Shenandoah, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Shenandoah is a town in Page County
, Virginia
, United States
. The population was 1,878 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (5.71%) is water. The town is nestled between the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains
and the Massanutten Ridge in Page County. Shenandoah is 8 miles (12.9 km) west of Shenandoah National Park
and 25 miles (40.2 km) northeast of Harrisonburg
.
The Forrer brothers settled in the area to exploit the natural resources found in and around Shenandoah. The natural resources included extensive iron ore deposits, hardwood, high-grade limestone, and waterpower. The proximity to the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, was also a great benefit and was later used by the Forrer's to transport iron ore and other commodities produced by the Shenandoah Iron Works to broader markets down stream.
On February 20, 1838, the Forrer's established the first post office in Shenandoah under the name Shenandoah Iron Works with Henry Forrer being the postmaster. Development of the town ensued thereafter with houses, businesses, and industries developed astride of the Shenandoah River. The Shenandoah Iron Works, which was owned and operated by Daniel and Henry Forrer, was also located along the river banks. Ten houses were built facing the river in the Furnace Hollow section of town by a man named Mr. Pee Dee, hence, the name of this section of town today. Other historical structures were also built including Stephens Cottage, the South Fork House, Mt. Lebanon United Church at Comertown, and the Old Verbena Mill in Verbena, just south of town off Route 340.
The Town of Shenandoah played an instrumental role in the Civil War. Three iron ore furnaces around Shenandoah smelted raw iron into pig iron
. Unlike during the pre-war years when pig iron was shipped on flat boats on the Shenandoah River to Harpers Ferry
, during the war, the pig iron was shipped by wagon to Gordonsville
, and subsequently by rail to Richmond
for use at the Tredegar Iron Works
. In addition to the pig iron, cannon balls were manufactured at some of the local furnaces and shipped out, along with gun powder from a local gun powder plant, for use by the Confederacy.
After the Civil War, two men, William Milnes, Jr.
and Thomas Johns came to Shenandoah in 1866 and purchased 32000 acres (129.5 km²) including the Forrer's Shenandoah Iron Works. These men continued the iron works; however, they introduced modern tools and machinery that were patented in order to improve production.
One of the major distinctions of the Town of Shenandoah is its flood prone nature due to its close proximity to the Shenandoah River. Time and time again, the town has been ravaged with floods. With all of the major development of the time occurring in or near the flood plain area, it was only a matter of time before a major flood wiped out the entire town.
On September 28, and 29, 1870, the inevitable happened when flood waters decimated the entire developed portion of Shenandoah. Between 30 and 60 buildings were completely destroyed or washed away as the water of the South Fork of the Shenandoah River billowed its way through town.
Despite the wrath of the flood, William Milnes was able to take charge of the town and rebuild with relative ease. At the time of the flood, the entire country was experiencing prosperity due to an industrial boom. Milnes took this opportunity to spearhead the Shenandoah Valley Railroad, which would begin in Roanoke, Virginia and wind through the Shenandoah Valley to Hagerstown, Maryland. Milnes' persistence led to the Shenandoah Valley Railroad being built along with the installation of a telegraph line. The town is now rich in railroad history.
Through the work of William Milnes, Shenandoah became the midpoint between Roanoke, Virginia and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and enabled town industries to ship out their goods through means other than the river. Milnes took advantage of the railroad's presence and erected the Big Gem Cast Iron Furnace. The Big Gem was completed in 1882 and produced 110 tons of iron ore per day. It became a popular tourist destination as well because of the sparks that could be viewed each night as red hot cinder was poured down the cinder bank. The Big Gem literally lit up the entire town.
On June 27, 1882, the post office name was changed from Shenandoah Iron Works to Milnes in honor of William Milnes. The town also became incorporated on February 12, 1884 by an Act of the General Assembly. The town name was also changed to Milnes.
The railroad tracks that were built paralleled the river flood plain and Front Street, which is now modern day First Street. The area in and around Front Street became the town's commercial hub as business were constructed facing the rail yard. Front Street became a thriving "Main St. Community," as hundreds of people would come to the downtown to shop and watch the trains pass by. In 1957, however, Norfolk and Western Railroad closed its major maintenance and operations facilities along the Front Street corridor. Since this time, only a handful of businesses remain and buildings have deteriorated. The only thing that remains is the aura of the "good old days." In 1890, the town name was changed from Milnes to Shenandoah City by an Act of the General Assembly. Since this time, the town has parted with the City portion of the name.
