~Smyth County~Over 10,000 years, Saltville's history has revolved around salt. Back in the ice age, woolly mammoths and other animals came to the area for the natural salt reserves. Early man and then American Indian villages later developed in the area to hunt the large herds. The first Europeans came to the area to trade for salt, and then industrialists settled in the area to extract and process the salt. Saltville was known as the salt capital of the confederacy during the civil war and was the site of two major battles and an unfortunate massacre.Saltville offers a wide range of attractions for historians and naturalists, as well as cultural and recreational opportunities. Saltville is also home to the widely acclaimed Museum of the Middle Appalachians where its history is preserved and thoughtfully displayed, including mastodon and woolly mammoth finds. Visitors can participate in a group tour of Saltville's attractions or take a self-guided tour at their own pace.Location: Saltville is located 8 miles from Interstate 81, exit 35 (continue west on Route 107), or 10 miles from I81 exit 29 (continue north on Route 91). It is located in both Washington and Smyth Counties.~Madam Russell Methodist Church~Visit the church which was named as a memorial to Madam Russell, Patrick Henry's sister. Walk through the original portion of the church and see many beautiful features, including the magnificent stain glass windows. Tour the replica cabin of Madam Russell and enjoy stories of her tremendous influence throughout the years. The lives that Madam Russell touched are limitless, by some she is referred to as "The Mother of Methodism".~King-Stuart House~The cabin was occupied from its beginning (circa 1795) through the 1960s. See the many visible indicators of the numerous transitional modernization periods the cabin has experienced. The original builders of the cabin probably never envisioned the cabins life expectancy nor the influence its occupants would have on the cultural developments. Enjoy the stories relating to the various families occupying the cabin including William King, William Alexander Stuart brother of Confederate Cavalry General J. E. B. Stuart, Flora Stuart, the widow of Gen. Stuart and others.~The Civil War~During the Civil War, the North battled to gain control of this town, the main supplier of the salt the Confederate army used to preserve meat. See restored fortifications, battle relics at the town museum. Other historic sites: Salt Park, with reconstructed salt furnace; replica of cabin where Patrick Henry's sister lived and other historic buildings; two steam locomotives~Elizabeth Cemetery~The Elizabeth Cemetery was associated with Elizabeth Church which is thought to have been the oldest Methodist church built in Smyth County. The land for the church and the cemetery was donated by Elizabeth Henry Campbell Russell "Madam Russell" in 1825. Located in Saltville near the civil war battlefield, this cemetery has graves dating from the time of the land donation and contains some remains of Confederate soldiers killed in the two Saltville battles.
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