Roanoke, an independent city, adjacent to the city of Salem and is surrounded by Roanoke County. First known as Big Lick, in honor of a large outcropping of salt near the Roanoke River, it was established in 1852 and chartered in 1874. In 1882 it became the town of Roanoke, which is the Algonquin word for money. It was chartered as the independent city of Roanoke in 1884.