Once a year, Shenandoah County Heritage Day is held for researchers, families, historical societies and individuals to share information with others on their historical research. The event has been going on for over 20 years and is co-hosted by the Shenandoah County Historical Society and the Shenandoah County Library.
In 2001, a group of researchers in Shenandoah County met together to talk about the research that they were doing on people, places, and events in the county. They talked about how their research could be shared. In 2002, they met again and formally proposed the idea of starting an annual Heritage Day. The first Heritage Day was held on April 12, 2003, at the Edinburg Fire Hall on Stoney Creek Boulevard. This site is near the Shenandoah County Library, which is in the geographical center of the county.
At that first Heritage Day, displays featured artifacts, land grant maps, family stories, family trees, and more. Heritage Day has been held every year since except in 2020, when the event scheduled for the Strasburg Fire Hall was cancelled because of the pandemic. in 2021, the event went virtual for a year with five virtual presentations on barns, vintage recipes, Black School history, manganese mining in Fort Valley, and the Woodstock Reservoir in Shenandoah County.
After the first Heritage Day, the site for the event each year has been rotated throughout the county. In 2022, the event returned to the Edinburg Fire Hall, and focused on the 250th anniversary of Shenandoah County (1772 – 2022.) The focus that year was Shenandoah County Family Histories, although exhibits on other topics of county history such as churches, houses, communities, and more were still welcomed.
Barbara Adamson, President of the Shenandoah County Historical Society, which sponsors the event, says about the special day “Heritage Day is a favorite time for me because it brings together people from all over Shenandoah County to share their stories. No matter the area we focus on, we also share countywide history.”
In early 2024, information was distributed in advance of the event for the 2024 Shenandoah County Heritage Day which will be held next month.
“Here’s an early announcement of Shenandoah County Heritage Day 2024! This countywide day of sharing our history is set for Saturday, April 13, 2024 at the New Market Fire Hall on South Congress St. in New Market. The Fire Hall is a wonderful, large space and so were hoping that, in addition to our local history organizations, many individuals will attend and bring and share their historical stories. We invite you to come and exhibit family, house, church, cemetery, town and village histories, and more. Many topics to choose from! There is no cost involved. We supply tables and chairs. Heritage Day is hosted by SCHS and the Shenandoah County Library Archives. For more information, contact Zach Hottel, county archivist at 540-984-8200 or leave a message at the SCHS, 540-459-1795.”
Zachary (Zach) Hottel, Archivist at the Shenandoah County Library, who also is the contact for Heritage Day reservations and other information, reflects on what Heritage Day is all about: ““Shenandoah County Heritage Day is a wonderful opportunity for researchers, genealogists, history enthusiasts, and historic sites to gather in one place to connect with each other and highlight wonderful stories from our past. Whether you are a seasoned researcher or are brand new to our community, you will discover something at Heritage Day that connects you to our shared past.” Anyone interested in setting up a table should contact him as soon as possible. Zach will make table reservations on a first come, first served basis.
If the 2024 Shenandoah County Heritage Day is typical, there will be a full house (or fire station!) on Saturday, April 13, from 11 am to 3 pm. The New Market Fire and Rescue Building is an excellent place for the 2024 Heritage Day as it has more space than some previous locations, easy parking, and is quite accessible. If you have not been to a Shenandoah County Heritage Day in the past, now’s your chance. Attendees from all areas are invited, not just Shenandoah County residents. The location of the 2024 Heritage Day is near both Rockingham and Page Counties and right off Route 11 south of New Market. Y’all come!
