Catching Up-- Return-from-Maine Trip

The road to Maine is long.  Very long.  Kids get bored; seats get sore; drivers get tired; we all get a bit testy.

Then there's the return trip.  Now, we all know the actual mile count is the same, but take it from me, the road is longer.  It just is.

That being said, we are blessed.  There are an amazing number of fascinating stops between there and here.

We found one such stop on our way back from Maine this year:  Saltville, Virginia.  It's a bit off the beaten path, but well worth our time.

A map showing the town and locations of all the historical landmarks 

Saltville is an old company town located on extensive salt deposits and has been producing salt commercially for 200-some years.  It was very interesting to learn all the ways that salt is used: many chemicals, plastics... all told there are 14,000 uses!!  Also, this area was the salt capitol of the Confederacy (salt, of course, being the only way to preserve meat at that time).

Then, there was the archaeology.  That's what really piqued our interest!  With all the salt in the ground, animals that died many years ago have been preserved.  And I do mean MANY years ago!  Saltville hosts archaeological digs every summer-- for adults AND kids.  Now THAT would be a field trip to remember!

Just take a look...

Mastodon!!

Giant beaver

Giant Elephant tusk

The Saltville Foundation has turned an old storefront into the Museum of the Middle Appalachians, a showplace for the history of the town, the companies that have built it, and all the bones that have been found.

We are so glad we stopped!