Slanesville, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Slanesville is an unincorporated community in northeastern Hampshire County
in the U.S. state
of West Virginia
. Slanesville is located at the crossroads of Bloomery Pike
(West Virginia Route 29) with Slanesville Pike (Hampshire County Route 3) and Cold Stream Road (Hampshire County Route 45/20). Slanesville Pike and Cold Stream Road formerly made up the Springfield Grade Road
that ran from Capon Bridge
to Springfield
. According to the 2000 census
, the Slanesville community has a population of 691.
(old West Virginia Route 45) and Springfield (West Virginia Secondary Route 3) Grade Roads. Slanesville then took the name of Slain's Cross Roads after the prominence of the Slain family in the vicinity of the community. It was also misspelled as Slane's Cross Roads which would later influence its current name. Slanesville was then referred to as Dog Town because of the Slain family’s large number of dogs. Finally, the community was referred to as Slainsville and then Slanesville after Thomas Slain in the 1857 when a post office
was established here. Slanes Knob (1,588 ft), located near Capon Bridge, is also named for the prominent Slain family in the area.
Slanesville differed from its neighboring communities of Bloomery
and North River Mills
early on because it never became the center of major industry. Bloomery to its northeast was a center for iron
smelting and blooming
, while North River Mills, like its name suggests, was a center for mill production on North River
. Slanesville was predominantly a farming community throughout most of its history and served as a popular stagecoach
stop in the early 19th century along the Martinsburg and Springfield Grade Roads. The only signs of limited industry in Slanesville were two blacksmith shops run by the Hockman family and a cider
mill.
Later a store was erected close to the intersection of the Martinsburg and Springfield Grade Roads. The Old Henderson Store was purchased and operated by Glenn and Opal Heavner in the 1940s. When the “New Road”, Route 45 (now Route 29) was cut the Heavners purchased land and built the “New Store”, Heavner’s Grocery. The post office was then moved from its old location on Braddock Road at the old intersection and housed in a corner of the new store. The old store was torn down and the Heavners donated a portion of the land to the Slanesville Presbyterian Church. In the 60’s an addition to the store was added for a new post office. The store was sold in 1973 and has changed hands many times. It is presently known as Slanesville General Store and houses not just a convenience store, but a Home & Hardware store, a full-service Salon, and a Pizza & Sub Shop.
A fire in the summer of 1955 cost the community three buildings and this led to the formation of the Slanesville Volunteer Fire Department that same year. The owner's of Heavner's Grocery donated land adjacent to the store and the men and women of the community built the firehouse and community center. The Slanesville VFD is still located in the same "downtown" location. The Slanesville Presbyterian Church is also located in "downtown" across Slanesville Pike from the general store.
The community’s Slanesville Elementary School along WV 29 south of town was host to President George H. W. Bush
in April 1991 when he landed by helicopter in a field adjacent to the school to award Rae Ellen McKee the National Teacher of the Year
award for 1991. A fifth grade remedial reading teacher, McKee was chosen from among the nation's more than 2.5 million elementary and secondary public school teachers.
Hampshire County, West Virginia
Hampshire County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 23,964. Its county seat is Romney, West Virginia's oldest town . Hampshire County was created by the Virginia General Assembly on December 13, 1753, from parts of Frederick and Augusta counties ...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. Slanesville is located at the crossroads of Bloomery Pike
Bloomery Pike
The Bloomery Pike is a north/south named route that runs from the North Frederick Pike in Frederick County, Virginia, USA to the Northwestern Turnpike near Augusta in Hampshire County, West Virginia. The Bloomery Pike was named for the community of Bloomery and the bloomeries that operated...
(West Virginia Route 29) with Slanesville Pike (Hampshire County Route 3) and Cold Stream Road (Hampshire County Route 45/20). Slanesville Pike and Cold Stream Road formerly made up the Springfield Grade Road
Springfield Grade Road
The Springfield Grade Road was an early turnpike between Springfield, West Virginia and Capon Bridge, West Virginia.Springfield Grade Road was originally known as the Great Wagon Road or Great Wagon Turnpike that connected Winchester, Virginia to Cumberland, Maryland in the late 18th and early 19th...
that ran from Capon Bridge
Capon Bridge, West Virginia
Capon Bridge is a town located in eastern Hampshire County, West Virginia along the Northwestern Turnpike , approximately twenty miles west of Winchester, Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 2,178, 200 of which live within the town limits. Originally known as Glencoe, Capon...
to Springfield
Springfield, West Virginia
Springfield is an unincorporated census-designated place in northwestern Hampshire County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2010 census, Springfield had a population of 477. Springfield is located north of Romney along West Virginia Route 28 at its junction with Green Spring Road and...
