2026-04-03T15:14:21-04:00 Zend_Feed_Writer https://shenandoahstories.org/ Shenandoah Stories https://shenandoahstories.org 2021-06-03T17:03:20-04:00 2021-06-03T17:03:20-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/328 The Shenandoah Stories Team 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 generator powered by a water wheel on Stony Creek. The theater was named for “Pearl White” the title character of a popular 1914 film series The Perils of Pauline. Later it would be called the Valley Theater and was part of a string of movie theaters owned and operated by the Dalke Family. A new building holding the theater opened at what is now 121 S. Main Street in Edinburg on December 23, 1932. It was complete with a new RCA sound system. The date when the original theater was constructed is uncertain. For many years the theater was managed by Lenny Winesburg who was also a local tinsmith. Several local women worked as musicians, providing background music to some of the silent films shown here and for theatrical productions. They included Mable Stoneburner Zirkle, Jeanette Murray, and Nell Wightman. The theater closed sometime in the mid-20th century. It was remodeled to hold People’s Drug Store, now Murray’s Fly Shop. For more, view the original article. 2020-03-09T12:33:30-04:00 2020-03-09T12:35:49-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/326 The Shenandoah Stories Team This photograph shows part of the “Wagonner Shed” that was located along the Valley Turnpike (Route 11) in Edinburg Virginia. The shed would have been used by crews operating along the Turnpike in the 19th century. These crews were responsible for moving freight coming to and from places like Alexandria and Baltimore. In the time before a railroad connection existed, they were the primary way locals got their goods to larger markets and received items from the outside world. Wagon crews would have used this shed to rest themselves and their teams for the night when passing through Edinburg. Similar places, many times called Taverns or Ordinaries, existed in other parts of Edinburg and in other Valley towns, It would have been a place where crews could have enjoyed camaraderie, entertainment, food, and comfort while breaking from what would have been a long, arduous trip. The shed originally stood in front of the house which is now occupied by Edinburg Truck Hobby Shop. At the time of its construction, this property was owned by Phillip Grandstaff whose children Mary and Press lived in the house that still stands on the site. Later the shed was moved to the rear of the house which now houses Edinburg Trucks Hobby Shop and no longer stands. For more, view the original article. 2017-10-12T13:33:51-04:00 2018-10-19T11:46:22-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/276 The Shenandoah Stories Team 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 flights and to connect citizens to the war effort. Part of this program involved the construction of aircraft observation towers in Shenandoah County’s towns and some rural communities. These observation posts were funded by private donations and were staffed around the clock by volunteers, usually boys too young to fight, men unfit for the draft, and women. They recorded airplanes flying overhead to assist with an early version of air traffic control and would have been the first ones to alert the community in the event an enemy attack had occurred. By 1944 the success of US Armed Forces eliminated the need for Civil Defense so the volunteer groups were disbanded and observation towers were demolished. For more, view the original article. 2017-09-27T16:15:40-04:00 2019-07-09T13:07:05-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/196 The Shenandoah Stories Team In 1898, an Edinburg City Directory noted the Eureka House stood on this site. It was the town’s only hotel and was primarily designed to serve travelers on the adjacent rail line. J.F. Holtzman owned the structured and leased it to W.F. Whitman and his wife. This structure was well known for its accommodations and its bar. It burned in 1902 and the only two things that were saved were the piano and the bar glasses, many of which are preserved at the Edinburg Mill. After the fire, Holtzman built a new larger brick hotel on this site. It was known at different times as the Hotel Edinburg, Hotel Bruce, and the Edinburg Inn. The description provided during construction mentioned the structure had 22 rooms, each of which connected to a “long cool porch.” The social scene that had centered around the Eureka House continued in the new building, which also had a new larger bar and a ballroom that attracted many. Advertisements for drinks (like “The Belle of Loudoun Whiskey”) and for events (including balls and socials) appeared regularly. In addition, the Edinburg Anti-Saloon League held their meetings and programs at the site. What their relationship was with adjacent bar patrons is unknown. In 1904, Edinburg and Shenandoah County became a dry community and the bar at the Hotel Edinburg closed. The hotel continued to operate for several decades but closed sometime after 1930. Today, it is home to the Edinburg VFW who once again serve alcohol via their social lounger’s bar. For more (including 4 images), view the original article. 