Museum of the Shenandoah
The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley is located in Winchester, VA, and is a new, 20 Million dollar museum which features the sounds, the art and the stories of the people who inhabit the region. The museum is run by a foundation setup by the descendant of the founder of Winchester, James Wood, adjacent to the historical home of Glen Burnie.
The museum features masterpiece miniature doll houses, and a large collection of handmade Virginia Dulcimers. There are also collections of folk art, quilts, handcarved toys and puzzles, and antique furniture.
It was Memorial Day weekend, and experiencing the museum and thinking about the families that tamed the region and imprinted their culture upon America, made me realize how proud I am to be a Virginian. Long before the United States existed, there was a Virginia, and brave families faced Indian raids to transform the lush valley of the Shenandoah into farms and communities. They created their own music, culture, and there are mailboxes on rural routes that have had the same last name on it for over 200 years.
It struck me that it was no surprise, that after only 87 years of the existence of the United States so many Virginians chose to take the side of defending Virginia first over the prospect of the Union. Virginia is beautiful and is a place well worth fighting for. So not only do I remember the fallen soldiers of the United States on Memorial Day, I also keep the fallen soldiers of Virginia in mind.
The Gardens of the Glen Burnie estate was worth the price of admission. There are several different types of gardens, each with its own statuary nestled among the hedges, and each section of the garden had a “folly” which is an outbuilding that can be used for entertaining guests.
The roses were in bloom when we went, and the colors and aromas were beautiful. The Chinese garden featured bamboo, Chinese statuary, babbling streams and flowering ground plants. The water garden featured moss-covered natural stone walls, waterfalls, fountains, and a pool stocked with large golden trout.
If you are in the Winchester area and have two hours, you should make it a point to stop by and experience the museum and the gardens.
