Abingdon, Virginia
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Abingdon is a
town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
in and the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of
Washington County, Virginia Washington County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 53,935. Its county seat is Abingdon. Washington County is part of the Kingsport–Bristol–Bristol, TN-VA Metr ...
, United States, southwest of Roanoke. The population was 8,376 at the 2020 census. The town encompasses several historically significant sites and features a fine arts and crafts scene centered on the galleries and museums along Main Street. Abingdon is part of the KingsportBristol (TN) Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City−Kingsport−Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area − commonly known as the Tri-Cities region.


History

The region was long the territory of varying cultures of
indigenous people There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...
s, including the Chisca and Xualae. From the late 17th-century, it was occupied by the Cherokee Nation, whose territory extended from the present-day area of borders of Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky through the spine of North Carolina and later into Georgia. Between 1748 and 1750, Thomas Walker, a principal in the Loyal Land Company, and his crew surveyed the land where the town of Abingdon is now situated. Walker wrote that the tract on which Abingdon was later built was known as the Wolf Hill Tract. In the twenty-first century, the town sponsored a public art event, in which artists created 27 wolf sculptures, which were installed around the town. Most were later sold at an auction to raise money for Advance Abingdon. Between 1765 and 1770 James Douglas, Andrew Colville, George Blackburn, Joseph Black, Samuel Briggs and James Piper settled in and around present-day Abingdon under purchases from Thomas Walker. By 1773 there were enough settlers, primarily Scots-Irish, to establish Presbyterian congregations, and the Rev. Charles Cummings became the first settled pastor west of the Allegheny Mountains. During Lord Dunmore's War, Joseph Black built Black's Fort in 1774 to protect local settlers in the region from attacks by the
Cherokee The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...
of the Lower Towns. It consisted of a log stockade, with a few log cabins inside, where nearby settlers took refuge in event of attack. They retreated to the fort in 1776 when attacked by the war leader Dragging Canoe and his Chickamauga Cherokee forces. Hoping to push out the colonists, the Cherokee had allied with the British in the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
. The settlement was known as Black's Fort prior to being incorporated by the Commonwealth of Virginia as Abingdon in 1778. Black, Briggs and Walker donated the 120 acres of land upon which the original town was laid out. The area was at the intersection of two great Indian trails, which had followed ancient animal migration trails through the mountains. It was a prime location as a trade center and access point to the west and south. In 1776 the community of Black's Fort was made the county seat of the newly formed Washington county. In 1778, Black's Fort was incorporated as the town of Abingdon. The reason for the name is disputed. Some sources indicated the town was named for Abingdon-on-Thames the ancestral home of Martha Washington in Oxfordshire, England. Other possible namesakes for the town include Jake Dore's home in Abington, Pennsylvania, or Lord Abingdon, friend of settler William Campbell. The post office was first established in Abingdon on August 20, 1792, on the same day as the Charlottesville and Lexington post offices and the Danville KY post office. Only ten post offices existed in Virginia prior to that date; Abingdon's and Danville's were the first ones established west of the Eastern Continental Divide. The Abingdon postmaster appointed on that date, William Conn, declined the position and never served. Gerrard T. Conn became the first person to serve as postmaster on January 14, 1793 and served until January 15, 1796. With a bequest of $10,000 from salt entrepreneur William King, the Abingdon Male Academy opened in 1824. By 1830, over forty students were enrolled. It continued to thrive until 1861 when classes were suspended during the Civil War, and eventually closed in 1905. The property later became the Abingdon High School and is now home to the William King Museum of Art. Martha Washington College, a school for women, operated in Abingdon from 1860 to 1932 in the former residence of Gen. Francis Preston which was built about 1832. Since 1935 the building has been occupied and operated as a hotel, the Martha Washington Inn. In 1867, Roman Catholics opened Villa Maria Academy of the Visitation for the education of young ladies. The Stonewall Jackson Female Institute operated from 1868 to 1930 in the former residence of Gov.
John B. Floyd John Buchanan Floyd (June 1, 1806 – August 26, 1863) was an American politician who served as the List of governors of Virginia, 31st Governor of Virginia. Under president James Buchanan, he also served as the U.S. Secretary of War from 1857 ...
next to the Preston home. The Barter Theatre, the state theatre of Virginia, was opened in Abingdon in 1933 during the
Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
. It is now the longest-running professional equity theatre in the United States. Abingdon is the final stop along the Virginia Creeper Trail, which allows pedestrian, cyclist and equestrian traffic. This rail-to-trail conversion is 35 miles long, extending from Whitetop Mountain through
Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
, Virginia, with the trailhead in Abingdon. The Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia, located in Abingdon, serves as a regional genealogy center, in addition to being a repository for Washington County history. The Abingdon Historic District, Abingdon Bank, Mont Calm, Moonlite Theatre, Dr. William H. Pitts House, White's Mill, and Baker-St. John House are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
.


