News for today's 2018

Downtown Staunton decked out for the 4th

7:54 AM Tukiyooo 0

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell July 3, 2013

The storm at the end of the day

5:28 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9nf_n6tmZ8u5m3GwubXxTS-shux4oV5pB9WkxLOP15fhM6OWgzr1NSzLcn6B0gdIoNv_rknL3cqN_WyLSupowkR4UX0WPc2orswFUtjI1SdhzhdBo4HuyxNux26Qr0jEmTDclL9flh-N/s800/29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9nf_n6tmZ8u5m3GwubXxTS-shux4oV5pB9WkxLOP15fhM6OWgzr1NSzLcn6B0gdIoNv_rknL3cqN_WyLSupowkR4UX0WPc2orswFUtjI1SdhzhdBo4HuyxNux26Qr0jEmTDclL9flh-N/s400/29.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> On Saturday, storms had been rolling all around the area but had not hit us directly. As I drove home from the Shenandoah Wine & Jazz Festival at the Frontier Culture Museum, this was what the sky looked like west of Staunton.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqePlv6_LMwrLUmA4167LxyRWNo7rFnVGNas1P0Z0yYZrun071Uokzqp4lh4gdepVfDeq3iQ-AGtmFMUf1uPenKFIyRfnqpob9YAPKBHu6tV8aD01l_yyamWEHsZKkzGseHcDbHvk7coW0/s800/30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqePlv6_LMwrLUmA4167LxyRWNo7rFnVGNas1P0Z0yYZrun071Uokzqp4lh4gdepVfDeq3iQ-AGtmFMUf1uPenKFIyRfnqpob9YAPKBHu6tV8aD01l_yyamWEHsZKkzGseHcDbHvk7coW0/s400/30.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The road home ... the cow standing in the field on the right, the silhouetted power lines, and dark clouds overhead. The storms later hit us with steady downpours until late into the night. Looking east toward Staunton/ Fishersville / Waynesboro, there were continuous lightning flashes about 11:00 Saturday night. You can tell it's summer ... random thunderstorms popping up around the area.</div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />June 29, 2013

Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia Shenandoah Valley Staunton thunderstorms in Virginia The storm at the end of the day

On Saturday, storms had been rolling all around the area but had not hit us directly. As I drove home from the Shenandoah Wine & Jazz F...

Frontier Culture Museum wedding

5:19 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiObg3hylrxt0BINaCrstxncE_djLZiuEdXp2ZxfGQfPWr2atnjU1ri8j-Gvn7-5VZtxZnm5BZPX8oqze-x3AabCHiJD9ZQKKSbHjx6pUQv0W8J7d4k6vM2lkf3PHeAka1njRAxKz51zczp/s800/24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiObg3hylrxt0BINaCrstxncE_djLZiuEdXp2ZxfGQfPWr2atnjU1ri8j-Gvn7-5VZtxZnm5BZPX8oqze-x3AabCHiJD9ZQKKSbHjx6pUQv0W8J7d4k6vM2lkf3PHeAka1njRAxKz51zczp/s400/24.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Saturday not only saw the Wine & Jazz Festival at the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton but also a wedding that was directed by a close friend.  Since I was there for the wine festival, it presented the opportunity to visit with my friend before the nuptials.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJawRzfp1xjGbWOQzd8HWyt-M7JNpkTw_X3z2C4xijXuixWIhFctyKoANgfN2gZK6LJjd2RhcdcTHGKaq8p4-cPa0TM7qwjqFx99hhQ0QfAfuIGfptDcgRFF2pAsmO_QmXW8SGd-Wux7k/s800/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJawRzfp1xjGbWOQzd8HWyt-M7JNpkTw_X3z2C4xijXuixWIhFctyKoANgfN2gZK6LJjd2RhcdcTHGKaq8p4-cPa0TM7qwjqFx99hhQ0QfAfuIGfptDcgRFF2pAsmO_QmXW8SGd-Wux7k/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOIdZIizVyRcJN2XsnDNH4JW8T7kVt3cSx2KwewgDX8HhRtchygg4TnO-8OcT-l9I6aZyrvnKVC0TthJ4_pokRlXu3oM6fzHPAcoJAZ5MyUt6yqWU7pJWrB7AdUqZaICNWGK4u3F6zm9Nc/s800/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOIdZIizVyRcJN2XsnDNH4JW8T7kVt3cSx2KwewgDX8HhRtchygg4TnO-8OcT-l9I6aZyrvnKVC0TthJ4_pokRlXu3oM6fzHPAcoJAZ5MyUt6yqWU7pJWrB7AdUqZaICNWGK4u3F6zm9Nc/s640/2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8DQTll4W1Y7nkX-_FJuIStPXKOOudqF80n4Tw1BAaSWIKyKK4pUfM5zERoenDrn-7bmcW94DalhiL-aJrpkc4Zigwq_TrAbRmHydrf9FmrfRNFIxd1W4Gta1F66xwkrtI-bL5A5g8kJV/s800/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8DQTll4W1Y7nkX-_FJuIStPXKOOudqF80n4Tw1BAaSWIKyKK4pUfM5zERoenDrn-7bmcW94DalhiL-aJrpkc4Zigwq_TrAbRmHydrf9FmrfRNFIxd1W4Gta1F66xwkrtI-bL5A5g8kJV/s640/3.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fonda was getting the sides in place to keep the sun and brisk breeze off the cake.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4sOrzreGz9zOa7VTA7G3BaWWfO6P8O1bWFZtKi0ve6ihA4KO6Odw6OpUcaKSW57UXpHeenewje97vDV5gH5nRSnrrqIS_cXtMHjIWcGGGZqy0J4QhY1zWAF6ZS26RNr_X71SZD7uY8pmv/s800/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4sOrzreGz9zOa7VTA7G3BaWWfO6P8O1bWFZtKi0ve6ihA4KO6Odw6OpUcaKSW57UXpHeenewje97vDV5gH5nRSnrrqIS_cXtMHjIWcGGGZqy0J4QhY1zWAF6ZS26RNr_X71SZD7uY8pmv/s400/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Chairs were set up for the ceremony on the lawn outside the Pavilion followed by dinner and music under roof. Congratulations, Danielle and Mark!</div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />June 29, 2013

Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia Shenandoah Valley Staunton Virginia weddings Frontier Culture Museum wedding

Saturday not only saw the Wine & Jazz Festival at the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton but also a wedding that was directed by a clos...

