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Volunteer . Individual members and committees work to further our mission in many ways, including: Designing and selling merchandise through local vendors Restoring and accrediting the Robert Preston House as a regional museum Maintaining and preserving the Birthplace of Tennessee Ernie Ford Preserving the V.I. College Legacy Fielding inquires about Bristol’s history Collecting and preserving historic memorabilia Preparing and installing rotating exhibits at the Bristol Public Library Scanning and filing historic photos and documents Making educational presentations at local schools, including historical slides of Bristol Recognizing historically significant buildings through placement of BHA markers / plaques Sharing interesting email and Facebook posts (Bristol History), Publishing newsletters Promoting area sites and places of interest Maintaining this website... and more! ​Wouldn’t you like to be involved? Email us for more information at BristolTNVA@aol.com To join the association, please click the application link below. Download Application CONTACT US!

King-Lancaster-McCoy Mitchell House LEARN MORE Anchor 1 The History . I The King – Lancaster – McCoy – Mitchell House is the most historic house in Bristol, Virginia. The handmade brick residence was built 1816-1820 by Colonel James King on the highest point of his property overlooking the meadows where he raised cattle. The settlement was once known as “King’s Meadows” before it took the name of Bristol nearly half a century later. ​ Colonel James King and his son, the Reverend James King, were key figures in the founding and development of Bristol. They contributed to the business world through the iron business and the commerce of buying and selling. The Reverend James King gifted the land needed to create Bristol’s King University and served as pastor for two early Presbyterian churches. The King family occupied the house until 1853. President Andrew Jackson was a frequent visitor to the house and was escorted to Washington for his inauguration by William King. The house has watched a city grow up around it. Although it was located close to downtown, the property was not actually included inside the town limits when Goodson (Bristol) was incorporated in 1856. The residence housed the Sapling Grove post office from 1839-1853, and it was a stopping point for stagecoaches traveling from Abingdon to Blountville from 1839-1856. Mountain View High School, which later became Sullins College, began in the house in 1869. ​ In 1991, the Bristol Historical Association initiated a study to determine the oldest section of the home, the remainder of Colonel James King’s original dwelling. An elaborate map of Washington County, drawn by John Wood in 1820, marks the presence of the house with a small square and the legend “Colonel James King’s brick house.” Analysis by the Department of Historic Resources in Richmond, Virginia, revealed that the original structure consisted of a two-room plan, divided by a central winding stair case leading to two bedrooms upstairs. The formal entrance was originally on the north elevation. The central portion is presumed to be part of the original structure. The rear wing housing the kitchen is believed to have been added shortly after the original structure was constructed. Several changes to the house were made by subsequent owners. In 1881, John J. Lancaster, a prominent wealthy banker of New York City, remodeled it for his mother and two maiden sisters as a gift. This work was done by prominent Bristol builder John Crowell. Crowell built the north half of the house in the late summer and autumn of 1881. In 1891, H.E. McCoy, the founder of Bristol’s Dominion National Bank, built a major addition to the house for a new living room entrance hall and portico redirecting the formal entrance to the east elevation. The addition completed an ingenious composition by connecting an identical two-story gabled façade1820 structure with a flat roofed “hyphen” which housed the bathroom above and formal entry hall below. ​ The house was purchased by Joseph D. Mitchell in 1899. Mitchell had arrived in Bristol in 1882, with only two dollars in his pocket, and he boarded at the house with Mrs. Thomas Lancaster. She put him in what is now the dining room, and when he later became wealthy, he confessed that on the first night he spent there, he vowed he would someday own the grand house on the hill overlooking the town. About nineteen years later, his dream came true. In 1903, Mitchell added a kitchen wing that is distinguished only by the ornate Carpenter Gothic wood columns. The house belonged to the Mitchell family for over 100 years. Mitchell’s daughter, Margaret, was born in the home in 1901 and lived there for 99 of her 102 years. Margaret willed the house and its contents to King College (now King University). The property has now been restored as the private residence of Daniel and Monica Shew. The King – Lancaster – McCoy – Mitchell house, located two blocks from State Street at 54 King Street, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1994 and included in the Solar Hill Historic District in 2001. ACT NOW! Donate to the Bristol Historical Association today! DONATE CONTACT US!

