Glade Spring, Virginia
—  Town  —
Location of Glade Spring, Virginia
Coordinates: 36°47′25″N 81°46′24″W / 36.79028°N 81.77333°W / 36.79028; -81.77333Coordinates: 36°47′25″N 81°46′24″W / 36.79028°N 81.77333°W / 36.79028; -81.77333
Country	United States
State	Virginia
County	Washington
Incorporated	1875
Government
• Mayor	E. Lee Coburn III[1]
Area
• Total	1.3 sq mi (3.3 km2)
• Land	1.3 sq mi (3.3 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	2,087 ft (636 m)
Population (2000)
• Total	1,374
• Density	1,093.4/sq mi (422.2/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	24340
Area code(s)	276
FIPS code	51-31056[2]
GNIS feature ID	1483656[3]

Glade Spring is a town in Washington County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,456 at the 2010 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 [edit]

The original name of Glade Spring derives from the Indian word Passawatami which means "this is the place." According to early records, near the town is a field where Native American tribes held a type of pen is Olympics in the fall, with athletic competitions, dancing and socializing. The Porterfield family, who arrived about 1760, were some of the earliest permanent settlers.

During its first years, the town was called Glade Spring Depot to differentiate it from the community centered around Glade Spring Presbyterian Church, two miles to the southwest on the old stage road, now U.S. Route 11. The post office was moved from Old Glade to Glade Spring Depot in 1856 due to the arrival of the railroad.

The Civil War slowed down its growth, and local men made up a military unit called The Glade Spring Rifles. Federal and Confederate troops passed through the town several times, and cannon emplacements can still be seen just outside Glade Spring on the road to Saltville. Although a few new buildings were constructed before the Civil War, most of the town's growth occurred rapidly in the decade after the war. With the railroad access, Glade Spring turned into a prime shipping yard for produce, livestock and other local goods. An Abingdon newspaper first took note of the "stirring, thriving, wide-awake community" in 1870. By the time Glade Spring was incorporated in 1875, there were 31 houses (three were brick), six stores, two hotels, and a Masonic Hall. Virginia Intermont College was located in Glade from 1884 to 1892, before it moved to the present location in Bristol.

After the train service discontinued, the growth in the town slowed down. Today, the train tracks that once connected Glade to Saltville, are being removed and being replaced by an 8.91-mile trail called the Salt Trail.

In the early morning hours of April 28, 2011, an EF-3 tornado hit parts of the Glade Spring area, killing three people and injuring 50 others. Another person died in a traffic accident during the storm.^[4][5][6] The system that hit Glade Spring was part of the April 25–28, 2011 tornado outbreak that caused hundreds of deaths and widespread damage all across the South.

Geography [edit]

Glade Spring is located at 36°47′25″N 81°46′24″W / 36.79028°N 81.77333°W / 36.79028; -81.77333 (36.790338, -81.773220)^[7].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.3 km²), all of it land.

The elevation is 2,087 ft above sea level.

Demographics [edit]

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 1,374 people, 565 households, and 402 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,093.4 people per square mile (421.0/km²). There were 626 housing units at an average density of 498.2 per square mile (191.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 92.36% White, 7.06% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.22% from other races, and 0.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.07% of the population.

There were 565 households out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the town the population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 85.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $31,552, and the median income for a family was $36,902. Males had a median income of $27,847 versus $20,982 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,842. About 8.1% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.9% of those under age 18 and 13.1% of those age 65 or over.

Gallery [edit]

• 

  Railroad tracks immediately adjacent to Glade Spring town square.

• 

  Park named in the honor of Leo "Muscle" Shoals

• 

  Another view of the town square.

Education [edit]

• Patrick Henry High School

Patrick Henry High School

• Glade Spring Middle School was built in 1968 and then modified to meet middle school specifications in 1991. It is one of four middle schools in Washington County. According to the GSMS homepage [1], the school has almost 400 students and employs 45 teachers and staff.

Glade Spring Middle School

Notable people [edit]

References [edit]

Further reading [edit]

• Williams, Stan. "Glade Spring," Published by the Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia, 1998.

External links [edit]

• http://www.gladespringva.com/
• http://www.gladespringfarmersmarket.com/

v t e Towns in Virginia Abingdon Accomac Alberta Altavista Amherst Appalachia Appomattox Ashland Belle Haven Berryville Big Stone Gap Blacksburg Blackstone Bloxom Bluefield Boones Mill Bowling Green Boyce Boydton Boykins Branchville Bridgewater Broadway Brodnax Brookneal Buchanan Burkeville Cape Charles Capron Cedar Bluff Charlotte Court House Chase City Chatham Cheriton Chilhowie Chincoteague Christiansburg Claremont Clarksville Cleveland Clifton Clifton Forge Clinchco Clinchport Clintwood Coeburn Colonial Beach Columbia Courtland Craigsville Crewe Culpeper Damascus Dayton Dendron Dillwyn Drakes Branch Dublin Duffield Dumfries Dungannon Eastville Edinburg Elkton Exmore Farmville Fincastle Floyd Fries Front Royal Gate City Glade Spring Glasgow Glen Lyn Gordonsville Goshen Gretna Grottoes Grundy Halifax Hallwood Hamilton Haymarket Haysi Herndon Hillsboro Hillsville Honaker Hurt Independence Iron Gate Irvington Ivor Jarratt Jonesville Keller Kenbridge Keysville Kilmarnock La Crosse Lawrenceville Lebanon Leesburg Louisa Lovettsville Luray Madison Marion McKenney Melfa Middleburg Middletown Mineral Monterey Montross Mount Crawford Mount Jackson Narrows Nassawadox New Castle New Market Newsoms Nickelsville Occoquan Onancock Onley Orange Painter Pamplin City Parksley Pearisburg Pembroke Pennington Gap Phenix Pocahontas Port Royal Pound Pulaski Purcellville Quantico Remington Rich Creek Richlands Ridgeway Rocky Mount Round Hill Rural Retreat St. Charles St. Paul Saltville Saxis Scottsburg Scottsville Shenandoah Smithfield South Boston South Hill Stanardsville Stanley Stephens City Stony Creek Strasburg Stuart Surry Tangier Tappahannock Tazewell The Plains Timberville Toms Brook Troutdale Troutville Urbanna Victoria Vienna Vinton Virgilina Wachapreague Wakefield Warrenton Warsaw Washington Waverly Weber City West Point White Stone Windsor Wise Woodstock Wytheville

v t e Municipalities and communities of Washington County, Virginia, United States County seat: Abingdon Towns Abingdon Damascus Glade Spring Saltville‡ CDPs Emory Meadow View Unincorporated communities Alvarado Bethel Blackwell Clinchburg Friendship Hayter Konnarock Lindell Lodi Mendota Midway Taylor's Valley Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties