Shenandoah Valley - some questions

[ribruijn]

A business trip puts me on Friday evening, April 12 in Roanoke, VA. I need to be in Allentown, PA on Monday evening, April 15.
Now, I have been to everything around Richmond, Petersburg, Washington and Maryland/Pennsylvania but to be honest - never really out to the West in the Shenandoah Valley. Only to Harpers Ferry on the far North side. So I was thinking to head up North in those 3 days, and likely end up on Sunday evening/Monday morning in Gettysburg - because that never gets boring. Would you have any hints on must see and possibly where to pick my 2 hotel nights? I have obviously been browsing and reading, so would the following rough route makes sense?

Roanoke - Appomattox (also have never been there) - Lexington (see the many things mentioned there) and then further up to Winchester through Cross Keys, Port Republic, New Market and Cedar Creek? I think that would make sense but where to plan my hotel(s)? I have no idea how much time this would take… BTW if time left, also Culpeper and Remington battlefields I have not visited yet.

As always, appreciate feedback!

 

[DorwinBlack]

Hanging Rock Battlefield monument and trail is in Salem which is nearby Roanoke:

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/virginia/hanging-rock-battlefield-trail/photos

 

[Bruce Vail]

Can't go wrong with Lexington VA, just about an hours' drive up the highway from Roanoke.

 

[ribruijn]

Yes, I found and read many Shenandoah threads. Timing is my big unknown - how much can I do in 2 days?

 

[BCS1973]

I'm thinking your shot up 81 from past Lexington to Winchester can be accomplished in a single day. Cross Keys and Port Republic areas are pretty small. There is a little winery near Cross Keys that is nice called Cross Keys Vineyards. New Market is bigger, but still not very large and it is literally on 81. Culpepper and Remington are a little out of the way from there and maybe better seen if you're going to trek from there across the Wilderness to Fredericksburg sometime. That said, Culpepper to Gettysburg is a little over a 2 hour drive up US 522 and US 15, if you were to go that way.

 

[DorwinBlack]

It depends what you are looking to do. The drive up I-81 is through very rural area. As far as CW museums, there's not a whole lot between Roanoke and Winchester (outside of Lexington and New Market). I think there is battlefield park near Fisher's Hill, though you would not know it from driving along I-81... it is not marked with any sign as I recall. Might be a good place for a walk around to stretch your legs, there might be some historical markers and such to provide a bit of historical context.

I think there might be more CW related sites in the vicinity of Winchester which is about three hours from Roanoke on I-81. That might be a good place to stop the first night.

 

[BCS1973]

Also, while not necessarily CW related, the National Museum of Industrial History is located in Bethlehem, PA in part of the old Steel Mill. If you're into that sort of thing, it's a very short trek from Allentown.

Home - National Museum of Industrial History

 

[JeffBrooks]

I think there might be more CW related sites in the vicinity of Winchester which is about three hours from Roanoke on I-81.

Definitely. It's been ten years since I was there, but you have the Cedar Creek Battlefield, the Kernstown Battlefield, and the Winchester Battlefield, as well as the Jackson HQ Museum. It's dreamland for people interested in the Civil War.

Also some nice restaurants in the middle of town. I found a nice bar/pub place and ate there every night for my three-day stay, though for the life of me I can't remember the name.

 

[ribruijn]

Will find a hotel in Winchester. Thank you all for your guidance. For sure there is a lot to see there, so I could continue on Sunday where I left the day before

 

[W Charles Young]

Tons of information here:

Visiting the Shenandoah Valley — Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District

Visit the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and discover it's rich Civil War history at battlefields, museums, historic sites, and much more.

www.shenandoahatwar.org

 

[Bruce Vail]

Battle of Fisher's Hill (Union victory) park is right under Interstate 81. Not highly developed but has some great scenic features for a sunny spring day --

Visit the Fisher's Hill Battlefield — Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District

www.shenandoahatwar.org

 

[Jamieva]

Driving up from Roanoke you can do Lexington, port republic, cross keys and new market in one day if you move judiciously.

 

[bdtex]

Would you have any hints on must see and possibly where to pick my 2 hotel nights? I have obviously been browsing and reading, so would the following rough route makes sense?

Roanoke - Appomattox (also have never been there) - Lexington (see the many things mentioned there) and then further up to Winchester through Cross Keys, Port Republic, New Market and Cedar Creek? I think that would make sense but where to plan my hotel(s)? I have no idea how much time this would take… BTW if time left, also Culpeper and Remington battlefields I have not visited yet.

As always, appreciate feedback!

You might browse through this thread. As a group, we did Winchester, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek and New Market in 2.5 days.

