Book excerpt: Located in South Central Virginia on the North Carolina border, Danville remains one of the most dynamic destinations in the state. The geographic region that is now Danville was home to the Morotock Indians in the 1600s and frequented by traders as early as 1673. It was not until the late 1700s that the Virginia General Assembly was petitioned to establish a Tobacco Inspection Site along the Dan River. On November 23, 1793, the Assembly approved the request and decreed that 25 acres south of the river be founded as the Town of Danville. The city's first cotton mill was constructed in 1828, and five years later the town became the City of Danville. The town served as the last capital of the Confederacy during the Civil War and was also the site of the infamous "Wreck of the Old 97"--inspiration for the popular ballad. In the more than 200 years since its founding, Danville's rich history has been driven by tobacco and textile markets.