Black bear sighting in Staunton

5:16 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR8mv0DWc0fieFyaT7SRmzI2Ns_VTV_4iL33lt0w-Vzy3Nt_Ku65ZkMx5DkKChWXWjvjR1q5p2kJIZhz4pUkyC9S_tG8j3VaRYoPVC40r0zn9Y8yBWrfz7sQNHVHId1IyPZMO2lw-ZuBTz/s1600/Black+bears+3+staunton+too.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR8mv0DWc0fieFyaT7SRmzI2Ns_VTV_4iL33lt0w-Vzy3Nt_Ku65ZkMx5DkKChWXWjvjR1q5p2kJIZhz4pUkyC9S_tG8j3VaRYoPVC40r0zn9Y8yBWrfz7sQNHVHId1IyPZMO2lw-ZuBTz/s400/Black+bears+3+staunton+too.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo courtesy of Kristin Balsley</i></div><br />With the active black bear season this year in the Shenandoah Valley and surrounding mountains, it was only a matter of time before a bear was spotted in Staunton. Sure enough, that's what happened today as reports of a bear began surfacing around the middle of the day. The photo above was taken on North Augusta Street across from the Mary Baldwin College campus where the bear was seen on campus making its way toward Statler Boulevard.<br /><br />I was talking with wildlife biologist and longtime friend Al Bourgeois from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries as we sat at dinner last weekend at a wedding in western Augusta County. He is one of the resident bear experts who has dealt with bears in this area for years. He said it has been a very active season as the hungry critters are roaming looking for food and, since there is very little natural food just yet, some are making their way to populated areas sniffing out garbage, bird feeders, and other edible goodies.<br /><br />Bears are not unusual in this part of Virginia, and each year there are incidents with some years busier than others. This is one of those busy years.<br /><br /><b>Previous posts from Lynn R. Mitchell about black bears:</b><br />- <a class="gs-title" href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2013/04/bears-bears-bears-in-neighborhood.html" target="_blank"><b>Bears bears bears</b> in the neighborhood</a><br />- <a class="gs-title" href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2013/04/if-you-live-in-virginia-youre-in-black.html" target="_blank">If you live in Virginia, you're in black <b>bear</b> country</a><br />- <a class="gs-title" href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2009/07/black-bears-in-shenandoah-national-park.html" target="_blank">Black <b>bears</b> in Shenandoah National Park</a><br />- <a class="gs-title" href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2009/06/black-bears-nabbing-pets-in-augusta.html" target="_blank">Black <b>bears</b> nabbing pets in Augusta County</a><br />- <a class="gs-title" href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2009/06/journey-more-on-snakes-and-bears.html" target="_blank">The Journey: "More on snakes and <b>bears</b>"</a><br />- <a class="gs-title" href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2009/08/black-bears-at-big-meadows.html" target="_blank">Black <b>bears</b> at Big Meadows</a><br />- <a class="gs-title" href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2008/02/black-bear-population-exploding-in.html" target="_blank">Black <b>bear</b> population exploding in the Shenandoah <b>...</b></a><br />- <a class="gs-title" href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2008/10/aggresive-bear-alert-in-shenandoah.html" target="_blank">Aggresive <b>bear</b> alert in Shenandoah National Park</a><br />- <a class="gs-title" href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2006/11/bear-attack-in-augusta-county.html" target="_blank"><b>Bear</b> attack in Augusta County</a><br />- <a class="gs-title" href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2008/08/tonight-as-i-washed-dishes-i-was.html" target="_blank">Shenandoah ... where the deer and the black <b>bears</b> play....</a><br />- <a class="gs-title" href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2010/06/black-bear-sightings-in-shenandoah.html" target="_blank">Black <b>bear</b> sightings in Shenandoah Valley</a><br />- <a class="gs-title" href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2007/05/honey-theres-bear-in-storage-shed.html" target="_blank">Honey ... there's a <b>bear</b> in the storage shed....</a><br />- <a class="gs-title" href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2008/12/black-bear-attacks-hunter.html" target="_blank">Black <b>bear</b> attacks hunter</a>  <br /><br />

Appalachian Mountains Big Meadows black bears in Shenandoah Valley Blue Ridge Mountains Mary Baldwin College Shenandoah National Park Staunton Black bear sighting in Staunton

Photo courtesy of Kristin Balsley With the active black bear season this year in the Shenandoah Valley and surrounding mountains, it was onl...

Thursdays in Staunton 2013: Shakin' at the Station Summer Concert Series

5:59 AM Tukiyooo 0

Thursdays in Staunton 2013: Shakin' at the Station Summer Concert Series

Central Shenandoah Valley ENTERTAINMENT Historic Wharf District Staunton tourism Virginia Is For Lovers Thursdays in Staunton 2013: Shakin' at the Station Summer Concert Series

Thursday, June 20, 2013 ... Brian Patrick Band. See the entire summer lineup here . Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell June 18, 2013

Thunderstorm over Staunton

7:59 PM Tukiyooo 0

Shenandoah Valley Staunton Virginia Thunderstorm over Staunton

The sky darkened over Staunton, Virginia, Monday afternoon as storms rolled into the area. Heavy downpours lasted into the night, causing fl...

