Shenandoah Stories
A project by Shenandoah County LibraryJoin us in our efforts to explore the history and culture of Shenandoah County Virginia through our web based tour platform Shenandoah Stories. Click a site on the map, select a tour, or view a random story to begin. Read more About Us
Featured Stories
Columbia Furnace Stables
Columbia Furnace Stables are one of the original buildings associated with that industrial complex. Though the exact date when they were built is unrecorded, architectural evidence and oral history…
Strasburg Reservoir
In 1923 the Town of Strasburg completed a new reservoir to supply the town with drinking water. The reservoir contained approximately 25 million gallons of water and was located in what is called…
Historic Courthouse
In April 1795 county justices ordered construction of a new stone courthouse on this lot. It would be constructed of native valley limestone. Courthouses served as a symbol of law and order. For this…
Featured Tours
African Americans in Shenandoah County
13 Locations ~ Curated by Shenandoah County LibrarySpirits, Stills, and Temperance: Tracing the History of Alcohol in Shenandoah County
20 Locations ~ Curated by Shenandoah County LibraryFarms, Factories, and the Frontlines: Shenandoah County in the World Wars
10 Locations ~ Curated by The Shenandoah Stories TeamRandom Stories
Emmanuel Lutheran Church
The congregation that became Emmanuel Lutheran Church began in 1790, when Reverend Paul Henkel founded the Davidson Lutheran Church in New Market. In 1820 Samuel S. Schmucker, a Yale Graduate became the church’s new minister.
Soon afterwards the…
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…
Calvary Methodist Church
Sometime around 1870 Mt. Jackson's African American population banded together to form what would become Calvary Methodist Church. By 1889 they had been able to construct their own church building and to support the local African American school…
Woodstock Fire Department
Founded in 1823 after a disastrous fire, the Woodstock Fire Department is an all-volunteer organization that serves the residents of Woodstock and Shenandoah County.
From approximately 1883 until today the fire department has been located on Court…
Vehrencamp's
In 1955 Triplett and Vehrencamp closed their downtown store and reopened under the name Vehrencamp's on the north end of town. This new structure had been operating as the Rinker Brother's Filling Station but originally had been the Mt. Jackson…
Lantz Mill
The original Lantz Mill was constructed in the early 19th century by the Holler family. They had received a land grant from Lord Fairfax in the late 18th century and moved here to farm the land. The existence of Stoney Creek provided them with an…