This mountain pass that leads from Wise County, VA into Letcher
Co., KY was a gateway for Indian hunting and raiding parties,
surveying parties, and the pioneer families from NC, SC, VA, &
TN looking for new land to settle. Originally this Pass through
the Cumberland Mountains was called "Sounding Gap." It was the
site of a Confederate camp and breastworks guarding Southwest VA
from Union forces. Just along the VA/KY border at the Gap is a
rock where scouts were posted by Colonel Picketts to watch for
approaching enemy forces. This rock was called Pickett Rock in
early days. Today it is known as Raven Rock.
Pound Gap was also used by men in trouble with the law for one
reason or another to escape from one state to the other to avoid
arrest. Along the road from the Pound to Pound Gap were a
large number of roadhouses where shooting, fighting and robbery
were commonplace. On one stretch of this road was a place
called the "Mudhole" where the road became so muddy at times it
was difficult for travelers to cross and many robberies and
murders took place at this site.
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