They had to pipe sunshine
Into that place.
Into that place.
The Shirley Dialogues by Shirley Smarr
 |
| The Jonestown Road |
Nourished by powerful rivers, the Shenandoah Valley remains one of America's most beautiful and enchanting regions. To the west lie the Appalachian Mountains and to the east, the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Valley’s northern border is the Potomac River while the James River forms the southern boundary. As modernity continues to slowly encroach upon the Valley, it remains a wilderness in many respects. Green hills rise up to form the mighty Alleghany Mountains and the steep slopes give way to soft rolling valleys of fertile farmland and bubbling creeks. It is a geologic wonderland rife with ageless sandstone, limestone and shale. From satellite photos, the Valley seems like a vast green cloth with long irregular creases running in a southwesterly pattern forming the many mountain ranges and smaller valleys that lie within. The compelling serenity defies description.
Permanent settlement in the Shenandoah Valley began in the early 18th century when the first white settlers came down from Pennsylvania. While many were of Scottish, Irish and German descent, their numbers were augmented by Dutch, Welsh and yeoman English settlers. They adapted to the mountains for they themselves were from the hills and highlands of Europe and the British Isles. The Scots and Irish shared a Celtic heritage; eventually, through intermarriage and partnerships, this group would become known as the Scotch-Irish. Reflecting these roots, many refer to this part of the state as the Western or Alleghany Highlands. America offered them possibilities in return for hard work and perseverance. In return, the valley provided them its bounty.
These pioneers were not, however, the first to understand the vitality and abundance of the Valley. Their arrival would eventually displace forever the native Americans that had been hunting in the Valley for over 10,000 years, lured by the plentiful and varied game to be found including buffalo, elk, deer and puma. It was the native Americans who likely gave the valley its name, Shenandoah; its origin in dispute, the most popularly accepted theory is that Shenandoah means ‘Beautiful Daughter of the Stars.’ Initially, relations between the settlers and Indians were amicable and trading flourished. The French and Indian War - also known as the Seven Years’ War - spoiled this harmonious relationship. In an effort to avoid losing parts of their overseas empire to the English, the French prodded their Indian allies to create mayhem among the settlers. Raids by the Shawnee, Delaware and Mingo continued until the Treaty of Greenville in 1795 greatly reduced this threat. The Treaty brought not only a measure of peace but also provided an impetus for commerce and settlement in the region.
Homesteads and farms centered on the rich and bountiful bottom land of the Valley. Land was cleared to allow the cultivation of hemp, grains, livestock, fruits and vegetables. Hemp, vitally important to the nation’s growing mercantile fleet which required vast quantities of rope, would become the first major cash crop was hemp. When hemp prices began declining in the 1820s, the former settlers - now farmers - changed to growing corn, wheat, barley and oats, as well as raising livestock. It was also during this period that many local and regional industries emerged including tanneries, iron smelting furnaces, and lumber mills. The many waterways supplied the raw power needed for flour and cornmeal mills. The manufacturing and agricultural surpluses were transported to more distant urban regions, and the paths once traveled by native Americans become the major roads used today: The “Warrior Path” would evolve into modern-day Route 11; and, Route 18 was originally called the “Indian Road.”
During the Civil War, the Valley played host to five military campaigns over the course of four years (1861-1864). Its abundance and proximity to both Washington, D.C. and Richmond ensured that the Valley remained a primary target for both Union and Confederates forces throughout the war. The town of Winchester alone changed hands over 70 times during the conflict. For the South, the Valley provided access to the north and was used for launching the Antietam and Gettysburg campaigns, as well as General Jubal Early’s raid on Washington. The Union forces eventually determined to eliminate this threat, but their efforts succeeded only in burning crops and little else until the war’s eventual end in April, 1865. Major battles took place at Winchester, Cedar Creek and New Market. Many historic sites remain today, often in pristine condition.
Despite its natural beauty, life in the Valley was arduous. While beautiful and bountiful, the land required unending toil from those who settled upon it. Bottomlands were prone to flooding, often threatening their homes and an important food source. Settlers had to be tough to endure the numerous hardships of pioneer life. A commonality of their shared existence was nearly universal and profound commitment to their spiritual heritage. Religion provided encouragement to many whose lives were based on unending struggles to survive in - despite its mask of benign serenity - an often brutal and difficult environment. The Valley is rife with innumerable churches and chapels, primarily of the Protestant faiths of the pioneer ancestors. It was through faith and will that the settlers endured and even thrived. Even today, Valley residents remain rooted to their faiths. Perhaps God is easier to find for folks living so close to the land.
By 1900, the agrarian-based economy expanded and modernized, giving birth to newer industries. Soon, lumber mills, tanneries, iron ore mines and smelting furnaces dotted the valley, fed by the valley’s plentiful supply of limestone, iron ore and timber. With the advent of new mills and opportunities, the descendants of the pioneers slowly transformed from people of the land to laborers at the factory. With the modern factories, however, came modern problems. In some respects, the land was forsaken, sacrificed for modernity, done in by the progress of man.