Staunton's historic 1855 American Hotel at the train station

7:04 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wR-3T4HCxc2KUjWKRTzcCmLaCtaAOcTTHv3YUId2aP8Ek_9uRHDQACUa6P1R5isRuljQTHMxiWdIGT8LjfyWB5xyGNmhh92x7UyqDPm-zXq_NLM9PSstueMrhmcXJp4TtUQzjSr69nDH/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wR-3T4HCxc2KUjWKRTzcCmLaCtaAOcTTHv3YUId2aP8Ek_9uRHDQACUa6P1R5isRuljQTHMxiWdIGT8LjfyWB5xyGNmhh92x7UyqDPm-zXq_NLM9PSstueMrhmcXJp4TtUQzjSr69nDH/s640/4.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.theamericanhotel.net/">The American Hotel</a> was built in 1855 by the Central Virginia Railroad Company, providing overnight luxury and convenience for train passengers since it is located directly across from the train station in the Historic Wharf District of Staunton. At the time, it provided the most up-to-date conveniences in the country with thick carpeting, gas lights, bathtubs, and a Grand Ballroom. Numerous dignitaries stayed there including President Ulysses Grant.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Wharf area of Staunton got its name in the late 1800s when the Virginia Railroad stretched across the Blue Ridge Mountains from the state capital of Richmond to the central Shenandoah Valley's Queen City of Staunton. That area of Staunton provided warehouses for goods moved in and out of the area by rail.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hfxshSgnqsZe8HA7c04ODC3LZ-d0OC5piM0FTQ1Ey2ibhoyLkqun7w8SGSv9HAm1as0S308qLXmGcjGB6HvcNqPX_XGKYFGAIioHZo42Rij8IAimdTsiN7_U45-ewtKAaYdgyovuhQOr/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hfxshSgnqsZe8HA7c04ODC3LZ-d0OC5piM0FTQ1Ey2ibhoyLkqun7w8SGSv9HAm1as0S308qLXmGcjGB6HvcNqPX_XGKYFGAIioHZo42Rij8IAimdTsiN7_U45-ewtKAaYdgyovuhQOr/s640/5.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The renovated central hallway shows the beauty of the interior of the hotel. During the Civil War, Union General Ulysses Grant commanded General David Hunter's forces to destroy the breadbasket of the Shenandoah Valley, factories, and supply lines. He occupied Staunton in 1864 and burned the train station but spared the American Hotel, possibly because it was used as officers' quarters.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The hotel was the scene of an especially important historical episode  in 1869. The Mountain Saxhorn band, founded in Staunton in 1845, had  served as Confederate General Stonewall Jackson’s  headquarters band during the Civil War and had been renamed the  Stonewall Brigade Band. (The Band still exists and is now the second  oldest band in the U.S. It can be heard every Monday night during the summer for a free concert in Staunton's Gypsy Hill Park.)</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">When Lee surrendered at Appomattox, General  Grant had permitted the defeated Confederate officers to  retain their side arms and had allowed the cavalry to keep their horses:  he also let the Band keep its instruments.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In the first year of his presidency, Grant took a brief vacation trip  to White Sulfur Springs stopping overnight in Staunton at the American  Hotel. When the news of his arrival spread, the Stonewall Brigade Band  assembled at the station opposite his Hotel room and serenaded him.  Grant came out on hotel balcony and acknowledged the band by raising his  hat. The incident is important because it was one of the first public  acts of reconciliation after the war.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix-_lrfZaGhoilyPm_DYwRHyS88G09E7n9C2VO9f4B6SDZhw9Nt5rIbEcMKkxJuDuJ55tceahJSAfJsuozmqZ9NUB3DCnfDD8ZwxUamsckHFjLRJLxrb4a8IstA94X8lRZLLlEL0kqGIqT/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix-_lrfZaGhoilyPm_DYwRHyS88G09E7n9C2VO9f4B6SDZhw9Nt5rIbEcMKkxJuDuJ55tceahJSAfJsuozmqZ9NUB3DCnfDD8ZwxUamsckHFjLRJLxrb4a8IstA94X8lRZLLlEL0kqGIqT/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />In 1890 the hotel was witness to a major railroad wreck when the main  line train from Cincinnati to Washington had a brake failure. The line  west of Staunton is a steep grade, so the train, trying desperately to  stop, hurtled through the Staunton Station. The track curves in the  station, beginning the opposite the hotel and the rear car of the  runaway train was hurled from the track and dragged.<br /><br />Both the station  and the wooden coach were shattered and, since the accident occurred at  night, the kerosene lamps which lit the coach started a fire in the  splintered wooden wreckage. The smashed coach was occupied by a  theatrical troupe en route to Washington, and one of the singers, an  18-year-old girl from Kansas’s City named Myrtle Knox, was killed.<br /><br />The  young woman was a member of organization of the Kings’ daughters, and  the Staunton circle of that organization made effective use of the  public concern about the wreck to get support for building the first  hospital in Staunton, King’s  Daughters’ Hospital. It remained in operation until closing in the 1990s with the opening of Augusta Medical Center, now known as Augusta Health, in Fishersville.<br /><br />Staunton Development Company was on the west end of the building in  1891 and the rest of the building was a shoe factory. Staunton  Development Company wanted to renovate and update the Hotel in the  Victorian style but went broke.<br /><br />In 1894, the American Hotel became Bowling Spotts & Co, a  wholesale grocery. They were receivers over all the railroad systems of  the country, from the Gulf to the Great Lakes and from California to the  Atlantic Coast. They specialized in the handling of Havana and domestic  cigars, chewing and smoking tobacco, teas, spices, high grade canned  goods and provisions of all kinds. They were distributors of goods far  superior to that usually carried by wholesale firms in cities the size  of Staunton.<br /><br />Between 1921 and 1929, the front part was used as a Railway express  office. As most downtown cities declined in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s,  the building was no longer utilized.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_pYMw2SVPHZb3wJFfmFtvDK51d3c9jQZ8cIocKeGF2DwOHDSK8c7beTJcAs7EKHIYtsJfD_NPvLhWfezcl5XtHJccVn8YWj7jWPkab9TCYondwwDuxKkOz6RmhvSfqqEbfYZuJr1SRst/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_pYMw2SVPHZb3wJFfmFtvDK51d3c9jQZ8cIocKeGF2DwOHDSK8c7beTJcAs7EKHIYtsJfD_NPvLhWfezcl5XtHJccVn8YWj7jWPkab9TCYondwwDuxKkOz6RmhvSfqqEbfYZuJr1SRst/s640/6.jpg" width="408" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">In 1994, Restoration Concepts Inc. attempted to rehabilitate the hotel  but the project was never approved. In 2003, Emerald City L.P. Renovated  the building for Professional Offices, Café and The Grand Banquet Room  The Balcony and Pillar entrance was reinstalled. A two story parking  garage was built and an elevator was installed. The building was totally  renovated with fire sprinkler systems, fire escape stairways, new HVAC  systems, and a complete electrical renovation. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga4DeKTo9Oo1TE0vT7rSCst825MNslEQIlreVz7QalX3RvSY7_Wgips1zi8NNvL9M8Wqe1vfqU_02KO8SR0KsHv1ezdWXyUeeN7bW_xBPzNxNlLUpgruIXyPijPdvhx5iQTqjbYS6NyICI/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga4DeKTo9Oo1TE0vT7rSCst825MNslEQIlreVz7QalX3RvSY7_Wgips1zi8NNvL9M8Wqe1vfqU_02KO8SR0KsHv1ezdWXyUeeN7bW_xBPzNxNlLUpgruIXyPijPdvhx5iQTqjbYS6NyICI/s400/7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">On a rainy Tuesday, my sister and I stopped in the cafe, located on the ground floor, for lunch. It's open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.<br /><br /><i>Hint: Signage is a little lacking. Enter through the main front entrance of the building directly across from the train platform, turn left, and enter through the door that looks like its going into the kitchen.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_TK2BGE2bJLW77Jg1HoYyO-VSVYYmcWTt39-g1_Q7ymtA3rIDicC0s_olTW_b0iMMr_jhu0LJUeQQxFDrOrpyGDRRPQZpQbn7VxKHVlF7ADIcf2PNXt3PWR6aLcAAkwSxVQhDevymVSbW/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_TK2BGE2bJLW77Jg1HoYyO-VSVYYmcWTt39-g1_Q7ymtA3rIDicC0s_olTW_b0iMMr_jhu0LJUeQQxFDrOrpyGDRRPQZpQbn7VxKHVlF7ADIcf2PNXt3PWR6aLcAAkwSxVQhDevymVSbW/s400/8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5DR4gjwQWmzHyziIBHibhr2fMlrbkp2b0Ny6nr86CJ7p6kcevo7sB8-SKnMryot1WfW9Qjglvpz0tPON2qzZxlEDs8sswbER22x-CzDUPz9NP0H00Azi2Gofh2kMSNtn2b10mG9XP90v/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5DR4gjwQWmzHyziIBHibhr2fMlrbkp2b0Ny6nr86CJ7p6kcevo7sB8-SKnMryot1WfW9Qjglvpz0tPON2qzZxlEDs8sswbER22x-CzDUPz9NP0H00Azi2Gofh2kMSNtn2b10mG9XP90v/s640/9.jpg" width="538" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKw4NuPWu3AJjQdwdRWUoDig5imgP0x4TmOr5YnXPrO4zfg3ubPobFz8cx8J1xOYfK8lXak3dHiNxOfyCv_Av9laSuggmGFcy3O5J30KzKvnhJSoqtdkt2TdNYSSRoLYvC1_X9fj53JkS2/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKw4NuPWu3AJjQdwdRWUoDig5imgP0x4TmOr5YnXPrO4zfg3ubPobFz8cx8J1xOYfK8lXak3dHiNxOfyCv_Av9laSuggmGFcy3O5J30KzKvnhJSoqtdkt2TdNYSSRoLYvC1_X9fj53JkS2/s400/10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The view out the window by our table looked at the historic train station and platform. Staunton's historic nooks and crannies are a gold mine for historical junkies like me.<br /><br /><i>H/T to the Augusta County Historical Society and James Patrick for historical information.</i></div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />June 18, 2013

Staunton's historic 1855 American Hotel at the train station

American Hotel Central Virginia Railroad Company Historic Wharf District Staunton Staunton Train Station Stonewall Jackson Ulysses Grant Staunton's historic 1855 American Hotel at the train station

The American Hotel was built in 1855 by the Central Virginia Railroad Company, providing overnight luxury and convenience for train passeng...

