The Shenandoah Valley Radio Program

Episode 8: The Great Awakenings & Valley Iron Furnaces

Description: The Great Awakening movements of the 1700s and 1800s transformed religious life in the Shenandoah Valley and in America. They are being still felt today. Also: Iron Furnaces in the Shenandoah Valley once boomed, but not before devastating vast areas of Valley forest land. * The Interview: Nathan Stalvey gives insights into the two Great Awakening religious movements that occurred in the 18th and 19th centuries. The impact of the transformative changes they brought about in America is still being felt today. * The Narrative: The old, stone iron-making furnaces that once served a booming Valley industry can still be seen here and there throughout the Valley. They played a part in the Revolutionary War, but they also devastated Valley forest land, which ultimately help lead to their own demise.  * The History Moment: “Cousin Ben” steals the show at an 1871 concert in Front Royal, Virginia.

Episode 7: Battle of New Market & Valley Civil War History

Description: The Battle of New Market was one of the most unique engagements of the Civil War: In 1864, 257 young Virginia Military Institute cadets were forced into a pivotal role on the front lines of the battlefield. We also explore the broader context of Shenandoah Valley Civil War History. * The Interview: Sarah M. Hebert, assistance site manager and educator at the Virginia Museum of the Civil War shares her insights about a battle that has been called, "Field of Lost Shoes." * The Narrative: A comprehensive look at the Civil War history in the Shenandoah Valley, exploring the strategic importance of what had been the "Breadbasket of the Confederacy." * The History Moment: "Automobilists" stir up a 1905 "share the road" controversy in Staunton, Virginia's Gypsy Hill Park.

Episode 6: Andrea Weeks: Lena Artz, Botanical Pioneer & The McCormick Legacy

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Andrea Weeks, Professor of Botany at George Mason University and Director of the Ted R. Bradley Herbarium. Dr. Weeks shares how her own research led her to the story of a remarkable Valley native. Highlights of this episode: * The Trailblazing Lena Artz: Originally a Valley school teacher in the 1930s, Lena Artz followed her passion to become a professional botanist. We explore her life as an independent woman who navigated significant gender-related barriers to make vital scientific discoveries in the Massanutten Mountains. * Cyrus McCormick – Inventor or Innovator?: A look at the man behind the mechanical reaper. Was his true genius in the invention itself, or in the business innovations that changed agriculture forever? Join us as we bridge the gap between 20th-century botanical history and the industrial innovations that shaped the Shenandoah Valley.

Episode 5: Valley Archaeology & The Marvelous Crozet Tunnel

Description: Can you dig it? Explore the Valley’s hidden history with Mike Kehoe, from Native American artifacts to Civil War archaeology. Plus, the story of Claudius Crozet’s 19th century, “crazy” engineering feat: boring a mile-long rail tunnel through solid Blue Ridge rock.Explore the Valley’s hidden history with Mike Kehoe, from Native American artifacts to Civil War archaeology. Plus, the story of Claudius Crozet’s 19th century, “crazy” engineering feat: boring a mile-long rail tunnel through solid Blue Ridge rock. * The Interview: Mike Kehoe grew up on a Shenandoah Valley farm discovering Native American and Civil War artifacts in plowed fields. Having participated in his first official archaeological dig at age 14, he has dedicated his life to Valley history, working with the Archaeological Society of Virginia, the VA Dept. of Historic Resources, and the U.S. Park Service. * The Narrative: The idea of boring a rail tunnel nearly a mile through hard Blue Ridge Mountain rock seemed impossible in the mid-1800s. It took the engineering genius of Claudius Crozet to prove the skeptics wrong. Today, the Blue Ridge Tunnel is a premier destination for hikers and history buffs alike. * The History Moment: Dispatches from the archives of old Valley newspapers.

Episode 4: Black History Month: Enslavement to Freedom in the Valley

Historical assumptions have long existed about how enslaved people in the Shenandoah Valley actually had lived. But do they tell the real story? After Emancipation, the Readjuster Party was a brief, but major force in Virginia politics during the 1800s and an early champion of civil rights. * The Interview: Shenandoah University history professor and author Jonathan Noyalas talks about his book, Slavery in the Shenandoah Valley During the Civil War Era. It examines Black History in the Valley, from enslavement to Emancipation. * The Narrative: What was the Virginia Readjuster Party all about? How these late 19th century progressives helped shape today's political parties in Virginia. * The History Moment: Dispatches from the archives of old Valley newspapers.