southern blue
Sergeant
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2014
- Location
- Virginia
Built by Bushrod Taylor in 1848 on the site of a previous establishment. General “Stonewall” Jackson used the building as his first headquarters in the fall of 1861 while commander of the Valley District. Following the First Battle of Kernstown in March, 1862 and the Third Battle of Winchester in September of 1864, the hotel was one of many buildings crowded with wounded. (visit Winchesterva.com) According to the notes I have this above sketch is of the 2nd Mississippi on their way to Bunker Hill.
Armies of both sides were constantly going up and down this street and not just marching. There were actual skirmishes fought there. After Antietam wounded soldiers were not just in buildings...they were laid out in the streets, up against the curbs so that it was hardly possible to walk outside. The streets were literally filled with wounded soldiers.
People like to think that General Jackson's daughter was conceived here...and General Turner Ashby received his General Star in the lobby of this hotel one week before he was killed in action nearby Harrisonburg VA.
Kunstler and John Paul Strain have both featured it in their period artwork.
http://mortkunstler.com/product_images/920_2.jpg
http://www.johnpaulstrain.com/art/christmas-moon.htm
This was taken a few years after the war. I'm not sure what the rubble in the street was...it may or may not be left over war damage. This picture was used in the Ken Burns Civil War documentary.
There is a scene from Gods and Generals showing the 'hotel'.
Over the years they 'tinkered' with the building. At one point they took the columns down and had a store on the first floor. I remember it was a McCorys and we did some of our Christmas shopping there. It didn't look like the recognizable Civil war landmark. It didn't look like much of anything to be honest. It sat vacant for a long time and then then the middle section collapsed completely in 2007.
I don't know where the top picture came from. I believe the bottom one is from the Winchester Star. There was talk that the hotel was to be razed completely. Another CW landmark would be gone forever.
However through a lot of petitioning and community effort the Hotel was restored.
Its now a restaurant. The Cajun Experience. They seem to re-purpose a lot of these historical buildings in Winchester but I suppose its better than tearing them down. Its located on the Loudon Street Mall aka as 'The Walking Mall'. You can't miss it.
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