Independence

History

The Brookside Farm and Mill and the original Grayson County Courthouse are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Courthouse features a Richardsonian style by noted architect Frank Pierce Milburn following his designs Wise County, Virginia, and Forsyth County, North Carolina, and the Southern Railway Station in Knoxville, Tennessee. The county constructed a new courthouse in the 1970s, Open to the public, the Baldwin Auditorium occupies the former courtroom. The 1908 Courthouse is now featured prominently on the Grayson County logo. A carrara marble Confederate Monument, titled “Parade Rest”, was dedicated in 1911, remaining in place as of 2022. From the 1970s to the 1990s, Independence was home to the Nautilus Fitness manufacturing plant and warehouse at a 56-acre site 709 Powerhouse Road, reaching a peak of 600 employees in 1984. Nautilus was sold to Bowflex in 1997. The plant remains, currently owned by Medfit Systems.

Geography

Independence is located at (36.622906, -81.151735). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6.1 km2), all land. The climate in Independence has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Independence has a marine west coast climate, abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps.

Race & ethnicity