Shenandoah Valley Company Building
Walking the historic downtown of Martinsburg, I found myself searching for the buildings that would have been familiar to my father during his youth. Many storefronts have changed but some of the city’s grand commercial buildings remain much as they appeared when he walked these streets.
One structure that caught my attention was the Shenandoah Valley Company Building, completed in 1906. Rising five stories, its classical facade and impressive arched entrance reflected the confidence and prosperity of Martinsburg during the early twentieth century.
The Shenandoah Valley Company was an investment enterprise created during a period when Martinsburg was growing as a center of transportation. The company itself has disappeared, but its headquarters remains one of the architectural treasures of downtown.
I could not help but think that this was a building my father surely knew. It had already stood for nearly twenty years when he was born in 1920 and would have been a familiar sight throughout his childhood.
Read More From Nancy
Martinsburg Town Square
The three bronze plaques incorporated into Martinsburg Town Square tell the story of the purpose, construction, and dedication of this public space. Rather than serving as traditional monuments to a single event or individual, they preserve the memory of a community effort that transformed a section of downtown into a gathering place and tribute to the city’s […]
Big Apple Time Capsule
One of the more unusual landmarks I discovered during my visit to Martinsburg was the Big Apple Time Capsule. The giant red apple dedicated on October 19, 1990, was sponsored by the Martinsburg Jaycees. I knew this landmark had not been there when my father was growing up in Martinsburg, but I could not resist stopping for […]
Boydville
One of the most impressive landmarks in Martinsburg I encountered was Boydville, a grand white mansion whose towering columns and sweeping lawn caught my attention. Standing before it, I could easily imagine generations of Martinsburg residents passing this home and recognizing it as one of the city’s distinguished addresses. Boydville was built in 1812 by General Elisha Boyd, a […]
