Shenandoah Valley, near Martinsburg, WV, and northwestern Maryland ?

John Winn

Lt. Colonel
Joined
Mar 13, 2014
Location
State of Jefferson
I'm really trying to amend our original vacation plans to Richmond and Charlottesville so as to be able to attend the CWT get-together in Gettysburg next September. However, Gettysburg is a long ways from our original target areas so in order to make Gettysburg I need to now fashion the trip around things to see on the way from Charlottesville and then from Gettysburg to Washington, DC.

So, I'm thinking make a big circle by driving up the Shenandoah Valley from Charlottesville, cross over a wee bit of West Virginia on the road through Martinsburg (stopping there a bit as I have family history there), going to Gettysburg, then driving down through northern Maryland to get to Washington, DC where we will end the trip and get on the big silver bird.

What I want to know is: what is there of interest other than just scenery in the Shenandoah, around Martinsburg, and in northern Maryland on the way down to Washington from Gettysburg. If any of y'all live in those areas or are familiar with them I'd appreciate any recommendations as to what we might see along those routes. It doesn't have to be historical but that's a preference. We just don't want to have to deadhead it to anywhere and spend a lot of time just driving from point A to B. Surely there must be more than scenery ?

Please help. I'm old.

Thanks.
 
What I want to know is: what is there of interest other than just scenery in the Shenandoah, around Martinsburg, and in northern Maryland on the way down to Washington from Gettysburg.

There's tons and that's the short answer. You could visit Harper's Ferry, WV and the Antietam National Battlefield Park on your way to Gettysburg. If you're driving straight from there back to DC, you'll pass the Monocacy Battlefield along the way. Stop and take a picture for us.
 
Harpers Ferry? (but that would actually take you into Frederick and then up and I suspect that you want to stay on 81)

The Old Courthouse Civil War Museum in Winchester, VA (right on 81) is pretty interesting. Winchesterians claim that the town changed ownership 70 times between Union and Confederacy in the War. Was both a hospital and a prison, so it is well worthwhile the admission fee and the stop. And it is about half an hour S of Martinsburg

Martinsburg to Gettysburg is one hour or so with nothing interesting, but I would avoid 70 like the plague and go 81 to Chambersburg and then take a right to Gettysburg (via Lincoln Hwy aka 30 aka Chambersburg Pike) like the Confederates did. 70 is a pain. Legacy has it that there is a Casino in the Martinsburg area if you are into that; I have no idea about its location.
 
Harpers Ferry? (but that would actually take you into Frederick and then up and I suspect that you want to stay on 81)

The Old Courthouse Civil War Museum in Winchester, VA (right on 81) is pretty interesting. Winchesterians claim that the town changed ownership 70 times between Union and Confederacy in the War. Was both a hospital and a prison, so it is well worthwhile the admission fee and the stop. And it is about half an hour S of Martinsburg

Martinsburg to Gettysburg is one hour or so with nothing interesting, but I would avoid 70 like the plague and go 81 to Chambersburg and then take a right to Gettysburg (via Lincoln Hwy aka 30 aka Chambersburg Pike) like the Confederates did. 70 is a pain. Legacy has it that there is a Casino in the Martinsburg area if you are into that; I have no idea about its location.

Thanks a bunch. We'd be going through Frederick on the way from Gettysburg to Washington so a little side trip to Harpers Ferry looks like a good plan. Wouldn't want to miss that.
 
Thanks a bunch. We'd be going through Frederick on the way from Gettysburg to Washington so a little side trip to Harpers Ferry looks like a good plan. Wouldn't want to miss that.

That's a good choice. And if you are going down back that way, there might be another thing to do: if you are into wine, there are several small very good wineries in the VA side of the Shenandoah Valley that offer tastings. I know that these days is a major PITA to get wine into an airplane, but even the tastings might be worthwhile
 
That's a good choice. And if you are going down back that way, there might be another thing to do: if you are into wine, there are several small very good wineries in the VA side of the Shenandoah Valley that offer tastings. I know that these days is a major PITA to get wine into an airplane, but even the tastings might be worthwhile

You said one of the magic words: wine. I'll look into that. I live in a major wine region and am, admittedly, a wino. That could work nicely.
 
Harpers Ferry? (but that would actually take you into Frederick and then up and I suspect that you want to stay on 81)

The Old Courthouse Civil War Museum in Winchester, VA (right on 81) is pretty interesting. Winchesterians claim that the town changed ownership 70 times between Union and Confederacy in the War. Was both a hospital and a prison, so it is well worthwhile the admission fee and the stop. And it is about half an hour S of Martinsburg

Martinsburg to Gettysburg is one hour or so with nothing interesting, but I would avoid 70 like the plague and go 81 to Chambersburg and then take a right to Gettysburg (via Lincoln Hwy aka 30 aka Chambersburg Pike) like the Confederates did. 70 is a pain. Legacy has it that there is a Casino in the Martinsburg area if you are into that; I have no idea about its location.

The casino is in Charles Town, WV close to both Martinsburg (got off the train there once on my way do to Gettysburg, Antietam and Harpers Ferry...nothing much to see) and Sharpsburg.
 
John,

I would travel westbound on I-64 from Charlottesville to northbound on US 340 to the Cross Keys/Port Republic battlefields. Then travel north on US 340 or I-81 towards the New Market Battlefield. From New Market, travel northeast towards the Cedar Creek Battlefield and the Winchester - Kernstown sites. From Winchester, you can travel towards Harper's Ferry, Antietam, Monocacy and Gettysburg. Awesome areas for the ACW history buffs!!!

