My dad would have turned 96 this week. After his birth in Washington, DC, he and his family lived in various locations including New York as well as the Shenandoah Valley. Many people knew dad through his work as a taxidermist along the Valley Pike but we, his children, were…
Mention either of two very different animals, and you are sure to trigger an outbreak of free entertainment. Allude to either snakes or skunks, then sit back and listen as the tales spill out. This is one such story about a skunk that my dad shared with us years ago.…
What would you do if someone showed up to burn your barn and devastate you financially? For many Shenandoah County residents, this question was more than theoretical when Sheridan’s Union troops went through the Valley in the fall of 1864 doing exactly that. I can only imagine the anger, bitterness,…
Shenandoah County primarily offers two roads for north/south travel. Most days, those who enjoy lighter traffic and more scenic vistas take Route 11 while the majority who prefer speed and directness opt for a more crowded Interstate 81. Eleven is slower than the Interstate, but it treats its travelers to…
We are blessed here in the valley to see thousands of birds out our windows and over our heads. Hundreds of species inhabit our fields, mountains, and even our towns. Rare is the day that one of these feathered wonders doesn’t cross our path somewhere or the other. One specie…