What Happened?

“God made Heaven and had a little left over so he made Floyd County”
… Willie E. Graham (1887-1969), Floyd County resident

Floyd County Virginia which has no streams which flow through it is situated on a high plateau adjacent to the Blue Ridge escarpment in southwestern Virgina .

Since Floyd County was officially established in 1831. its economy has been dominated by agriculture.  Settlers and newcomers built homes, raised families, attended provincial schools and churches,  grew crops (mostly tobacco), and grazed cattle.  There have always been more cows than people.

Then something happened. Substantial homes were abandoned leaving the rolling landscape dotted with residences which no longer had occupants.  Perhaps a family line grew out.  Perhaps the farming family could no longer afford to live there.  Perhaps … who knows.