Bill
 
Gettysburg to DC will take you right down US Route 15 and through Frederick MD where Monocacy National Battlefield and the Museum of Civil War Medicine are. Downtown Frederick is where the museum is and there are many good restaurants there. It is also where the only known photo of the Confederate Army on the march was taken, right smack downtown.
 
The Shenandoah Valley is lovely, but more important, every square inch of it is full of history! You could also detour up to the Blue Ridge Parkway through Shenandoah National Park. I haven't been there since the late 1960s, but at that time every scenic turnout on the Parkway had a sign about Stonewall Jackson, who evidently was all over the place!

I may do this after the CWT gathering--at least as far south as Lexington--visiting battlefields and other sites (maybe leave an apple for Traveller?), and returning via the Blue Ridge (or the other way around depending on weather). I probably will need to fill in the week, flying out to my son's place in Ohio on the Friday after the CWT festivities.

Googling "Shenandoah Valley Civil War" brought up a bunch of interesting websites that I haven't yet explored.
 
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Gettysburg to DC will take you right down US Route 15 and through Frederick MD where Monocacy National Battlefield and the Museum of Civil War Medicine are. Downtown Frederick is where the museum is and there are many good restaurants there. It is also where the only known photo of the Confederate Army on the march was taken, right smack downtown.

If you are interested in fine dining in Frederick, check out Volt. I still dream of the venison from my visit last April. http://www.voltrestaurant.com
 
If you want to also consider things a little different for variety, consider touring one of the many commercial caverns in the area. Endless Caverns in New Market is nice and many others - Luray, Skyline in Front Royal, etc. A couple of hours with a different sort of scenery can be invigorating.

To really do something else, take a half day and kayak or tube down the Shenandoah River. Several outfitters who can set you up if that appeals on a fine day.

Just get off the interstate and stop at any (all) interesting looking historical markers.
 
If you are travelling up I-81 through Martinsburg WV, further north will take you to the doorstep of Hagerstown, MD, which Antietam is 10 minutes from.

You could then head West on I-70 to Frederick, of which there are some CW historical places to visit, and then head north to Gettysburg.
 
Thanks a bunch everybody ! With the tips I've got so far the trip is starting to come together and I'll be able to see lots of interesting things and places without having to do any real deadhead driving just to get from point A to point B.

Keep 'em coming if ya got 'em.
 

Thank you so much for looking up all those threads. I've not had good luck using the search function and didn't know exactly what to look for (a bit chicken and egg). I'm working my way through them all.

Thanks in part to all who posted I've pretty much got my trip lined out now and it'll be action packed.

We start with four days in Richmond which will allow for Tredegar, Chimborazo, Cold Harbor, three cemeteries, and some family shrines. Then overnight in Fredericksburg to see the town and the battlefield. Leaving Fredericksburg we'll see Chancellorsville and the Wilderness and then Montpelier on the way to Charlottesville. Four nights in Charlottesville to see more family shrines and the standard tourist stuff. Then we drive over to Lexington and see the chapel and the cemetery and then drive up the valley to end up in Winchester, stopping at a winery or maybe a caverns along the way. The next day we drive over to Harpers Ferry and then up to Antietam and spend the night in Shepherdstown, WV. The next morning we take some back roads up to Gettysburg. After four days in Gettysburg and the CWT get-together we head down to Alexandria, stopping in Frederick along the way to see the museum of CW medicine. Then four days in Alexandria to see old town, the Smithsonian, the White House, and the National Zoo. Then get on the big silver bird and head home.

No long driving days and something really good every day.
 
Thank you so much for looking up all those threads. I've not had good luck using the search function and didn't know exactly what to look for (a bit chicken and egg). I'm working my way through them all.

Thanks in part to all who posted I've pretty much got my trip lined out now and it'll be action packed.

We start with four days in Richmond which will allow for Tredegar, Chimborazo, Cold Harbor, three cemeteries, and some family shrines. Then overnight in Fredericksburg to see the town and the battlefield. Leaving Fredericksburg we'll see Chancellorsville and the Wilderness and then Montpelier on the way to Charlottesville. Four nights in Charlottesville to see more family shrines and the standard tourist stuff. Then we drive over to Lexington and see the chapel and the cemetery and then drive up the valley to end up in Winchester, stopping at a winery or maybe a caverns along the way. The next day we drive over to Harpers Ferry and then up to Antietam and spend the night in Shepherdstown, WV. The next morning we take some back roads up to Gettysburg. After four days in Gettysburg and the CWT get-together we head down to Alexandria, stopping in Frederick along the way to see the museum of CW medicine. Then four days in Alexandria to see old town, the Smithsonian, the White House, and the National Zoo. Then get on the big silver bird and head home.

No long driving days and something really good every day.

I only hope they prove at least a little helpful in making your decisions; it sounds like you're going to be periliously close to Culpeper, so here are a couple more threads relating to that particular area:

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/stonewall-jackson-at-the-battle-of-cedar-mountain.116559/
http://civilwartalk.com/threads/the-battle-of-brandy-station-june-9-1863.114305/

In Shepherdstown there's a wonderful (if relatively expensive) motel/restaurant called The Bavarian Inn located right on the Potomac with a view of the Maryland shore opposite; we ate there on the patio, and I highly recommend it!
 
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