Glen Lyn

History

Mr. John Toney built the first brick house in Giles County in 1780. Toney owned the land around his settlement and named the area Montreal. Over the years a post office was established giving Montreal a new name of Mouth of East River. Railroad workers of the Norfolk and Western Railway later gave it the name Hell’s Gate. The name changed once again to its current name, Glen Lyn, meaning lovely glen, after the railroad’s completion in 1883. During the late 1800s, a few stores and a ferry were opened, however, the community did not experience any substantial growth until the construction of the Appalachian Power plant in 1919. This development increased the population of Glen Lyn from 50 to 400 people.

Geography

Glen Lyn is located in northwestern Giles County at (37.373080, -80.860906), on both sides of the New River. It is bordered to the west by the East River and by the state of West Virginia. U.S. Route 460 passes through the town, leading east (upstream along the New River) to Rich Creek and west to Princeton, West Virginia. Pearisburg, the Giles County seat, is southeast (up the New River) via US 460, and Blacksburg is southeast. According to the United States Census Bureau, Glen Lyn had a total area of , of which are land and , or 12.22%, are water. The climate in this area features moderate differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Glen Lyn has a marine west coast climate, abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps.

Race & ethnicity