Winchester, VA

Set in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Winchester is the county seat of Frederick County and a regional hub for business and tourism. The surrounding area was the subject of much interest among European explorers in the early 17th century, and colonial settlement began in earnest in the 1720s. Later, Winchester served a key role in the Civil War, with several notable battles being fought within the city itself, as well as in several nearby locations. Today, the population stands at about 25,000 people. The city is about 9 square miles.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Winchester is a regional hub for retailing, medical care and education.

Winchester Medical Center employs about 3,000 at a 400-bed hospital. Two major manufacturers in Winchester are Rubbermaid Commercial Products, a maker of trash cans and many other products for industrial and commercial cleanup, and auto-parts maker Lear Corporation. National Fruit Product Co., maker of White House brand apple juices and vinegars, is based in Winchester, as is Shenandoah University, a liberal arts college serving about 3,000 students.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Old Town Winchester is the heart of the city, a 45-block area designated as a National Register Historic District. More than 200 shops and restaurants, and museums dedicated to George Washington and Stonewall Jackson, plus art galleries and performance spaces fill buildings dating back to the 18th century along tree-lined streets.

BEST BETS

• Fort Shenandoah: This 430-acre property serves as headquarters and home range of the North-South Skirmish Association, an organization dedicated to preserving knowledge of the firearms utilized by both Union and Confederate forces during the Civil War. A cross between a historical society and a gun club, the group hosts shooting competitions in which participants are limited to the use of breech-loading rifles, smoothbore muskets, and other characteristic weaponry of the war.
• Fort Shenandoah itself sits just north of Winchester. Here, the group hosts shooting exhibitions on two ranges, as well as other regular and special events, including Civil War battle recreations and related costume contests. During skirmish weekends, there are usually vendors selling Civil War-related souvenirs, including genuine artifacts of the era.
• Glen Burnie Historic House and Gardens: The Glen Burnie Historic House, believed to date back to the late 18th century, has been restored and now serves as a mini-museum. The grounds nearby are made up of six acres of gardens dating to the 1960s, including a Chinese garden, a water garden, and a garden with 450 rose bushes. The site is closed from December to April.
• Museum of the Shenandoah Valley: The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley opened in 2005 as a supplement to the Glen Burnie Historic House and Gardens site, on which it is currently located. In a few short years, the museum has managed to acquire the work of dozens of such celebrated American artists as James Whistler, and a number of prominent European artists as well. The most unusual draw is the collection of miniature houses and rooms on display, each of which is decorated with appropriate miniature furnishings, which are the work of nearly 100 artists. The museum is open throughout the year.
• Stonewall Jackson's Headquarters Museum: The structure once served as home to Lieutenant Colonel Lewis Tilghman Moore, who, upon leaving the area to take command of a Virginian infantry division, allowed it to be used as the headquarters for Major General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson for the duration of the war. The home was converted into a museum in the 1960s. The collection features many of General Jackson's personal possessions, as well as many other artifacts dating back to the Civil War and antebellum America.
• Winchester National Cemetery: Spread over five acres and containing well over 5,000 graves, Winchester National Cemetery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The cemetery was acquired by the federal government during the Civil War, and gained its historical recognition due to the many veteran burials that took place here during that war.
• Old Town Winchester: The city's historic district features dozens of boutiques carrying such things as dolls, antiques, and books covering the region and its history. There is a small collection of museums and other businesses that make a nod to Winchester's past. The neighborhood also serves as a thriving and modern business center, with some workers commuting to work from other areas in metropolitan Washington D.C.

EVENTS

• First Night Winchester: Winchester's signature New Year's Eve celebration features some three dozen different shows and variety acts, including rock, jazz, and big band music, magicians, comedians, ventriloquists, and puppeteers, and a Battle of the Bands featuring teenage musicians drawn from local high schools. The family-oriented event is alcohol free.
• Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival: Since 1924, the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival has delighted locals and tourists alike with its take on the seasonal fair. Some estimates put attendance at a quarter-million, making the event one of the biggest of its kind in the nation. Additionally, the resident parades are believed to be among the longest of their kind in the country. Amid a carnival atmosphere complete with rides and other traditional recreations, including a 10-kilometer fun run, the town also annually crowns a Queen Shenandoah. The festival runs from late April to early May of each year.