Shenandoah Stories

Join 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 Tours

Random Stories

In 1928 Mr. F.E. Palmer came to Woodstock from Connecticut to begin teaching business classes at what is now Massanutten Military Academy. After 12 years of teaching Palmer founded his own Business School in Woodstock. Over time it would grow to…

This structure was built around 1749 by Jacob Rinker, an immigrant. The building tops a spring and was most likely designed to protect residents from Native American war parties who were fighting European encroachment. Rinker’s son, also named Jacob,…

In 1747, Hans George Lantz left Germany and eventually settled on 470 acres along Stoney Creek in Shenandoah County. The area he arrived in had been occupied by Native Americans for several centuries. Though some Europeans had already come here,…

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 “Little Fort Valley” atop the Massanutten Mountain…

This mill was built sometime around 1797 by the Spangler family, who were some of the first Europeans to immigrate to the Strasburg area. It was designed with a wooden end because that material could absorb the vibrations associated with the mill…

In 1875, Mike Geary purchased this lot in downtown Woodstock and opened Geary's Hotel. What existed before is unknown. The three-story brick hotel featured accommodations for travelers, large front portions over looking the valley turnpike, a…