Shenandoah County (formerly Dunmore County) is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

located in the

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 44,186. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

Woodstock The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held from August 15 to 18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. Billed as "a ...

. It is part of the

Shenandoah Valley The Shenandoah Valley () is a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia in the United States. The Valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the east ...

region of Virginia.

History

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

named the river, valley and county Shenandoah in honor of John Skenandoa, a Christian Oneida chief from New York who helped gain the support of Oneida and Tuscarora warriors to aid the Americans during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

. This included helping the Americans survive at Valley Forge. Colonial Governor Gooch formally purchased the entire Shenandoah Valley from the Six Nations of the Iroquois by the Treaty of Lancaster in 1744. The Iroquois had controlled the valley as a hunting ground, but European settlement had begun by that time. During Pontiac's War (1763–1766),

Shawnee The Shawnee ( ) are a Native American people of the Northeastern Woodlands. Their language, Shawnee, is an Algonquian language. Their precontact homeland was likely centered in southern Ohio. In the 17th century, they dispersed through Ohi ...

efforts to repel the Europeans reached as far east as the current county. The county was established in 1772 as 'Dunmore County' for Virginia Colonial Governor

John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore (1730 – 25 February 1809) was a British colonial administrator who served as the List of colonial governors of Virginia, governor of Virginia from 1771 to 1775. Dunmore was named List of colonial governors of ...

was designated the

. Dunmore was Virginia's last royal governor, and was forced from office during the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

. During the war (1778) the county 'Shenandoah.'

was a member of the

Virginia House of Burgesses The House of Burgesses () was the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly from 1619 to 1776. It existed during the colonial history of the United States in the Colony of Virginia in what was then British America. From 1642 to 1776, the Hou ...

representing Frederick County, Virginia from 1758 to 1765 which included the Woodstock area until 1772. The new village of Woodstock was established by law in 1761. Washington sponsored the act, and named the town Woodstock at that time. George Washington also named Shenandoah Valley, the Shenandoah River, and Shenandoah County. He named these places after the Christian Oneida chief John Skenandoa who helped Americans survive during the American Revolution including at Valley Forge. The Town of Woodstock's website notes that it was established by charter in March of 1761 as a part of what was then Frederick County. The town was originally formed by a land grant from Lord Fairfax, and named after its founder, Jacob Miller as Muellerstadt (Miller Town) in 1752. It was renamed Woodstock when the town's charter was sponsored by George Washington in Virginia's House of Burgesses. The Town of Woodstock has been the County Seat of Shenandoah County since the County's formation in 1772. During the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, the Battle of New Market took place in the county on May 15, 1864.

Geography

According to the

US Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.7%) is water. Fort Valley and the western slopes of the

Massanutten Mountain Massanutten Mountain is a synclinal ridge in the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, located in the U.S. state of Virginia. The original Native American name for the ridge is unknown. Geography The mountain bisects the Shenandoah Valley just e ...

are located within the county boundary.

Adjacent counties

Hardy County, West Virginia Hardy County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 14,299. Its county seat is Moorefield, West Virginia, Moorefield. The county was created f ...

– northwest * Frederick County – northeast * Warren County – east * Page County – southeast * Rockingham County – southwest

National protected areas

* Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park (part) *

George Washington National Forest The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests is an administrative entity combining two U.S. United States National Forest, National Forests into one of the largest areas of public land in the Eastern United States. The forests cover o ...

(part)

Transportation

Shenandoah Valley Commuter Bus Service
offers weekday commuter bus service from the Northern

including Shenandoah County and Warren County to

Northern Virginia Northern Virginia, locally referred to as NOVA or NoVA, comprises several County (United States), counties and independent city (United States), independent cities in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. ...

and

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, including Arlington County and Fairfax County. Origination points in Shenandoah County include

. Origination points in Warren County include Front Royal and Linden.

Major highways

* * * * * * * *

Demographics

2020 census

''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

2010 Census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 41,993 people in the county. 93.0% were

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.7% Black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 2.8% of some other race and 1.6% of two or more races. 6.1% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 26.4% were of American, 22.0% German, 10.3% English and 7.6% Irish ancestry.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 35,075 people, 14,296 households, and 10,064 families in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 16,709 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 95.60%

, 1.17%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.18% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 1.79% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. 3.40% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race. There were 14,296 households, out of which 28.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.60% were non-families. 25.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.86. The county population contained 22.30% under the age of 18, 6.60% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 26.20% from 45 to 64, and 17.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 94.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males. The median income for a household in the county was $39,173, and the median income for a family was $45,080. Males had a median income of $29,952 versus $22,312 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $19,755. About 5.80% of families and 8.20% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 12.10% of those under age 18 and 8.80% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Private

