Saltville is a town in
Smyth and
Washington counties in the
U.S. state of
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
. The population was 1,824 at the 2020 census.
It is part of the
Kingsport–
Bristol (TN)–
Bristol (VA) 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
Saltville was named for the salt marshes in the area. Prior to European settlement, these marshes attracted local wildlife. Excavations at the
SV-2 archaeological site in the area have recovered several well preserved skeletons of now extinct species dating back to the
last ice age. Indigenous peoples of varying cultures hunted at the marshes. The historic Native American people in the area were the
Chisca.
Archaeologists in 1992 proposed the existence of a prehistoric "Saltville Complex Petty Chiefdom", with a paramount village located at the
Northwood High School site, 44SM8. They reported "Saltville style
gorgets" as well as iron and copper materials, scattered across the region.
During the spring of 1567, Spanish
conquistador
Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (; ; ) were Spanish Empire, Spanish and Portuguese Empire, Portuguese colonizers who explored, traded with and colonized parts of the Americas, Africa, Oceania and Asia during the Age of Discovery. Sailing ...
Hernando Moyano de Morales led a force of 15-20 soldiers northward from
Fort San Juan in
Joara, a city in what is now western North Carolina.
The force attacked and burned the Chisca village of Maniatique, which may have been located at or near the site of Saltville.
Civil War
During 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 ...
, Saltville was one of the Confederacy's main saltworks. The saltworks were considered vital to the Confederate war effort because the salt was used in preserving meat for Confederate soldiers and civilians. Because of its importance, the town was attacked by Northern forces intent on destroying the saltworks. On October 2, 1864, the
First Battle of Saltville was fought there. In the battle
Union forces attacked Saltville but were defeated by
Confederate troops. Following the battle a number of wounded black troops were murdered in what was dubbed the "Saltville Massacre." (Shortly after the war
Champ Ferguson was tried, convicted, and executed for war crimes for this and other killings.)
Two months later General
George Stoneman, a Union cavalry commander, led a second attack on the saltworksm; the
Second Battle of Saltville. This time the Confederates were defeated and the saltworks were destroyed by Union troops. The loss of the Saltville works was considered a major blow to the Confederacy's dwindling resources.
Additional history
Preston House,
Saltville Battlefields Historic District,
Saltville Historic District, and the
Scott-Walker 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 ...
.
Hydrazine
Hydrazine is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a simple pnictogen hydride, and is a colourless flammable liquid with an ammonia-like odour. Hydrazine is highly hazardous unless handled in solution as, for example, hydraz ...
rocket fuel made by
Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation's plant in Saltville was used to power the rocket that took the first humans to the moon in the
Apollo 11
Apollo 11 was a spaceflight conducted from July 16 to 24, 1969, by the United States and launched by NASA. It marked the first time that humans Moon landing, landed on the Moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module pilot Buzz Aldrin l ...
mission.
Muck Dam collapse
Saltville was the location of the infamous "Muck Dam" break on December 24, 1924, which allowed the release of a huge volume of liquid chemical waste stored there by the
Mathieson Alkali Company into the north fork of the
Holston River, taking the lives of nineteen people who lived along the river. The river remained polluted and virtually dead for several decades afterward.
Geography
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 8.1 square miles (21.0 km
2), of which 8.1 square miles (20.8 km
2) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1 km
2) (0.49%) is water.
The salt caverns in Saltville are used for natural gas storage, the only ones to serve the Mid-Atlantic states. The cavern type in Saltville is considered the best for this purpose because the gas can be injected and removed quickly to meet immediate demand.
Climate
The climate in this area features moderate differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. The
Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
subtype for this climate is "
Cfb". (Marine West Coast Climate/
Oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen climate classification, Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of co ...
).
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 2010, there were 2,077 people, 879 households, and 593 families residing in the town. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
(in 2000) was 273.7 people per square mile (105.7/km
2). There were 967 housing units. The racial makeup of the town was 98.5%
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 ...
, 0.4%
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 ...
, 0.1%
Native American, 0.05% from
other races, and 0.7% 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 0.5% of the population.
There were 879 households, out of which 24% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% 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, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 19, 6.5% from 20 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 30.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $24,375, and the median income for a family was $42,639. Males had a median income of $36,071 versus $30,063 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 $19,595. About 18.1% of families and 20.6% 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 41.4% of those under age 18 and 15.9% of those age 65 or over.
Arts and culture
The Museum of the Middle Appalachians is located in downtown Saltville. The museum displays exhibits on topics including the geological history of the region, the American Civil War, the company town era of Saltville's history, and the
Woodland Indians.
Notable people
*
Georgia Blizzard - Ceramics artist whose works are in the permanent collections of the
Smithsonian American Art Museum and other museums.
*
Clay Davidson - Country musician
*
Texas Gladden- Folk singer, sister of
Hobart Smith
*
Robert Porterfield - founder of the
Barter Theater
*
Elizabeth Henry Campbell Russell - Sister of
, introduced
Methodism
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
to
Southwest Virginia. The Madam Russell Memorial United Methodist Church and the Elizabeth Cemetery in Saltville are named for her.
*
Hobart Smith - Old time music legend
References
Further reading
* Kent, William B. ''A History of Saltville, Virginia'' (Radford, VA: Commonwealth Pr., 1955).
* Sarvis, Will. ''The Salt Trade of Nineteenth Century Saltville, Virginia''
External links
Town's official websiteSaltville During the Civil War in ''Encyclopedia Virginia''
{{Authority control
Towns in Smyth County, Virginia
Towns in Washington County, Virginia
Towns in Virginia
Kingsport–Bristol metropolitan area
Company towns in the United States