The year of 1890 also was the year of another great "Boom" as Shenandoah experienced a period of rapid growth. The Shenandoah Land and Improvement Company bought land around town and surveyed the corporate limits. Streets were staked and a map of the town was produced. Many buildings were erected during this period of growth by the Shenandoah Land and Improvement Company. Most of the structures that were built by the Land and Improvement Company are no longer visible due to fires which are also a distinct feature of the town's history.
In 1907, the Big Gem Furnace discontinued operations and parts of the land were sold off. The Big Gem was dismantled in 1917 and the land passed ownership to the Lukens Steel Company
who has just recently donated the land to the town. The land, 68.4 acres (276,805.2 m²), may be the site of a proposed historical and outdoors recreational park named after the Big Gem Furnace
Since the railroad downgraded its facilities along First St. in 1957, the downtown has remained dormant. Most of the town's growth has occurred along the Route 340 corridor, which runs the entire length of Page County. Currently, the town has plans to revitalize Shenandoah, which like most other small, rural town's in America, suffered from the popularity of strip malls and the development of large shopping centers. The town would like to revive "Old Front Street," develop the Big Gem Furnace tract, and play on its rich railroad history and proximity to such popular tourist destinations as Luray Caverns, Massanutten Resort, and the Shenandoah National Park.
A second large fire struck the downtown area on March 27, 2007. Again, seven fire companies responded to the fire that went on for nearly ten hours. Three structures were destroyed and four were damaged.
After the fires, the town was resilient. It is the only town in Page County with wireless broadband. The Commonwealth
of Virginia gave the town numerous grants for the beautification of its once-destroyed Main Street (First Street) area.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 1,878 people, 764 households, and 541 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,419.0 people per square mile (549.3/km²). There were 812 housing units at an average density of 613.5 per square mile (237.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.81% White, 1.28% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.91% from other races
, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.54% of the population.
There were 764 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples
living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,929, and the median income for a family was $37,896. Males had a median income of $26,105 versus $20,833 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $16,030. About 9.0% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 17.7% of those age 65 or over.
Senator John James Allen Represented Virginia during the Civil War Era see US Congressional Biographies following seccession of West Virginia from Virginia became Judge in West Virginia
Page County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 23,177 people, 9,305 households, and 6,634 families residing in the county. The population density was 74 people per square mile . There were 10,557 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 1,878 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Shenandoah is located at 38°29′18"N 78°37′16"W (38.488225, -78.621217).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (5.71%) is water. The town is nestled between the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
and the Massanutten Ridge in Page County. Shenandoah is 8 miles (12.9 km) west of Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the U.S. state of Virginia. This national park is long and narrow, with the broad Shenandoah River and valley on the west side, and the rolling hills of the Virginia Piedmont on the east...
and 25 miles (40.2 km) northeast of Harrisonburg
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Harrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia in the United States. Its population as of 2010 is 48,914, and at the 2000 census, 40,468. Harrisonburg is the county seat of Rockingham County and the core city of the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical...
.
History
The town was founded in 1837 by two brothers, Daniel and Henry Forrer.The Forrer brothers settled in the area to exploit the natural resources found in and around Shenandoah. The natural resources included extensive iron ore deposits, hardwood, high-grade limestone, and waterpower. The proximity to the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, was also a great benefit and was later used by the Forrer's to transport iron ore and other commodities produced by the Shenandoah Iron Works to broader markets down stream.
On February 20, 1838, the Forrer's established the first post office in Shenandoah under the name Shenandoah Iron Works with Henry Forrer being the postmaster. Development of the town ensued thereafter with houses, businesses, and industries developed astride of the Shenandoah River. The Shenandoah Iron Works, which was owned and operated by Daniel and Henry Forrer, was also located along the river banks. Ten houses were built facing the river in the Furnace Hollow section of town by a man named Mr. Pee Dee, hence, the name of this section of town today. Other historical structures were also built including Stephens Cottage, the South Fork House, Mt. Lebanon United Church at Comertown, and the Old Verbena Mill in Verbena, just south of town off Route 340.
