now used as a guest house. Junella’s love for landscaping is evident in the magnificent gardens that make the home a neighborhood treasure.
• The Fairmount Historic District Award was presented to Barry and Kelly Frisbee for their two-story Queen Anne home at 700 Pennsylvania Avenue. The home was built about 1890, and the original property deed was signed by tobacco tycoon R.J. Reynolds. The stately home was in a serious state of disrepair just three years ago but has now been restored to showcase the brick foundation, weatherboard siding, cross-gable roof with box cornice and gable-end brackets, and an impressive wrap-around porch with wood railings and columns situated on brick piers. Fresh landscaping, courtesy of the Frisbees, adds to the home’s overall charm.
• Garry and Teresa Slagle were presented with both the Citywide Award and the Stewardship Award for their painstaking efforts to save the majestic two-story Victorian home at 912 Anderson Street from demolition. Built just before the turn of the century, the house was once the home of Dr. George M. Peavler, an ear-nose-and-throat doctor with a thriving practice on nearby 6th Street. The Slagles bought the home in 2016 and embarked on an 8-year journey to transform the magnificent structure back to its former glory, touching every surface of the home’s interior, and removing overgrown weeds, repairing and replacing siding, rebuilding columns, duplicating ornamental features, and rebuilding the wrap-around porch that has long made the home a Bristol showplace.
Awards are presented each year, and the nomination deadline is March 31. Winners are chosen by the Historic Preservation Committee in each city. Additional information is available at www.bristoltn.org/PreservationAwards and Historic Preservation Award | Bristol, VA - Official Website (bristolva.org)
Members of the Bristol Virginia Historic Preservation Committee are Chairman Daniel Shew, Vice-Chair Catherine Brillhart, Secretary Whitney Manahan, Brenda Otis, and Charles Flannagan. The Bristol Tennessee Historic Preservation Committee is comprised of Susan Tanner, Debra Kennedy, Rebecca Wilkerson, Lucia Schneider, Maggie Elliott, Vickie Mitoraj, Andrew Snyder, and Karen Bateman.
NOTE: Please hover over each property's photo to view the address
or double click the image to enlarge it.
History for Sale!
BHA is honored to offer for sale to the public a number of rare Virginia Intermont College mementos. These are the last vestiges of "new" VI memorabilia and will be prized by collectors of VI College history as well as ever faithful and proud alums of this grand institution of higher learning. Proceeds will be used to fund storage costs for the remainder of the VI Collection. Quantities are limited. Prices for each item are shown below. To purchase items, please visit either
Willow Creek Antiques and Collectibles at 619 State Street in Bristol, VA, or
Believe in Bristol Headquarters at 20 Sixth Street in Bristol, TN.
Composition Book $2.50
Silver Photo Album $25
Honors Program Bronze Medal $20
VI Lapel Pin $10
VI Cobra Cheer Horn $5
License Plate Frame $15
Cobra Folder $2
Pencil 0.50 cents
Postcards $1
VIC Picture 8x12 0.25 cents
VIC Sticker Sheets 0.25 cents
VIC Decals 0.25 cents
Historic Sites.
History is told through the buildings and homes in a city. The Bristol Historical Association promotes an interest in the history of Bristol by designating properties with historical significance. A generous contribution from Mr. William W. “Bud” Walling financed the cost of the first twenty-five plaques. Much credit is due to the late Mr Walling for his vital part in the promotion of the Landmark Designation program.
Are you interested in applying for a Landmark Marker for your historical building? If so, please complete the Historical Landmark Marker Application Form.
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