2026-04-24T14:47:40-04:00 Zend_Feed_Writer https://shenandoahstories.org/ Shenandoah Stories https://shenandoahstories.org 2016-05-24T14:57:53-04:00 2018-10-19T11:46:21-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/71 Shenandoah County Library In the late 1700s, Shenandoah County residents who were members of the Lutheran and Reformed denominations banded together to form Frieden’s Union Church west of Toms Brook. This served the needs of Toms Brook’s residents until the mid-1800s when they built a separate Union Church in town. This building, called Brook Union Church was located near what is now the Methodist Church. It was dedicated on May 28 1842 and was used by all the town’s churches for 27 years. The only disruption to worship was caused by soldiers who used the building as a hospital during the Civil War. By 1869 the Lutherans in Toms Brook were able to afford their own church building. So they severed ties with the other local congregations and built their own church on the same site of today’s Lutheran Church. It was named St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. In 1905 a new brick building was dedicated and is still in use. During the First and Second World Wars St. Peters was one of the many county churches that played a role in community’s war effort. Churches became places were scrap was collected, blood was donated, and defense meetings were held. They also were places that residents prayed for the safety of those off fighting and remembered those who would never return. Memorial services would have been some of the most emotional events, as neighbors and families gathered to honor those who had been killed. When the war ended, county residents gathered again at church to offer thanksgiving for peace and the end of the bloodshed. When organized, St. Peter’s was associated with St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Strasburg with whom they shared a minister. In 1922 this arrangement ended and a new agreement that allowed St. Peter’s and St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, located west of town, to share a minister. Previously these two congregations had belonged to separate synods that split over the progressive versus liberal ideology. On January 1, 1988 the two once again became independent which each felt they could support their own minister. However, this was not to last an in the spring of 2012 these two churches, and St. Stephens Lutheran Church on Back Road, voted to become a join parish. This was a direct result of decreased membership and financial support at all three locations caused by demographic changes that saw community members leave rural areas for more established towns. For more (including 6 images), view the original article. 2016-05-05T13:40:07-04:00 2018-10-19T11:46:20-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/25 Shenandoah County Library In 1853 the Junior Order of American Mechanics, or J.O.U.A.M., was founded. Its parent organization, the Order of American Mechanics was a political and social order that advocated for nativist policies and provided financial support for its members. Twenty five years after its founding the J.O.U.A.M. became an independent organization that focused on becoming a fraternal benefit society that was open to all people regardless of creed, race, or sex, however strong nativist sentiments remained. The group offered a social membership and insurance membership. The later granted members health, death, and accident insurance during a time when that type of coverage was rare. A chapter of this organization was founded in Toms Brook on September 18, 1895. At the time it had 28 members. The majority of these were most likely workers at the nearby Lime Quarry or other industrial interests in the town. By 1906 the organization had grown to 143 members and had built its own meeting house. On April 11 of that same year the lodge sent a petition to the United States Senate asking them to restrict immigration. In a 1910 listing of the Jr. Orders of American Mechanics of Virginia, the Massanutten Council was listed as being located on Main Street in Toms Brook. Its meetings were held on Saturday's and G.L. Borden was its secretary. When the Massanutten Council organization ceased to function is unknown. However the building was converted into the Toms Brook Fire Department sometime after that organization was founded in 1948. It was demolished in the 1990s when that organization moved into a new building and turned their former hall into a parking lot. For more, view the original article. 2016-05-05T13:02:29-04:00 2018-10-19T11:46:20-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/24 Shenandoah County Library As early as 1874 a school existed on this property in Toms Brook. That year county resident Levi Pitman noted his brother began teaching there. Five years later the school superintendent, John Grabil, recorded that the student population at Toms Brook was 90. The school that held these pupils stood from the 1870s until 1935 when a brick school building, which still stands, was constructed. During the time the old frame school was in operation three additions were made, including one in 1906 which was designed to house the new High School program recently adopted by the county. The 1935 school was one of many built in the county during a major modernization program. Grades 1-12 were originally housed in the school. Students attended primary school in their own communities. They then traveled to town to attend High School, Grades 8-12, if they could afford the tuition. In 1959 the county built three new consolidated High Schools. At that time all elementary schools in the area were consolidated into the Toms Brook School. That system lasted until the 1980s when Middle School grades 5-7 moved to Woodstock and Strasburg. Then in 1991 new additions were completed at the county’s elementary schools and Toms Brook School was closed. It was sold to several private developers but was eventually acquired by People Inc. who converted the property into low income housing. For more (including 5 images), view the original article. 2016-05-05T12:46:50-04:00 2018-10-19T11:46:20-04:00 https://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/23 Shenandoah County Library In 1920 Toms Brook residents gathered together to form the Bank of Toms Brook. Initially the institution had over $165,000 worth of loans, deposits, and securities. The state of Virginia notes that in 1922, S.B. Miley was the President and J.L. Feller were the cashiers. These two families are prominent members of the local community and certainly increased their prestige by working at the bank. Most of their customers were certainly associated with the nearby Rockdale Lime Quarry or with commercial establishments that served the needs of their workers. On April 9 1931, the Massanutten National Bank in Strasburg announced it was merging with the Bank of Toms Brook. Having been negatively affected by the Great Depression, Toms Brook’s financial institution was no longer able to operate on its own. The merger meant Massanutten acquired all of the Bank of Toms Brook’s assets, debts, buildings, and records which were moved to Strasburg. The bank building in Toms Brook was closed. Not long after this the United States government acquired the building and moved the Toms Brook Post Office to the site. For more (including 2 images), view the original article.