We headed to Lexington, VA. to visit with a friend, Sharon Burrows. I had worked for her husband, Roland for many years and they are wonderful people. Unfortunately, Roland passed away last year before we were able to get to see them at their farm in Rockbridge Baths, VA, outside Lexington. Sharon had given us excellent directions and we were awed with the green, rolling hills, rivers, and mountains in the distance. Their farm of 112 acres, sits in the Shenandoah Valley between the Allegheney Mountains to the west and Blue Ridge Mountains to the east. We parked our rig at the barn and went up to the house to visit with Sharon and her best buddy, Randy, a dalmation. Sharon was an excellent hostess, chauferring us to many of the tour sites and local restaurants and we thoroughly enjoyed the two days we were there.
Sharon drove us thru Goshen Pass, a 4 mile winding road which shows enormous boulders strewn along the Maury River with views of Jump Mountain to the north. Originally the Pass was called Dunlap’s Gap in honor of the Dunlap family. In the early 1800’s, it was changed to Strickler’s Pass. Daniel Strickler built a hotel along the river. Across the road from the stately old hotel was an island with a sulphur spring of pure and healing water. People came from far and wide to drink and bathe in the medicinal, healing waters. Today, these springs are on private property and very little is left to mark the place of the old hotel.
Another important factor contributing to the growth of not only farming but also Rockbridge Baths county in general during the late 1800’s, was the completion of the railroad from Staunton to Lexington. The Valley Railroad began its run into Lexington in 1883 and was supposed to continue on to Salem, but was never completed. The 36 miles from Staunton to Lexington was said to cost $1,250,000 and operated for 59 years. At some point, the Valley Railroad was bought by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad which gave up the route and removed all the tracks. As you drive thru the countryside you can still see stone trestles and culverts which were an integral part of the railroad.
In downtown Lexington is the only home that General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson ever owned. The brick townhouse was built in 1800 and the stone addition at the rear was built around 1848.
Jackson had shown his brilliance as a cadet at West Point, where despite a poor educational background, he finished 17th in a class of 59. He distinguished himself as an officer in the Mexican War and in 1851 accepted a position at Virginia Military Institute as a professor of Mathematics. Jackson married his first wife, Ellie in 1853. In 1854, she gave birth to a stillborn daughter and later the same day, she herself died. In 1857, he married his second wife, Mary Anna and they bought the 2 story brick house where they and five of their six slaves lived until Jackson departed for the Civil War. On April 17, 1861 Virginia seceded from the Union. Jackson’s brigade “stood like a stone wall” in defense of the Henry Hill House at the first battle of Bull Run and turned the tide of the battle. Thereafter, Jackson was dubbed, “Stonewall”, and his troops became the “Stonewall Brigade”. Jackson was shot and wounded by friendly fire from his own men in 1863. He left arm had to be amputated. Eight days later he died of pneumonia.
Lexington is home to two universities who are situated right across the street from each other. Virginia Military Institute (VMI) was the nation’s first state-supported military college. George C. Marshall, a 1901 graduate attained the highest military rank possible – General of the Army – and later, as Secretary of State, became the only soldier to win the Nobel prize for peace for the European recovery program known as “The Marshall Plan”. The university houses its own museum as well as the George C. Marshall Museum.
Across the street is the Washington and Lee University. In 1782, the university was named Liberty Hall Academy and had fallen on financial hardship. George Washington was given 100 shares of stock in the James River Company. He rescued the college by giving those shares to Liberty Hall Academy and the name was changed to Washington Academy from 1789-1813. In 1871, the final name change became Washington Lee University. This change transpired because Robert E. Lee became President of the college and began the Law school. After Lee’s surrender to Grant on April 9, 1865, he was in a dilemma as to what to do with the rest of his life. He was offered the job of president and accepted. Lee’s tenure was tragically short. His health declined in 1869 and by October, 1870, he was lying in a semi-conscious state near death. On October 12, Lee died at the age of 63. A beautiful statue of a recumbent General Lee, lies in Lee Chapel on the University. The statue was created by Edward Valentine out of one chunk of marble.
