Giles County, with an area of 369 square miles, was formed in 1806 from Montgomery, Tazewell, and Monroe and was named for William B. Giles, United States Senator and Governor of Virginia from 1827 to 1830; Mountain Lake is in this county. Bland County, with an area of 360 square miles, was formed in 1861 from Wythe, Tazewell, and Giles, was named for Richard Bland, a Revolutionary leader, and is rich in coal.