. According to the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, the Slanesville community has a population of 691.
History
The community of Slanesville was earliest inhabited by generations of the Slain family in the late 18th century and upon its settlement it was known as Cross Roads because of its prime location at the meeting of the MartinsburgMartinsburg, West Virginia
Martinsburg is a city in the Eastern Panhandle region of West Virginia, United States. The city's population was 14,972 at the 2000 census; according to a 2009 Census Bureau estimate, Martinsburg's population was 17,117, making it the largest city in the Eastern Panhandle and the eighth largest...
(old West Virginia Route 45) and Springfield (West Virginia Secondary Route 3) Grade Roads. Slanesville then took the name of Slain's Cross Roads after the prominence of the Slain family in the vicinity of the community. It was also misspelled as Slane's Cross Roads which would later influence its current name. Slanesville was then referred to as Dog Town because of the Slain family’s large number of dogs. Finally, the community was referred to as Slainsville and then Slanesville after Thomas Slain in the 1857 when a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was established here. Slanes Knob (1,588 ft), located near Capon Bridge, is also named for the prominent Slain family in the area.
Slanesville differed from its neighboring communities of Bloomery
Bloomery, Hampshire County, West Virginia
Bloomery is an unincorporated hamlet in Hampshire County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Bloomery is located along the Bloomery Pike , northwest of Winchester, Virginia...
and North River Mills
North River Mills, West Virginia
North River Mills is a historic unincorporated village in Hampshire County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. North River Mills is located between Capon Bridge and Slanesville on Cold Stream Road at its intersection with North River Road...
early on because it never became the center of major industry. Bloomery to its northeast was a center for iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
smelting and blooming
Bloomery
A bloomery is a type of furnace once widely used for smelting iron from its oxides. The bloomery was the earliest form of smelter capable of smelting iron. A bloomery's product is a porous mass of iron and slag called a bloom. This mix of slag and iron in the bloom is termed sponge iron, which...
, while North River Mills, like its name suggests, was a center for mill production on North River
North River (Cacapon River)
North River is a tributary of the Cacapon River, belonging to the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. The river is located in Hampshire and Hardy counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. The mouth of North River into the Cacapon is located at Forks of Cacapon...
. Slanesville was predominantly a farming community throughout most of its history and served as a popular stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
stop in the early 19th century along the Martinsburg and Springfield Grade Roads. The only signs of limited industry in Slanesville were two blacksmith shops run by the Hockman family and a cider
Cider
Cider or cyder is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apple juice. Cider varies in alcohol content from 2% abv to 8.5% abv or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, such as Germany and America, cider may be termed "apple wine"...
mill.
Later a store was erected close to the intersection of the Martinsburg and Springfield Grade Roads. The Old Henderson Store was purchased and operated by Glenn and Opal Heavner in the 1940s. When the “New Road”, Route 45 (now Route 29) was cut the Heavners purchased land and built the “New Store”, Heavner’s Grocery. The post office was then moved from its old location on Braddock Road at the old intersection and housed in a corner of the new store. The old store was torn down and the Heavners donated a portion of the land to the Slanesville Presbyterian Church. In the 60’s an addition to the store was added for a new post office. The store was sold in 1973 and has changed hands many times. It is presently known as Slanesville General Store and houses not just a convenience store, but a Home & Hardware store, a full-service Salon, and a Pizza & Sub Shop.
A fire in the summer of 1955 cost the community three buildings and this led to the formation of the Slanesville Volunteer Fire Department that same year. The owner's of Heavner's Grocery donated land adjacent to the store and the men and women of the community built the firehouse and community center. The Slanesville VFD is still located in the same "downtown" location. The Slanesville Presbyterian Church is also located in "downtown" across Slanesville Pike from the general store.
The community’s Slanesville Elementary School along WV 29 south of town was host to President George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
in April 1991 when he landed by helicopter in a field adjacent to the school to award Rae Ellen McKee the National Teacher of the Year
National Teacher of the Year
The National Teacher of the Year is a professional award in the United States. The program began in 1952, as a project by the Council of Chief State School Officers , and aims to reward excellence in teaching...
award for 1991. A fifth grade remedial reading teacher, McKee was chosen from among the nation's more than 2.5 million elementary and secondary public school teachers.
Churches
- Christian
- Mount Union Christian Church, Bloomery Pike (WV Route 29)
- MennoniteMennoniteThe Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
- Slanesville Community Mennonite Church, Slanesville Pike (CR 3)
- Presbyterian
- Slanesville Presbyterian Church, Slanesville Pike (CR 3)
External links
- Slanesville Presbyterian Church, Slanesville Pike (CR 3)
- Foothills Farms, Spring Gap Road (CR 2)