Museum of the Shenandoah Valley

Our History

Shenandoah Valley History

The Shenandoah Valley is known for the pastoral scenes that dot its landscape. Here, cows graze in a field west of Meems Bottom and the scenic covered bridge of Shenandoah County. Photo: Tim Ivy, Two Rivers.

 

Pictured In Text

The beautiful Shenandoah River is one of the most recognized waterways in the country. This photo shows the Shenandoah's South Fork at Front Royal in Warren County, Virginia. Photo: Tim Ivy, Two Rivers.
 

Note

The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley tells the stories of ten counties that stretch from the Potomac River in the north to Natural Bridge in the south.

 

Quickfact

The Valley floor is higher in the south than in the north. That's the reason the Shenandoah River flows northward into the Potomac River.

The beautiful 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. Indians lived here as long as thirteen thousand years ago. By the 1700s, most Indians had left the Valley, and people from Europe, Africa, and other countries started settling in the region, attracted by the Valley’s fertile land. Today the land’s agricultural bounty continues to sustain those who live here and beyond. The land’s beauty also continues to attract; thousands of tourists travel to the Valley every year to enjoy its breathtaking scenery and many natural resources.

The view from Afton Mountain, looking toward Augusta County. Photo: Tim Ivy, Two Rivers.