Anderson Hollow contains seven prehistoric and historic archaeological sites representing the full range of hollow settlement patterns as they occurred within the ridge-and-valley province of western Virginia. In the 19th century, relatively poor but independent families moved into the mountain hollows. The historic sites within Anderson Hollow Archaeological District, dating from 1826 to 1960, are particularly significant because of the limited knowledge of the cultural adaptations that developed in this sort of environment. Several of the sites consist of chimney bases and stone foundations probably of log houses. Archaeological investigation here should yield new information about land use over time, thus providing an opportunity to define with greater precision the various forms of agriculture and other subsistence practices within the uplands of western Virginia.