Why visit Saltville
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 6 places to eat and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Sanders Hill, Preston House, Saltville Battlefields Historic District and Red Rock Mountain Natural Area Preserve.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 23°F.
Weather in Saltville
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Saltville
Saltville is a town in Smyth and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. 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.
From the Wikipedia article Saltville, Virginia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks8
Preston House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Former historic home located at Saltville, Virginia, United States
Saltville Battlefields Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Archaeological site in Virginia, United States
Saltville Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Virginia, United States
Scott-Walker House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
Historic home located near Saltville, Smyth County, Virginia, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Red Rock Mountain Natural Area Preserve
Park · 3.0 mi
Protected area in Virginia, United States
Restaurants and cafes6
Subway
Fast food · Sandwich
402 Palmer Avenue, Saltville
Mo-Fr 07:00-22:00; Sa 08:00-22:00; Su 09:00-21:00
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 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.
From the History section of Saltville, Virginia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship10
Saltville Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 0.5 mi
413 West Main Street, Saltville
Madam Russell Memorial United Methodist Church
Church
207 West Main Street, Saltville
Northwood Fellowship Community Church
Church · 0.5 mi
406 West Main Street, Saltville
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare4
Saltville Community Health Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.4 mi
308 West Main Street, Saltville
Map of Saltville
47 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 23°F | 3.8 in | 1.9 in |
| Feb | 48°F | 25°F | 3.8 in | 4.2 in |
| Mar | 57°F | 31°F | 4.3 in | 1.6 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 39°F | 4.3 in | 0.1 in |
| May | 75°F | 49°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 58°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 62°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 61°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 54°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 41°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 58°F | 31°F | 3.0 in | 0.1 in |
| Dec | 48°F | 26°F | 4.1 in | 2.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Saltville 1N (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Smyth County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-01-23: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-04: Severe Winter Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2024-10-01: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-29: Post-Tropical Cyclone Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2020-04-02: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Virginia Highlands Airport (VJI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 20 miles away.
- Glade Spring 6 mi south, about 10 min by car
- Chilhowie 7 mi southeast, about 11 min by car
- Emory 8 mi southwest, about 12 min by car
- Claypool Hill 13 mi north, about 21 min by car
- Marion 14 mi east, about 22 min by car
- Richlands 15 mi north, about 24 min by car
- Cedar Bluff 15 mi north, about 23 min by car
- Honaker 15 mi northwest, about 24 min by car
- Raven 16 mi north, about 26 min by car
- Lebanon 18 mi west, about 28 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- SaltvilleVa, RebelAt at English Wikipedia, Public domain
- SALTVILLE BATTLEFIELDS HISTORIC DISTRICT, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Madison Street houses in Saltville, Nyttend, Public domain
- SALTVILLE HISTORIC DISTRICT, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Scott-Walker House, Nyttend, Public domain
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