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 a photograph. I had not realized that this area was so closely associated with apples and the rich agricultural traditions of the Shenandoah Valley.
This project was undertaken to preserve the heritage of the “Apple Capital” city and the surrounding communities of the southern Shenandoah Valley. For generations, orchards, packing hoses and fruit growers helped shape the economy and identify the region. Apples were shipped by rail to markets across the country, making the lower Shenandoah Valley one of America’s great fruit producing regions.
The giant apple also serves as a time capsule, preserving artifacts from 1990 to be opened in 2040. The Big Apple Time Capsule stands as a tribute to the agricultural heritage that helped define the character of the Shenandoah Valley for generations.
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