The Barter, on Abingdon’s main street, vies for the contentious position of oldest operating theatre in the United States and stands as a symbol for the town’s resourcefulness.
The name reflects the spirit of the Depression-era flexibility it acquired during the summer of 1933: admission was 35 cents, or the equivalent in vegetables or dairy products. Nearly a hundred years on, the variety of the Barter’s seasonal programme ranges from international stables to locally written and performed productions. A modern tradition involves the proceeds of at least one performance going towards the “Feeding America Southwest Virginia” programme.
It’s one of the anomalies of the United States: handsome, idyllic towns that have continued to prosper within regions decimated by the demise of staple 20th century industries. The tiny coal towns surrounding Abingdon have continued to simply languish in the 50 years since the companies began their retreat from Appalachia.
Abingdon endured through its vital historical location on the Great Valley Road and has managed to transform its federal buildings and period ho
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