The Town of Shenandoah played an instrumental role in the Civil War. Three iron ore furnaces around Shenandoah smelted raw iron into pig iron
Pig iron
Pig iron is the intermediate product of smelting iron ore with a high-carbon fuel such as coke, usually with limestone as a flux. Charcoal and anthracite have also been used as fuel...
. Unlike during the pre-war years when pig iron was shipped on flat boats on the Shenandoah River to Harpers Ferry
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. In many books the town is called "Harper's Ferry" with an apostrophe....
, during the war, the pig iron was shipped by wagon to Gordonsville
Gordonsville, Virginia
Gordonsville is a town in Louisa and Orange counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 1,496 at the 2010 census.-History:Nathaniel Gordon purchased in 1787 and in 1794, or possibly earlier, applied for and was granted a license to operate a tavern...
, and subsequently by rail to Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
for use at the Tredegar Iron Works
Tredegar Iron Works
The Tredegar Iron Works was a historic iron foundry in Richmond, Virginia, United States of America, opened in 1837. During the American Civil War, the works served as the primary iron and artillery production facility of the Confederate States of America...
. In addition to the pig iron, cannon balls were manufactured at some of the local furnaces and shipped out, along with gun powder from a local gun powder plant, for use by the Confederacy.
After the Civil War, two men, William Milnes, Jr.
William Milnes, Jr.
William Milnes, Jr. was a nineteenth century congressman and industrialist from Virginia and Pennsylvania....
and Thomas Johns came to Shenandoah in 1866 and purchased 32000 acres (129.5 km²) including the Forrer's Shenandoah Iron Works. These men continued the iron works; however, they introduced modern tools and machinery that were patented in order to improve production.
One of the major distinctions of the Town of Shenandoah is its flood prone nature due to its close proximity to the Shenandoah River. Time and time again, the town has been ravaged with floods. With all of the major development of the time occurring in or near the flood plain area, it was only a matter of time before a major flood wiped out the entire town.
On September 28, and 29, 1870, the inevitable happened when flood waters decimated the entire developed portion of Shenandoah. Between 30 and 60 buildings were completely destroyed or washed away as the water of the South Fork of the Shenandoah River billowed its way through town.
Despite the wrath of the flood, William Milnes was able to take charge of the town and rebuild with relative ease. At the time of the flood, the entire country was experiencing prosperity due to an industrial boom. Milnes took this opportunity to spearhead the Shenandoah Valley Railroad, which would begin in Roanoke, Virginia and wind through the Shenandoah Valley to Hagerstown, Maryland. Milnes' persistence led to the Shenandoah Valley Railroad being built along with the installation of a telegraph line. The town is now rich in railroad history.
Through the work of William Milnes, Shenandoah became the midpoint between Roanoke, Virginia and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and enabled town industries to ship out their goods through means other than the river. Milnes took advantage of the railroad's presence and erected the Big Gem Cast Iron Furnace. The Big Gem was completed in 1882 and produced 110 tons of iron ore per day. It became a popular tourist destination as well because of the sparks that could be viewed each night as red hot cinder was poured down the cinder bank. The Big Gem literally lit up the entire town.
On June 27, 1882, the post office name was changed from Shenandoah Iron Works to Milnes in honor of William Milnes. The town also became incorporated on February 12, 1884 by an Act of the General Assembly. The town name was also changed to Milnes.
The railroad tracks that were built paralleled the river flood plain and Front Street, which is now modern day First Street. The area in and around Front Street became the town's commercial hub as business were constructed facing the rail yard. Front Street became a thriving "Main St. Community," as hundreds of people would come to the downtown to shop and watch the trains pass by. In 1957, however, Norfolk and Western Railroad closed its major maintenance and operations facilities along the Front Street corridor. Since this time, only a handful of businesses remain and buildings have deteriorated. The only thing that remains is the aura of the "good old days." In 1890, the town name was changed from Milnes to Shenandoah City by an Act of the General Assembly. Since this time, the town has parted with the City portion of the name.
The year of 1890 also was the year of another great "Boom" as Shenandoah experienced a period of rapid growth. The Shenandoah Land and Improvement Company bought land around town and surveyed the corporate limits. Streets were staked and a map of the town was produced. Many buildings were erected during this period of growth by the Shenandoah Land and Improvement Company. Most of the structures that were built by the Land and Improvement Company are no longer visible due to fires which are also a distinct feature of the town's history.
