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New River Notes Photo Gallery

A Collection of historic and current photos mostly covering the upper New River area of southwestern Virginia and northwestern North Carolina.


Most viewed - Smyth County, VA
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Saltville - Olin and Elizabeth Cemetery1185 viewsTHE PLANT / THE COMPANY HOUSES / THE ELIZABETH CEMETERY / SALTVILLE, VA. / APRIL 1972. Courtesy of Don Smith dsmith1043@comcast.net
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Saltville - Company Store1182 views

MATHIESON GENERAL STORE EMPLOYEES / SALTVILLE, VIRGINIA / OCTOBER 1945


TOP ROW - THELMA ROUTH, MARY SUE SPRINKLE, PEARL JOHNSON, EMMA TAYLOR, HELEN MANTZ, ELEANOR BROWN, MARY SUE SMITH, MARY FRANCES GROSECLOSE, BEATRICE STEPHENSON, VIRGINIA GILLENWATER, LEE W. PRATOR, HEDLEY L. CRAFT, MGR., MARTY McINTYRE, J. BAKER SANDERS, CHARLES TATE MOORE, HARRY CUDDY, ARCH HARPER, OSCAR CLEAR, FRED FARRIS

BOTTOM - CARL SURBER, BOB HAWK, CLAUDE SMITH, W. W. BRICKEY, HOWARD BOARDWINE, GORDON OAKES, BRUCE WIMMER, NANCE HAMMOND, EARL ANDERSON, CLAUDE CUDDY, BILL HAMMOND, CARL COLLINS, GEORGE ROBINSON, J. E. WEBB, ARTHUR GILLENWATER, JOHN W. MORGAN, FLETCHER JOHNSON

CHARLIE JONES PHOTO. Courtesy of Don Smith dsmith1043@comcast.net
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Saltville - Olin Engine No. 41170 viewsOLIN MATHIESON DIESEL NO. 4 WAS BROUGHT TO SALTVILLE FROM DETROIT IN 1960. THE ENGINE HAD 12 CYLINDERS AND 1000 HP. WHEN OLIN CEASED OPERATIONS AT SALTVILLE IN 1972, IT WAS TRANSFERRED TO AN OLIN PLANT IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS. MYRL DUNHAM PHOTO. Courtesy of Don Smith dsmith1043@comcast.net
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Salrville - Post Office and Harry Dunham1162 viewsHARRY S. DUNHAM OF SALTVILLE, VA. AT AGE 12...STANDING IN FRONT OF SALTVILLE'S THIRD POST OFFICE IN 1918. THIS POST OFFICE WAS BUILT ABOUT WHERE CARLTON CHAPMAN'S FIRST CHOICE FLOWER SHOP IS PRESENTLY LOCATED. HARRY WAS BORN DEC. 4, 1906 AND DIED ON JAN. 8, 2001 AT THE AGE OF 94.

THE FIRST POST OFFICE WAS LOCATED IN THE "OLD STORE" AT THE LOWER END OF SMOKEY ROW. THE SECOND POST OFFICE WAS IN THE MATHIESON GENERAL STORE NEAR THE MEAT MARKET. THE FOURTH ONE WAS MOVED A COUPLE OF DOORS UP THE STREET FROM THE ONE PICTURED. FROM THERE, POST OFFICE NUMBER FIVE WAS LOCATED IN A BUILDING WITH THE BOWLING ALLEY, JAIL AND POLICE STATION.

NUMBER SIX WAS BUILT IN 1931 AND WAS USED UNTIL 1966. THIS BUILDING CURRENTLY HOUSES THE SALTVILLE LIBRARY.

IN 1966, THE PRESENT DAY POST OFFICE WAS OPENED FOR BUSINESS. Coirtesy of Don Smith dsmith1043@cmcast.net
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palmeravesep71.jpg1146 viewsThis Don Smith (dsmith1043@comcast.net) photo shows a bustling Saltville downtown in September 1971.
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cornmarion1.jpg1123 viewsThis is another agricultural photograph made in 1940 from the collection of the Libraryof Congress.
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Saltville - Big Tom and Sandy Buchanan Farm,1123 views Big Tom and Sandy Buchanan Farm, January 31, 2010. Courtesy of Don Smith
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100_1559.jpg1111 viewsPhoto by Jeff Weaver, April 14, 2006.
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Saltville - Tower House1106 viewsTEARING DOWN THE TOWER HOUSE / AMMONIA SODA-WET SIDE / OLIN / SALTVILLE, VA. / AUGUST 1975. Courtesy of Don Smith dsmith1043@comcast.net

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olincolor1172a.jpg1085 viewsThis image of the Olin industrial complex was taken in November 1972 after the facilty had closed but before it was demolished. Courtesy of Roger Allison shakerhoo@aol.com
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Chub-Hole3.jpg1081 viewsTHE BIG HOLE IN CLUB HOUSE HOLLOW BEGAN FALLING IN ON EASTER MONDAY 1960. SOME OF US BOYS HANGING AROUND ON THE PARKING LOT IN TOWN HEARD ABOUT IT AND TOOK OFF UP THERE TO LOOK AT IT. WE STOOD ON THE EDGE OF THIS THING...IT WAS ABOUT FIVE FEET ACROSS...LOOKED DOWN INTO IT AND SAW ONLY DARKNESS... AND DROPPED ROCKS DOWN INTO IT. SEVERAL SECONDS LATER YOU COULD HEAR A SPLASH. WE WENT BACK THE NEXT NIGHT AND IT WAS ABOUT TWENTY FEET ACROSS. WE DIDN'T GO BACK ANYMORE. BY ABOUT THE THIRD DAY, THE AREA WAS ROPED OFF.

THE ED WIX HOUSE WAS LOCATED IN THE HOLLOW AND A FEW DAYS AFTER THE FAMILY MOVED OUT, THE HOLE SWALLOWED UP THE HOUSE. THIS PICTURE, FROM THE CHUB ARNOLD COLLECTION, SHOWS THE WIX HOUSE TEETERING ON THE EDGE A FEW DAYS BEFORE FALLING INTO THE HOLE.

CLUB HOUSE HOLLOW WAS/IS ON THE SOUTH EDGE OF THE WELL FIELDS IN AN AREA WHERE OLIN HAD THEIR HIGH PRESSURE WELLS.

THE PICTURE WAS DATED APRIL 25, 1960. Courtesy of Don Smith dsmith1043@comcast.net

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Rich Valley - North Fork of Holston River From Cliff View Road.1075 viewsNorth Fork of Holston River From Cliff View Road, October 24, 2010. Courtesy of Don Smith.
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