Because the Great Wagon Road, now known as Old Valley Pike or Route 11, was pivotal to travel and military strategy, the Valley is steeped in colonial, Revolutionary, and Civil War history.

Can you hear the cannons and the whiz of the musketballs?

The Civil War, in particular, has become the feature of several locations throughout the valley, which is featured prominently in Virginia’s Civil War Trails program (http://www.civilwartraveler.com/EAST/VA/va-valley/pike1.html).

For a listing of Shenandoah Valley Civil War trails, museums, and events, visit: http://www.visitshenandoah.org/Things-To-Do/Civil-War-Trails,-Museums-Events.aspx

In and around Shenandoah County, don’t miss:

• Fisher’s Hill Battlefield site (http://www.shenandoahatwar.org/Land-Preservation/The-Battlefields/Fisher-s-Hill-VA120)
• Cedar Creek Battlefield
• Hupp’s Hill Civil War Park and Cedar Creek Battlefield (http://www.cedarcreekbattlefield.org/)
• The Virginia Museum of the Civil War (http://www.vmi.edu/vmcw/)
• Belle Grove (http://www.bellegrove.org/), an authentic 1797 Manor House and National Trust Historic property as well as the site of the Civil War Battle of Cedar Creek.

In the Front Royal/Warren County area, Civil War history buffs should know about:

• The Battle of Front Royal (http://www.shenandoahatwar.org/Land-Preservation/The-Battlefields/Front-Royal-VA103). Click here (https://frontroyalva.com/DocumentCenter/View/153)) for information about a driving tour.
• Belle Boyd Cottage (http://www.warrenheritagesociety.org/belleboyd.php)
• Warren Rifles Confederate Museum (http://vaudc.org/museum.html)

* * * * *

Museums and more…

Several Shenandoah and Warren County towns have their own museum, each a treasure trove of historical information and artifacts:

• Edinburg Mill and Museum (http://www.edinburgmill.com/)
• Fort Valley Museum (http://www.fortvalleymuseum.org/)
• Shenandoah County Historic Courthouse (http://www.virginia.org/Listings/HistoricSites/ShenandoahCountyCourthouse/)
• Strasburg Museum (http://www.strasburgmuseum.org/)
• Woodstock Museum of Shenandoah County (http://www.woodstockmuseumva.org/)
• Ivy Lodge (http://www.warrenheritagesociety.org/ivylodge.php) – headquarters of the Warren Heritage Society and town and county museum

For a longer listing of Shenandoah Valley historical sites that includes museums, plantations, historic sites, and interpretive centers from Winchester south to Staunton, visit http://visitshenandoah.org/Things-To-Do/History,-Culture-and-Museums.aspx.