In 1820 14 enslaved African Americans called this place home. The Federal Census from that year noted 9 of them were male and 5 were female. Four of these were owned by Philip S. Spengler Jr. Most likely his slaves were a mother and her three…

In 1907 the Strasburg Textile Manufacturing Company opened on this site. The company manufactured various finished silk products. In 1934 Charles Platt and his son Nathan Platt purchased the company and focused on producing silk casket linings using…

In 1793 the Davidsburg Church, a Union Church consisting of Lutheran and Reformed congregations, built a log church on this site. It is currently marked by four stone markers engraved with the letter “D.” The Union Church continued to operate…

Trains first arrived at Mt. Jackson in 1859 when the Manassas Gap Railroad completed construction of a new line that terminated in the town. Though the railroad intended to extend the route to Harrisonburg, money had run short. Anyone wishing to…

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…

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…