Climate


Geography

Abingdon is located at (36.709773, −81.975694). According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the town has a total area of 8.3 square miles (21.6 km), all land. The town is located in the Great Appalachian Valley, between the Middle Fork and the North Fork of the Holston River.


Demographics

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2020, there were 8,376 people, 3,726 households residing in the town. The population density was . There were 3,788 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 94%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 2.2%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.2% Native American, 1.1% Asian, and 1.8% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 0.8% of the population. There were 3,522 households, out of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.6% were non-families. 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.72. In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.2% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 23.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.6 males. The median income for a household in the town was $45,848, and the median income for a family was $46,106. Males had a median income of $32,005 versus $22,844 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the town was $22,486. About 7.3% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 10.4% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.


Education

Abingdon is served by Washington County Public Schools, where students attend Abingdon Elementary, Watauga Elementary, Greendale Elementary, E.B. Stanley Middle School, and Abingdon High School. Virginia Highlands Community College located in Abingdon is the local community college offering 2-year degrees. Emory & Henry College is located seven miles outside of town. Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, on the campus of VHCC, provides the region with access to undergraduate and graduate degree programs and courses. Participating academic institutions include: Emory & Henry College,
Old Dominion University Old Dominion University (ODU) is a Public university, public research university in Norfolk, Virginia, United States. Established in 1930 as the two-year Norfolk Division of the College of William & Mary, it began by educating people with fewer ...
, Radford University,
University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson and contains his The Lawn, Academical Village, a World H ...
, University of Virginia's College at Wise, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Highlands Community College, and
Virginia Tech The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, commonly referred to as Virginia Tech (VT), is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States ...
.


Points of interest

* William King Museum of Art * Abingdon Historic District, which includes architecture dating back to the late 1700s, as well as notable buildings like the Abingdon Arts Depot, Barter Theatre and the Martha Washington Inn. * The Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia, founded in 1936 to preserve the history and genealogy of Southwest Virginia. This non-profit's library contains over 7,000 books, 200,000 digital images, and over one million indexed records. * Barter Theatre, designated as the "State Theatre of Virginia" in 1946 and is one of the longest-running professional regional theatres in the nation. In 1940,
Gregory Peck Eldred Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an American actor and one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Peck the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, 12th-greatest male ...
, before becoming a major star, worked in exchange for food and performed at the Barter Theatre, appearing in five plays including ''Family Portrait'' and ''On Earth as It Is''. * The northern end of the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail lies in Abingdon at the Abingdon Muster Grounds. * Virginia Creeper Trail, a 34.3-mile
rail trail A rail trail or railway walk is a shared-use path on a Right of way#Rail right of way, railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed but may also share the rail corr ...
that runs from Abingdon to Whitetop, Virginia. * The Virginia Highlands Festival, started in 1948 by Robert Porterfield, founder of the Barter Theatre.The festival has now grown into a 16-day event offering a variety of venues celebrating Appalachian arts and crafts. * The Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail, which explores Virginia's mountain regions and the heritage of the mountain people. * Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace, formerly known as Heartwood. Visitor center, music venue, artisan marketplace and community space. * St. Thomas Episcopal Church, a historic church located near the location of Black's Fort.


