Before It Tragically Burned: Virginia Intermont College In Bristol, Virginia

[@TeresaBrosemer]

Thank you for the post. I attended VI in the late sixties. It was a fabulous place! It is sad to see the ruins of the beautiful campus and now the fire. 😢 One memory for me was Maria Von Trapp spoke to us in the Humanities building. My roommate and I lived on the second floor of the oldest building. Beautiful friends made there! Bristol was a fabulous city back then giving many of us our first home far away from home. Thank you Virginia Intermont for the memories.

[@lindawilson795]

Thank you for the video . I graduated from VI in 1985. I worked at the college library. ❤

[@judypierce7028]

How tragic! It breaks my heart to see historic buildings destroyed. How horrible!! My dearest friend's daughter in WV considered attending Virginia Interment College back in the 90's. It had a beautiful campus. Thank you Shane for sharing this video. Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful family. God Bless you and Melody.

[@korodwyer1270]

I went to the college for a couple of years…. I transferred but love this little place with all my heart.

[@christineKT]

Wow, this is so sad, I remember your video from before and thought there were so many missed opportunities for the location, and for historic preservation. What a shame. Blessings to you and yours, Shane.

[@beverlybondurant7444]

Graduated 1992 BSW and it was a great environment ❣️😢❤⁉️Thank you for sharing the news!

[@jonathanmccroskey3659]

Thanks for filming this and thanks for sharing!!

[@MPB059]

It’s a shame that this precious building is gone now. I’m praying for the residents of the city of Bristol, VA 😞😞🙏🙏

[@chubs1701]

Sad to hear about the college burning down of the building's especially on how old the college was Shane thanks for sharing 👍👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@sandy89107]

Your videos of historic sites will be very valuable! You caught the last sights of these sites ❤

[@tim196868]

I worked there on maintenance staff from 1994 to 1998. Piece of History gone forever very sad.😢

[@Momtocam1997]

So much potential could have happened for this college .so sad

[@THENikoBellic]

I was watching it burn right on the corner of Moore St. and Buckner. It broke my heart seeing it up in flames, I'd always go there on hot summer days and sit in the courtyard, never went inside the buildings as it was too dangerous but I looked through windows to the gym and saw how beautiful it was. I saw a few of the walls collapse in real time. Such a shame. Glad the library and the Sullivan building are still up.

[@katiemac4290]

I also watched it. That was the biggest fire I have ever seen in my life! I think it was a homeless person's fire that got out of control and they were able to warn everyone before it got big. I believe that's the only reason no one was lost. I wonder how long it will be before it is cleaned up. I won't hold my breath.

[@DannyWalker247]

Yes Shane it is sad to see the death of these smaller colleges with all that history. There are quite a few like VI across the south. Here in Florida we have shopping malls that were booming 20 years ago that are vacant now. Things just change so fast in our world these days. God Bless and Merry Christmas to you and Melody.

[@piratecaptainchronicles1753]

VI graduate live in Blountville...hated to see it gone.

[@TedHaas-v8l]

My wife, born in northern New Jersey and raised in south central Pennsylvania, graduated from VI in the late 1970s. She talks fondly of her time there. We attended a few alumni weekends and we had a great time. I went to a large public university in Pennsylvania, so it was interesting to see how this worked. She hasn't heard yet about the fire and I'm not looking forward to telling her.

[@kevinb1060]

As usual thanks for your time and work

[@dianalenz1840]

Class of '79 here. Heartbroken over this tragedy.

[@shadey111]

i attended VI for my undergraduate degree, graduated in 2005, very sad to see this happen

[@freddybowman9905]

I live about 5 min from VI I am 72 years old. i remember when I went to School had to walk by the Collage every day during School.

[@irmalybrackin4048]

I attended Virginia Intermont as a freshman in the 70s.

[@cathylarkins9949]

Me too 70-74

[@carolwoodward6141]

I am sorry to hear that. I had thought it was going to have a new lease on life.

[@bettykempster3376]

Graduated in 1954. So sad.

[@equuslover86]

Loved going to school there. Great memories. So very sad to see it run down. Sadder to see it burn. Like a death in the family.

[@Lav3nd3r0h]

Drove past yesterday as it was still burning, it was horrible.

[@celestelacey812]

This is very sad. It looked like a beautiful well keep building. Would have been nice if you could have gotten a tour of the inside for historical memories.