#3 ... Frontier Culture Museum in pictures

7:04 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj530YClTCbnipWd7y7Exoln_uzOuwqiPfKlariX_iWuywyCmJxxJF_SDHHj1n0ffjPsZXi148khnPBPIwzd-A2KfjRvExEe62chVKd4y8emjs3EXdnhVQjaYMDJc1vkF4R38Aezaksn9g8/s1600/20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj530YClTCbnipWd7y7Exoln_uzOuwqiPfKlariX_iWuywyCmJxxJF_SDHHj1n0ffjPsZXi148khnPBPIwzd-A2KfjRvExEe62chVKd4y8emjs3EXdnhVQjaYMDJc1vkF4R38Aezaksn9g8/s640/20.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiirCr0wGUbiClkC0_v5BY1OD-ShJVzH-M-Rf0sspUdYPEmtZkCr2ZvZXeYmmtSwL7yl8kCDaOPFugHbrr_79zBeWa5YXQIj85B8B5xqNOyPUQUk4CbwlOB2DYHtRZOHWesyupqyM3hCRQz/s1600/21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiirCr0wGUbiClkC0_v5BY1OD-ShJVzH-M-Rf0sspUdYPEmtZkCr2ZvZXeYmmtSwL7yl8kCDaOPFugHbrr_79zBeWa5YXQIj85B8B5xqNOyPUQUk4CbwlOB2DYHtRZOHWesyupqyM3hCRQz/s400/21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />Irish Forge<br />June 5, 2013

#3 ... Frontier Culture Museum in pictures

American history Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia Shenandoah Valley history Staunton tourism Virginia Is For Lovers #3 ... Frontier Culture Museum in pictures

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell Irish Forge June 5, 2013

#2 ... Frontier Culture Museum in pictures

7:00 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjXiYZnB8uhA8GHKp473RNy_0gI0Csygwgj4FAjsm_-TdJfdk-_tgLWbFy992d7JMPO2-Advw9UFpvY7huh_MX0p8KByNb4qOH1fKB2tQzozgkFKuJS0p63kl8K0Zg7Owrl6Ov2VV6cIn/s1600/18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjXiYZnB8uhA8GHKp473RNy_0gI0Csygwgj4FAjsm_-TdJfdk-_tgLWbFy992d7JMPO2-Advw9UFpvY7huh_MX0p8KByNb4qOH1fKB2tQzozgkFKuJS0p63kl8K0Zg7Owrl6Ov2VV6cIn/s640/18.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkA-zqM5nBsJ7YY_-xlxTf79F1_II5ii6DpG9jL3_y1GSgpACxodpVcjyXE3ee7NTAjZcjZ4VFAgyloaNDfwYO3hqJhrBuENPgYIAGf74eBjVBG-rdjzzFbZH7H4C65pxvKR0DxZgECbF/s1600/19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkA-zqM5nBsJ7YY_-xlxTf79F1_II5ii6DpG9jL3_y1GSgpACxodpVcjyXE3ee7NTAjZcjZ4VFAgyloaNDfwYO3hqJhrBuENPgYIAGf74eBjVBG-rdjzzFbZH7H4C65pxvKR0DxZgECbF/s400/19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuzu1XjBMERU3PDiS6uaoGkTqusAVGXIbr0wP20k2eu2M_ut-XmLpa4acKDLl46OxQftVzH4wsSvZeJghT-8W-Xojd5RoFe9VVuac5vEf6Xomr1JelTGD6wGhXlJzHjk5mfGJSL3XZqG-/s1600/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuzu1XjBMERU3PDiS6uaoGkTqusAVGXIbr0wP20k2eu2M_ut-XmLpa4acKDLl46OxQftVzH4wsSvZeJghT-8W-Xojd5RoFe9VVuac5vEf6Xomr1JelTGD6wGhXlJzHjk5mfGJSL3XZqG-/s640/15.jpg" width="406" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qggyS_zkM6nooOB3N7pbX-tYSNKcr4_S4tD1uJerektnG-QQCnltwLJ3GF7ngPw5HXNaOBEVXgmFkF7HzroRJDD7eCkYf9oAw8iLIYgDXYP4Li8OT3Hj_fhoD2RPqSEc7EwLQRCnZfOH/s1600/16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qggyS_zkM6nooOB3N7pbX-tYSNKcr4_S4tD1uJerektnG-QQCnltwLJ3GF7ngPw5HXNaOBEVXgmFkF7HzroRJDD7eCkYf9oAw8iLIYgDXYP4Li8OT3Hj_fhoD2RPqSEc7EwLQRCnZfOH/s400/16.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFPNai2Sml3vQ2uJE2nXOz8ajfVNcxoGUVR_ODUIUKb2OnC6L5ZCIRZC5VOWwcZWSBfU3ytw-FXYcspxDkHDBJzA_w6zLMrMh343D6We_Ms_aAdQJKzLnlPm5Qczi8jlg-t5HQfyiIrhW/s1600/17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFPNai2Sml3vQ2uJE2nXOz8ajfVNcxoGUVR_ODUIUKb2OnC6L5ZCIRZC5VOWwcZWSBfU3ytw-FXYcspxDkHDBJzA_w6zLMrMh343D6We_Ms_aAdQJKzLnlPm5Qczi8jlg-t5HQfyiIrhW/s400/17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />Irish & German farms<br />June 5, 2013

#2 ... Frontier Culture Museum in pictures

American history Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia Shenandoah Valley history Staunton tourism Virginia Is For Lovers #2 ... Frontier Culture Museum in pictures

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell Irish & German farms June 5, 2013

Trixie at the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia

2:35 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBRLTKjnMURC9ItNZ1i2SxUNUBXei2J-F-SP6wc3vgWNQ2h8PseBP8NwZTfUG4PRrJ9TZvUIyxOyRHRmkCW1V9gBEHqoV3PlM0h9Lu9IBcixCcwe_9EdfljT6pLXEAA_Z5Lzlw7_4rqNqI/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBRLTKjnMURC9ItNZ1i2SxUNUBXei2J-F-SP6wc3vgWNQ2h8PseBP8NwZTfUG4PRrJ9TZvUIyxOyRHRmkCW1V9gBEHqoV3PlM0h9Lu9IBcixCcwe_9EdfljT6pLXEAA_Z5Lzlw7_4rqNqI/s640/1.jpg" width="354" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Trixie Averill</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtR3EY_jYa4Y1umdSUmQn3pob4H3GMgbJXHNXtNoiX401okRG9XygfRr4G7Bk9lKuiXcJf5RXJQC2oUonWJ7kDa_ABV_Uy7yorcUQZsP1cZaxC_tCHu6j_XV8xoywWMW99yitNa90-PBDZ/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtR3EY_jYa4Y1umdSUmQn3pob4H3GMgbJXHNXtNoiX401okRG9XygfRr4G7Bk9lKuiXcJf5RXJQC2oUonWJ7kDa_ABV_Uy7yorcUQZsP1cZaxC_tCHu6j_XV8xoywWMW99yitNa90-PBDZ/s400/2.jpg" width="368" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">German farm with Godfrey.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisoyRfqUEA0hQP2ulbFmcWIozX5lRiHPmJXAajflGPk9scvRroNmaRwtJIWK4gxf8TGKt1D0iU12-vqPbw4OtREq1E3J98OkF9BokiFVR7Uo-Mb0uWwdeLbYqBlxMcTXoK6biYAk20XiBJ/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisoyRfqUEA0hQP2ulbFmcWIozX5lRiHPmJXAajflGPk9scvRroNmaRwtJIWK4gxf8TGKt1D0iU12-vqPbw4OtREq1E3J98OkF9BokiFVR7Uo-Mb0uWwdeLbYqBlxMcTXoK6biYAk20XiBJ/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0VCdCbGBtG5Ek-ga7eaoCbiYzFuuzzDypLvBb8vVqgE3qz_0Or9HNLttbJtxanJbQGpKp-e9Md_GKORNobt-e0hK-aGzifnFOKtoD4EygWmNCQ-Dsqn8bO8RPDUnA1dfBQY4L05u6xlow/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0VCdCbGBtG5Ek-ga7eaoCbiYzFuuzzDypLvBb8vVqgE3qz_0Or9HNLttbJtxanJbQGpKp-e9Md_GKORNobt-e0hK-aGzifnFOKtoD4EygWmNCQ-Dsqn8bO8RPDUnA1dfBQY4L05u6xlow/s400/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">An example of the first American log cabins.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTyr6WfJGCsO-BJtf5lktd3PGuxMHOpYrXxczRrf8wvDzy_ju6kSYl2gyIyIHBbdPlc80TfdAbyqaDJ-CsWDFmoPUvKr8Ew1u0F96hYyccd_GMThDenOCrZSYSgf5_IsQJrXu8X9pLqHx/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTyr6WfJGCsO-BJtf5lktd3PGuxMHOpYrXxczRrf8wvDzy_ju6kSYl2gyIyIHBbdPlc80TfdAbyqaDJ-CsWDFmoPUvKr8Ew1u0F96hYyccd_GMThDenOCrZSYSgf5_IsQJrXu8X9pLqHx/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGucFQAE0yx494_59KD_5I2k467WwMqWzglvZDHm1pM5UWFM7l0z79vzTy5usWvlfNnCl5WZqTFRKtyucjGbwFMz93NgZLMhIOfXnBG2vO-7RbYVicHfrFkRe84Wb9cqsvYzaIaz3hwin/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGucFQAE0yx494_59KD_5I2k467WwMqWzglvZDHm1pM5UWFM7l0z79vzTy5usWvlfNnCl5WZqTFRKtyucjGbwFMz93NgZLMhIOfXnBG2vO-7RbYVicHfrFkRe84Wb9cqsvYzaIaz3hwin/s400/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Trixie was reading the plaque below.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd6UuCaPkS36JQdDhO-cld6OlcstHqC3kjna-TOrgSrJpmr7aIuiyDDwL4u5Wq8i98bloXh0tDbsQFqryx_k0gDSHKhi6jaZnhvPjIs11yA-oGGmCBoNcXG4DLaVLA1SzuWwTCODvTx6kK/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd6UuCaPkS36JQdDhO-cld6OlcstHqC3kjna-TOrgSrJpmr7aIuiyDDwL4u5Wq8i98bloXh0tDbsQFqryx_k0gDSHKhi6jaZnhvPjIs11yA-oGGmCBoNcXG4DLaVLA1SzuWwTCODvTx6kK/s400/7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHpOJpb4e_5kcZOaLE6j07MboXGfW4UH9w1NhPEEjIZeP-FnrGILUztdAVsEN69a_hWajYdZ6RP5OqBQcw3IStNtXxTM1UuywPKSCNd86AHOSinAXuAlMjzGOhuV00widzKGzUf1MYM5h/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHpOJpb4e_5kcZOaLE6j07MboXGfW4UH9w1NhPEEjIZeP-FnrGILUztdAVsEN69a_hWajYdZ6RP5OqBQcw3IStNtXxTM1UuywPKSCNd86AHOSinAXuAlMjzGOhuV00widzKGzUf1MYM5h/s400/8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Trixie Averill and I met up with longtime Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia volunteer Dick Spencer for an afternoon around the various farmsteads. Trixie, who is a gubernatorial appointment on the Virginia Tourism Board, was fascinated with all that is available to learn and do at this hands-on facility. Here she and Dick are at the American farmstead on Wednesday. More photos to come....</div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />June 5, 2013

