A MAP OF THE MOST INHABITED PART OF VIRGINIA

A New Map Exhibit Opens in April 2023

Some 20 maps of Shepherdstown, Jefferson County and the surrounding area will be on display in a new exhibit that will kick off the 2023 season at the Historic Shepherdstown Museum.  The maps span several centuries of the region’s history from the 17th through the 21st Centuries and include reproductions of maps from the Library of Congress and elsewhere, as well as maps from the Museum’s own collection.  Included are the 1612 John Smith Map of Virginia, a copy of the Thomas Shepherd land grant of 1734, several Civil War Era maps, and a recent aerial view of Shepherdstown.

Funding for the exhibit, as well as for the restoration of the Museum’s 1852 S. Howell-Brown Map of Jefferson County, was provided by the Americana Corner.

This April will also marks the 40th anniversary of the opening of the Historic Shepherdstown Museum.

Holiday Tour of Historic Houses of Worship scheduled.

Shepherdstown’s third Holiday Tour of Historic Houses of Worship will be held Monday, December 26, 2022, from 4 to 7 p.m. The self-guided walking tour includes several downtown historic churches, including one from as early as 1747. The tour is open to the public and there is no admission charge.

The churches on the tour include Christ Reformed United Church of Christ; New Street United Methodist; Shepherdstown Presbyterian; St. Agnes Catholic; St. Agnes Chapel; St. Peter’s Lutheran; and Trinity Episcopal. Greeters and docents will be stationed at each church to welcome visitors with information about the history of the congregation and the church, the architecture of the buildings, and the interior accoutrements of the sanctuaries. The Historic Shepherdstown Museum at the corner of East German and Princess Streets, and the newly-renovated Shepherdstown Opera House, at 131 W. German St., will also be open for visitors.

Walking tour brochures can be picked up at the War Memorial Building, and a few will be available at each of the sites on the tour. The War Memorial Building is located at the corner of German and King Streets. Refreshments and hospitality for tour visitors will also be available there.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for Shepherdstown residents and out of town visitors to admire the interior beauty of the town’s houses of worship,” said Jerry Bock, one of the founders of the tour and the vice president of Historic Shepherdstown Commission. All of the churches are within easy walking distance of each other and will be marked by luminaries. The tour will begin with a citywide ringing of the church bells at 4 p.m.

The tour is sponsored by a partnership of the churches, the Historic Shepherdstown Commission, the Shepherdstown Community Club, the Jefferson County Convention & Visitors Center, and the Corporation of Shepherdstown. Questions about the tour may be directed to Jerry Bock at [email protected].

 

Historic Shepherdstown Museum

Historic Shepherdstown Museum Ghost Tours October 29 and 30

Halloween is coming and that means it’s time for Shepherdstown’s BooFest and the Historic Shepherdstown Museum Ghost Tours. Here, at the most haunted building in the most haunted town in America, you will hear about some of our most prominent spirits — the lady in white, the amorous Frenchman, Civil War soldiers, and the unlucky duelist.  Don’t miss the Traveler’s Room that according to some, is the most haunted room in the building. This year, tours will be offered on Saturday, October 29, every half hour from 12:30 to 3:30 PM. On Sunday, October 30, tours  will start at 1:30 with the last tour at 2:30.

 

Holiday Ornament

2022 holiday ornament

The 2022 holiday ornament  is now on sale. This year’s ornament, the eighth in the series, features the iconic Rumsey  steamboat. They make great gifts! This is an annual fundraiser for Historic Shepherdstown and past ornaments are also available for purchase.
The ornament can be purchased, along with past ornaments, in the Museum on weekends through October. It  will also be available during Christmas in Shepherdstown when the Museum is open November 26 – December 18, Saturdays 12-4 and Sundays 1-3. It can also be purchased  at the office on Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday, 10-5 or on our website at
https://historicshepherdstown.com/visit/museum-shop (shipping fees do apply)
Rumsey ornment