Col. Rutherford B. Hayes, who later became the 39th president of the United States, and his Union troops, occupied Pearisburg for four days in 1862. It is said that a skirmish with Confederate troops drove him out of town so quickly that he failed to pay his bill for room and board. (The legend says he mailed his payment later.)

The Giles County Courthouse was used as a hospital during the Civil War battle of Pearisburg. Several soldiers died in the building, which still shows bullet holes and other scars from the battle.

James A. Garfield, the eventual 40th president of the United States, served under Hayes during the battle. There are conflicting reports about whether future president William McKinley fought here. Most local historians believe he turned back near Narrows before reaching Pearisburg.

Former Mayor Clarence Taylor is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest-serving mayor, with 47 years of service. He was elected and took office in 1946, and was re-elected 18 times until he retired in 1993. He was opposed by a challenger only four times in those years. His service was also noticed by Ripley’s Believe It or Not.

One of the last public hangings took place at the Giles County Courthouse in Pearisburg in 1906. Morris Cremeans was hanged for murder.

Angels Rest, a promontory overlooking the town of Pearisburg, got its name because Maj. Joseph Cloyd compared the point to Mount Sinai. This comparison inspired local folklore, which says that angels returning home after the crucifixion stopped on the mountain to rest. Angels Rest was cracked by an earthquake in 1897.

Before John Ashcroft ever lost his 2000 bid for the U.S. Senate to the deceased Mel Carnahan, it might have happened in Pearisburg. According to local legend, a dead man was elected mayor in 1926. O.L. Fisher was the incumbent candidate when he died a few days before the election. The citizens of Pearisburg elected him to the office of mayor nonetheless. His opponent in the election, Webb Farley, was then appointed mayor. (Note: This is strictly local folklore. The only documentation is a 1933 letter from Ripley’s asking for verification.)

-- Compiled by Bridget B. Winston. Sources: Town of Pearisburg, Roanoke Times archives, Ripley’s Believe it or Not. Pearisburg town Web site.