Trixie at the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia

Dick Spencer Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia Lynn R. Mitchell Staunton tourism Trixie Averill Virginia Is For Lovers Trixie at the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia

Trixie Averill German farm with Godfrey. An example of the first American log cabins. Trixie was reading the plaque below. Trixie Averill an...

Sally Landes: Lady of the English house at Frontier Culture Museum

7:32 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Uh2Y-9KCeR6OG8YNznekhFk_EWH26fEt172u-G9TE0osc9rs7akF46gdTSJYA8ZCZC27TPb0_kCMO1H0q9UDxWc6ZHRKIQNx-E_BcVXG9UhNiICgEND3s_VLVL0XL-ONvd_Q6ekMx5bv/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Uh2Y-9KCeR6OG8YNznekhFk_EWH26fEt172u-G9TE0osc9rs7akF46gdTSJYA8ZCZC27TPb0_kCMO1H0q9UDxWc6ZHRKIQNx-E_BcVXG9UhNiICgEND3s_VLVL0XL-ONvd_Q6ekMx5bv/s640/5.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> On Wednesday, Sally Landes was making cheese at the English house at the <a href="http://www.frontiermuseum.org/">Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia</a> located in Staunton. Sally and I first met as homeschool moms about 16 years ago when our daughters were in the same gymnastics class. That was before I got to knew her brother-in-law, Delegate Steve Landes, through local politics. She is one of the costumed historical interpreters at the Museum.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOze43IxUU5zJtBlRdYCOWD-Wgam29XcOC6eAYMDRS8vlNukwgED5jZ6oMNlHc6RfJDBNKWNRO6s-j-GDIA0rnxbIfvzUqEju7ZBqHTJCREQX68FDK_NPyZ7VKkIBcAA75Sg924BZrIAf3/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOze43IxUU5zJtBlRdYCOWD-Wgam29XcOC6eAYMDRS8vlNukwgED5jZ6oMNlHc6RfJDBNKWNRO6s-j-GDIA0rnxbIfvzUqEju7ZBqHTJCREQX68FDK_NPyZ7VKkIBcAA75Sg924BZrIAf3/s400/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">When visiting the English farm, look for the smiling face under the bonnet and you'll find Sally. She may be baking in the kitchen or sheering sheep or making cheese but whatever she's doing, she often invites onlookers to participate. Children first wash their hands in her "kitchen sink," then help measure or stir ingredients for whatever she's baking. Food ingredients are collected on the farm -- yesterday's cheese was made from cow and/or goat milk from the animals that live at the museum. It's a fascinating experience, and Friday, June 7, will be FREE admission from 6-8:00 p.m., which offers the opportunity to visit and see what everyone is talking about.</div><br />Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell<br />June 5, 2013

Sally Landes: Lady of the English house at Frontier Culture Museum

costumed interpreters Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia history Sally Landes Shenandoah Valley Staunton Virginia Is For Lovers Virginia tourism Sally Landes: Lady of the English house at Frontier Culture Museum

On Wednesday, Sally Landes was making cheese at the English house at the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia located in Staunton. Sally an...

