Area History
The Shenandoah Valley is a 200-mile stretch of fertile land that runs from Harper's Ferry, West Virginia south to Lexington, Virginia. It's bordered to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains and on the west by the Appalachian Mountains. The area is rich in history, some of which is oral history dating back centuries.
The earliest inhabitants of the area were said to be the Shendo. It's unclear whether they were of Native American origin, or whether they migrated up from Central or South America. Reportedly they had a more highly organized society than the tribes that followed them. They built cities that enclosed up to fifty acres behind earthen walls, worked with copper and silver, made pipes carved in shapes of tropical animals, and created ceremonial and burial mounds.
The Shendo seem to have mysteriously and suddenly vanished, leaving no clues behind. They may have fallen victim to disease, been annihilated by tribes moving into the area, or moved to another place for reasons that only they knew.
Several tribes either lived in or used the valley as hunting grounds. Among them were the Shawnee, Iroquois, Huron, Moneton, Occoneechee, Monocan, Delaware, Catawba and Piscataway, but none laid permanent claim to the land. Tribal battles were also fought here, such as the when the Iroquois drove the Huron from the valley, possibly because they didn't want them on two sides of their territory.
Much of the area was originally claimed and owned by George Washington and his brother Charles, for whom Charles Town, WV was named.
The Shenandoah Valley encompasses or is close to many Civil War battlefields. Among them are some of the most famous, such as Manassas and Bull Run in VA, Harpers Ferry and Shepherdstown in WV, Antetiam (Sharpsburg) in MD and Gettysburg in PA.
Harpers Ferry is also famous as the place where the abolitionist John Brown led his historic raid in the arsenal to in 1859 to arm his militia and attempt to free the slaves. He was captured, tried and ultimately hung for treason in nearby Charles Town, WV.
The earliest inhabitants of the area were said to be the Shendo. It's unclear whether they were of Native American origin, or whether they migrated up from Central or South America. Reportedly they had a more highly organized society than the tribes that followed them. They built cities that enclosed up to fifty acres behind earthen walls, worked with copper and silver, made pipes carved in shapes of tropical animals, and created ceremonial and burial mounds.
The Shendo seem to have mysteriously and suddenly vanished, leaving no clues behind. They may have fallen victim to disease, been annihilated by tribes moving into the area, or moved to another place for reasons that only they knew.
Several tribes either lived in or used the valley as hunting grounds. Among them were the Shawnee, Iroquois, Huron, Moneton, Occoneechee, Monocan, Delaware, Catawba and Piscataway, but none laid permanent claim to the land. Tribal battles were also fought here, such as the when the Iroquois drove the Huron from the valley, possibly because they didn't want them on two sides of their territory.
Much of the area was originally claimed and owned by George Washington and his brother Charles, for whom Charles Town, WV was named.
The Shenandoah Valley encompasses or is close to many Civil War battlefields. Among them are some of the most famous, such as Manassas and Bull Run in VA, Harpers Ferry and Shepherdstown in WV, Antetiam (Sharpsburg) in MD and Gettysburg in PA.
Harpers Ferry is also famous as the place where the abolitionist John Brown led his historic raid in the arsenal to in 1859 to arm his militia and attempt to free the slaves. He was captured, tried and ultimately hung for treason in nearby Charles Town, WV.
