Edinburg Virginia
A tour of historic sites in the Town of Edinburg.
Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and situated in central Shenandoah County, Edinburg, is a small town in the Shenandoah Valley.
Its streets are filled with historic sites, antiques, crafts, gift shops and art galleries. A great time to visit Edinburg would be the third full weekend in September when the Town holds its Edinburg Ole' Time Festival.
Edinburg was settled in the latter part of the 18th century by Germans and Swiss whom the rich soil, beautiful countryside and plentiful water of the Shenandoah River and Stony Creek attracted.
It was first named Shyrock (after a settler) and then 'Edenburg' a reference to the Garden of Eden. In the early 1800's Philip Grandstaff settled on Stony Creek. Grandstaff built a gun factory that made guns for the War of 1812. On that site a roller mill was built in 1848 by his son, George. The mill building remains one of the prominent structures in town and is now home to the Edinburg Museum.
It was the site of 12 skirmishes during the Civil War and the mill escaped Sheridan's torch by the efforts of two local girls.
The 1870's brought a revival of trade and the town was prosperous and lively. Edinburg was the mecca for the nearby Camp Roosevelt, the first CCC camp in the nation.
However, Edinburg did not continue to grow as a commercial center. Consequently, the Town has retained much of its 19th century charm with lovely Victorian homes.
Distinctive Edinburg architectural features include unusual porches, beautifully crafted hand-carved woodwork and locally crafted stone walls.