Summer 2013 ... 40 things to do in and around Staunton

6:00 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLx9DgPXfW7mr8J3Ag7E-_r-euZKMLHwslGddxM1NTt54iDIIUX8m3_omOCGwgO8LmHqRnmDfV_VnyhblDNzq20hvcM205NKQ7yHAps5xspWcZAaCZnaTsu7W3Z1UARMEtnk61_N1lyg/s1600-h/8.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350511705932163682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLx9DgPXfW7mr8J3Ag7E-_r-euZKMLHwslGddxM1NTt54iDIIUX8m3_omOCGwgO8LmHqRnmDfV_VnyhblDNzq20hvcM205NKQ7yHAps5xspWcZAaCZnaTsu7W3Z1UARMEtnk61_N1lyg/s400/8.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 350px;" /></a> <i>Beverley Street in historic downtown Staunton, Virginia,<br />in the central Shenandoah Valley.</i><br /><br /><div align="left">Voted as one of America's <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-greatest-main-streets/13">Top 20 Main Streets</a> by <i>Travel and Leisure</i> magazine, the central Shenandoah Valley city of <a href="http://www.visitstaunton.com/about.htm">Staunton</a> was also named one of the <a href="http://www.visitstaunton.com/stauntonontap.htm">20 Best Small Towns in America</a> by <i>Smithsonian</i> magazine as well as <i>Virginia Living</i> magazine's <a href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2012/05/virginia-living-magazines-best-of.html">Best of 2012</a>.<br /><br />With views east toward the Blue Ridge Mountains and west toward the Appalachians, Staunton is an historic slice of Virginia that offers restored Victorian homes, cozy downtown shops, and small-town atmosphere. Patriotic holidays find her streets lined with American flags, and the always-popular Christmas parade takes place each year on Beverley Street, the main thoroughfare that is lined with restaurants, store fronts, the Dixie Theater, the city courthouse, and old-fashioned lamp posts. Be sure and check the <a href="http://www.visitstaunton.com/stauntonontap.htm">Staunton Convention and Visitor Center Calendar of Events</a> for all the latest happenings including art exhibits and live entertainment.<br /><br />Staunton is part of the <a href="http://206.113.151.20/wildernessroad/wrCommunity.asp?community=4">Wilderness Road Initiative</a> to preserve the legacy of this period in America's history that played a big role in the migration and settlement of Virginia and beyond. The website explains, "<span class="style84">As the colonies were thriving along the east coast in the late 1600s, the Appalachian Mountains remained a formidable barrier to the interior of the nation.  The  Wilderness Road led settlers to the <a href="http://www.danielboonetrail.com/">Daniel Boone Trail</a> which led through the Cumberland Gap into Kentucky or they traveled south along the Great Warrior Path into Georgia."</span> <br /><br />There's lots to do during the carefree summer months so here are some places and events you may find interesting. The list has been updated and 10 additional activities have been added.<br /><br /><b>1. Free Trolleys</b><br />A great way to get around downtown, <a href="http://www.staunton.va.us/community/transportation/trolley-service">Staunton's two trolleys</a> are free and pick up and discharge passengers at stops located throughout the city. It's one of the best deals around, and offers a way to see the city without driving. More information can be found at the Staunton Visitors Center on New Street or at the website. <br /><br /><b><span class="style84">2. </span></b><b>Wright's Dairy-Rite</b><br />Ever heard of the <a href="http://www.statlerbrothers.com/">Statler Brothers</a>? They grew up hanging out at the 1950s-era <a href="http://www.dairy-rite.com/">Wright's Dairy-Rite Drive-In</a> and it's very much the same today. Pull to the curb, order, and watch a carhop deliver your freshly-cooked meal while listening to 50s music. Or go inside to the 1950s-decorated interior complete with tables,  booths, and a historical display of those who have visited over the  years including the Statler Brothers and Governor/U.S. Senator George  Allen.<br /><br /><b>3. Ox-Eye Vineyard Tasting Room</b><br /><span class="style84"><a href="http://www.oxeyevineyards.com/">Ox-Eye Vineyards</a>, owned by the Kiers family and <a href="http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/local-opinion-zone/2010/07/will-hot-dry-weather-make-2010-good-year-virginia-wines/1639">located in Augusta County</a>, renovated an historic building in the Wharf area of downtown Staunton that now <a href="http://www.oxeyevineyards.com/our-tasting-room/">offers wine tastings</a> of their reds and whites. They displayed at the 2012 Shenandoah Valley Wine and Jazz Festival at the Frontier Culture Museum, and in April 2013 the Washington Post named them one of the <a href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2013/04/wapost-calls-augusta-countys-ox-eye.html">Top 10 Mid-Atlantic wineries</a> to visit. Where did the name "Ox-Eye" come from? It's the name of the common field daisy with a yellow center and white petals that grows all over Ox-Eye Farm. <i>Hint: If you like white wines, try their Riesling and White Ox.</i></span><br /><br /><b>4. Andre Viette Daylily Food and Wine Festival</b><br />For 17 years, this has been one of the most popular festivals in the Shenandoah Valley with seminars, wine tastings, music, and food. Located in nearby Fishersville, the <a href="http://www.viette.com/v.php?pg=733">Food and Wine Festival</a> continues the tradition at world-known horticulturist Andre Viette's farm overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. Held July 20-21, 2013, it's a family affair with fun for all so stop by and see what's growing in Mr. Viette's garden! <i>Hint: There's more than just daylilies.</i><br /><br /><b>5. Newtown Artisans Bakery</b><br />Popular with the locals as well as visitors, <a href="http://www.newtownbaking.com/">Newtown Bakery</a> is a go-to place for pastries and specialty breads that are baked daily. <i>Insider's tip: Friday is yummy challah and it usually sells out fast.</i> Inside and outside tables provide a friendly setting for sandwiches and other treats from their <a href="http://www.newtownbaking.com/menu/">menu</a>. Located near historic Thornrose Cemetery (#6) and next-door to Anne Hathaway's Cottage (#9).<br /><br /><b>6. Historic Thornrose Cemetery</b><br />Dating to 1740, Staunton's historic <a href="http://www.thornrose.org/history.html">Thornrose Cemetery</a> was originally designed with grassy areas and shade trees for the town people to picnic on hot summer days. Located on a hill that has a view of the Appalachians to the west, Thornrose features Victorian architecture in its gates, buildings, vaults, and headstones. A special Civil War section featuring a marble statue of a Confederate infantryman is the site of over 1,700 graves of Confederate soldiers.<br /><br /><b>7. Coffee on the Corner Beer Garden</b><br />Located on the corner of Market and Beverley streets and next-door to Blackfriars Theater, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Coffee-On-The-Corner/116083138411934">Coffee on the Corner's</a> cozy atmosphere as well as free Wi-Fi makes it a popular spot for Mary Baldwin College students, tourists, patrons to Blackfriars (#8), and locals. Besides the obvious coffee and tea selections, COTC also offers a wide variety of sandwiches and bagels to grab a quick bite while working on your laptop. The outdoor beer garden opened in 2011, offering the perfect place to meet up with friends on a warm summer evening and enjoy one of their featured craft beers. <br /><br /><b>8. Blackfriars Theater</b><br />The <a href="http://www.americanshakespearecenter.com/v.php?pg=124">Blackfriars Theater</a> was built in downtown Staunton in 2001, the world's only exact replica of William Shakespeare's indoor theater, and is home to the American Shakespeare Center. It offers a great place to catch a play, tour the facility, or get involved in their camps for young and old alike. Their active schedule means something is almost always going on at Blackfriars. Check their website for current plays and activities.<br /><br /><b>9. Anne Hathaway's Cottage</b><br />What better way to enjoy a little slice of England in downtown Staunton than to stay at the <a href="http://anne-hathaways-cottage.com/">Anne Hathaway Cottage Bed and Breakfast</a>? Named for Shakespeare's wife, the thatched-roof inn presents all the ambiance of a period residence but was newly constructed and opened in 2011. Walk next-door for freshly-baked goodies from Newtown Bakery (#5). Located on Thornrose Avenue, it is just down the street from the historical Thornrose Cemetery (#6).<br /><br /><b>10. Hull's Drive-In Theater</b><br />Get your '50s on! A favorite for many in the area, nearby Lexington's <a href="http://hullsdrivein.com/">Hull's Drive-In Theater</a> is a non-profit run by volunteers. It's a blast from the past that is passing the tradition on to the next generations. The price is right -- $7 for adults and children 11 and under are free -- so bring your lawn chairs or settle back in your car for a double feature of currently-showing movies.