2026-04-16T11:14:00-04:00 Zend_Feed_Writer https://shenandoahstories.org/ Shenandoah Stories https://shenandoahstories.org 2020-05-12T11:31:42-04:00 2020-05-12T16:48:46-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/327 Shenandoah County Library This structure was built in the summer of 1881 to house the Chalybeate House. Its location close to the Strasburg Depot which was then located on Fort Street gave it easy access to visitors arriving in town via the railroad. A March 15 1882 advertisement in the Shenandoah Herald listed the house, or hotel, as being “new and conveniently furnished.” The notice lists A.P. McInturff as the proprietor and notes individuals could get “transient and permanent” accommodations. A chalybeate spring, containing minerals thought to improve an individual’s health, was reported to be near the house. Chalybeate’s reputation as an excellent lodging house would continue over the next several decades with the hotel receiving acclaim in national publications. In 1911 A.P. McInturff retired and sold the site to his son-in-law Lewis Machir. Lewis changed the name to Hotel Machir sometime after 1912. He also added additional rooms, electric lights, and running water. A 1917 broadside listed the hotel under that name using the tag line “The House of Tranquility.” That advertisement also notes it was Strasburg’s only hotel, had the “best drinking water in the world,", and each room had hot water heat. Lewis would only operate the hotel until his death in 1918 during the Influenza epidemic. His widow, Mary Machir, then took control of the hotel. In 1923 she placed an advertisement in John Wayland’s Scenic and Historical Guide of the Shenandoah Valley. This noted the hotel had “reasonable rates,” rooms with and without baths, hot and cold running water, hot water heat, and electric light. There is no mention of the Chalyebeate Springs. Mary Machir died in 1937. On the 1940 Sanborn map of Strasburg the site is listed as the “Confederate Inn Hotel” though no additional information is known about that institution. Some time after this the house was converted into an apartment complex. It operated as such during the latter half of the 20th century and as such today. For more (including 5 images), view the original article. 2017-10-06T17:07:57-04:00 2022-07-21T15:37:59-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/269 The Shenandoah Stories Team The 1885 Lake's Atlas of Shenandoah and Page Counties notes the "Shenandoah House" stood on this site. It would have served travelers on the Valley Turnpike and from the nearby rail line. Sometime in the last decade of the 19th century/first decade of the 20th century the Holtzman family purchased the structure and renamed it the Hotel Holtzman. It was one of many such businesses they operated in several county towns. In 1907 the Shenandoah Herald reported it was one of the last two bars operating in the Town of Woodstock. The Holtzman Hotel's bar would operate until alcohol was outlawed in 1907. At the time the Shenandoah Herald reported only it and the Holtzman Hotel across the street were operating bars. It, and the Geary Hotel across the street generated over $500 annually in town liquor taxes so their business must have been brisk. Lawyers representing the two businesses fought efforts to outlaw alcohol, but they were unsuccessful. The "dry" won by one vote. On September 26, 1916 the Holtzman Hotel was the site of an address by Lila Valentine, President of the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia. The Shenandoah Herald noted it was an "excellent address" and would have been designed to promote the women's suffrage movement in Shenandoah County. The hotel would operate into the 1920s when it was purchased by the Dalke Family. They opened the Uptown Theater here and rented commercial space in the front to a barbershop. After the Dalke's opened the Community Theater two blocks away the Uptown Theater primarily showed westerns and other cheaper films. In 1947 a fire heavily damaged the building and it was demolished. In 1974 Shenandoah County purchased this land and built a new circuit court house here. For more (including 2 images), view the original article. 2017-09-28T13:32:12-04:00 2019-07-09T13:22:00-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/212 The Shenandoah Stories Team Built in 1836, the Central Hotel was designed to serve individuals travelling on the Valley Turnpike. Providing spirits would have been part of its mission from the beginning. Who the early operators of the site were is unknown, but in the 1880s it was managed by Laonard Walters. On April 14, 1880, he was granted a license by Shenandoah County to keep an ordinary and retail liquor store at the site. In the 1885 Lake's Atlas he is listed as the owner of the hotel which was still providing spirits for travelers. Today this building is an apartment complex. 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. 2017-09-26T15:38:42-04:00 2023-09-08T11:32:04-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/189 The Shenandoah Stories Team 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 dining room, and a popular bar located on the north end of the building. On October 8, 1878, Mike Geary advertised that "the bar will be stocked with the best liquors, such all pure homemade whiskey and apple brandy, bottled and draft beer, brown stout and porter." In 1892, he proudly announced "the Celebrated Globe Beer is for Sale at Geary's, Here." An August 14, 1900 fire gutted the hotel and a portion of the business block where it stood. Geary rebuilt the structure and once again became a thriving business. During the renovations, the hotel operated out of the neighboring Koontz building. When Woodstock debated outlawing alcohol purchases in 1907, the Shenandoah Herald reported the Geary and the Holtzman Hotel across the street were operating bars that earned the town over $500 annually in