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
New Market 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…
Lantz House
Between 1860 and 1870, the owner of Lantz Mill, Jacob Lantz, built this house on his family’s farm. The original building was a two story, Greek-Revival style structure. The Lantz family continued to…
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…
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
St. Mary's Pine Lutheran Church
In 1760, residents of this area who wanted to worship walked, or rode on horseback, to a small building at Rude’s Hill south of Mt. Jackson. This Union Church, called Rude’s Hill Church, accommodated congregations of various denominations. Among…
Lee-Jackson Hotel
In 1807 John Strayer constructed the front portion of this building at the corner of the Valley Pike and what was then the Sperryville Turnpike. The structure held both his home and mercantile business that sold hardware, clothing, and paint.…
Jordan Property
This small frame structure was built in the early 19th century and became known as the Jordan property.
It has served Mt. Jackson in various ways. Primarily it has been a commercial institution, providing a home to many town businesses. Initially…
Woodstock School
In the summer of 1908 the Woodstock School Trustees completed this new, brick High School to serve as the area’s Graded and High School. Plans for it were started in 1906 and construction began the following year. A private donation of $3,000 from…
Union Forge Church
In 1815 Augustine Hollar deed land for the Union Forge Church and cemetery near Edinburg Virginia. This congregation, associated with the Methodist Denomination, drew most of its membership from the workers at the nearby iron furnaces. They regularly…
Harrison House
Just before the Civil War, a group of Mt. Jackson residents built this structure to house a local hotel. While the war interfered with their plans at first, an 1871 map does indicate that the building housed a hotel and post office. At that time, it…