A monthly podcast series that looks into Southwest Virginia from the first pioneers up through the 21st Century. Every episode discusses about the different individuals, places, and events that changed this backcountry's history, which includes some of Americas greatest people and events in US history.
Email (to share or comment on episodes): benthehistorian1@gmail.com
2025 Year was crazy …. A good kind of crazy. So much has happened despite the lack of podcast episodes. See (or rather listen) more about this year.
Merry Christmas 🎄🎁 and Happy New Year 🎆🎊
P.S. I forgot to include that I’ve been writing articles for the LINC Letter, Eastern Montgomery County’s online newsletter. You can find online and subscribe to the newsletter (it’s free!)
LINC Letter:
https://us18.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=982ce8cbfc7c76ffc79c678be&id=f086ff3e6b
24 Nov 2025
VMI-VPI Thanksgiving Day Football Game (5th anniversary edition)
5 years ago, a freelance public historian decided to make a local history podcast regarding his home region of SWVA and published his first episode just days before Thanksgiving about a once holiday tradition that anyone barely knew about… till now.
To celebrate the 5th anniversary of History from Southwest Virginia, we revisit that first episode that started it all (posted exactly 5 years ago today).
With more interesting facts and new researching content, there is a more in-depth story behind this genuine piece of history long forgotten.
Enjoy and thanks to my listeners for helping me to reach this achievement!
Photo credit: The Vinton Messenger, 2020
Table of contents:
0:00 - Intro
4:10 - History of VPI & VMI
10:09 - The First Years (1894-95)
14:42 - Comes to Roanoke, 1896
16:41 - Early to Mid 20th century
19:31 - College Tradition origins
29:13 - The Final Years (1960s - 1984)
32:15 - Legacy of the VPI-VMI rivalry
33:07 - End credits
11 Feb 2025
Fincastle Resolutions S8E1
On January 20th, 1775, 15 prominent figures from all over SWVA met in a small settlement called Lead Mines - the county seat of Fincastle - to establish what some called a document that was the roots of the Declaration of Independence that would be written over a year later. Written in response to the recent events of the American Revolution, including Lord Dunmore’s dissolve of the VA House of Burgesses, these men eventually saw that a peace with the mother country was not going to be possible and that they were “resolutely determined never to surrender…to any power upon earth, but at the expense of (their) lives.” Both their constitutional liberties and their religious rights that is.
The Fincastle Resolutions was a powerful statement that sparked revolution in all of SWVA, both in Fincastle and Botetourt Counties at the time. Looking at it deeper, its unique structure and text made it a historical landmark that was nearly forgotten till now.
To begin the VA250 celebrations, let’s look into the details and history of this magnificent piece of history.
*Sorry that this was posted late but now is better than never, right? ;-)
Link for the VA250: https://va250.org
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Spotify
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 19 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
14
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
60
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