Southside Virginia

In the dusky stillness of the seven counties that lie east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a rich history unfolds. In Southside Virginia: Echoing Through History, Herman Melton enticingly exposes his readers to vignettes exploring the colonial through World War II periods in this beautiful Virginia landscape. As Melton delves into the world of Southside Virginia's inhabitants, we meet Carson Davenport, an artist who painted a mural as part of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's relief program for unemployed artists during the Great Depression. We learn about the life of a gristmill, an essential element of the region's economy, built by George Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson's uncle, in the year Pittsylvania County was founded. In still another chapter of the Southside saga, a Civilian Conservation Corps camp was converted into a World War II prison facility for German naval personnel. Southside Virginia has both a tumultuous and illuminating history. From the suffocating blanket of slavery to the welcome changes of the Industrial Revolution, this area east of the Blue Ridge Mountains offers a story that spans the American experience. Using precise details and beautiful illustrations, Herman Melton weaves a story that readers will never forget. Book jacket.