The Curious Story Behind America’s Most Unusual Map

 

The 38 Cities That Stand Alone: How Virginia Became a State of Exceptions 

Revised Blog By Jerry Buchanan

Authors Note: There are only 41 Independent Cities in the entire U.S. (38 are here in Virginia, along with Baltimore, St. Louis, and Carson City). Most Americans grow up believing that cities belong to counties. But Virginia—shaped by colonial habits and a long memory—chose a different path.

Today, Virginia remains the only state where dozens of cities stand completely alone. It’s a story about identity, pride, and the way communities define their own boundaries.

A Tale of Two Neighbors: The Divorce of 1954 In the coal-rich mountains of Southwest Virginia, the map tells a story of two different paths. Just a few miles apart, you’ll find Norton and Big Stone Gap.

On paper, Big Stone Gap has often been the larger "hub"—home to the hospital, the community college, and the cultural pulse of the area. But in 1954, Norton made a radical move. It officially "divorced" Wise County, becoming an independent city. It was a declaration of self-reliance at a time when the coal economy was shifting. Norton chose to shoulder the burden of its own schools and courts just to ensure it had the final say in its own future.

Big Stone Gap chose to stay. It remained a town within Wise County, allowing it to stay integrated with county resources. This created a unique Appalachian paradox: the "Gap" remained the big town in the county, while Norton became the smallest independent city in the Commonwealth.

From the "Fighting Ninth" to the Red Wall Norton’s independence isn't just about lines on a map; it's about the political soul of the people inside them. For most of the 20th century, Norton was a heart within the "Fighting Ninth" Congressional District—a place where Democrats dominated because of the United Mine Workers (UMWA).

Back then, "Mountain Labor" was synonymous with Democratic votes. The region was the home of the "Yellow Dog Democrat," where loyalty to the union and the party was passed down like an heirloom. But as the coal economy changed and cultural issues shifted, that old identity faded.

Today, that "Smallest City" has become part of the solid "Red" wall of Southwest Virginia. While the rest of the state often trends Blue, Norton stands as a fiercely conservative independent outpost. Its independence means that even with a population of fewer than 4,000, its voice isn't diluted by a larger county structure. It speaks for itself, loud and clear.

The Lines We Draw: The April 21st Vote This spirit of "standing alone" faces a new test on April 21, 2026. Virginia is holding a high-stakes Special Election on a constitutional amendment regarding redistricting.

Voters are being asked if the General Assembly should have the authority to redraw congressional lines before the 2030 census. For a place like Norton, this isn't just a "Richmond problem." It is a question of who gets to hold the pen when the boundaries of their influence are drawn.

• In Big Stone Gap, residents will vote as part of the Wise County electorate.

• In Norton, the city will cast its ballots as a distinct, independent unit—just as it has for 72 years.

A State of Exceptions Look at the list of thirty-eight names—from the mill towns like Covington to the historic streets of Fredericksburg—and you’ll see more than jurisdictions. You’ll see communities that said, “We are who we are, and we stand alone.”

In a time when so much is being merged or erased, these thirty-eight cities stand as proof that sometimes the smallest places hold the strongest sense of themselves. Whether it’s a 1954 divorce or a 2026 ballot measure, Norton reminds us: boundaries are more than just ink. They are home.

About the Author:  While I now call Indiana home, my roots are buried deep in the soil of Lee County, Virginia. I was born and raised in the shadow of these mountains, and though I moved away, the unique, stubborn independence of Southwest Virginia has never left my writing. I write about these thirty-eight cities not just as a student of history, but as someone who knows exactly what it means to be shaped by a place that refuses to be anything but itself.