Walking History
Travel

Walking History

Sarah

My mind is often curious to learn history. It can be hiking or walking, following paths till I am satisfied for another day. Those paths can be paved, brick, stones or dirt.

If those walks cone with Civil War or Revolutionary War history, it’s an even better day. Not every walk needs to be in the wilds.

The village town of Shepherdstown, WV is a great walking town. It is the oldest town in West Virginia, first known as Mecklenburg, and was later changed for the founder of the town, Thomas Shepherd, who got a land grant from the crown in 1734. The town predates the Civil War by well over a century. West Virginia didn’t become its own state till 1863, during the Civil War.

Find a parking spot. Bring quarters. 25 cents is 30 minutes. The town has an active parking enforcement so only park where allowed. Once you park, get out and just wander! See here for a very indepth walking tour. You will have no lack of places to stop and read about, or shops to wander into.

Even Mothman might say hello to you.

Town Run, the creek that goes thru town starts at Morgan’s Grove Park and ends abruptly at the Potomac River. In town you can watch it run thru.

McMurran Hall, part of Shepherd University.
Shepherdstown is full of churches and civic buildings. During the Civil War any building deemed safe was used as hospitals for the wounded Confederacy soldiers that came back across the Potomac from Maryland, after the battlescof Antietam. McMurran Hall was not fully built, but was used for that. This is a spot on Civil War Trail, WV.
As one walks the town, the beautiful Trinity Episcopal Church sits on German Street. It was the only church not used as a hospital. Rather it was decided it would host services – and for both sides, Confederate and Union. In modern times you can often see fluffy hens wandering the grounds, keeping it insect free.

As Ford and I walked the town, we found more places to visit.

It sits on Church Street.
The old Trinity Church has a cemetery that is quiet history.
Buried here are 9 Revolutionary War soldiers.
The church had a long history of uses. The Asbury Methodist church still exists, but is outside of town, across from Morgan’s Grove Park.
The cemetery is on a quiet side road of homes and other historical buildings.

Walk until you are exhausted or the bakery calls you in.

~Sarah

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