History

Those Markers We See So Often

They Sometimes Blend Into The Background

What are they all about, where are they located throughout our County, and what the heck do they say?
Shucks, you never have time to read them when you're driving by.

We reckon the best way to describe the the markers would be to borrow the wording from the
West Virginia Division of Culture and History's website:

Our County's Stories in 1000 minutes via YouTube

Introduction

The following material was originally contained in the Jefferson County School News Vol. 2, No. 7 dated April 1976 and graciously provided by its Editor, Mary Stocks.
In 1976 Jefferson County School News was a monthly publication sponsored by the Board of Education as a public service to Jefferson County residents.

Superintendent - Harold L. Pickens
President of the Board - Richard Neal
Editor - Mary Stocks
Special thanks to the following people who so willingly supplied information to the editor of this paper for this special publication:



Mrs. Beverly Huyett, Mrs. Norval Johnson, Mr. James Ernest Watson, Mr. and Mrs. James Grantham,
Mrs. Margaret Kilmer, Mrs. Caroline Wesco, Mrs. Virginia Burns, Mrs. Holmes White, Mrs. Nancy Sardone, Mr. Lyle Tabb, Mr. James Snyder, Miss Edna Farnsworth, Mrs. Gertrude Rowland, Mr. Charles Whittington, Miss Shirley Macoughtry, Mrs. Margaret Banks, Mrs. Georgia Timbers, Mrs. James Locke, Mrs. Louise Bradley, Mrs. James Strider, Mrs. Carrie Strider Lynn, Mrs. Marianna Smallwood, Mr. Howard Bush, Mrs. Doris Moten, Mrs. W. L. Barron, Mrs. C. H. Hamilton, Mrs. Edna Pifer.

Jefferson County Public Schools
Kabletown/Middleway District School History
1860's-1933

KABLETOWN SCHOOLS

Kabletown School - 1885

The Shannondale Iron Furnace
Near the Horseshoe Bend of the Shenandoah River

A Very Brief History

In the early 1700's, William Fairfax became the owner of 29,000 acres of the Virginia Colony. The land was referred to as Shannondale. Early in the area's history it became known that copious deposits of a superior grade of iron ore were present and readily available. That fact, in conjunction with the presence of the area's convenient proximity to two rivers made the area highly desirable for iron

Introduction

Jefferson County's First Hospital
Note from the editors:
The article comes from the sesquicentennial issue of the Jefferson Republican, dated September 20th 1951. we reproduced it verbatim with the addition of a couple of extra photos. We'll include a blurb at the close of the article about where you can get more information. As is our custom, we're simply offering this as a way to get you interested in local history. We'd surely appreciate any additional material. You know how to get in touch.


Standing As A Tribute To A Venture Of Faith Is Charles Town General Hospital

The following material was originally contained in the Jefferson County School News Vol. 2, No. 5 dated February 1976 and graciously provided by its Editor, Mary Stocks.
In 1976 Jefferson County School News was a monthly publication sponsored by the Board of Education as a public service to Jefferson County residents.

Superintendent - Harold L. Pickens
President of the Board - Richard Neal
Editor - Mary Stocks

Special thanks to the following people who so willingly supplied information to the editor of this paper for this special publication.
T. A. Lowery, Lewis Nichols, Betty Kidwiler, Edith Bragg, Mrs. W.P. Fleming, Mrs. Brian Houser, Mrs. Lester Moler, Mrs. William Hoak, Mrs Mae Ramey, 0scar Jones

Jefferson County Public Schools
Harpers Ferry District School History
1889-1933

Prior to 1889

From the Jefferson County Sesquicentennial issue of the Jefferson Republican 9/20/1951


"The Bloomery" As Washington Saw It

From the Pages of History
A Short History of Blue Ridge Acres, West Virginia
by Ruby Browning
Reprinted with the Permission of the Author


The Former Sales Office (Now Clubhouse)

The Methodist Churches of Our Blue Ridge Mountain

Our first venture into the history of the Methodist Church on the Blue Ridge Mountain of Jefferson county has been aided by the Reverend Donnie Jane Cardwell, pastor of the Chestnut Hill Methodist Church. Chestnut Hill is one of three churches of that denomination currently offering services on our Blue Ridge. The other two are Silver Grove and Murrill Hill. Chestnut Hill's history, below, was compiled by Edna Enos.

