Edinburg Virginia

Curated by Shenandoah County Library and Edinburg Heritage Association

A tour of historic sites in the Town of Edinburg.

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and situated in central Shenandoah County, Edinburg, is a small town in the Shenandoah Valley.

Its streets are filled with historic sites, antiques, crafts, gift shops and art galleries. A great time to visit Edinburg would be the third full weekend in September when the Town holds its Edinburg Ole' Time Festival.

Edinburg was settled in the latter part of the 18th century by Germans and Swiss whom the rich soil, beautiful countryside and plentiful water of the Shenandoah River and Stony Creek attracted.

It was first named Shyrock (after a settler) and then 'Edenburg' a reference to the Garden of Eden. In the early 1800's Philip Grandstaff settled on Stony Creek. Grandstaff built a gun factory that made guns for the War of 1812. On that site a roller mill was built in 1848 by his son, George. The mill building remains one of the prominent structures in town and is now home to the Edinburg Museum.

It was the site of 12 skirmishes during the Civil War and the mill escaped Sheridan's torch by the efforts of two local girls.

The 1870's brought a revival of trade and the town was prosperous and lively. Edinburg was the mecca for the nearby Camp Roosevelt, the first CCC camp in the nation.

However, Edinburg did not continue to grow as a commercial center. Consequently, the Town has retained much of its 19th century charm with lovely Victorian homes.

Distinctive Edinburg architectural features include unusual porches, beautifully crafted hand-carved woodwork and locally crafted stone walls.

Hisey Cobbler Shop

In 1889 Benjamin Franklin Hisey (1858-1946) constructed a cobbler shop on what is now Main Street in Edinburg Virginia. Hisey made and sold a variety of shoes, including corrective footwear. His skill as a cobbler was regionally recognized, and in…

Pearl White Theater

The Pearl White Theater opened on Main Street in Edinburg sometime in the 1920s showing silent movies for between 10 and 20 cents a show. Before it was completed, movies had been shown in the town hall. Electricity for this theater was provided by a…

St. John's Methodist Church

In 1916 the congregation of Edinburg’s Methodist Church demolished their church building and built a new structure. This building still stands at the corner of S. High and Piccadilly Streets in Edinburg. The Methodist Church in Edinburg dates to…

Edinburg Fire Company

In 1929 the Edinburg Fire Company was formed to provide fire protection to the citizens of Edinburg and the surrounding communities. This was not the first time Edinburg had fire protection. Much earlier the town had operated both a ladder wagon…

Edinburg Mill

In 1848 George Grandstaff built this mill to serve the needs of local farmers. It produced processed flour from the Valley's two major crops, wheat and corn. During the Civil War the Mill was threatened by Union troops under General Phillip…

Cedarwood Cemetery

The first burial at Cedarwood Cemetery was recorded in 1870 but it was not until July 4, 1876 that the site was dedicated. It was the third cemetery to serve the town of Edinburg. At the dedication ceremony, over 5000 people gathered to hear US…

Cedar Hill Academy

In 1874 Edinburg’s citizens began a lottery to fund the construction of a school in town. These efforts proved to be successful, and in 1876 what became known as the Edinburg Graded and High School, or the Cedar Hill Academy, was opened. The school…

Edinburg Fire

Fire has always been a threat to any town in America. Edinburg is not immune. This photograph shows the downtown area after it had been ravaged by a destructive fire in December of 1895. The configuration destroyed six homes, the Edinburg Sentinel…

Edinburg Town Hall

In November of 1903 the Town Council of Edinburg Virginia signed a contract with John Clinedinst for building a new town hall. This structure constructed on land belonging to the local Masons. The first floor of Town Hall was built to accommodate…

Evans Tavern

John Evans of Edinburg, Virginia, was issued a license to operate a a tavern in 1795. The location and exact dates when this tavern were operated is unknown.

J.F. Holtzman Wholesale Liquor Dealer

On April 14, 1880, the Shenandoah Herald reported Joseph F. Holtzman of Edinburg had been issued a license to be a wholesale liquor dealer. In the 1885 Lake's Atlas of Shenandoah County he advertised himself as a liquor dealer. When the…

JM Ludwig Bar Room

On April 13, 1894 the Shenandoah Herald reported JM Ludwig of Edinburg applied for a license to operate a bar room and to sell retail liquors. The location of this bar and when it operated is unknown.

Shyrock Tavern

In 1795 Jacob Shyrock was issued a license for a tavern in what is today Edinburg Virginia. It operated near Stoney Creek. This tavern was one of the community's original businesses and for a time the area was known as Shyrock.

Swanns Tavern

In 1823 James N. Swann was issued a license to operate a tavern in what is now Edinburg Virginia. Later, this license was transferred to Isaac Rutter who retained the name Swanns Tavern. The exact location of this tavern is unknown.

E.F. Johnson House

In 1891 E.F. Johnson of Edinburg was granted a license to sell, but not to consume, up to five gallons of spirits at his home.

William Reeser Liquor Store

In 1891 William H. Reeser was licensed to sell up to five gallons of spirits in Edinburg Virginia. These could not be consumed on site. The exact location of his business and where it operated is unknown.

M.S. Grove Ordinary

M.S. Grove operated an ordinary in Edinburg on the road leading to the depot. The exact location and time period when this business operated is unknown.

William Dinges Ordinary

Court records from 1874 indicate William Dinges was granted a license to operate an ordinary and to sell spirits in Edinburg. The 1870 Gray's Atlas of the Town of Edinburg shows that his business was operating that year almost directly behind…

Mary (Sallie) Murray Ordinary

According to the History of Edinburg, Mary (Sallie) Murray operated an ordinary in Edinburg. The date when this ordinary operated and where it was located is unknown.

Edinburg Observation Tower

After Pearl Harbor Americans feared that their communities could be targeted by the enemy, so a civil defense organization was created. Though officials realized the risk of attack was slight, they supported Civil Defense to help monitor military…