Welcome to Rockingham County, Virginia! Today, I’m going to be sharing a bit of history, and some photos taken from a book of the area’s history published in 1976 by the county’s extension office, for the Bicentennial, called The Heartland. So, please excuse if the pictures aren’t perfect. It’s hard to even find many photos, and this book is also hard to come by but it’s chockfull of amazing ones. I’m thrilled to own a copy even if it’s got a musty smell and I get all sneezy each time I look at it!
There is SO much history here, I don’t even know where to start. Every day I get to drive past homes that have sat there for hundreds of years and have more stories than time attached to them. I’ve been blessed to tour several over the years, and be immersed in the history both pre and during the Civil War.
Rockingham County is a lovely place nestled in the Shenandoah Valley. Created in 1778, Rockingham County was named for the Marquis of Rockingham, a British statesman sympathetic with the American Revolution. The county seat of Harrisonburg was named in honor of Thomas Harrison and founded in 1780.
But, long before Rockingham County was founded, our beautiful Shenandoah Valley was home to Native Americans including the Iroquois, Siouan, Shawnee, and Tuscarora. Over hundreds of years, they carved a footpath through the Valley’s center. Later, that became known as the Great Wagon Road. Similar to the Oregon Trail (just in the east!) it was enabled colonists to travel south from Pennsylvania. Don’t let the face it’s in the east, the more “civilized area” fool you though, it was still a very dangerous way to travel and the travelers were preyed on.
With freshwater springs and caverns all over (over 100 caverns, with many available to be toured), the valley’s wide meadows and densely forested mountains were prized by German and Scots-Irish settlers. The settlers quickly established farms, mills, and thriving communities during early America’s frontier days.
Even today, we still have the Quaker, Mennonite, and Brethren faiths active in our community. I think it was a bit of a shock for my husband, from the urban Houston, Texas, to come here and meander through small stores with Mennonites arriving in their horse and buggies, wearing their simple clothes and head coverings. I admit, I never thought twice about it, and neither have our kids.
The Shenandoah Valley became known as the “breadbasket of the Confederacy” during the Civil War, and they witnessed a good number of battles. Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson successfully kept a large portion of the Union forces engaged in his Valley Campaign of 1862, preventing them from moving eastward and massing for an attack on Richmond. In fact, he stayed (and slept on the floor, preferring that to the bed!) in the Miller-Kite House in Elkton, which I’ve had the pleasure of touring twice. It’s rumored to be haunted…but it’s an incredible house, filled with secret hiding areas, pristine condition dresses and bedcovers made in the 1800s, and so much history.
Sorry! Side tracked! History does that to me. Back to the county at whole! In 1864, the county residents, many of whom had declined to fight for religious reasons (remember, loads of Quakers, Brethren, and Mennonites,) had their barns burned and their farms destroyed by Union General Philip Sheridan. He had hoped to bring an end to the area’s ability to supply the Confederate Army.
After the Civil War, like so many other areas, the people rebuilt. Stores were built, even resorts in this area, and later, Shenandoah National Park would be formed. Schools, both private and public, populated the areas.
Have you ever heard of the Wetsel Seed Company? It had its start right here, in Rockingham County, selling seeds out of a wagon.
The people of the Shenandoah Valley are proud of their history here, and those who have the means try and restore the old houses or properties, so that the stories of them can still be told.
There’s just so much to share…maybe I’ll do a few more blogs about our lovely area! I’ve hardly scratched the surface. Tell me, have you ever visited Virginia?
Sarah is wife to an amazing teacher and mom to two boys who are growing up just a little too fast. She spends her days working and writing in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
I was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Prince George’s County, MD. My uncle and his family lived in Vienna, VA and we visited them. In 5th grade the class trip was an overnight visit to Williamsburg and Jamestown. At some point, not sure how old I was, we took a family trip to tour Luray Caverns. As a college graduate, I worked for a time in Crystal City, VA. I visited my parents and siblings in 2007; while there, one of my brothers drove me to Front Royal, VA so I could tour Christendom College (our high school junior had thought about going there, but got a much better offer from another university). People who live in this area are used to taking advantage of all that the DC/MD/VA area has to offer!