GIVE! Your Gift Matters! You can help the Bristol Historical Association and make an important contribution toward preserving the history of our community by making a donation, bequest, or other planned gift. There are a variety of methods to give that will assist us with our efforts and offer you, the donor, or your heirs, a tax benefit. ​ Add an immediate gift or pledge for ongoing work of BHA and see your legacy at work! To donate now via PayPal, please click the link below, or make your check out to the Bristol Historical Association and mail your gift to Bristol Historical Association PO Box 204 Bristol, TN 37621. ​ Please let us know if your donation is in memory or honor of any individual and also if it is intended for a specific BHA program or project, such as the Robert Preston House Project, Archives, Ford House, etc. DONATE TODAY! Country DONATE More Ways to Give Bequests Do you want to leave a legacy? Please consider including the Bristol Historical Association in your estate planning. A bequest or gift made through your will and/or trust can help assure the future viability of BHA as well as dramatically shape its future. Charitable Gift Annuities, Charitable Trusts, and Securities Through a charitable gift annuity or charitable trust you retain an interest in the gift, with the remainder to be received by BHA at a later time. BHA also welcomes financial donations in the form of securities. Tax Benefits There may be specific tax benefits to you and your estate in utilizing one of the planned giving tools in support of BHA. Donors may also designate that the funds be used for specifics uses such as the BHA's annual budget, ongoing programs, and/or other special projects. The Bristol Historical Association is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation and your gift is tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. For more information about planned giving, please contact BHA through this web site at BristolTNVA@aol.com , or write to us at Bristol Historical Association PO Box 204 Bristol, TN 37621. We Collect History Too! As we continue to record and collect the ongoing history of our community, we are also pleased to accept donations of historical materials. To arrange a material donation, please email BristolTNVA@aol.com Email Now! CONTACT US!

Photo Gallery Historic Pictures . Load More Modern Pictures . Load More Historic Markers . Load More Historic Figures . RJ Reynolds Joseph Anderson Rev James King COL James King AD Reynolds Margaret Anderson Caldwell CONTACT US!

Historic Images Photograph Collection. BHA'S Carolyn and Roy Williams Collection of Historic Photographs contains hundreds of images available for purchase. Images can be purchased as jpgs, on CD, via Dropbox, emailed, or as black and white 8x10 prints on archival matte photo paper. Images are created from original old negatives or photographs and are not perfect. The image price for individual or private use is $20 each. For commercial or business use prices, or to ask about availability of a particular image or theme, please contact BHA at BristolTNVA@aol.com for pricing. Historic People . Historic Markers . Historic Photos . Load More CONTACT US!

Merchandise Bristol Historical Association Merchandise Vendors. Believe In Bristol 6th Street Bristol, TN 37620 423-573-2201 Birthplace of Country Music Museum 101 Country Music Way Bristol, VA 24201 423-573-1927 Blakley Mitchell 517 State Street Bristol, VA 24201 276-669-0116 Boxwood Antiques 533 State Street Bristol, VA 24201 276-644-9520 Bristol Café and Market 2600 Volunteer Parkway Bristol, TN 37620 423-652-0771 CDR Frame Shop & Art Gallery 1010 Commonwealth Avenue Bristol, VA 24201 276-644-9950 Cranberry Lane 623 State Street Bristol, VA 24201 276-669-9899 Gwen's Herb Shop 1061 Old Abingdon Highway Bristol, VA 24201 276-466-0077 H. Johnson Pharmacy 500 Bluff City Highway Bristol, TN 37620 423-969-2895 Red Rooster Gift Shop 1258 Highway 126 Bristol, TN 37620 423-764-0716 Willow Creek Antiques 619 State Street Bristol, VA 24201 276-466-4064 The Bristol Historical Association offers a selection of Bristol-themed fine quality merchandise and giftware, including mugs, cups, hats, t-shirts, note cards, artwork, a cookbook, and many other unique items inspired by our region’s rich history. BHA merchandise can be purchased at the wonderful shops listed below. Please visit them, “shop local,” and support our community businesses as well as BHA. BHA merchandise sales support BHA’s mission, projects, programs, exhibits, and educational initiatives. *Some vendors carry selected merchandise. Please call for availability. Unfortunately, we are not able to provide online shopping or mail orders at this time. CONTACT US!

