Abingdon, Virginia

County Seat of Washington County, Virginia, in southwestern Virginia about fifteen miles northeast of the Tennesse border. Population ca. 6,000.

Active (live-)stock market, seasonal burley tobacco market, site of Federal District court which accounts for beaucoup (way too many) attorneys for hire.

Biggest cultural attributes are probably the annual Virginia Highlands Festival held on the campus of Virginia Highlands Community College, waggishly referred to as "UCLA(q.v.)," and the Barter Theater, the State Theater of Virginia. Contrary to popular opinion, neither Gregory Peck nor Ernest Borgnine was born or grew up in Abingdon, nor Ned Beatty, although they all played the Barter early in their careers.

Worst-kept secret: The really choice furniture, antiques and miscellaneous items (and often, quite good deals) are not to be found at the open-air Highlands Festival, but at a semi-secret rummage sale held by a consortium of downtown Mainline Protestant churches, named for Plum Alley, which the week-long event occupies.

Little-known facts:

. Interstate 81 runs along eastern edge of town and affords easy access to Bristol, where there is also nothing for young people to do.

. One of several thousand communities in the USA that has earned the right to call itself "the buckle on the bible belt."

. Just for fun, Google for "Abington, Virginia" (note misspelling).

"Abingdon, Virginia? Where is this Abingdon? How long to drive there from Richmond?"

"Oh, about six, seven hours if the Interstates don't clot up too much."

"That's impossible. Nowhere in Virginia takes seven hours to reach from the state capital."

"Look on a road map, for the extreme Southwestern tip which they always put in a separate little box."

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