You’ve been all over Virginia then! Luray Caverns has gotten quite large, with all of the things they offer now! It’s quite a place to spend time.
We’ve only driven through Virginia, but never actually taken any trips there.
I hope you’ll get a chance to explore parts of it one day!
My dad’s side traveled down the Great Wagon Road to SW Virginia and NE Tennessee in the mid-1700s. They entered the US through the Port of Philadelphia.
I’ve been to Virginia more times than I can count. I travel 81 regularly. Love the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains. I’ve been on Skyline Drive and the BR Parkway.
Oh wow! I bet there are some fascinating stories from traveling the Great Wagon Road! There are still a few parts to see the tracks from the wagons. It sounds like you’ve been all over my area!
I have never visited Virginia. I have only been Florida
I like Florida! It’s terribly hot, but it’s a lovely state!
I live in the eastern panhandle of WV. We drive through Virginia often visiting family. So blessed to live in an area that is not only beautiful but rich in history. So close to many major battle sites of the Civil War.
Yes! That’s just how I always say it! Beautiful and rich in history. West Virginia has a lot of that itself!
Yes, I have visited Virginia MANY times. I’m next door in North Carolina. I have been through Rockingham County many times too. I have been in several caves there. Beautiful area! Rockingham County is mentioned in the television show The Waltons. The Waltons creator is Earl Hamner, who lived in Schuyler, Virginia. I have also been there many times. I love Virginia!
Yes! Not many people outside of Virginia have heard of the Walton family! You are just next door. I love North Carolina too! A beautiful state!
Being from North Carolina, I’ve been in Virginia many more times than I can recount. I have many childhood memories of going there on Sunday afternoon drives. And being a history buff, I’ve toured much of it.
Maybe that’s why we are historical authors! Can’t get enough of all of the incredible moments in history!
Good morning Sarah! Thank you for taking a walk through the history of your hometown. I’ve been on a train with a class of 5th graders through VA up to DC. Saw Arlington, Mt Vernon, The Smithsonian, The Capital, The White House and the Vietnam Wall. So, we only scratched a small portion of VA. By the way, we were there in April of 1991 and saw the Queen twice and President Bush and Ms Barbara. Although they were in a motorcade, they waved. Well, the Queen(with her white gloves) and Ms. Barbara smiling and waving out the back window. President Bush was reading the newspaper. Heh.
Many blessings Sarah!
Oh what wonderful memories! How neat to have seen the queen, and President and Mrs. Bush! It sounds like you saw quite a bit when you were here!
No, I have never been to Virginia. I do have cousins that live in West Virginia, though.
This was so interesting and I enjoyed the pictures. Thank you so much for sharing.
West Virginia is just as lovely! I’ve spent a lot of time there.
I have not visited Virginia.
I hope you’ll get a chance to explore it one day!
I’ve been to Virginia before many, many years ago. I had an aunt and uncle who lived in Virginia. We stopped and visited on our way to Florida for vacation.
Oh, yes, it’s a good spot to stop. We get a lot of people going to or from Florida!
I have never visited Virginia but I would like to.
I hope you will get a chance to! There’s so much to see!
I lived in Virginia for five years and my oldest daughter returned there for a bit. My youngest daughter graduated from Virginia Tech. Virginia has so much.
It does! I’m glad you’ve had a chance to live here!
This is an interesting read. I have never been to Virginia.
I hope you’ll have a chance to visit it!
My husband has always been a history buff, so we have visited many battle sites throughout the eastern states. I do believe we were in Virginia at a site or two. I know we have been to Williamsburg, Virginia, which I have fallen in love with. It is beautiful and so peaceful. I would go back there any time. As to my husband, he would most likely prefer touring another battlefield, like Gettysburg, PA. In all our travels we never made it to that location.
