Near here stood the homestead of William Richmond (1752-1850), a veteran of the Revolution who came here in 1799 and was likely the first permanent white settler. His prolific family operated a ferry across the New River for more than 200 years and ran a grist mill at Sandstone Falls. The pro-Union family was harassed by Confederates, leading to the murder of William's son Samuel in 1863. Sandstone Falls, also called Richmond's or Great Falls of the New River, served as a power source for milling operations and an obstacle to river travel. During his 1812 expedition, U.S. Chief Justice John Marshall called the falls a formidable obstruction. The West Virginia stone in the Washington Monument came from the area near the national park visitor center.