<br /><br /><b>11. Betsy Bell & Mary Gray Mountains</b><br />Staunton is unique in that it has two small side-by-side mountains within the city limits. Named <a href="http://www.staunton.va.us/directory/departments-h-z/recreation-parks/parks/betsy-bell">Betsy Bell and Mary Gray</a> after two Irish women from the late 1600s, these small wilderness areas offer a close-to-home taste of the outdoors. Drive up, picnic or look out from the observation deck over the Wal-Mart to the Blue Ridge Mountains beyond, and hike or bike the trails. Talk about urban wilderness!<br /><br /><b>12. Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia</b><br />A unique hands-on outdoor museum located on approximately 300 acres in Staunton, the <a href="http://www.frontiermuseum.org/">Frontier Culture Museum</a> brings the past alive with costumed interpreters, farm animals, and original or recreated homesteads from the Old World and the New World. A winding, two-mile trail allows guests to visit the English, Irish, German, and American farms as well as the West African village, learning the story of America's settlement and where we came from. Spend an hour or all day ... visitors choose their own pace. Picnic tables are on the grounds, and special events take place year-round. Coming up in 2013: <a href="http://www.frontiermuseum.org/?ai1ec_event=shenandoah-wine-jazz-festival&instance_id=5">Shenandoah Wine & Jazz Festival</a> on June 29, <a href="http://www.frontiermuseum.org/?ai1ec_event=first-friday&instance_id=4">First Friday</a> in June and August open free to the public from 6-8 pm, <a href="http://www.frontiermuseum.org/?page_id=513">summer camps</a>, free <a href="http://www.frontiermuseum.org/?ai1ec_event=independence-day-celebration&instance_id=6">Independence Day Celebration</a> on July 4, <a href="http://www.frontiermuseum.org/?ai1ec_event=blues-brews-festival&instance_id=8">Blues & Brews Festival</a> on August 3, and many more events.<br /><br /><b>13. Gypsy Hill Park </b><br /><a href="http://www.staunton.va.us/directory/departments-h-z/recreation-parks/parks/gypsy-hill-park">Gypsy Hill Park</a> has a little bit of everything on its 214 acres located within Staunton's city limits. It offers ball fields, volley ball court, horseshoes, picnic tables, shelters, a public swimming pool that is open during the summer, duck pond, golf course, basketball courts, fishing pond, skateboard park, tennis courts, and an old-time Gazebo that is the center of entertainment throughout the summer. It also has a football field and is home to the Staunton Braves baseball team. The trolley stops at the park for easy access downtown. For $1, you can take a ride on the 50-year-old Gypsy Express mini train located near the duck pond. Newly renovated in 2007, the tradition continues.<br /><br /><b>14. Guided Tours of Staunton and Nearby Civil War Battlefields</b><br /><a href="http://www.stauntonguidedtours.com/">Staunton Guided Tours</a> offers personal year-round tours of the area while learning of its rich history. Narrated trolley tours are available on weekends and holidays. Park the car, sit back, and enjoy the ride! <i>New:</i> A History and Winery Tour has been added to the ever-increasing choices. Check the website for more choices.<br /><br /><b>15. Staunton-Augusta Farmers Market</b><br />Voted one of the best farmers markets in Virginia, the <a href="http://www.stauntonguidedtours.com/">Staunton-Augusta Farmers Market</a> offers fresh, locally grown produce, flowers, herbs, eggs, fruits, meats, and more from the convenience of the Wharf parking lot in downtown Staunton (corner of Byers and Johnson Streets). Area vendors provide fresh locally-grown products. Open Saturdays from 7 a.m.-noon through mid-November.<br /><br /><b>16. Oak Grove Theater</b><br />Just outside Staunton is <a href="http://oakgrovetheater.org/">Oak Grove Theater</a>, a community theater group that performs an annual five-play summer  season. The plays are performed at night, out-of-doors, at beautiful Oak  Grove near Verona. Patrons picnic in the Grove before the sun sets and the play begins, offering delightfully entertaining plays under the stars, thanks to local philanthropists Fletcher and Margaret Collins. Wrote local reviewer Charles Culbertson, "Here, nestled among the stands of towering oak  trees and rhododendrons, reposes one of our area’s most brilliant  theatrical jewels and valuable community resources." Hear, hear.<br /><br /><b>17.  Staunton Braves Baseball Games</b><br />The Boys of Summer come to Staunton each year as the <a href="http://www.stauntonbravesbaseball.com/">Staunton Braves</a>, part of the Valley Baseball League that brings college players to the area. The ball park is located at Gypsy Hill Park (#13) and provides hours of fun on summer evenings.<br /><br /><b>18. President Woodrow Wilson's Birthplace</b><br /><a href="http://www.woodrowwilson.org/">Woodrow Wilson, 28th President</a> of the United States, is remembered with the restoration of his birth place as well as his Presidential Library and Museum. His original Pierce Arrow can be seen in the Museum as well as many displays. Wind down your tour with a leisurely stroll through the formal gardens behind the Manse.<br /><br /><b>19. Barren Ridge Vineyards</b><br />Located at the family’s former apple orchard, <a href="http://www.barrenridgevineyardsva.com/about/">Barren Ridge Vineyards</a> came to life when the old apple barn was converted into a state-of-the-art winery. The beautiful interior offers up a stone fireplace in the tasting room that features wines for sale and tours. Outdoors, the European-style veranda offers views across the vineyards with Staunton's Betsy Bell and Mary Gray mountains in the distance. There is an active schedule of events including their Vine to Wine 5K on June 28.<br /><br /><b>20. Ghostly Evening Tours</b><br />What better way to see the architecture of historic downtown Staunton and well-known landmarks than with the <a href="http://www.ghostsofstaunton.com/">Ghosts of Staunton Tour</a>? Spooky candlelight tours are also offered of what is described as the most haunted area of Staunton, the Depot train station, and in October only, the former DeJarnette Sanitorium as well as a special Halloween version of the Depot tour. If you are looking for something different and unusual, this is the tour for you!<br /><br /><b>21. Sunspots Studio and Glass Blowing</b><br />It is fascinating to watch as glassblowers craft jewelry, garden art, bird feeders, decor, and other glass items at <a href="http://www.sunspots.com/">Sunspots</a> where the viewing window lets visitors watch the craftsmanship while avoiding the heat. Stop by and see the magic of hot glass.<br /><br /><b>22. Stonewall Brigade Band</b><br /><a href="http://www.stonewallbrigadeband.com/">The Stonewall Brigade Band</a> is the nation's oldest continuous-running community band and still entertains with a free Monday night concert at the Gazebo in Gypsy Hill Park at 8:00 p.m. Visitors and locals take their lawn chairs and relax under the massive trees to enjoy a concert under the stars. Here's the<a href="http://www.visitstaunton.com/documents/2013SummerMusicSchedule5.23.13.pdf"> 2013 schedule</a>.<br /><br /><b>23. Jazz in the Park</b><br />Jazz in the Park is held at the Gazebo in Gypsy Hill Park every Thursday evening at 8:00 p.m. Bring lawn chairs and hear some of the region's jazz greats. Here's the <a href="http://www.visitstaunton.com/documents/2013SummerMusicSchedule5.23.13.pdf">2013 schedule</a>.<br /><br /><b>24. Cocoa Mill Chocolatier</b><br />Located in downtown Staunton, <a href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2011/08/historic-downtown-staunton-cocoa-mill.html">Cocoa Mill Chocolatier</a> offers yummy chocolate delights that are handmade, much as can be found in the shop in nearby Lexington.  Voted best overall chocolates by the <i>Wall Street Journal,</i> they are your source for truffles, barks, rich caramels, dipped fruit, chocolate-covered almond  butter crunch toffee, chocolate-dipped pretzels, nonpareils, truffles,  peanut butter cups, and brandied cherry cordials. Stop by and get your chocolate fix!<br /><br /><b>25. Visualite and Dixie Movie Theaters</b><br />Located in downtown Staunton, these <a href="http://www.visulitecinemas.com/">vintage movie theaters</a> offer first-run films as well as golden oldies and artsy selections. They are locally owned and popular with all ages, making your night out an exceptional experience.<br /><br /><b>26. Shenandoah National Park</b><br />Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains east of Staunton, <a href="http://www.nps.gov/shen/index.htm">Shenandoah National Park</a> offers 200,000 acres of wilderness, campgrounds, picnic areas, hiking trails, horseback riding, lodges, and visitor centers along the 100-mile-long Skyline Drive. Escape to the quiet beauty of the mountains.