I hope you’ll get to go there! We have a lot of battlefields in Virginia. There’s one in New Market, where the cadets from Virginia Military Institute, so many of them children, fought in the Civil War.
I also live in Virginia. Born and raised in Pittsylvania County. My daughter still lives 5 minutes away from us. My son lives in Bedford County. He is in a Civil War Reenactment Unit out of Roanoke, so we travel to the events that are close enough for a day trip. My mother grew up in Norfolk. My grandmother lived in Chesapeake and my grandfather lived in Hampton. So I’ve visited a lot of areas in the state. I haven’t been to Northern Virginia much, but it’s kind of a separate state from the rest of us ?.
Ohh I have a neighbor who does reenactments! If my youngest had the patience and physical strength to go to one, we would! And I agree, about Northern Virginia!
We have a magazine like that called The River’s Bend. I believe it’s still published quarterly but not sure. Our library has them all and my Gran had many many copies. She loved reading it.
Oh, I bet that is a fun magazine to look through!
I’ve traveled through Virginia a few times and went to Busch Gardens.
That’s a popular place for travelers or residents!
I’ve never been to Virginia, but it’s on my bucket list!
I hope you get to visit here one day!
I have been to Virginia on numerous occasions. I had an uncle who lived in Virginia, also a sister and her family. My uncle lived in Manassas, and my sister in Fairfax. We also visited Mount Vernon and Williamsburg in the past. I had family living in the DC area for years and was fortunate enough to visit and get to see the sights. All three of my sisters, one brother and a sister-in-law worked for the FBI after they finished high school. I spent every summer with one of them from the time I was twelve. Love reading about the history of early Virginia and other states. My parents were older, my dad born in 1899 and my mother in 1906, so they lived a lot of early history. I am the youngest of seven.
Oh my goodness…joining the FBI is my 17 year old son’s dream. I really hope he can get there. It sounds like you’ve visited and seen a lot here!
Yes, we visit Virginia regularly. I have a son and daughter-in-law as well as a daughter and son-in-law and 4 grandchildren who live in Rocky Mount VA.
That’s a beautiful town!
My dad was born and raised in Front Royal, VA and so I spent a lot of time there visiting relatives. I was born and raised in Portsmouth, VA (Va Beach/Norfolk area) I still visit friends in VA often, even though I’ve transplanted to NC. Been to Skyline Caverns but never Luray, but always wanted to.
Well, I think you ought to come visit Luray (and me!! LOL)!
We have been through that area many times. When we were living in Northern VA, our 4-H club stayed overnight in Harrisonburg several times. We went to visit the chicken facilities and stayed at a motel just south of town. (I think The Village Inn.) It had the best Mennonite breakfast buffet. This was back in the late 1980’s.
We have driven through the area multiple times going up 81 to visit relatives in the Northeast. We have ventured off the Interstate and some of us have section hiked the AT in the area. Our daughter worked the Boy Scout High Adventure Camp outside Staunton for several years.
My sister lives in a little town of about 500 across the river from Jamestown. We have visited there many times and I always cut across from Roanoke. The coastal area holds its own charm. We sometimes take 17 down the coast. It is a nice drive.
When we lived in Northern VA,, we would often come down the state on 29 or 15. I really do not like Interstates and those roads are a beautiful drive. The stretch through horse country around Orange has lovely houses and pastures. None of these drives work if you are in a hurry, but they are worth it. You will find classic houses, Civil War sites, lots of history, hiking trails, beautiful scenery, and nice people.
Virginia is a lovely state and has much to offer.
I have gone to Virginia many times in the summers from as a child into mid adulthood. I visited some wonderful natural wonders like Natural bridge, Luray Caverns, Virginia beach, Grand Caverns, Woodrow Wilson and other historical homes. Love Virginia its beautiful state with great places to visit