liquor taxes. Despite the profitability of alcohol sales here and efforts by the hotels’ legal teams, the town went dry that year and the bar at the Geary became a Café. In the 1930s Massanutten Military Academy purchased the hotel and renamed it Hotel Woodstock. It continued to cater to travelers visiting the area, but also welcomed official academy guests and parents. They also developed the hotel’s dining facilities, making its banquet hall a central community meeting place. Changes including removal of the large porches, instillation of several balconies, and plumbing. Sometime after 1950 the Hotel closed as travelers’ tastes turned away from older, large hotels in favor of new auto courts and motels. In 1968 the building was remodeled and became home to Walton and Smoot Drug Store which remained open until 2019. It still stands in Downtown Woodstock. For more (including 4 images), view the original article. 2016-07-27T12:05:16-04:00 2018-10-19T11:46:21-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/133 The Shenandoah Stories Team The Shenvalee began in 1926 when Roland F. Hill came to New Market and purchased what was then called the “Dr. Strayer Farm.” Hill would use the land to create a resort hotel and golf course. Local newspaper publisher John G. Miller would eventually chose the name Shenvalee, a combination of the words Shenandoah, Virginia, and Lee for the site. That era’s economic prosperity had allowed numerous tourist attractions to emerge in Shenandoah County. Shenandoah, Endless, and Luray Caverns, Civil War sites in Strasburg and New Market, and resorts at Orkney Springs, Bryce, and Shenandoah Alum Springs brought thousands of visitors to Shenandoah County each year. Many of these visitors were residents of Washington DC and its suburbs who were looking to escape the city during the summer. Roland Hill’s attraction was designed to attract these individuals and to add to the county’s appeal. Hill took the dwelling that stood on the property and enlarged it into a two-story hotel whose rooms surrounded a large ballroom. He also created a nine-hole golf course on the site. This was the first golf course opened in Shenandoah County. What is today known as the “Olde Course” was constructed by teams of men using picks, shovels, and wagons. Both the hotel and course opened on July 7, 1927. Bobby Jones, a popular amateur golfer and co-founder of the Masters Tournament, was the first to tee off. Shenvalee developed the tagline “The Home of Hospitality” to promote the site. It advertised its proximity to local attractions, natural beauty, quiet atmosphere, and golf facilities. Visitors, and numerous locals, also flocked to the resort for its well-known food and dining facilities. A fire that heavily damaged the hotel in 1929 led to a complete renovation that added a third floor and eliminated the ballroom. During the Second World War the Shenvalee Hotel was selected by the US State Department to house diplomatic internees. From October 4, 1943 until December 5, 1944 the resort was closed to the public and 19 Italian diplomats who had been captured in North Africa or detained in the United States were held at the site. Although the detainees were guarded by New Market residents and a guard dog, they had an easy time. There were allowed the freedom of the hotel grounds and the town, enjoyed mountain hikes, tennis, and golf, and were not required to work. Many had concerns that these interaction with “the community will result in serious repercussions,” a concern that was realized on one occasion when two of the detainees were attacked by a group of young men. In addition, one Italians, Luigi Bosinco, proved to be an adventurous type. He first caused a scandal by passing “letters of admiration” to a Mrs. O’Roark, a married desk clerk at the hotel who fell in love with Mr. Bosinco and offered to leave her husband and child and “run away with him.” Making the situation more delicate, Mrs. O’Roark was also the daughter of the police chief. Mrs. O’Roark was discharged and “advised that her secret would be guarded” in order to spare her scandal. In May 1944, Bosinco also became the only detainee to escape, making it to Mt. Jackson before being recaptured. On December 5, 1944, the detainees left the hotel for repatriation to Italy. Most were, understandably, unhappy to be leaving, knowing that they were trading their carefree lives at Shenvalee for the harsh environs of war-torn Italy. After the detainees departed, Shenvalee reopened to the public and began to thrive in the post war years as the tourism industry boomed. This lead to an expansion of the resort starting in 1960 when a pool and the accompanying Pool Side Motel opened. Four years later an additional 9-hole course was completed. In 1969 the Golf Course Motel was added and was expanded in 1973. A final 9-hole course was added in 1992, making Shenvalee a 27 PGA hole course. Today, Shenvalee remains one of the area’s more popular attractions and continues to attract a wide array of visitors who come to golf or to enjoy the resorts amenities. For more (including 12 images), view the original article. 