Editing Grundy, Virginia (section)

==History==
The town, founded in 1858 upon the formation of [[Buchanan County, Virginia|Buchanan County]], was named for [[Felix Grundy]] (1777–1840), [[United States Attorney General]] (1838–1839) and [[United States Senate|United States Senator]] from [[Tennessee]] (1839–1840). It was incorporated in 1876. The present [[Buchanan County Courthouse (Virginia)|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, Virginia|Saltville]] in [[Smyth County, Virginia|Smyth County]]. There they were met by [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] troops commanded by Brigadier General [[Alfred E. Jackson]] at the [[Battle of Saltville I|Battle of Saltville]]. The Union troops were defeated in the battle, but returned later and succeeded in destroying the saltworks.

===Red Jacket Mine explosion===
On April 25, 1938, a catastrophic mine explosion happened in the Keen Mountain Coal Mine.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Development |first=PodBean |title=April 22 - The Red Jacket Mine Explosion |url=https://laborhistoryin2.podbean.com/e/april-22-the-red-jacket-mine-explosion/ |access-date=September 30, 2022 |website=laborhistoryin2.podbean.com |language=en}}</ref> Forty-five were killed and three injured. This is widely regarded as one of the worst mining disasters in Virginia's history. The disaster was reported in the ''[[Charleston Gazette-Mail|Charleston Gazette]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Keen Mountain Mine Explosion |url=https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/keen_mountain_news_only.htm |access-date=September 30, 2022 |website=usminedisasters.miningquiz.com |language=en}}</ref>

===Grundy Flood-Control Project===
[[Image:Grundy Virginia flood 1984.jpg|left|thumb|225px|Aerial view of flooding on the Levisa Fork River in Grundy, Virginia in 1984]]

Since 1929, Grundy has 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 {{convert|13|acre|m2}} 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 [[Walmart]] with a parking deck.
[[File:BuchananCoCourthouse.jpg|thumb|Buchanan County Courthouse in 2009]]
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 (Virginia)|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===
[[File:Grundy Town Center.jpg|left|thumb|Grundy Town Center was built as part of a $200 million redevelopment which included a Walmart store built on top of a two-story parking garage, the only one of its kind in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldcourier.com/news/unique-new-wal-mart-supercenter-opens-in-grundy-va/article_151ce46f-f298-59d0-9d23-640d5b0ef9f9.html|title=Unique new Wal-Mart Supercenter opens in Grundy, Va.|last=Mcintosh|first=Chris|website=HeraldCourier.com|date=September 14, 2011 |language=en|access-date=April 3, 2020}}</ref>]]
[[File:Grundy, Virginia Walmart Supercenter.jpg|thumb|Walmart in Grundy]]
Grundy was the home of the predecessor to the [[KVAT Food City|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]].<ref name="Jack Smith Passes Away">{{cite web|url=http://www.volunteertv.com/home/headlines/6518457.html |title=Food City Founder Passes Away |access-date=April 5, 2007 |publisher=WVLT Television |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926223745/http://www.volunteertv.com/home/headlines/6518457.html |archive-date=September 26, 2007 |url-status=usurped}}</ref> 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, Virginia|Vansant]]. The Grundy store was re-opened on June 29, 2011, as one of the [[KVAT Food City|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, Virginia|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.<ref name="Buchanan’s 10-year-old $2.5 million debt forgiven">{{cite web|url=http://www.bdtonline.com/cnhi/bdtonline/homepage/local_story_068210953.html?keyword=leadpicturestory |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130117180527/http://www.bdtonline.com/cnhi/bdtonline/homepage/local_story_068210953.html?keyword=leadpicturestory |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |title=Buchanan's 10-year-old $2.5 million debt forgiven |access-date=April 2, 2007 |publisher=Bluefield (WV) Daily Telegraph}}</ref><ref name="Colleges bring coal country a fresh mine of resources">{{cite web|url=http://www.uacp.org/news_roanoke_times_uacp_asl.html |title=Colleges bring coal country a fresh mine of resources |access-date=April 3, 2007 |publisher=Roanoke Times |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208164103/http://www.uacp.org/news_roanoke_times_uacp_asl.html |archive-date=February 8, 2007}}</ref>

This success contributed to the founding of the Appalachian College of Pharmacy, located in [[Oakwood, Virginia|Oakwood]].<ref name="Open House">{{cite web|url=http://www.virginiamountaineer.com/backissues/3-1-07/Default.asp |title=Open House |access-date=March 16, 2007 |publisher=Virginia Mountaineer |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928121312/http://www.virginiamountaineer.com/backissues/3-1-07/Default.asp |archive-date=September 28, 2007}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Colleges bring coal country a fresh mine of resources"/>

===Appalachian School of Law shooting===
{{Main|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 student Peter Odighizuwa, 43, of [[Nigeria]]. Odighizuwa was found to be mentally competent at his trial. He pleaded guilty to the murders to avoid the death penalty, and was sentenced to multiple life terms in prison.<ref name="Against All Reason">{{cite web|url=http://law.utoledo.edu/students/lawreview/volumes/v36n1/Davis%20WJ.htm |author=Davis, W. Jeremy |title="Against All Sense and Reason or Change and the Art of Getting Lucky" |work=University of Toledo Law Review, vol. 36 No.1 |access-date=April 4, 2007 |publisher=University of Toledo}}</ref>