As you can see, we’ve crammed quite a bit into just a few days and we are now headed for Lynchburg, VA, where we will visit Appomattox. Virginia is beautiful and we are thoroughly enjoying our time in this wonderful state. Shirley and George are still in Kinston but will moving to Rockyhock, N.C. were they will be learning about the Wright Brothers. Hope you’ll keep traveling with us as we learn more about the Civil War. Til then, take care and remember, “Life is Good”.
Sharon drove us thru Goshen Pass, a 4 mile winding road which shows enormous boulders strewn along the Maury River with views of Jump Mountain to the north. Originally the Pass was called Dunlap’s Gap in honor of the Dunlap family. In the early 1800’s, it was changed to Strickler’s Pass. Daniel Strickler built a hotel along the river. Across the road from the stately old hotel was an island with a sulphur spring of pure and healing water. People came from far and wide to drink and bathe in the medicinal, healing waters. Today, these springs are on private property and very little is left to mark the place of the old hotel.
Another important factor contributing to the growth of not only farming but also Rockbridge Baths county in general during the late 1800’s, was the completion of the railroad from Staunton to Lexington. The Valley Railroad began its run into Lexington in 1883 and was supposed to continue on to Salem, but was never completed. The 36 miles from Staunton to Lexington was said to cost $1,250,000 and operated for 59 years. At some point, the Valley Railroad was bought by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad which gave up the route and removed all the tracks. As you drive thru the countryside you can still see stone trestles and culverts which were an integral part of the railroad.
In downtown Lexington is the only home that General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson ever owned. The brick townhouse was built in 1800 and the stone addition at the rear was built around 1848.
Jackson had shown his brilliance as a cadet at West Point, where despite a poor educational background, he finished 17th in a class of 59. He distinguished himself as an officer in the Mexican War and in 1851 accepted a position at Virginia Military Institute as a professor of Mathematics. Jackson married his first wife, Ellie in 1853. In 1854, she gave birth to a stillborn daughter and later the same day, she herself died. In 1857, he married his second wife, Mary Anna and they bought the 2 story brick house where they and five of their six slaves lived until Jackson departed for the Civil War. On April 17, 1861 Virginia seceded from the Union. Jackson’s brigade “stood like a stone wall” in defense of the Henry Hill House at the first battle of Bull Run and turned the tide of the battle. Thereafter, Jackson was dubbed, “Stonewall”, and his troops became the “Stonewall Brigade”. Jackson was shot and wounded by friendly fire from his own men in 1863. He left arm had to be amputated. Eight days later he died of pneumonia.
Lexington is home to two universities who are situated right across the street from each other. Virginia Military Institute (VMI) was the nation’s first state-supported military college. George C. Marshall, a 1901 graduate attained the highest military rank possible – General of the Army – and later, as Secretary of State, became the only soldier to win the Nobel prize for peace for the European recovery program known as “The Marshall Plan”. The university houses its own museum as well as the George C. Marshall Museum.
Across the street is the Washington and Lee University. In 1782, the university was named Liberty Hall Academy and had fallen on financial hardship. George Washington was given 100 shares of stock in the James River Company. He rescued the college by giving those shares to Liberty Hall Academy and the name was changed to Washington Academy from 1789-1813. In 1871, the final name change became Washington Lee University. This change transpired because Robert E. Lee became President of the college and began the Law school. After Lee’s surrender to Grant on April 9, 1865, he was in a dilemma as to what to do with the rest of his life. He was offered the job of president and accepted. Lee’s tenure was tragically short. His health declined in 1869 and by October, 1870, he was lying in a semi-conscious state near death. On October 12, Lee died at the age of 63. A beautiful statue of a recumbent General Lee, lies in Lee Chapel on the University. The statue was created by Edward Valentine out of one chunk of marble.
As you can see, we’ve crammed quite a bit into just a few days and we are now headed for Lynchburg, VA, where we will visit Appomattox. Virginia is beautiful and we are thoroughly enjoying our time in this wonderful state. Shirley and George are still in Kinston but will moving to Rockyhock, N.C. were they will be learning about the Wright Brothers. Hope you’ll keep traveling with us as we learn more about the Civil War. Til then, take care and remember, “Life is Good”.
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