BHA Officers / Committees OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS . Officers. President 1st Vice-President 2nd Vice-President Corresponding Secretary Treasurer Immediate Past President Recording Secretary Barbara Smith Judy Slaughter Amy Hopper Pat Buckles Wilma Gill Charles Flannagan Dreama Chapman Directors. 2024 Directors Linda Kirk Carter Miles Brenda Otis Jennifer Surber Charles Flannagan Alice Ann Hoffstatter Jan Rainero Sid Oakley 2025 Directors Joyce Kistner Jennifer Hayes Tom Rogers Tim Buchanan Vickie Mitoraj Carl Coalson Angela Hopkins Daniel Shew Standing Committees. Archives ​ Arrangements Collections Display Exhibits Education & Outreach Finance Ford House Historian Historical Markers Membership Merchandising Newsletter/Website Nominating Parliamentarian Preston House Programs V. I. College Legacy Ways & Means Website Correspondent Susan Long / Linda Kirk / Jennifer Surber Vickie Mitoraj Mary Lou Sproles Joyce Kistner Joyce Kistner Isabelle Ladd Brenda Otis Tim Buchanan Linda Kirk Carter Miles Alice Ann Hoffstatter Amy Hopper Amy Hopper Pending Isabelle Ladd / Jan Rainero Daniel Shew Tim Buchanan Mary Beth Rainero Charles Flannagan CONTACT US!

IC Fowler House Bristol Herald Courier Article The History . Isaac Chapman Fowler was born in Tazewell County, Virginia, on September 23, 1831. He attended Emory and Henry College and became a merchant and postmaster of Emory, Virginia. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Fowler worked for the Commissary Department of the Confederate States of America under General John C. Breckenridge and eventually lost all his property. After the war, in 1868, Fowler came to Bristol, known as Goodson at the time, and along with his brother Elbert, purchased the Bristol News from A.C. Smith who had started the newspaper in 1865. Fowler became the paper’s editor and remained in charge until February 1884. He was very involved in the community, serving as Mayor five times, from 1871-1875, and serving as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates twice, 1875-1879 and 1881-1883. He was the Speaker of the House in 1881-1882. Fowler remained in Bristol until he was appointed as Clerk of the U.S. District Court in Abingdon in 1884, at which time he moved there to a house on Main Street. He resigned in 1904 just prior to his death in 1905. Fowler is buried in Bristol’s historic East Hill Cemetery. The I.C. Fowler House at 417 Spencer Street was built by Fowler in 1867. It is one of the oldest standing structures from the original town limits of Goodson, Virginia. It was constructed by carpenter and furniture maker George Blackley in the Greek Revival architectural style. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as well as the Virginia Landmarks Register as a contributing structure to the Virginia Hill Historic District. It was in the parlor of this house that I.C. Fowler, W.W. James and several other businessmen formed the committee to establish Sullins College. Following Fowler’s move to Abingdon, Charles Finch and his family became the second owners of the house. Finch worked for the Norfolk & Western Railway and was a member of the Goodson Town Council. It was Finch who made the motion that Goodson be renamed Bristol. Over the years, the home had many owners. Finally, Blevins Funeral Home acquired the I.C. Fowler house and used it for the storage of funeral equipment for a number of years. In the fall of 1988, Heritage Family Funeral Services bought Blevins and its property, including the Fowler house. Blevins donated the house to the Bristol Preservation Society which later merged with the Bristol Historical Association, and the house then became the property of BHA. BHA sold the house in 2009 to Scott Otis, who along with his father, Dr. Jim Otis, spent years working on restorations before selling it to Tom and Vickie Mitoraj in 2019. The Mitorajs completed the restoration in 2021. The house retains many of its original features, including fireplaces, a central staircase, plantation windows and casings, and flooring. Thanks to the preservation efforts of BHA, the Otis family, and the Mitorajs, the I.C. Fowler House remains standing as both a testament to one of Bristol's early leaders and a tangible part of the historic fabric of our community. ACT NOW! Donate to the Bristol Historical Association today! DONATE CONTACT US!

