Shenandoah Valley and the Blue Ridge Mountains with Round Hill from White Hill Rd in Snow HDR by Greg Reed 54 Augusta County History By the early 1700s, the population along the eastern seaboard of America was growing steadily, so it was no surprise when people began casting their eyes westward -- to the backcountry as it was then called. The western frontier at the time was the Shenandoah Valley, territory that had hardly been explored by European settlers. In the 1720s immigrants were technically settling in Orange County, which today is east of the Blue Ridge. As the numbers of settlers increased, it became apparent to legislators that new counties needed to be formed. On Nov. 1, 1738 an act was passed that carved two Shenandoah Valley counties out of Orange. They were Frederick, named for the Prince of Wales, and Augusta, named for the Princess of Wales. The description of Augusta included the phrase "to the utmost limits of Virginia." At that time the British Crown claimed all the territory to the Mississippi so that meant Augusta stretched to that river. Technically, of course, there were very few English settlers in the far reaches of Augusta. The territory of Augusta eventually had seven states carved from it: West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and part of Pennsylvania. For the first seven years of Augusta county’s existence, residents had to conduct business in Orange County which was quite a hindrance. Once the Augusta population increased enough, however, a courthouse was established in 1745 at Beverley’s Mill Place, which is present day, Staunton. From the beginning Staunton has been the county seat of Augusta. County officials had to be elected and an Anglican minister and vestry had to be chosen before the government was operating smoothly. John Lewis who is given the title of first European settler in the Staunton area. Before the century closed, the county fathers created a seal, which can be seen today over the doorway at the Verona government center, and had written a county motto: Nec debunt quamvis redeant in aurum Tempora priscum. The motto is a reference to Emperor Augustus and his golden age of simplicity and happiness. Roughly translated, it means "Let the ages return to the first golden period." The establishment of Bath County in 1790 left Augusta at its present size of 968 square miles, the second largest county in Virginia after Pittsylvania. -Nancy Sorrells Source: www.co.augusta.va.us/visitors/history Shenandoah Valley History of the Shenandoah Valley The beautiful and historic Shenandoah Valley is part of the Great Valley, a large region that stretches from New York to Alabama. In western Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley lies between the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east, the Allegheny Mountains to the west, the Potomac River to the north, and the Roanoke Valley to the south. Native American groups lived in and traversed the Valley for nearly 11,000 years before Europeans penetrated the mountain ranges in the 17th century. While a Jesuit priest is believed to have journeyed to the area in 1632, the man credited with first exploring the Valley was John Lederer, a German medical practitioner who visited in 1669. He left detailed records and crude maps. Additional early explorers included John Batts, Robert Fallam, and Virginia Governor Alexander Spotswood. Permanent settlement began in the 1730s as German and Scotch-Irish immigrants from Pennsylvania began to arrive, attracted by the Valley’s fertile land. Many of the early settlers were Quakers who had good relations with the Indians. The Virginia government encouraged settlement on the western frontier to provide a buffer against the potential threat of Indians friendly with the French who were pushing south from Canada into the Ohio Valley. The Indian raids during the French and Indian War (1754-1763) marked the last major presence of Native Americans in the Valley. The Warriors Path long used to traverse the Valley is today known as Route 11, part of which was surveyed by George Washington. Along this historic Valley route (also referred to as The Wilderness Road: Virginia’s Heritage Migration Route) passed giants of their day: frontiersman Daniel Boone and future presidents Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and Jackson. Along the route, the patriotic priest John Peter Muhlenburg preached revolution and helped form the Eighth Virginia Regiment of Continentals, made up of Valley soldiers. The Shenandoah Valley offers an unmatched perspective of the American Civil War, as soldiers who wore blue clashed with those in gray under the leadership of Jackson, Early, Gordon, Sheridan, Banks and Custer. The result? More than 325 military engagements, 14 battles, 3 years of bloody campaigning…and almost 4000 souls who never returned home. Thanks to its unique geography and agricultural abundance, the Shenandoah Valley was critical to both sides during the Civil War—indeed, numerous military campaigns were waged here. Because much of the landscape remains unchanged, modern visitors can retrace the steps of Stonewall Jackson’s 1862 Valley Campaign, Lee’s invasion north in what would be the Gettysburg Campaign, and the campaigns of 1864 including Philip Sheridan’s Shenandoah Campaign. With its broad, sweeping campaigns, its effect on the civilian population, and above all, the accounts of the soldiers and officers who fought its battles, the Valley is a significant part of the Civil War story. Today, the Shenandoah Valley remains a vibrant, historic region especially touched by nature. Its postcard-like scenery, rich history, incomparable natural resources, outstanding recreational opportunities, fertile fields, and friendly people beckon tens of thousands of travelers who visit the region each year. Source: www.visitshenandoah.org/about-us/ https://flic.kr/p/EVXw2D
