[1] It was built by the Works Progress Administration in 1935, and is located in Bluefield's city park that straddles the West Virginia–Virginia state line.

This makes Graham unique among American high schools in that its home football games are actually played in another state.

"Of all the projects completed during the years Mitchell served as manager of (Bluefield), none was closer to his heart than the stadium," Betty Mitchell Nelson, retired dean of students of Purdue University quoted from the dedication of the stadium on October 23, 1954, in a letter she sent to the Bluefield board of directors.

"The stadium is named for the late Emory P. Mitchell as a permanent and lasting memorial to a devoted public servant who, in his lifetime, sought no praise or commendation for his efforts except the realization that his community had benefited from his work," according to the formal remarks presented at the dedication.

Her mother helped with meals at the YWCA and knit socks and sewed surgical gowns for the American Red Cross.

Returning to the narrative from the stadium dedication: "There was one occasion during the time when government agencies were allocating moneys to municipalities for such projects, with the provision that the municipalities themselves also match the funds, that Bluefield was about to lose a large federal grant because the city had no matching fund," Nelson wrote.

"Mitchell and members of his family signed a personal note that enabled the city to borrow the necessary funds to match the federal grant so that work could continue on the stadium."

In Bluefield, it took a while for the new economic reality to sink in, and Mitchell's appointment as treasurer in 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal package was in its infancy.

Although it wasn't a popular thing to do at the time, Mitchell told the city that its budget would be more than $25,000 in the red that year unless it took drastic measures.

The unique two-state sewage treatment system has had its share of challenges through the years, but continues to serve residents of both Bluefields.

Voters did not pass the excess levy in a special election on July 25, 1939, ultimately prompting Mitchell to personally insure the local match for the estimated $174,000 cost of the 10,000-seat stadium.

The late H. Edward "Eddie" Steele said that the city had an inside contact with the federal Works Progress Administration who was able to steer WPA crews in the direction of Bluefield to build important municipal projects.

Nelson added that her father felt it was important for the city to remember its history, and led efforts to acquire and remove the old Davidson cabin to make way for the construction of Park Central High School, and to restore it in the city park complex near the stadium.

"My father wanted the stadium to serve all the schools of the Greater Bluefield area," Nelson said during a telephone interview.

"It is not old fashioned to retain public recognition of a citizen who thought Bluefield was a very special place and who worked to make it even better," she wrote.

Bluefield State College in West Virginia played its home football games at Mitchell Stadium until discontinuing the program after the 1981 season.

"Mullie" Lenoir leads Bluefield to prominence, recording an overall record of 79-18-2 over an 11-year span that included their first perfect season in 1933, 9-0, including wins over Concord (WV), Salem, and Appalachian State University while running back Pete Young led the nation in scoring with 128 points, prompting the popular singer/songwriter Rudy Vallée to write the song, "Mr. Touchdown USA".

The festival was organized by partners of the Second Chance Learning Center, Erik Robinson and former MLB all-star pitcher Billy Wagner.

The revised lineup for 2012 included Eric Church, Jake Owen, Lee Brice, and Folk Soul Revival.

The Second Chance Learning Center held a YouTube competition for another opening act and it was won by Andy Crawford.

A derecho hit the festival (the most costly storm in West Virginia history) shortly after Lee Brice's set, and the stadium was quickly evacuated.

Other acts were Craig Campbell, Shooter Jennings, JB and the Moonshine Band, Folk Soul Revival, and Clare Dunn.