2016-05-09T16:59:52-04:00 2022-04-04T12:26:53-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/33 Shenandoah County Library From it’s founding in the mid-1770s, the Orkney Springs community has been welcoming visitors. Surrounding it was a plethora of springs that reportedly had healing powers. People from around the country flocked to the area to find a cure to their ailments or to simply rest and relax. To house these individuals several hotels have been built in the area. The first of these was an 18th century log building that also served as the area’s Indian trading post. In 1845 it was named the Naason Bare Log Hotel after its new owner, Nasson Bare. Research has discovered this hotel had a large dining room, dance hall, and running water supplied by wooden pipes that ran from some local springs. This structure survived until 1900 when it was demolished. By 1829 Valley Historian Samuel Kerchval reported it had been joined by between ten and twenty buildings that served as hotels or support facilities. This number would grow in the 1840s when the Howard’s Lick Turnpike connected Mt. Jackson to Orkney Springs and other resorts in West Virginia. This road intersected with the new railroad and allowed travelers to reach the area much easier. In 1848 the Tenth Legion newspaper in Woodstock, predecessor of today's Shenandoah Valley Herald, ran an advertisement for what was then known as Yellow Springs Resort. In the advertisement Bare and Brenner, the site’s owners, observed they had a "bar with liquors of every description." Alcohol most likely had been served there from the beginning as travelers during the period expected such refreshments at every stop. As a well-known resort, what is now Orkney Springs would have certainly provided high quality spirits. These were especially popular at the numerous dances and parties held at the site. Spirits would have been served until this area of Shenandoah County voted to go "dry" in 1904. The bar and liquor service would never return. Around 1850 a new construction program would result in the completion of the first portion of the current Orkney Springs Hotel. Called the Maryland House, this structure was designed to be the first part of a magnificent resort owned by a joint stock company. However, the Civil War interrupted construction and Maryland House served as a hospital for recovering Confederate soldiers. Construction resumed in 1867. By 1873 four new buildings and seven cottages had been added. Owners at that time were J.W.R Moore and Joseph Perry. They also oversaw construction of the main hotel building, called Virginia, that same year. This five story building originally featured a ballroom, grand parlor, six “retiring” parlors, a billiard room, reading room, reception room, and barroom. This hotel would host numerous major political and social events. In 1925 the Episcopal Church, under Dr. Edmund Woodward, dedicated the Cathedral Shrine of the Transfiguration nearby. This continued a long connection between religious services and the hotel. Eventually this led to the creation of Shrine Mont, an Episcopalian retreat that today owns the Orkney Hotel and surrounding structures. Regularly this site hosts hundreds of camp attendees, church conference participants, and individuals seeking to relax in the mountains. Locals also continue to use the site, its recreation facilities, and many of the festivals it hosts each year including the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival. It also provides much needed jobs. For more (including 17 images), view the original article. 2016-05-04T17:21:32-04:00 2018-10-19T11:46:20-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/19 Shenandoah County Library Located on the corner of Queen and Holliday Streets, the Hotel Strasburg is one of the most elegant and attractive lodging sites in Shenandoah County. This was not the first building on this site. In 1782 Christopher Keister Jr. opened an ordinary here. How long it operated is unknown. In 1895 Dr. Mackall R. Bruin opened a hospital here in a building that is currently the Hotel’s annex. What its prior use was is undetermined. The existing building was constructed in 1902 by Dr. Bruin and was designed to serve as a hospital. He had made an extensive amount of house calls riding on horseback and saw the need for a modern, central hospital where he could serve patients. Community leaders backed him and the Strasburg Hospital was born. At one time, a nursing school was also operated at the site to ensure there was an adequate supply of trained nurses to serve the local population. In 1915 the hospital was closed and the building converted into a hotel. It catered to travelers and residential guests who stayed there during lengthy stays in the Valley. In the 1940s one teacher who was in the area teaching at a local elementary school stayed here and reported she paid $35 dollars a month for her room and two meals a day. Philanthropist Leo Bernstein took an interest in the town and the hotel in the 1980s. In 1987 he completely restored the site in a supposed Victorian Style. Today the site regularly sees a parade of visitors from around the world and welcomes many to its popular restaurant, hotel rooms, and pup. For more (including 5 images), view the original article. 2016-05-04T13:17:28-04:00 2018-10-19T11:46:20-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/15 Shenandoah County Library 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. During the Civil War the site was visited by several notable figures, including Stonewall Jackson who reviewed troops from the site in 1862. In 1864 Jubal Early used the structure as his headquarters. Around 1880 the store building was demolished and replaced with a hotel building. Originally known as the Hotel Carrolton, it was operated by Joseph W. Holtzman. The Shenandoah Herald reported on February 12, 1897 that he had been granted an ordinary and retail liquor license for the hotel indicating that liquor sales were a part of his business. During the 20th century the name of the hotel changed several times. It became the Hotel Thaxton in 1902, the Battlefield Inn in 1926, the Lee-Way Hotel in 1927, and the Lee-Jackson Hotel in 1928. The building was also remodeled and additions were added several times during this period. The hotel would operate into the 1970s when reduced traffic, as a result of the opening of Interstate 81, led to the closing of the hotel. After which the building housed several restaurants and businesses including the Bedrooms of America store and museum. In 2005 it was renovated and became the headquarters of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation. For more (including 3 images), view the original article.