We're Going Live from Winchester: the official 2023 CWT Muster | Traveler's Companion - Visit Historic Sites

Kickoff get-together in the War Room. Nicholas Picerno, chairman emeritus of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.

civilwartalk.com

 

[LCYingling3rd]

@ribruijn

We just had our CivilWarTalk "Fall Muster" in the Shenandoah Valley this past October. I had an absolutely wonderful experience and there is much to see in the Winchester area alone. Therefore, I agree with your idea of driving north up I-81 direct to Winchester and getting a hotel. The link @bdtex left you this morning tells all about the Muster, including the centrally located hotel we used, and the link @W Charles Young left for you yesterday is excellent because the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation (SVBF) has preserved and interpreted so much in the Shenandoah Valley and you can focus your touring using their website.

Two excellent museums in Winchester would be the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation's own Court House Museum in historic "Old Town" Winchester (I think a must-see museum) and the Stonewall Jackson Headquarters Museum in Winchester. (which has the most Jackson artifacts anywhere! and other excellent artifacts!)

Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum — Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District

www.shenandoahatwar.org

Stonewall Jackson’s Headquarters | Winchester Frederick County Historical Society

www.winchesterhistory.org

In and around Winchester the SVBF has preserved and interpreted a large portion of the September 19, 1864 Third Battle of Winchester battlefield which can be accessed and hiked. I would imagine you can get directions and maps at the Court House Museum. They have also preserved and interpreted the "Star Fort" on the west side of town. We did not make it there during our Muster, however, I have been there and it is quite well preserved and fascinating to see. (it is right in a suburban development - but well preserved)

In addition to Winchester, much of the October 19, 1864 Cedar Creek battlefield site has been preserved by SVBF and other local preservation groups. It is literally only 10-15 minutes away, south on either I-81 or Rt. 11 to Middletown, VA. There is a National Park Service Headquarters in a tiny strip mall in the village of Middletown itself and the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation (CCBF) has it's little Headquarters/Museum just south of Middletown on Rt 11 across from the heart of the battlefield, and the historic Belle Grove plantation (run by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and well worth seeing) There is a good driving tour book for the Cedar Creek battlefield. The CCBF was able to preserve some of the Union 19th Corps trenches which are worth seeing as well.

There is also the famous "Stonewall" Confederate cemetery in Winchester which has the graves of over two thousand Confederates - buried by State - and some famous graves like those of Turner Ashby and his brother and George Patton and his brother (the famous WWII general's grandfather and great uncle).

And....like some have noted, the Fisher's Hill battlefield site has also been preserved and interpreted very well by the SVBF and that is just below Strasburg, VA, maybe another 10-15 minutes below Cedar Creek.

So, there is a ton of excellent ACW history around the Winchester area! I didn't even get into the 1st and 2nd battles of Winchester or the Kernstown battles. All in and around Winchester. Front Royal is not far. But you'll have to pick and choose! LOL

Enjoy!

 

[stu613]

You might browse through this thread. As a group, we did Winchester, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek and New Market in 2.5 days.

We're Going Live from Winchester: the official 2023 CWT Muster | Traveler's Companion - Visit Historic Sites

Kickoff get-together in the War Room. Nicholas Picerno, chairman emeritus of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.

civilwartalk.com

Thanks for re-posting, brought back a lot of great memories. So sad it looks like it wont happen this year, will miss seeing everyone.

 

[gjpratt]

Thanks for re-posting, brought back a lot of great memories. So sad it looks like it wont happen this year, will miss seeing everyone.

Paging @Diane123 for update?

 

[ribruijn]

Dear all, indeed my travel schedule had me arrive in Roanoke an hour ago. Will drive tomorrow via Lexington up to the 81 to Winchester, probably with some small stops here and there. Sunday is undecided, let's see how much time I need. In the evening, booked a hotel in Gettysburg to spend Monday there…

Thank you for all your suggestion, especially @LCYingling3rd for his very detailed reply. Will be 3 fun days with beautiful weather forecasted!

 

[Randoke77]

You might browse through this thread. As a group, we did Winchester, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek and New Market in 2.5 days.

We're Going Live from Winchester: the official 2023 CWT Muster | Traveler's Companion - Visit Historic Sites

Kickoff get-together in the War Room. Nicholas Picerno, chairman emeritus of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.

civilwartalk.com

This is excellent. As a fellow Texan thank you. I'll be in the area in June for a couple before heading up to Gettysburg and this looks like a good place for some ideas.

 

[Bryce]

Tell us how your trip went

 

[frontrank2]

There's a nice Days Inn at New Market.