The Saltville Valley can date its human occupation back 14,000 years.
Prehistoric creatures visited the valley, attracted by the
extensive salt deposits.
Two of Patrick Henry's sisters moved into the Saltville
Valley in the 1780's and began the commercial production of
salt. This production continued unabated for the next 200
years.
Click here to read more about
the valley's salt history and its history as a company town.
The Saltville Foundation
sponsors paleontological and archeological research in
the Saltville area.
Welcome to the Museum of the Middle Appalachians
Visit our Geology,
Ice Age, Woodland Indians, Civil War and Company
Town exhibits.
The Museum has a
collection of more than 4,000 photos which can
be viewed and purchased at the Museum Store.
The Museum Store
has books that relate to the Ice Age, Native
Americans, Civil War, the geology of Saltville,
the surrounding area and the history of
Saltville.
Visit Saltville...
Click
to
here
to read about upcoming events and exhibits at
the museum.
See
permanent Civil War battle fortifications.
Salt Park, with
reconstructed salt furnace
Replica of cabin where
Patrick Henry's sister lived and other historic
buildings
Explore the scenic beauty of the valley,
surrounding hills and mountains.
See two steam locomotives.
Two
Historic Civil War Battle Sites
Saltville was extremely important to the Confederacy during the
Civil War. The Union wanted to destroy Saltville because
it was the primary source of salt for the South.
At that time salt was the primary method of preserving
food .
Two Civil War battles were fought in Saltville -- the
first was fought on October 2, 1864 and resulted in the
defeat a Union army of 5,200 men. The second
battle on December 20, 1864, resulted in the capture of
Saltville and it's saltworks by
the Union army. Click
here to learn more.
Saltville was extremely important to the Confederacy during the
Civil War. The Union wanted to destroy Saltville because
it was the primary source of salt for the South.
At that time salt was the primary method of preserving
food .