Notable people

Three Virginia governors lived here: Wyndham Robertson, David Campbell, and
John B. Floyd John Buchanan Floyd (June 1, 1806 – August 26, 1863) was an American politician who served as the List of governors of Virginia, 31st Governor of Virginia. Under president James Buchanan, he also served as the U.S. Secretary of War from 1857 ...
. * Robert Armstrong (1792–1854), born in Abingdon,
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
officer and candidate for
Governor of Tennessee The governor of Tennessee is the head of government of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the commander-in-chief of the U.S. state, state's Tennessee Military Department, military forces. The governor is the only official in the Government of Tenne ...
* Martin Beaty (1784–1856), born in Abingdon, United States Congressman from Kentucky * Francis Preston Blair (1791–1876), born in Abingdon, journalist and politician * Rick Boucher (born 1946), Abingdon native, U.S. Congressman for the
map
, served 13 terms (1983–2011). * Colette Burson (born 1970), writer, screenwriter, producer, and director * Scott Cooper (born 1970), film director * Elizabeth Litchfield Cunnyngham (1831–1911), missionary and church worker * James King Gibson (1812–1879), born in Abingdon, United States Congressman from Virginia * Gail Harris (1931–2012), born in Abingdon, major league baseball player for New York Giants and Detroit Tigers * Caleb Holman (born 1984), racing driver * Henry Jackson (1811–1857), Minnesota pioneer * John W. Johnston (1818–1889), nephew of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, served as
United States Senator The United States Senate consists of 100 members, two from each of the 50 U.S. state, states. This list includes all senators serving in the 119th United States Congress. Party affiliation Independent Senators Angus King of Maine and Berni ...
after Virginia readmitted to the Union in 1869. * Joseph E. Johnston (1807–1891), lived in Abingdon as a boy, Confederate
general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
in the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
. * Frances Fisher (born 1954), American actress, worked at The Barter Theatre before being discovered by Hollywood. * Eric McClure (1978–2021), driver in the
NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...
Nationwide Series The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a support race on the day prior to a ...
. * William McMillan (1764–1804), born in Abingdon, lawyer. district attorney, and United States Congressman from Ohio Territory. * Henry Warren Ogden (1842–1905), born in Abingdon, became a Louisiana planter and politician;
Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), also known as the Confederate States (C.S.), the Confederacy, or Dixieland, was an List of historical unrecognized states and dependencies, unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United State ...
lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...
and
prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...
. * Granville Henderson Oury (1825–1885), born in Abingdon,
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
in the
Confederate Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fi ...
and later United States Congressman from
Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
. * Gillian Oyos (born 2000), soccer player for Asheville City SC and Newcastle United. * John S. Preston (1809–1881), born in Abingdon, Confederate general in the American Civil War and South Carolina politician * Caleb Roark (born 1993), racing driver * Robert Sheffey (1820–1902), grew up in Abingdon, eccentric Methodist circuit-rider and evangelist. * Frank Trigg (c. 1850–1933) American educator, college president * Hiram Emory Widener Jr. (1923–2007), born and died in Abingdon, judge of the
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (in case citations, 4th Cir.) is a United States federal court, federal court located in Richmond, Virginia, with appellate jurisdiction over the United States district court, district cou ...
, and one of the longest-serving federal judges in United States history. * Steven Jay Williams, better known by his alias Boogie2988. He is an American
YouTuber A YouTuber is a content creator and social media influencer who uploads or creates videos on the online video-sharing website YouTube, typically posting to their personal YouTube channel. The term was first used in the English language in 2006 ...
with as of 2024 almost 4 million subscribers. He was Born July 24, 1974 In Abingdon but was raised in St. Paul, Virginia. * Stu Worden (1907-1978), American football player


Mayors of Abingdon, Virginia

* John Montgomery Preston, 1834–1836, 1842–1843 * J. M. Butt, 1910–1912 * T.H. Crabtree, 1912–1916, 1926–1930, 1936–1940. * A.P. Hutton, 1920–1922 * George F. Grant, 1916–1920 * R.B. Hagy, 1922–1926, 1931–1935 * E.W. Potts, 1935–1936 * T.C. Phillips, 1940–1946 * Ronald C. Craig, 1946–1948 * John C. Summers Jr., 1948–1950 * Charles Henry Butt, 1950–1966 * J.A. Johnson, 1966–1972 * George W. Summerson, 1972–1978 * Harry L. Coomes, 1978–1982 * French Moore Jr., 1982–1988 * Joe Phipps, 1988–1998 * Lois Humphries, 1998–2008 * Ed Morgan, 2008–2016 * Cathy Lowe, 2016–2018 * J. Wayne Craig, 2018–2020 * Derek Webb, 2020–2022 * Amanda Pillion, 2023–2025 * Dwayne Anderson, 2025-present


References


External links

*
Abingdon, Virginia
Official visitor website {{Authority control Towns in Virginia Towns in Washington County, Virginia County seats in Virginia Kingsport–Bristol metropolitan area Southwest Virginia Populated places established in 1778 1778 establishments in Virginia