2017-09-13T14:25:54-04:00 2018-12-18T12:15:33-05:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/154 The Shenandoah Stories Team In 1977 the Johns Manville Corporation opened a new manufacturing plant between Edinburg and Woodstock. It was listed as being just over 330,000 square feet and contained three rail spurs, an emergency power supply, and its own water and sewer systems. The Manville Plant produced commercial roofing material and insulation systems that were created from a wide array of natural products imported to the county via the Norfolk and Southern Railroad line adjacent to the site. Approximately 250 persons were employed here at the height of production. Over the next thirty years the local John Mansville site would survive the company’s 1982 bankruptcy, several fires, and economic shifts. Its role in the local economy, along with other manufacturing plants, could not be overstated. However, in 2007 the company made the decision to close its Edinburg Plant as part of an effort to streamline production following an economic downturn. In 2009 the site was sold to a firm in Luray Virginia who planned to process wood products there. However, that organization sold it at a foreclosure sale three years later. Today the former plant is owned by Andros Foods who uses it as a warehouse. For more (including 7 images), view the original article. 2017-05-01T09:46:36-04:00 2018-12-18T12:12:50-05:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/147 Shenandoah County Library In 1944 the Holler family of Edinburg Virginia founded a small poultry processing plant along Stoney Creek west of Edinburg. Over time this operation grew to become Blue Ridge Poultry and Egg Company, a regional poultry processor. In 1971 Rocco Farm Food purchased the poultry plant from the Holler family and operated it until 2001 when it was sold to George’s Inc. They still maintain the expansive facility on Stoney Creek Road and are the second largest employer in Shenandoah County. As the poultry plant grew, its workforce changed dramatically. Originally most employees were locals seeking wages to supplement their farm related income. However, in the 1970s this began to change as immigrants from Central America began arriving in the area to fill job openings. Originally these Hispanics came for jobs in the valley’s apple orchards which had attracted migrant workers from across the US and South America for many decades. However they quickly found that the poultry industry, which paid high wages, provided job security, and which had a growing demand for labor, provided more opportunities. Many went to work in this Shenandoah County plant. Over the next several decades the Hispanic population grew as processing expanded. Initial immigrants were of Mexican background. They were joined in the 1990s by Salvadorans and Cubans fleeing conflict. By 2003 an estimated 50-75% of the workforce at Georges and other poultry plants were Hispanics. This influx has dramatically altered our local communities. In 2010 approximately 7% of the local population identified as Hispanic. This number is expected to grow. The Census Bureau estimates that by 2040 they will account for 25% of the county’s citizens. When immigrating, Hispanics bring with them elements of their culture. Membership in local Catholic Churches, which offer Spanish services has expanded exponentially. Latino grocery stores and restaurants have opened in several communities, including adjacent to the George’s poultry plant. In addition other retailers such as Wal-Mart have dramatically expanded the number of Latino related food and cultural items they sell. The relationship between the existing predominantly white population and immigrants has been strained at times. This has been exasperated by the presence of a serious gang culture in the early 21st century and by the economic status of many immigrants. Tensions caused by language barriers and the growing number of English Language Learners in local schools have also caused periodic political issues. However, many of these issues have receded and relations are generally positive. As George’s and other local businesses continue to grow and hire Hispanic immigrants, the impact they have on Shenandoah County’s history will only continue to expand. For more, view the original article. 