All along the Appalachian Trail lies numerous historical sites, ranging from the insignificant that passes for daily life of American history, to those deemed to be of significant importance.  Markers have been put in place to give hikers notice that a piece of American history exists along the path they are traveling. The history could be an abandoned farmhouse, forgotten stone walls of a mill, or a marker signifying a memorial or event of historical significance. Whatever these sites may be, the Appalachian Trail is a highway that cuts into the interior of American forests and gives hikers a glimpse into our past, an opportunity for those with the drive to learn more, and to discover something new.

In 1974, a Memorial was installed on Brush Mountain VA to honor a highly decorated World War II veteran, Audie Murphy. Initially, the Appalachian Trail did not travel near this site. It wasn't until 1991 that the Appalachian Trail was redirected and resulted in its passing by the Memorial site.

The Appalachian Trail was the brainchild of Benton MacKaye who made the proposal in October 1921. Myron Avery led the work in making the trail a reality and in 1937 the footpath was completed. The trail stretches from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. Today the trail is approximately over 2,200 miles long with 550 miles of the trail located in Virginia. In a small corner of western Virginia lies Brush Mountain in Craig Creek, VA, where an incident occurred that would make it a place of significant importance to those affected by events that took place on May 28, 1971.