<br /><br /><b>27. Humpback Rock Farm</b><br />A mountain homestead much like the ones from days gone by, <a href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2009/10/sunday-humpback-rocks-farm-day-on.html">Humpback Rock Farm</a> is located at Milepost 5.8 on the Blue Ridge Parkway south of Afton. Costumed interpreters are on hand weekends and on select days throughout the summer to answer questions about a bygone era. Farm animals, a working garden, mountain music, and more round out the experience. Visitor Center on site.<br /><br /><b>28. Grand Caverns</b><br />The Shenandoah Valley is full of caverns due to the limestone underfoot. <a href="http://www.grandcaverns.com/">Grand Caverns</a> in nearby Grottoes opened in 1806 and is the longest-running show cave in the U.S. Its interior has signatures from dozens of Civil War soldiers, perhaps because of its close proximity to major Civil War battlefields. With picnicking, hiking trails, a bike trail, and other entertainment located on the banks of the South River, it will be alive with music this fall for the 27th annual <a href="http://www.grandcaverns.com/v.php?pg=153">Blue Grass Festival</a> to be held September 6-8, 2012.<br /><br /><b>29. Shakin' at the Station</b><br />Every Thursday evening during the summer months, downtown Staunton comes alive with the music of <a href="http://www.stauntondowntown.org/shakin-summer-concert-series/">Shakin' at the Station</a>. Located in the Wharf parking lot, admission is $2, donated to area non-profits, with various local and regional bands on stage from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Here's the <a href="http://www.visitstaunton.com/documents/2013SummerMusicSchedule5.23.13.pdf">2013 schedule</a>.<br /><br /><b>30. Stonewall Brigade Museum</b><br />The <a href="http://www.militarytrader.com/military-trader-news/military-museum-opens-in-verona-va">Stonewall Brigade Museum</a> collection of military history from the Revolutionary War to Iraq and Afghanistan was originally housed at the Thomas Howie Armory in Staunton. However, security measures that were implemented after 9/11 forced its change of location about 10 minutes away in Verona. It honors the 116th Regiment, which is made up of soldiers from the  area, and includes sections  dedicated to the Civil War, when the Regiment fought for the Confederacy  under Stonewall Jackson. Admission is free and tours are available.<br /><br /><b>31. Movies in the Park & more music</b><br />Throughout the summer, Gypsy Hill offers family-friendly movies at the Bandstand. Movies begin at dark; bring chairs or blankets. The 2013 schedule: Jun 14 Madagascar 3; Jun 28 The Goonies; Jul 19 Puss in Boots; Aug 2 Journey to the Center of the Earth; Aug 16 Life of Pi. More music: Besides the Stonewall Brigade Band and Jazz in the Park, Gypsy Hill  offers Praise in the Park on Tuesdays and Bluegrass in the Park on  Wednesdays. Both are at the Bandstand. Here's the <a href="http://www.visitstaunton.com/documents/2013SummerMusicSchedule5.23.13.pdf">2013 schedule</a>.<br /><br /><b>32. Camera Museum</b><br />The <a href="http://www.cameraheritagemuseum.com/">Camera Heritage Museum</a> is located in downtown Staunton and is the largest privately-owned free camera museum on the East Coast. Includes  daguerreotypes, wooden cameras, spy cameras and 100+ Leicas and Zeiss  cameras. Ask for a tour -- it's free. <br /><br /><b>33. Giancarlo Fine European Pastries</b><br />Working from his home, <a href="http://www.europeanpastry.com/">Giancarlo's Fine European Pastries</a> shop is tucked away in a former garage where he bakes and sells bread, superb cakes, and pastries that have that extra flair. His retail shop is only open Friday and Saturday with a case full of goodies. He specializes in that anything-but-ordinary wedding cake and adds exquisite details to everything. His shop is located about three minutes from downtown Staunton and is definitely worth the trip.<br /><br /><b>34. Mary Baldwin College</b><br />It began as Augusta Female Seminary in 1842 and, during the Civil War when it stayed open while other educational institutions in the area closed, a graduate named Mary Baldwin took over and guided the school through those dark days. Today the historic stately white brick buildings of <a href="http://www.mbc.edu/">Mary Baldwin College</a> overlook downtown Staunton and continue to provide a quality education in a small-town atmosphere.<br /><br /><b>35. Polyface Farm</b><br /><a href="http://www.polyfacefarms.com/">Polyface, Inc.</a> is a family owned, multi-generational, pasture-based,  beyond organic, local-market farm and informational outreach in  Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Joel Salatin has become known throughout the natural food community, leading seminars around the world about how to get back to nature with the food supply. There's a store on the premises and visitors are welcome to walk around the farm on their own. Check the website for details.<br /><br /><b>36. R.R. Smith Center for History and Art</b><br />The former Eakleton Hotel, a 25,200 square foot building designed in 1893 by noted local architect T. J. Collins, now houses the <a href="http://www.rrsmithcenter.org/">R.R. Smith Center for History and Art</a> in downtown Staunton. Housing the Staunton and Augusta County historical societies as well as the Staunton Augusta Art Center, it provides art galleries, a lecture hall, library, and gift shop.<br /><br /><b>37. North Mountain Outfitters</b><br />If you're looking for horseback excitement, check out <a href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2013/02/north-mountain-outfitter-in-augusta.html">North Mountain Outfitters</a> adjacent to the George Washington National Forest west of Staunton. They offer trail rides, overnighters, and camp cooking like the cowboy ways out west. Get away from it all, step back in time, and slow down the pace by returning to the simplicity of nature in the picturesque Appalachian Mountains. Half day, full day and overnight rides available.<br /><br /><b>38. Statler Brothers Tribute</b><br />These four local celebrities were born in Staunton where they continued to live even after hitting the heights of country music fame. The <a href="http://www.statlerbrothers.com/">Statler Brothers</a> -- Harold Reid, Don Reid, Phil Balsley, and Jimmy Fortune (who took the place of the late Lou DeWitt) -- have never forgotten their roots. After retiring in 2002 from traveling and concerts, a tribute was dedicated on Johnson Street in the historic Wharf District ... a round masonry structure with the names of the Statlers engraved on top, and four oversized brass stools. They are a reminder of the group's tradition during concerts when they sat on stools and talked about family and home, and sang gospel music. Like those four stools, the Statlers are pillars in the community they love.<br /><br /><b>39. Where to stay in Staunton</b><br />There's no shortage of places to stay in Staunton and the surrounding area. Everything from camping to Bed & Breakfasts are offered in this historic, scenic part of the country. <a href="http://www.visitstaunton.com/lodging/lodging.htm">Check here</a> to begin looking for an overnight spot during your visit to the Shenandoah Valley. <br /><br /><b>40. Lots of Eats</b><br />There are plenty of places to grab great eats in the Valley ... here are a few: <a href="http://staunton.depotgrille.com/">Depot Grille</a>, <a href="http://www.byersstreetbistro.com/">Byers Street Bistro</a>, <a href="http://www.thesplitbanana.com/">Split Banana</a>, <a href="http://www.shenandoahpizza.com/">Shenandoah Pizza</a>, <a href="http://www.mrsrowes.com/index.html">Rowe's</a>,<a href="http://www.clocktowerhistoricstaunton.com/"> Clock Tower</a>, <a href="http://www.klinesdairybar.com/staunton.html">Kline's</a>, <a href="http://www.millstreetgrill.com/">Mill Street Grill</a>, <a href="http://www.gocranberrys.com/">Cranberries</a>, <a href="http://www.thepamperedpalatecafe.com/">Pampered Palate</a>, <a href="http://zynodoa.com/">Zynodoa</a> (pricier fare), <a href="http://www.bajabean.com/">Baja Bean Co.</a>, and <a href="http://www.emiliositalianrestaurant.com/">Emilio's</a>. Many of the chain restaurants are also available in the Staunton-Waynesboro area.<br /><br />Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell</div></div>

Summer 2013 ... 40 things to do in and around Staunton

40 things to do in Staunton Frontier Culture Museum Hull's Drive-In Ox-Eye Vineyards Tasting Room Shenandoah National Park Shenandoah Valley Statler Brothers Staunton summer Summer 2013 ... 40 things to do in and around Staunton

Beverley Street in historic downtown Staunton, Virginia, in the central Shenandoah Valley. Voted as one of America's Top 20 Main Street...