BHA NEWSLETTER Latest Newsletters . See our complete list of BHA Newsletters! If you would like to sign up to receive the monthly newsletter directly to your inbox, click the link below... Sign Up Women’s Suffrage Centennial Presentation August 2020 Read the Newsletter Video credit to City of Bristol, Tennessee/BTN-TV CONTACT US!

Links of Interest Bristol History Slide Show Presented by: Bristol Historical Association VIEW Bristol Va.-Tenn. Where Two States Meet From Pioneer Adventures to the Present Presented by: Bristol Historical Association VIEW The History of Lee Highway by Joyce A. Kistner VIEW City of Bristol VA Visit Bristol VA Historic Preservation Awards Visit City of Bristol TN Visit Birthplace of Country Music Visit The Paramount Center for the Performing Arts Visit Solar Hill Historic District Association Visit The Crooked Road Heritage Music Trail Visit Solar Hill Historic District Walking Tour Visit East Hill Cemetery Walking Tour Brochure & Map Visit The Birthplace of Tennessee Ernie Ford Visit Bristol Motor Speedway Visit The Rhythm and Roots Reunion Festival Visit The Bristol Chamber Visit Believe in Bristol Visit Historic Emmanuel Episcopal Church Visit The Carter Family Fold Visit Bristol Historical Association Youtube Channel Visit Bristol Historical Association Facebook Page Visit Bristol Train Station Visit Bristol Public Library Visit Collectible Bottles and History Visit King University Visit Tennessee Genealogy Visit Nashville Genealogy Visit Sullivan County Department of Archives and Tourism Visit The Bristol Hotel Visit The Virginia Lewis and Clark Legacy Trail Visit The Session’s Hotel Visit Historic Bristol Pictorials Facebook Page Visit My Hometown Bristol Va/Tenn Facebook Page Visit Sullivan Central High School Alumni Site Visit CONTACT US!

BHA Newsletter Archive September 2007 View November 2007 View March 2008 View September 2008 View December 2008 View August 2010 View July 2011 View September 2011 View October 2011 Announcement View October 2011 View Christmas Luncheon 2011 View December 2011 View March 2012 Program View March 2012 View May 2012 View October 2012 View October 2013 View October 2014 View September 2015 View Contact Us!

Dedication of First Historic Markers In Bristol Honoring African American Leaders The October 30th 2021 dedication of two Virginia historic markers in downtown Bristol was the culmination of several years of work by a task force of community members. The markers are the first to recognize African American residents of Bristol, the Reverend Charles Henry Johnson, longtime pastor of Lee Street Baptist Church, and Doctor Charles Spurgeon Johnson, his son. The Bristol Historical Association and Lee Street Baptist Church hosted this event which featured a very special guest, Jeh Johnson, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and grandson of Dr. Charles Spurgeon Johnson. The dedication was attended by many city leaders, ministers, historical preservation leaders, and citizens of the Bristol area, as well as a number of Johnson family members. Led by former Bristol Historical Association President Sid Oakley, the task force spent untold hours on the project which began following the publication of a 2017 Bristol Herald Courier article entitled "Bristol's Most Famous (Unknown) Son" which highlighted the life and career of Dr. Charles Spurgeon Johnson. Charles Spurgeon Johnson was born in Bristol and later became a noted scholar on race relations, focusing on understanding the root of racism and dismantling it from within. The Reverend Charles Henry Johnson led Lee Street Baptist Church from its humble beginnings in a little wooden church started in 1865 by thirty-nine freed slaves. The church was the hub of Bristol's African American community, and just two years after Johnson's call to Bristol in 1890, the congregation outgrew the building and moved to a new location on Lee Street between what is now the Bristol Virginia courthouse and the Lee Street Fire Station. The church thrived under C.H. Johnson's leadership, and he remained their pastor until his death in 1932. LEARN MORE VIEW CEREMONY PART 1 VIEW CEREMONY PART 2