Legends of the Skyline Drive and the Great Valley of VirginiaWillis, Carrie Hunter
History
Legends of the Skyline Drive and the Great Valley of Virginia
Willis, Carrie Hunter
Shenandoah National Park (Va.); Shenandoah River Valley (Va. and W. Va.) -- History
Near Lewis's Fort a settlement grew up and in 1749 a town was chartered.
It was named Staunton in honor of Lady Staunton, wife of Governor Gooch,
the official who had given so many land grants to Lewis and his Scotch
neighbors. At that time, the town was the county-seat of Augusta (formed
from Orange County in 1738), whose boundaries swept far to the west. Old
records show that one time the court adjourned in Staunton and
reconvened at Fort Duquesne, the colonial outpost which has long since
become Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
If one would search further, he would find this was done during the
French and Indian troubles. Five Chiefs, or rather several of the Five
Nations, signed this order or treaty and it is to be seen among other
historical documents in the Court House in Staunton.
After the Legislature fled from Charlottesville to Staunton during
Tarleton's Raid, that body met and held its sessions in old Trinity
Episcopal Church. During this short time, Staunton was called "the
Capital of Virginia."
The area around Staunton is full of War Between the States history too,
referred to in other places.
Woodrow Wilson was born here in a lovely old Presbyterian manse which is
now a shrine to one of the greatest Presidents of the United States.
Here, annually, thousands of Americans come to honor him.
[Illustration:--_Courtesy Virginia State Chamber of Commerce_
"THE MANSE"
WOODROW WILSON'S BIRTHPLACE, STAUNTON, VA.]
The town is a center of culture, for there are located many splendid
schools; among them, for girls are Mary Baldwin and Stuart Hall.
Staunton Military Academy and nearby Augusta Military Academy are
recognized as outstanding schools for boys. There are two business
schools, Dunsmore and Templeton Business College. The one for the deaf
and blind is a State institution.
Tarleton entered Charlottesville on the fourth day of June in 1781.
Jefferson's term as governor expired four days later. Ex-Governor
Patrick Henry had been his guest while the Legislature was meeting
there. He now hastened to Staunton where the Legislators had fled from
Charlottesville. Mr. Jefferson, according to one historian, concealed
himself in a cave in Carter's Mountain and Patrick Henry, in his flight
to Staunton, met Colonel Lewis and told him of how the Legislators had
fled Charlottesville upon Tarleton's invasion.
Colonel Lewis, not knowing who Patrick Henry was, replied "If Patrick
Henry had been in Albemarle, the British Dragoons never would have
passed over the Rivanna River."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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