The Glade Spring Commercial Historic District comprises the core of a 19th-century community in Washington County that is oriented toward the railroad. The oldest existing building in the district is a hotel building constructed in 1866. Representative of towns in the Valley of Virginia that arose with the arrival of the railroad, Glade Spring served as a local commercial hub and an incorporated town significant in the economic history of Washington County. The Glade Spring Commercial Historic District retains many of the commercial buildings constructed during its heyday, displaying a variety of storefront facades, with some also exhibiting impressive and elaborate masonry techniques. Like many towns once dependent on the railroad, Glade Spring suffered a decline beginning in the mid-20th century with the advent of improved roads, Interstate highways, and a growing trucking industry that competed with the railroads for shipping freight.