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Picture of the day -
September 17, 2006
The Saltville, Virginia Welcome Sign
Click photo to enlarge
This afternoon, Cheria and I took a leisurely ride through the
southwestern Virginia countryside to visit the historic town of
Saltville
in neighboring Smyth County. The town got its name from the vast
deposits of the mineral that lay just below the ground in the local
area.
Eons ago, an earthquake along the fault line that runs right
through the town caused the upper layer of the earth's crust to
"roll over". This tremendous upheaval caused the salt deposits that
normally lie deep within the earth to come to the surface, burying
the newer soil beneath it.
For years, Saltville supplied a large portion of the United States
with table salt. Later, during the Civil War, the Confederacy
depended on Saltville for its much-needed supply of salt for
preserving its soldiers' food. Two battles took place in Saltville
as Union forces attempted to destroy the salt works and eliminate
the south's only significant supply of salt. On December 20, 1864,
Maj. General George Stoneman's troops succeeded in doing just that,
dealing a devastating blow to the welfare and morale of the
Confederate army. In just a few short months the war would be over.
Today the salt mines lie idle, but Saltville is very proud of its
heritage as one of the Civil War's most important battlegrounds. If
you pay them a visit, you'll be able to see many artifacts from the
days when the small town of Saltville, Virginia was indeed the "Salt
Capital of the Confederacy".
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