Clinton Avenue is named for Henry Clinton Wood. He was born in Pleasant Hill, Scott County on February 15, 1836 and died December 8, 1909. During the Civil War, H.C. Wood organized a company which became a part of the 37th Virginia Infantry Regiment. He was the Senator for Wise, Lee and Buchanan Counties from 1880-1882. In 1885, he was the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, but was defeated. Clinton was the first President of the South Atlantic Railroad.

Taggart Avenue was named for John K. Taggart.  Taggart, an engineer, was instrumental in the coke and coal industry of Southwest Virginia. He came to the Virginia Coal and Iron Company from Pennsylvania in 1890, to produce coal commercially and to manufacture coke. Taggart planned the entire operation and taught the civil engineers how to survey for the coal and coke plants. Taggart believed this region's coke was the best he had ever seen. In 1896, he was killed in an explosion at astone quarry.

Jerome Street was named for Jerome Hill Duff. He was a Lee County native and lived in the house which is now known as the June Tolliver House. He was the owner and manager of the Central Hotel which was originally located across the street from his home. Later the hotel caught fire and burned. Mr. Duff passed away in October 1890. Mrs. Duff then opened her home to boarders in order to make a living. In the winter of 1893, Elizabeth Morris, the little girl most people think of as the model for June Tolliver in The Trail of the Lonesome Pine lived there.

Proctor Street was named for John R. Proctor (Procter). He was the Director of the Geological Survey of Kentucky. Procter wrote the prospectus about the area and why people should invest in the region. He gave ten reasons of why people should come to this area. Some of his reasons were the area was rich in mineral resources such as coal, iron, timber and waterways. Procter did the first survey of Big Stone Gap in 1890.

Carter Street was named for George L. Carter. He was born on January 10, 1858 at Hillsville, Virginia. Carter worked energetically to create an industrial empire in Southwest Virginia by purchasing railroads and coal mines. At one time, he owned the South Atlantic and Ohio Railway and the Virginia Coal and Iron Company. His efforts linked this region's coal mines to the markets in Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Delaware. He died on December 30, 1936 at Hillsville, Virginia near his birthplace.

Carl Martin was born in April 1906 in Big Stone Gap. In 1918 he performed regionally on the guitar, mandolin, bass and violin in area coal camps. In the 1930's he recorded with a group called the "Tennessee Chocolate Drops." He later moved to Chicago and performed with greats such as, Big Bill Brooney, Tampa Red, and Bumble Bee Slim. Martin served in World War II.

Fox Street was named for John Fox, Jr. He was born on December 16, 1862 at Stony Point, Kentucky. He moved to Big Stone Gap in 1890. Upon moving to Big Stone Gap, he began to publish fiction stories about the people of the Appalachian mountains. In the novel, The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, John tells of an adventure  of a young coal engineer meeting a young mountain girl. Fox wrote several novels and numerous short stories, based on living in Southwest Virginia.

The Southwest Virginia Museum was the home of General Rufus Ayers, and early developer of Southwest Virginia in the 1890's. Rufus later sold the house to C. Bascom lemp, the ninth district Congressman and private secretary to Calvin Coolidge. Slemp then bequeathed the house and collection to the Commonwealth of Virginia for a museum. It was officially dedicated as a museum on May 30, 1948.

Holton Avenue was named for Governor Linwood Holton. He was born on September 21, 1923 in Big Stone Gap. He attended public school and graduated from Washington and Lee University in 1944. After serving in World War II, Holton attended Harvard Law School and earned a degree in 1949. He then began his law practive in Roanoke. He was deeply involved in politics and in 1969, Holton was elected Governor of Virginia, serving from 1970-1974. He was the first Republican Governor of this century.

Morris Circle was named for Anna Barron Morris. She was an active civic leader in the town of Big Stone Gap, and was an active member of the Lonesome Pine Hospital Board of Directors and the Women's Auxiliary. She served two terms on the town council and a total of forty years on the Big Stone Gap Planning Commission. Tirty of these years were as chairman. Mrs. Morris was voted "Woman of the Year" by the Wise County Democratic Women's Club in 1985.

Wax Avenue was named for Don Wax. Don was born April 21, 1927 and grew up in Big Stone Gap. He often said "I never thought of living any place else." He was the founder and owner of Don Wax Properties, which later became known as Lonesome Pine Realty. He developed and built Shawnee Shopping Center, Cloverlead Square, and College Park Mobile Homes. He loved to write and was very knowledgable about the history of the area. He wrote two books. His first book, Lonesome Pine Country was about the area. His second book Goodloes, was about the Goodlow Brothers who helped to develop Big Stone Gap in the 1890's.

A special thanks to Irene Wax, Dutchie Morris, Bill Hendrick and Garnett Gilliam for their input into exhibit information.