Context. Context. Context.
One of my mentors in the history field constantly taught and reminded me of this important aspect of studying the past. It has become one of the continual questions I ask when approaching military or social history. What’s the context?
One important part of context is understanding a region where a significant event happened. That’s what we’re discussing in today’s new video! Come on a journey to one of my favorite places in the world…
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Did you know that Robert E. Lee moved to Lexington, Virginia, after the Civil War and served as president of Washington College?
A small chapel – built at Lee’s request – serves as a meeting place, museum, and final resting place and stands on the modern campus of Washington and Lee University. Let’s stop and take a look… Continue reading
I love good living history centers! There’s nothing quite like seeing what life was like in by gone eras. So…if you’re in the Shenandoah Valley, be sure to add Frontier Culture Museum to your list of stops. Informative for adults and kids this site explores the regional history and cultural origins with engaging conversation, restored buildings, farm fields, workshops, and real animals.
Let’s stop and take a look! Continue reading
If you’re a cavalry fan, then today’s stop is one site you won’t want to miss in the Shenandoah Valley. Or if you’re learning about Civil War history in the Valley, it’s also a significant spot.
Ever heard of Turner Ashby? He commanded Confederate cavalry for Stonewall Jackson and created quite a name and reputation for himself. However, he didn’t live to see the end of the war, dying in battle in 1862 near Harrisonburg, Virginia. Today, a large granite marker memorializes his fall. Let’s stop and take a look… Continue reading
People are survivors, and we celebrate and acknowledge that when they recover from a deadly illness, come out of a terrible experience, or find the courage to keep going after loss. What if I told you there’s a monument to survival and community work? Not a monument in the traditional sense – rather a structure that survived an inferno that consumed the Shenandoah Valley through the courage of two young women and and a rather compassionate Yankee.
The place? Edinburg Mill. Let’s stop here and take a look at the history… Continue reading
Ever been somewhere and found a historic site but didn’t have time to full explore it? That’s what happened to me in Strasburg, Virginia, last year. I found a Civil War site, earthworks and all, but due to a heavy rainstorm and a flight I had to catch out of Washington D.C., I didn’t have time to really explore.
So…guess what’s on my bucket list to go back and see? Hupp’s Hill Civil War Park. Let’s stop, take a look, and talk about it’s history! (And write some notes that I’ll be referencing in the future, too.) Continue reading
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