Northern Shenandoah Valley

[elektratig]

Next week my wife and I will be driving through the northern Shenandoah Valley - basically the Winchester Front Royal area - and are planning to spend an afternoon in the area. What should we see? Thanks in advance.

 

[brass napoleon]

There's the Fisher's Hill battlefield and the Cedar Creek battlefield on Route 11. The last time I was at Cedar Creek, the battlefield itself wasn't accessible, but they do have a Visitors Center (which was closed at the time). The Fisher's Hill battlefield has a self-guided walking tour (about 1/2 hour). Here's some info on Fisher's Hill:

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM12FC_Fishers_Hill_Battlefield

There's also Skyline Drive, which starts at Front Royal and heads south along the Blue Ridge Mountains through the Shenandoah National Park. Spectacular vistas from up there!

Plenty more to be seen in the area too, but that's all I know enough about to mention.

 

[brass napoleon]

Oh, and there's also Stonewall Jackson's headquarters in Winchester, now a museum. I've only driven by it, but according to Nathanb1 they have some interesting stuff inside:

http://civilwartalk.com/forums/show...kson-artifacts&p=171626&viewfull=1#post171626

 

[elfdream]

You should check out the Third Battle of Winchester. Nice walking trails. There is also a Civil War museum in the Old Courthouse on the downtown walking Mall in Winchester. George Washington's Headquarters is in Winchester as well.

If you travel 'up the valley' (which is traveling south to us natives) take US 11 instead of 81 down to Fisher's Hill. You will be following the route that the troops of the different armies used when they fought at Cedar Creek and Fisher's Hill. There are historical markers all along the way. You might want to stop and visit Belle Grove Plantation which is next to Cedar Creek. Its usually open.

 

[brass napoleon]

If you travel 'up the valley' (which is traveling south to us natives) take US 11 instead of 81 down to Fisher's Hill.

Wouldn't that be up to Fisher's Hill?

 

[KLSDAD]

Harper's Ferry if you've never been there.

 

[prroh]

The Shenandoah River flows from south to north so if are going north you are traveling downstreamwith the valley. People have the same trouble with the Nile, another south to north river. I guess the confusion comes from looking at a map where north is up at the top of the map and south down at the bottom.