2017-01-11T17:19:21-05:00 2018-12-18T12:13:08-05:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/138 The Shenandoah Stories Team In 1927 Snoop’s Snake Farm opened two miles south of Edinburg in the small community of Bowman’s Crossing. Though we know little about the site, early advertisements indicated the site featured four types of poisonous snakes and several alligators. The pamphlets claim that “visitors are thrilled and amazed” at the site of these exotic creatures, the lectures given by staff on their natural habitats and behavior, and the snake farm’s hospitality. Individuals were also invited to enjoy a free “helping of the famous rattle snake meat in a sandwich” if they were dared. This snake farm was one of over a score of tourist stops that popped up along Route 11 during the first half of the 20th century. The emergence of the automobile had led to an increased number of tourists that travelled along Route 11. Innovative entrepreneurs looked to this new population as a revenue source and opened restaurants, gas stations, hotels, and attractions such as snake farms, golf courses, museums, and battlefields to draw in visitors. The completion of Interstate 81 in the early 1960s shifted traffic away from Route 11. Most local attractions closed or shifted locations to serve interstate travelers. The snake farm was among them. For more (including 2 images), view the original article. 2016-06-30T15:48:54-04:00 2018-10-19T11:46:21-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/131 The Shenandoah Stories Team 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 Office, a store, the Hotel Murray, two livery stables, a shoe shop, and 22 outbuildings. Other large fire occurred in 1906 which destroyed two stores and three houses. To protect themselves, the community organized a volunteer fire company. The first such organization was founded in 1869 and lead by H.H. Riddleberger. This group was little more than an organized bucket brigade since Edinburg lacked a water works. Firemen at the time also specialized in “pulling down” buildings with hooks and axes to prevent the spread of fire. The fire company was reorganized 1903 after the Chief of the Washington DC fire department reviewed the town’s company and made recommendations to improve services. Based on his advice, the town purchased a chemical wagon, in essence a large fire extinguisher, and arranged for the company to use the Masonic Temple/town hall on Centre Street. The volunteers were also supplied with a hose cart to use water directly from the town’s new hydrant system once it was installed in 1907. A hook and ladder wagon was donated by druggist Frank Dinges in 1912 which greatly expanded the company’s ability to protect the town. The current Edinburg Volunteer Fire Company was organized in 1929. The first chief was Mark B. Getz and Ray Coffman served as President. It purchased a Packard touring car that year and modified it to serve as a fire engine. The company operated in the former town hall building until 1954 when it moved to a station on Main Street. In 1977 a new station was completed on Stoney Creek Blvd. where the company continues to operate from. For more, view the original article. 2016-06-02T10:18:37-04:00 2018-10-19T11:46:21-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/82 Shenandoah County Library 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 building, a two story frame structure, stood on this site. The first floor was used for classrooms and the second floor contained an auditorium for community and school events. This design was popular in the area and most county schools were built in this style. Originally the school housed 163 students. These individuals were divided into three grades. Children remained in these grades for several years before advancing. Governance was provided by the Madison District School Trustees who operated the school until 1922 when it was deed to the Shenandoah County School Board. At the turn of the 20th century the Edinburg School was one of the first in Shenandoah County to provide High School courses and other types of advanced learning opportunities. In 1906 the High School was official founded and a rear wing added to the building to house these new pupils. At the same time a long staircase was constructed to give access to the school from the Valley Pike. These stairs still remain. Community support for the school remained strong throughout this period. A school league was formed in 1905 to raise additional funds. Dinners, plays, and other fundraisers were held both at the school and town hall. Local families often allowed out of town High School students to board with them since there was no High School in rural areas. The school operated until 1933 when the new brick Edinburg School opened on Stoney Creek Road. After which, Cedar Hill was demolished and the materials used to repair other schools in the county. For more (including 2 images), view the original article. 2016-05-03T14:47:52-04:00 2018-10-19T11:46:20-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/10 Shenandoah County Library 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 Senator H.H. Riddleberger give an address. The Statue of Hope, designed to be “soul encouraging” was added to the cemetery in 1878. Several locals left mementos in the base of the statue when it was dedicated. On May 15, 1903 the Virginia General Assembly passed an act that allowed the town to purchase the cemetery from the corporation that had previously controlled it. Since then the town, and a core of dedicated locals, has maintained Cedarwood. For more, view the original article.