The six parts of the story that were provided by Mrs. Enos include some of the early history of all the Methodist churches on and in the area of the Blue Ridge Mountain. That information can be applied to Silver Grove and Murrill Hill as well. With YOUR help we hope to be able to include those churches' histories, too. Help from ANY parishioners would be graciously accepted. We respectfully request that we be advised of any errors, omissions and will gratefully accept additional data.


Chestnut Hill Church 2008

Chestnut Hill United Methodist Church
First Sunday - 2007 (February)

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, formed his followers into societies or classes. Such was the start of the Shannondale Mission. Seven "classes" meeting, not in a church building but in member's homes. When these classes grew large enough, they built themselves a meeting house, and it became a church.

Who were these people? Why would they come to a forested Mountain instead of the lush land in the Shenandoah Valley? Out of necessity, men make their homes where they can make a decent living for themselves and their families. Probably the earliest employment for these families was the Shannondale Springs.

These Springs first attracted attention in 1821, the year that James Monroe began his second term as President of the United States.

Campfire Inc.'s Camp Takahano


The logo of Campfire Inc., the organization formerly known as The Campfire Girls operated Camp Takahano situate in Jefferson County WV. It's our understanding that the group utilizing the facilities was "Camp Fire 4-260" of the Potomac Area Council(now the Patuxent Area Council). This album is meant small step toward what is hoped to be a more extensive show sometime in the future. The Photos were captured from the website of Alice Beard, the camp's last

The following material was originally contained in the Jefferson County School News Vol. 2, No. 8 dated May 1976 and graciously provided by its Editor, Mary Stocks.
In 1976 Jefferson County School News was a monthly publication sponsored by the Board of Education as a public service to Jefferson County residents.

Superintendent - Harold L. Pickens
President of the Board - Richard Neal
Editor - Mary Stocks

Special thanks are due to the following people who so willingly supplied information to the editor of this paper for this special publication:
Miss Gladys Hartzell, Mrs. Mary Baum, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Rissler, Mr. Mayo Snyder, Mr. Charles Reinhart, Mrs. Augusta Phillips, Mr. Franklin McQuilkin, Miss Helen Goldsborough, Mr. Joe Walper Mr. Oscar Jones, Mrs. Mary Donley Reinhart, Miss Mildred Conard, Rev. Lester Link, Mr. Kerfoot Moler, Mrs. Adora Payne, Mrs. J. W. Link, Mrs. Elsie Garrett, Mrs. Robert Knott, Mr. Thomas Turner, Mrs. Marion Creamer, Mr. Arthur Prather, Mrs. Robert Knott, Mr. B. M. Dennis, Mrs. Mary Ennis, Mr. Jesse Engle.


Jefferson County Public Schools
Shepherdstown District School History
1847-1933

Two residents of Shepherdstown, Arthur Prather and Gladys Hartzell, are pictured at the stone foundation which is all that remains of Potomac School, probably built in 1847. The foundation is directly behind the Carolyn Apartments.

The following material was originally contained in the Jefferson County School News Vol. 2, No. 6 dated March 1976 and graciously provided by its Editor, Mary Stocks.
In 1976 Jefferson County School News was a monthly publication sponsored by the Board of Education as a public service to Jefferson County residents.

Superintendent - Harold L. Pickens
President of the Board - Richard Neal
Editor - Mary Stocks
Special thanks to the following people who so willingly supplied information to the editor of this paper for this special publication: Mr. Robert Darr, Mrs. Rose Crabbe, Mr. Harold Fritts, Mrs. Jesse Clevenger, Mrs. Irma Patrick, Mr. Glenn Ott, Mrs. Glenda Stevens, Mr. Roscoe Payne, Mr. & Mrs. John Hough, Mrs. Robert Appel, Rev. Temple Wheeler, Miss Kathryn Trussell, Mrs. Frank Humston, Mr. Strother Stickel, Mr. Ray Trussell, Mrs. Robert Jones, Mr. Oscar Jones, Wayne & Gary Arnett, Mrs. Jesse Dillow,Mrs. Aretta Penwell, Mr. Ferd Snyder, Miss Camilla Wiltshire, Mr. Jesse Boyd, Mr. George Turner, Mrs. Elsie Clinton, Mr. Ray Parks.

Jefferson County Public Schools
Charles Town District School History
1849-1933