2025 Annual Dinner/Business Meeting

Save the date! The Annual Meeting and Dinner of the Historical Society will be held on Saturday, June 21, 2025, 6 PM to 8:30 PM, at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center. We’ll have an annual report and business meeting followed by dinner and a program. It is planned that Social Hour will start at 6 PM with a wine bar. The Business meeting will begin at 6:30 PM followed by a buffet at 7PM. The program will start at 7:45 PM. Bristol Cakery and Catering will cater the dinner.

This year’s program will be presented by Robert Sorrell. Robert is an award-winning journalist, author, and freelance writer residing in Elizabethton, Tennessee. He has served as a news reporter with the Erwin Record, Elizabethton Star, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Bristol Herald Courier. In addition, he has written for numerous regional and national magazines and newspapers. Robert has been published in Grit Magazine, Pinnacle Living Mountain Homes, Marquee Magazine, Georgia Magazine, Hobby Farms, and Blue Ridge Country. He has written several books, including bestsellers Blue Ridge Fire Towers and Historic Homes of Northeast Tennessee, as well as the award-winning Images of America: Roan Mountain and The Story of Becoming Piney Flats.

The meeting, of course, is free to attend. The wine bar is open with a tip jar and you can BYOB if you want. If you decide to eat dinner, the tickets are $30 per person and are available at the Society office at 341 West Main Street, Abingdon, Virginia. For more information, or to reserve a ticket, please call 276-623-8337 during our regular business hours. NOTE: If you are going to pay at the door, please RSVP now so we can provide an attendance number for the caterer. Tickets can also be bought online at Betterworld.org.

Buy 2025 Annual Dinner Tickets Online at Betterworld.org

2025 Headstone and Monument Cleaning Seminar

On Saturday, July 26th, 2025, Charlie Barnette, an expert in local cemetery history and cemetery maintenance, will host a seminar on headstone and monument cleaning at the Sinking Spring Cemetery in Abingdon, Virginia. Charlie will discuss and demonstrate the proper way to clean monuments and headstones without damaging them. Charlie has been doing this for many years in Washington County, and if you see a cemetery with an old headstone which has been newly cleaned, it’s probably one of Charlie’s projects. Charlie will host the seminar at 11:00 AM and will hold a second, continuing seminar later in the day during the Cemetery Tour from 4:30 to 7:15 PM. Please contact the Society at office@hswcv.org or 276-623-8337 or contact Charlie at brisbotls@hotmail.com if you have any questions about the seminar.

To reach the cemetery from Interstate 81 in Virginia, take Exit 17, Abingdon, Virginia. Turn North off the exit onto Cummings St. After 0.8 miles, turn left onto W. Main Street for 0.2 miles. Turn right onto Russell Rd. NW for a few hundred feet. The cemetery is located behind the Historical Society building and there will be free parking either along the street or in the Society parking lot.

Show Sinking Spring Cemetery On Google Maps

In response to recent inquiries, the Historical Society has put together a headstone cleaning kit. The kit has been assembled by our resident expert on cemeteries and headstones, Charlie Barnette, who has extensive experience in the repair and restoration of cemetery monuments. The kit contains a one quart spray bottle of D2 Biological Solution, a brush, a pair of gloves, two toothbrushes, two picking sticks, and an instruction sheet. The price is $55 per kit plus tax. It is currently available as an in-house sale at the library. You can stop by the library to pick it up. At this point we aren't offering the kit as an online purchase but if you would like to place an order by phone, please call the office at 276-623-8337 or send an email to office@hswcv.org. If you need the kit shipped then you will need to contact us before buying the kit to work out the details and shipping costs. Also, if you would like to discuss how to use the kit with Charlie you can bring it to the seminar and/or contact Charlie by email at brisbotls@hotmail.com We are excited about this new offering and hope there will be enough interest to keep the kit in stock.

NOTE: The kit is NOT required to attend the seminar.

2025 Living History Tour Of The Sinking Spring Cemetery

On Saturday, July 26, 2025, from 4:30 to 7:15 PM, the Historical Society will be hosting a Living History Tour of the Sinking Spring Cemetery in Abingdon, Virginia. In the 1770's, the cemetery was established by the Sinking Spring Presbyterian Church on 11 acres of land in Abingdon. The land was purchased by the Church from Dr. Thomas Walker, an explorer and wealthy land speculator who was promoting the development of the Town of Abingdon. A stroll in the cemetery takes you back through to the earliest history of the Town and County. During the Living History Tour, a guide will join you and a small group for a walk by historical interpreters in period costume who will tell stories of past local residents.

Tickets will go on sale at the cemetery at 4:30PM, July 26, 2025 at $5 per person at the gate (cash only). Tours will begin at 4:45 PM with the last tour starting at 7:15 PM. Each tour will last about 45 minutes to an hour. The content of the tour is appropriate for families; however, very small children may become tired or bored. There is nothing scary about the presentations or the location. Since the ground is uneven, we recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes. To reach the cemetery from Interstate 81 in Virginia, take Exit 17, Abingdon, Virginia. Turn North off the exit onto Cummings St. After 0.8 miles, turn left onto W. Main Street for 0.2 miles. Turn right onto Russell Rd. NW for a few hundred feet. The cemetery is located behind the Historical Society building and there will be free parking either along the street or in the Society parking lot.