Secondary institutions

* Shenandoah Valley Academy * Massanutten Military Academy

Primary institutions

* Shenandoah Valley Adventist Elementary School * Valley Baptist Christian School

Public

High schools

* Stonewall Jackson High School (Shenandoah County, Virginia) * Strasburg High School * Central High School (Woodstock)

Elementary and middle schools

* W.W. Robinson Elementary School (Woodstock) * Peter Muhlenberg Middle School (Woodstock) * Ashby-Lee Elementary School (Quicksburg) * North Fork Middle School (Quicksburg) * Sandy Hook Elementary School (Strasburg) * Signal Knob Middle School (Strasburg)

Other

* Triplett Tech (Mount Jackson) * Massanutten Regional Governor's School (High School level, in Mount Jackson)

Communities

Towns

* Edinburg (pop. 1,041) * Mount Jackson (pop. 1,994) * New Market (pop. 2,155) * Strasburg (pop. 7,083) * Toms Brook (pop. 258) *

(pop. 5,097)

Census-designated places

* Basye (pop. 1,374) * Bowmans Crossing * Clary * Columbia Furnace * Conicville * Fishers Hill * Forestville * Lebanon Church * Locust Grove * Hudson Crossroads * Maurertown * Mount Clifton * Mount Olive * Orkney Springs (pop. 58) * Quicksburg * Saumsville

Other unincorporated communities

* Alonzaville *

Bedford Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population was 106,940. Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire and seat of the Borough of Bedford local government district. Bedford was founded at a ford (crossin ...

* Borden *

Calvary Calvary ( or ) or Golgotha () was a site immediately outside Jerusalem's walls where, according to Christianity's four canonical gospels, Jesus was crucified. Since at least the early medieval period, it has been a destination for pilgrimage. ...

* Carmel * Coleytown * Detrick *

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...

* Harrisville * Hawkinstown * Hepners * Jadwyn *

Jerome Jerome (; ; ; – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was an early Christian presbyter, priest, Confessor of the Faith, confessor, theologian, translator, and historian; he is commonly known as Saint Jerome. He is best known ...

* Kings Crossing * Lantz Mill * Macanie * Moore's Store *

Mount Hermon Mount Hermon ( / ALA-LC: ('Mountain of the Sheikh', ), , ) is a mountain, mountain cluster constituting the southern end of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range. Its summit straddles the Lebanon–Syria border, border between Syria and Lebanon a ...

* Oak Grove * Oranda *

Saint Luke Luke the Evangelist was one of the Four Evangelists—the four traditionally ascribed authors of the canonical gospels. The Early Church Fathers ascribed to him authorship of both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. Prominent figu ...

* Silver City * Swover Creek * Valley View * Walkers Chapel * Wesley Chapel * Wheatfield * Williamsville * Zepp

Law enforcement

The Shenandoah County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) is the primary law enforcement agency in Shenandoah County. The SCSO was created on May 26, 1772, when the position of High Sheriff position was created; its main duty was to collect taxes. The SCSO was accredited by the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission between 2006, when it first became accredited, and 2022, when it lost accreditation following an evaluation.

Politics

Politically, Shenandoah County is one of the most consistently Republican counties in Virginia, a trend that predates the rest of western Virginia moving away from the Democratic Party. It was first won by a Republican presidential nominee in 1896, and has voted Republican in every presidential election since

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King Edward VIII, following the death of his father, George V, at Sandringham House. * January 28 – Death and state funer ...

, and in all but one election since

1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen in Finland, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its ow ...

. Nearly solidly Democratic before 1900, the county began voting Republican in statewide elections around the beginning of the 20th century but was a swing county. In the 1920s it became solidly Republican at a statewide level, with the exception of Democratic local heroes Harry F. Byrd and his son. This early swing to the GOP came from the county’s rural voters being overwhelmingly

German American German Americans (, ) are Americans who have full or partial German ancestry. According to the United States Census Bureau's figures from 2022, German Americans make up roughly 41 million people in the US, which is approximately 12% of the pop ...

Republicans, which overpowered the conservative Southern Democrat vote in the county population centers of New Market,

, and Strasburg. The Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1902 was vehemently opposed by the counties of western Virginia due to the impact on racial equality and perceived disenfranchisement of the many poor whites of the region. The once strong Democratic county turned Republican due to this convention, which, according to the Shenandoah Herald, was the “…death knell of the Democratic party in the Valley counties.” The Democrats of the county were of the Jacksonian, small government stock; leading them to vote Republican after the perceived injustice by the state convention in the creation of a new constitution, which was not ratified by popular vote. The county briefly returned to its Southern Democrat roots at the state level during the civil rights movement. In 1856, Shenandoah was the only county in Virginia to record votes in favor of the candidate of the newly formed Republican Party, John C. Frémont.

References

{{authority control Virginia counties 1772 establishments in the Colony of Virginia