20th century
Between 1890 and 1907, a period of depression, swept through the entire country. This depression affected Shenandoah as businesses closed and went bankrupt. Others such as the luxurious town hotel, "The Shenandoah," were destroyed by a fire in 1891. Floods in 1896 washed away the river bridge and yet another fire destroyed the town bank.In 1907, the Big Gem Furnace discontinued operations and parts of the land were sold off. The Big Gem was dismantled in 1917 and the land passed ownership to the Lukens Steel Company
Lukens Steel Company
Lukens Steel Company is located in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Lukens is the oldest steel mill in commission within the United States. In 1995 it was one of the three largest producers of plate steel and the largest domestic manufacturer of alloy-plate. It is ranked fourth out of 24 public steel...
who has just recently donated the land to the town. The land, 68.4 acres (276,805.2 m²), may be the site of a proposed historical and outdoors recreational park named after the Big Gem Furnace
Since the railroad downgraded its facilities along First St. in 1957, the downtown has remained dormant. Most of the town's growth has occurred along the Route 340 corridor, which runs the entire length of Page County. Currently, the town has plans to revitalize Shenandoah, which like most other small, rural town's in America, suffered from the popularity of strip malls and the development of large shopping centers. The town would like to revive "Old Front Street," develop the Big Gem Furnace tract, and play on its rich railroad history and proximity to such popular tourist destinations as Luray Caverns, Massanutten Resort, and the Shenandoah National Park.
21st century
Shenandoah's downtown was hit by a massive fire on May 23, 2006. Two stores and one residential building were destroyed. The inferno raged for over 18 hours despite seven fire companies' efforts to battle the blaze.A second large fire struck the downtown area on March 27, 2007. Again, seven fire companies responded to the fire that went on for nearly ten hours. Three structures were destroyed and four were damaged.
After the fires, the town was resilient. It is the only town in Page County with wireless broadband. The Commonwealth
Commonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
of Virginia gave the town numerous grants for the beautification of its once-destroyed Main Street (First Street) area.
As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,878 people, 764 households, and 541 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,419.0 people per square mile (549.3/km²). There were 812 housing units at an average density of 613.5 per square mile (237.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.81% White, 1.28% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.91% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.54% of the population.
There were 764 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,929, and the median income for a family was $37,896. Males had a median income of $26,105 versus $20,833 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $16,030. About 9.0% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 17.7% of those age 65 or over.
Notable natives and residents
- Wayne ComerWayne ComerHarry Wayne Comer is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder.Comer was originally signed in 1962 by the Washington Senators as an amateur free agent and then traded on March 23, 1963 to the Detroit Tigers for Bobo Osborne. Comer played the 1967 and 1968 seasons as a backup player for...
(3 February 1944 – ) is a former Major League Baseball player. - William Milnes, Jr.William Milnes, Jr.William Milnes, Jr. was a nineteenth century congressman and industrialist from Virginia and Pennsylvania....
(8 December 1827 – 14 August 1889) was a nineteenth century congressman and industrialist from Virginia and Pennsylvania. - Kenneth R. PlumKenneth R. PlumKenneth Ray "Ken" Plum is a Democratic member of the Virginia House of Delegates, representing the 36th District since 1982. He earlier served from 1978 through 1980. His district includes a large part of Fairfax County, including the entirety of the town of Reston.Plum was selected as chair of...
(3 November 1941 – ) is a Democrat in the Virginia House of Delegates. - Richard KarnRichard KarnRichard Karn is an American actor and game show host. He is most well known for his co-starring role as Al Borland in the 1990s sitcom Home Improvement and his tenure as the host of Family Feud during the 2000s.-Early life:...
(17 February 1956 - ) is a resident and actor best known for his role as Al Borland on American television sitcom Home ImprovementHome ImprovementHome Improvement is an American television sitcom starring Tim Allen, that aired from September 17, 1991 to May 25, 1999. The show was created by Matt Williams, Carmen Finestra and David McFadzean. In the 1990s, it was one of the most watched sitcoms in the American market, winning many awards...
.
Senator John James Allen Represented Virginia during the Civil War Era see US Congressional Biographies following seccession of West Virginia from Virginia became Judge in West Virginia