Show Sinking Spring Cemetery On Google Maps

2025 Conversation with Jefferson

The Historical Society’s Popular Fundraiser Returns to Abingdon in 2025

The Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia is proud to announce the return of its popular fundraiser featuring Bill Barker as Thomas Jefferson. In 2025, the program will introduce an exciting new twist: a special guest portraying a younger version of Jefferson. Together, the two Jeffersons will engage in a unique and dynamic dialogue, offering insight into the evolution of the statesman’s ideas and character over time.

This conversation will extend beyond an exchange between two historical figures—it will also showcase Jefferson’s remarkable ability to engage socially with others. The two Jeffersons will debate, challenge each other, and invite audience participation, creating an atmosphere as if Jefferson himself had casually visited Abingdon and stopped by The Martha to converse with the local community.

The event will take place in the historic ballroom of The Martha Washington Inn and Spa, located directly across from Barter Theatre. To accommodate demand and provide an intimate setting close to the performers, two performances are scheduled: the evenings of Sunday, July 27, 2025, and Monday, July 28, 2025. A cash bar will open at 5:30 PM, with the program beginning at 6:30 PM and lasting approximately 90 minutes.

Tickets are $25 per person, and each paid adult may bring one child age 12 or under free of charge. Tickets are available ONLINE and at the door, while supplies last. For more information, please contact the Historical Society at (276) 623-8337 or email office@hswcv.org.

Abingdon's Town-wide Yard Sale

Join us on Saturday, August 16, 2025, for The Abingdon, Virginia Annual Town-Wide Yard Sale! Discover hidden treasures and one-of-a-kind finds. The Historical Society will be offering items for sale both in our parking lot and inside the museum/library. Stop by to browse what's available and check out our latest museum exhibit.

The yard sale runs from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Held each August, this beloved community event brings together locals and visitors for a weekend of shopping, strolling, and exploring throughout town. You never know what you’ll uncover from antiques and collectibles to household goods and handmade items. Whether hunting for a bargain or enjoying the day, it’s the perfect excuse to get out and explore historic Abingdon.

We need your help! Volunteers are urgently needed to assist during the event. If you’re available, please contact Nancy Leasure at 276-623-8337 or neleasure@aol.com. If you're unable to reach Nancy, feel free to email us at office@hswcv.org.

Nancy is also accepting donated items for the Yard Sale. Please price items ahead of time using stickers. We are also in need of folding tables of any size. You may drop off tables at the Historical Society anytime before August 16th. Be sure to label your table with your name so we can return it to you afterward.

Fall 2025 Evening With The Spirits At The Sinking Spring Cemetery

On Saturday, October 11, 2025, from 7:00 to 8:00 PM, the Historical Society will be hosting the Fall 2024 Evening with the Spirits of Sinking Spring Cemetery in Abingdon, Virginia. In the 1770's, the cemetery was established by the Sinking Spring Presbyterian Church on 11 acres of land in Abingdon. The land was purchased by the Church from Dr. Thomas Walker, an explorer and wealthy land speculator who was promoting the development of the Town of Abingdon. A stroll in the cemetery can take you back through to the earliest history of the Town and County.

Our Fall presentation is a one hour seated event hosted by some of the more popular Spirits from past Summer Cemetery Tours. Tickets will be on sale at 6:30 PM at the Cemetery gate for $5 per person (CASH ONLY). Seating will be on the grass lawn in front of the cemetery cabin. We may have a few chairs available but we ask that you bring your own chairs and blankets if possible. The one hour presentation will begin at 7:00 PM. There is nothing scary about the presentations or the location. The content is appropriate for families; however, young children may not understand the spirits and may become bored. The cemetery is located at the intersection of Russell Rd. and Valley St. in Abingdon, directly behind the Historical Society building at 341 West Main St. There is free parking either along the street or in the Society parking lot. To reach the cemetery from Interstate 81 in Virginia, take Exit 17, Abingdon, Virginia. Turn North off the exit onto Cummings St. After 0.8 miles, turn left onto W. Main Street for 0.2 miles. For more information please call 276-623-8337 during our regular business hours.

Show Sinking Spring Cemetery On Google Maps

The Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia is creating a central location for people planning a family reunion in Washington County. Using our website, you will be able to locate local venues, lodging, and food services that can offer a warm welcome to your family and an introduction to the historic sites and scenes in our region. If you are a business and would like to be listed on the FAMILY REUNION RESOURCE PAGE, please fill out the following APPLICATION and email it to office@hswcv.org.

Veterans Advisory Board of the Town of Abingdon, Virginia

The Veterans Advisory Board of the Town of Abingdon, Virginia, is developing an exciting new project to honor and raise awareness of veterans throughout Southwest Virginia. This initiative involves interviewing veterans with connections to Washington County, Virginia, and sharing their stories through brief, edited videos on the Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia's YouTube channel. Established by the Town of Abingdon in 2022, the advisory board aims to celebrate and document the experiences of veterans in the region.

The project, known as Veteran Voices of Southwest Virginia, features a compilation of video recordings collected the advisory board and archived by the Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia. The ongoing program includes stories from veterans living across Southwest Virginia. All veterans in the region are invited to participate in ten-minute interviews about their military experiences, which will be video-recorded and eventually made available online.

Veterans gather on the first Tuesday and the third Saturday of each month at the Food City Deli in Abingdon, Virginia. For more information contact Kim Kingsley, Abingdon Town Clerk, at (276) 492-2149.