[@TNJRSFFS]

We had to shut down the office due to the smoke, horrific tragedy that it went up. Truly hate it

[@rizzuto-oc3mg]

I just looked out my window and I was like holy sh*t and I realized it was the college

[@Chefgator]

HAD Family that went to Virginia Intermont they loved the small school atmosphere, It would make a great film college and a working studio now

[@TrinaJackson-sl8mk]

Has anyone know how the fire got started?

[@robwagner5190]

Junkies. 100%

[@samhopson-ur2du]

My mom took my sis and I in the early 80s and taught us how to swim there

[@gina5827]

Oh how sad!! I didn't even know! 😮

[@samhopson-ur2du]

This is horrible I saw two cars burn last summer across the tracks

[@PegAMurphy]

oh no how sad 😞💔 (most of my in-laws are over in Bristol)

[@Xenwing]

I live about 1hr 30 mins from there, first time hearing about it.

[@BichonNana]

Oh no 😢

[@debzvideos]

So sad to see this.

[@judithhaughtphd9485]

So sad! Did a lot of good in it’s day! Judith Bryant Haught from Caretta 🙏😢

[@carolwoodward6141]

Oh, no!

[@Jaykmane]

The Chinese company owed more than 400k in taxes so i highly doubt this was a random fire. The company had no prior experience or history of building a school yet the city still decided to sell it to them.

[@empressvogt]

A Chinese company? That's not suspicious at all.

[@robwagner5190]

Junkies did this. So many were in and out of that place all the time

[@ServantofYaHi777]

Did you say it burned in Sept ?

[@carolwoodward6141]

How many buildings burned? ….possibly arson?

[@realappalachia]

Last report it was 5

[@BichonNana]

@@carolwoodward6141 the Chinese bought it and I say ARSON!!!!

[@carolwoodward6141]

@ It does look suspicious to me.

[@susanmiller5852]

Very suspicious to me. That is so sad !!

[@cathylarkins9949]

Class of 74…

[@johnnymayo8534]

This is so sad....aside from the fact that it burnt down, that a foreign country was allowed to purchase a US 'historical' landmark. I suspect arson for insurance payout &/or to avoid/lessen tax burdens. I seriously doubt that the country that purchased this property would have any qualms about setting fire to a building. It will be interesting to follow the fire investigation....I can see the title of the fire report now...."fire cause was homeless/vagrant squatter set".

[@greylab3686]

There was NO insurance. The BANK that held the papers and foreclosed auction the property in 2016. A Chinese entrepreneur got the property for 3.3 million. Why not do some research??

[@greylab3686]

The previous 2 fires WERE set by squatters so...

[@greylab3686]

There was NO insurance. The property was bought by a Chinese entrepreneur in 2016 when it was auctioned by the BANK who held the papers and foreclosed. The City did NOT own it.

[@SDune]

Bristol forever!

[@jenniferparkhurst5423]

Nil Sine Numine * Nothing Without Guidance VI Class of 1995

[@randibacon8381]

Class of 1996

[@MichelleRolley]

Class of 1988 Equine Science 🥹

[@lindawilson795]

Hi . Class of 1985 English Major. ❤​@@MichelleRolley

[@MichelleRolley]

​@@lindawilson795Hi Linda, did you help with classes at the barns? Your name sounds familiar! My maiden name was Knox❤

[@lindawilson795]

@MichelleRolley Hi . I was an English major. I worked at the college library. 💜

[@jeanneshannon5607]

Interview the Fire Departments😊 tku

[@electronictrip]

how sad!

[@doc2517]

The Falls? The Fails

[@HaroldLeeDye]

Did somebody burn each of the buildings down ?

[@michaelhager2846]

Destroying our history 😢

[@debbieepperly3821]

I can't believe the United States would sell any property to the Chinese! Especially with all that's going on. Looked like it could've been used for something here, like apartments or low cost living. What a shame!

[@2ubetty]

It was auctioned by a bank due to having been over mortgaged while it was still in operation as a college.

[@AliElald]

Really ıt is looking dissaster

[@justsayingforafriend7010]

It's OK, it's on the wrong bad side of Bristol. The Tennessee side is great....

[@LoJo62]

A Chinese Company/Businessman owned…? Very, Very Sus. 🤔

[@danielschnorrvonsonnienfel9057]

You mean the Governor didn’t want to ship illegals there , is this why Bristol Va, side of Main Street pays those taxes ! ⚜️

[@garylatture8948]

At least Bristol Va still has the casino.