Template:Wp-Grundy, Virginia-History

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The town, founded in 1858 upon the formation of Buchanan County, was named for Felix Grundy (1777–1840), United States Attorney General (1838–1839) and United States Senator from Tennessee (1839–1840). It was incorporated in 1876. The present courthouse dates from 1905 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982. Since the late 19th century, this area depended on coal mining as the basis of its economy. The decline in mining resulted in a loss of jobs and population.

Civil War events

In October 1864, Union raiders under Brigadier General Stephen G. Burbridge passed through Grundy on their way to destroy the saltworks near Saltville in Smyth County. There they were met by Confederate troops commanded by Brigadier General Alfred E. Jackson at the Battle of Saltville. The Union troops were defeated in the battle, but returned later and succeeded in destroying the saltworks.

Grundy flood control project

Since 1929, Grundy suffered nine major floods of the adjoining Levisa Fork River. After the inundation of April 4, 1977, many businesses did not reopen, and owners abandoned the buildings that housed them. In 1984 many businesses flooded again.

A 21st-century project to relocate much of the town to higher ground has been completed. The project started in 2001. The mountain on the other side of the Levisa Fork was blasted to create of relatively level land. After a few years of blasting, utilities were placed and new bridges were built across the river. A new town center on the west bank features a multi-level Wal-Mart with a parking deck.

Buildings backing on the river have been demolished, and a new flood wall protects the county courthouse. U.S. Route 460 was relocated to the top of the flood wall. Businesses formerly located downtown were relocated to an industrial building located just outside town. State Route 83 will be rerouted to meet U.S. Route 460 down the street where U.S. Route 460 originally took a directional split to go through downtown Grundy. Additional work upriver is under study to reroute U.S. Route 460 inland from its current path.

Base of a regional grocery store chain

Grundy was the home of the predecessor to the Food City Stores, when Jack Smith opened a Piggly Wiggly franchise in 1955. The store was Smith's first and the chain has now grown to 150 stores, primarily located in Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee Georgia and Alabama. The chain is known for sponsoring the Food City 500 NASCAR race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Grundy store remained open one day short of 50 years. It closed in November 2005. A new store opened up just outside the town limits in Vansant. The Grundy store was re-opened on June 29, 2011, as one of the KVAT Food City Stores. It is a Super Dollar Foods Center location.

Education as a new sustaining industry

Grundy is home to the Appalachian School of Law, which opened in 1997, and the Appalachian College of Pharmacy, which opened in 2005. Buchanan County chose Grundy as the site for the ASL to revitalize the town, which had been in a steady economic decline since the Flood of 1977. The ASL has generated $12 million for the local economy. Its presence has increased demand for construction of rental homes and stimulated the opening of additional businesses in the area. Additionally, ASL has successfully demonstrated the concept of creating institutions of higher education as an economic development tool.

This success contributed to the founding of the Appalachian College of Pharmacy, located in Oakwood. Like the Appalachian School of Law, it was created as part of a continuing economic redevelopment effort in the region. ACP is forecast to add $20 million per year to the local economy.^[1]

Appalachian School of Law shooting

On January 16, 2002, Dean Anthony Sutin, Professor Thomas Blackwell, and 1L student Angela Dales were shot and killed on the campus of the Appalachian School of Law by Peter Odighizuwa, 43, of Nigeria, a student. At his trial, Odighizuwa was found to be mentally competent. He pleaded guilty to the murders to avoid the death penalty, and was sentenced to multiple life terms in prison.