Fort Valley, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Fort Valley is a mountain
valley
in Shenandoah County
, Virginia
. The so-called "valley within a valley" lies between the two arms of the northern Massanutten Mountain
range in the Shenandoah Valley
. The valley is closed at both ends (except for a very narrow gap at the northern end through which Passage Creek
flows and a single road, S.R. 678, runs) but opens out as one moves toward the center, becoming about three miles wide at its widest. In all, Fort Valley is 23 miles long.
Roads exit the valley at Edinburg Gap (S.R. 675) towards Edinburg
, Moreland Gap (S.R. 730) towards New Market
and Edith Gap (S.R. 675) towards Luray
. There is also a dirt road that leads to Woodstock
(S.R 758) over Powell Mountain. The valley is mostly rural, consisting of private farmland, surrounded by the George Washington National Forest, which covers the slopes on both the east and west mountains. The Elizabeth Furnace
and Camp Roosevelt recreational areas of the G.W. Forest are located within Fort Valley.
According to tradition, Daniel Morgan
built the first road into Fort Valley from the north, at the order of George Washington
, with a view to holing up in this naturally fortified valley as a possible last stand against the British
during the American Revolution
. The Continental Army
's victory at Yorktown
altered Washington's plans.
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
in Shenandoah County
Shenandoah County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 35,075 people, 14,296 households, and 10,064 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 16,709 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. The so-called "valley within a valley" lies between the two arms of the northern Massanutten Mountain
Massanutten Mountain
Massanutten Mountain is a synclinal ridge in the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, located in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Geography:The mountain bisects the Shenandoah Valley just east of Strasburg in Shenandoah County in the north, to its highest peak east of Harrisonburg in Rockingham County in the...
range in the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
. The valley is closed at both ends (except for a very narrow gap at the northern end through which Passage Creek
Passage Creek
Passage Creek is a tributary stream of the North Fork Shenandoah River in Fort Valley, Virginia. For most of its length it flows through a rural valley between the two spine-like ridges of Massanutten Mountain, then exits the valley by cutting a narrow gorge through the northeast end of the...
flows and a single road, S.R. 678, runs) but opens out as one moves toward the center, becoming about three miles wide at its widest. In all, Fort Valley is 23 miles long.
Roads exit the valley at Edinburg Gap (S.R. 675) towards Edinburg
Edinburg, Virginia
Edinburg is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,041 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Edinburg is located at ....
, Moreland Gap (S.R. 730) towards New Market
New Market, Virginia
New Market is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States. It had a population of 2,146 at the 2010 census. New Market is home to the Rebels of the Valley Baseball League, and the New Market Shockers of the Rockingham County Baseball League.-History:...
and Edith Gap (S.R. 675) towards Luray
Luray, Virginia
Luray is a town in Page County, Virginia, United States, in the Shenandoah Valley of the northern part of the state. It is also the county seat...
. There is also a dirt road that leads to Woodstock
Woodstock, Virginia
Woodstock is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States. It has a population of 5,097 according to the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Shenandoah County....
(S.R 758) over Powell Mountain. The valley is mostly rural, consisting of private farmland, surrounded by the George Washington National Forest, which covers the slopes on both the east and west mountains. The Elizabeth Furnace
Elizabeth Furnace
Elizabeth Furnace was a blast furnace in the Shenandoah Valley that was used to create pig iron from 1836 – 1888 using Passage Creek for water power. Iron ore was mined nearby, purified in the furnace, and then pig iron was transported over the Massanutten Mountain to the South Fork of the...
and Camp Roosevelt recreational areas of the G.W. Forest are located within Fort Valley.
According to tradition, Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan was an American pioneer, soldier, and United States Representative from Virginia. One of the most gifted battlefield tacticians of the American Revolutionary War, he later commanded troops during the suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion.-Early years:Most authorities believe that...
built the first road into Fort Valley from the north, at the order of George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, with a view to holing up in this naturally fortified valley as a possible last stand against the British
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. The Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
's victory at Yorktown
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
altered Washington's plans.