Shenandoah County has hundreds of old barns which reflect the rich agricultural history and beauty of this place. They comprise a unique collection of structures built from the 1700s until the 1950s. Today, these icons of material culture and the rural landscape are seriously threatened. Changes in technology have made traditional barns largely obsolete for contemporary agricultural practices. The high cost of maintenance or restoration of these structures makes it difficult for many individual owners to preserve their barns.
For the past few years, The Shenandoah County Historical Society, led by the late John Adamson, has been conducting a program to document these historic barns, to create a permanent record and promote their preservation. Working with him has been Dendroarchaeologist Kirsten deGraauw, PhD. and SCHS President Barbara Adamson.
Mr. Adamson’s team documented over 280 Historic Barns recording their key characteristics in a database. Common practice was to build the new barn within a year of harvesting the trees for the construction. One of the methods employed to more accurately date the age of the barns is a process called Dendroarchaeology, which is the science of examining old structures by sampling the tree rings contained in their logs and timbers. Trees felled for building exhibit specific growth patterns in the sequence of rings they contain. These growth patterns can be matched to known samples from other trees to determine when the tree was cut down (felled.) Dr. deGraauw brought this important level of expertise to the project.
An important element of the effort to document historic barns is the sharing of information. Besides presenting programs, writing articles and producing brochures, the barn project also includes the creation of a large, framed poster to be displayed in various public places in Shenandoah County.
A special thanks is extended to Virginia Humanities for their financial support of this very successful project. A free copy of the summary brochure is available to anyone who wishes to have a copy of the poster.
The first location for display of the Barn Summary Poster is the Shenandoah Valley Cultural Heritage Museum at the Edinburg Mill at 214 S. Main Street in Edinburg, Va. where it will be on display through March 2022. Additional locations will be arranged in future months but the SCHS is pleased to have the poster start at the Mill since it is one of the few museums in the county that is open year round (Mon.- Sat, 9:30am to 5:30pm and Noon to 5pm on Sundays.)
• Foster a spirit of cooperation between existing organizations, writers, historians, genealogists, collectors, preservationists, and other members of the Shenandoah County community.
• Aid in the collection and creation of materials and publications about the history of Shenandoah County and ensure that they are preserved and made available to the community.
• Support efforts by citizens, organizations and government to preserve historic buildings and sites.
• Share history through programs and exhibits.
The Shenandoah County Historical Society was founded in 1985 and is established as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. It is completely volunteer driven. The Society is sustained by memberships, donations, grants and profits from book sales. All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
DOWNLOAD BOOK ORDER FORMS HERE
A Diary of Henry Saint John Rinker (1862 - 1867)
Daniel Warrick Burruss & Sandra Helsley Yelton
His account of events commencing January 1862 and ending December 1867. 1999. 111 pages.
Softcover
Item# 4004
Price: $16
Members: $15
In Search of Your German Roots
Angus Baxter
This book is designed to help you trace your German ancestry, not only in Germany, but in al the German-speaking areas of Europe, from the Baltic to the Crimea, from the Czech Republic to Belgium. This 5th edition highlights all of the recent developments – new facilities, new websites, and newly-available records. The most comprehensive guide to German roots available. 2015. 140 pages. 5th Edition.
Softcover
Item# 4017
Price: $22
Members: $21
You can find out about what's new in the Shenandoah County Historical Society on our Facebook Page!
DOWNLOAD BOOK ORDER FORMS HERE
Strasburg, Virginia and The Keister Family • E.E. Keister • A genealogy and history of the Keister family of Strasburg, Va. Lots of photos and introductory articles, The Pennsylvania Germans," by Milton Rubincam and "Colonial Strasburg," by Klaus Wust. Records start with Adam Keister, Jr. Includes historical material on Strasburg, Va. 1972. 434 pages. Hardcover • Item #4011 • Price: $35 Members: $34
Memories for my Grandchild - A Keepsake to Remember • Suzanne Zenkel • A Journal for YOU to fill in the blanks with all of the information you would like for your Grandchild to know about you. It will take care of your grandchild, in later years, saying "I wish I had listened to my grand parent" or "Wish they were here for me to ask." 2010. 96 pages. Spiral Bound. Hardcover • Item #4015 • Price: $19 Members: $18
A Diary of Henry Saint John Rinker (1862 - 1867) • Daniel Warrick Burruss & Sandra Helsley Yelton • His account of events commencing January 1862 and ending December 1867. 1999. 111 pages. Softcover • Item #4004 • Price: $16 Members: $15
Shenandoah County Birth Records of Free Born Children (1853 - 1871) • Elisabeth Risdon • Alphabetical listing of recorded births during the time period listed. 1995. 89 pages. 8 1/2 x 11. Softcover • Item #4005 • Price: $16 Members: $15DOWNLOAD BOOK ORDER FORMS HERE
