Historical Society
of Washington County, Virginia

Founded in 1936 to Preserve the History of Southwest Virginia
(7,000 Books, 200,000 Digital Images, and Over One Million Indexed Records)

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Located in downtown Abingdon, Virginia, the Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia (HSWCV) is headquartered on Main Street. Since its founding in 1936 the Society has grown from a small collection housed in founders' homes into one of the finest small historical and genealogical research facilities in Virginia. The Society has achieved this reputation through the depth of our holdings and the ability to make information easily searchable and available to visiting researchers. We have a reference library of over 7,000 volumes, and searchable databases of over one million indexed records (the index is available on this site), and over 180,000 digital images of photographs and historical documents. The Society also owns many rare artifacts pertaining to the history of the county. Our Vision is to be an educational resource and community leader committed to collecting, preserving and sharing the records of people, places and events, so that future generations may find common interest and knowledge in the unique heritage of our County and surrounding region. We encourage you to visit us, either in person or online, and find your Southwest Virginia roots.


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In addition to using our website, the Society also maintains a YouTube page and a Facebook group. So if you get a chance, drop in on our HSWCV YouTube page.

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Also visit our HSWCV Facebook group. Keep up with what's going on with the Society and share research with other members on our Facebook group page. Just click on the Facebook icon to log in to Facebook and go straight to our group page. Anyone can read the posts, but to be able to reply, ask to join the group. You will be added to the group list within a day or two. We currently have over 10,000 members so there are lots of possible undiscovered cousins out there!





Donate. Most of our staff are volunteers. We derive funding from memberships, donations and store sales. Monies received are used to meet library operating expenses and for the preservation of our regional history. Your donation supports our mission to collect and preserve the history of Washington County, Virginia. Please give what you can. Any contribution will be greatly appreciated.


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Visit Us. So whether you would like to volunteer, become a member, or just visit as you are passing through town, we would love to hear from you. Feel free to browse or search our website and, if you can, come by and see us. Oh, and leave a review at TRIP ADVISOR by clicking the link on the right. The feedback will help us improve the services we provide to visitors. We make sure to read each review so tell us how your feel about your visit.


The Historical Society would like to give a shout out in support of our tenants; two businesses who lease space from the Society. Hana Eichin's Spot of Color and Tim Webb's The Travel Shop lease space in the same building as the Historical Society Library/Museum. So, if you are in a mood to paint or travel, please give these businesses consideration and the next time you are in Abingdon to visit the Society you might want to stop in and visit them too.

Spot of Color

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The Spot of Color grew from Hana Eichin's wish to open an art supplies store in this hub of creative activity that is Abingdon Virginia. The main goal of the business is to create a safe and comfortable space for every level of artists with a free creative space for anyone to use. An emphasis on eco conscious supplies and creativity has been implemented in the store with eco art supply alternatives and art waste management to reduce the strain that art puts on mother nature.

The Travel Shop

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The Travel Shop is a full service travel agency located in historic Abingdon, Virginia since 1983. We also own Classi Carriages of Southwest Virginia, offering limousine service in Abingdon and surrounding areas. With so many options, choosing a travel destination can be difficult. Don't let hidden fees, fine print, etc. catch you by surprise.​ Let the experienced staff at The Travel Shop take care of all your travel needs.