Greene County, Virginia: History
Greene County was established in 1838 from Orange County. The county is named for American Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene (1742–1786), who was a general in the Continental Army.
A major incident occurred on October 24, 1979, when a natural gas main ruptured, causing an explosion. The resulting fire destroyed the bell tower of the county courthouse and county office building. However, quick action by the firefighters on the scene saved the county records secured in the vault.