West Virginia

Martinsburg, WV

My father was born in Martinsburg, and although I had driven through the town a couple of times while visiting nearby national parks, this year I decided to stay for a bit and experience the place that had shaped his early life.  Walking the streets of his neighborhood, visiting the downtown area, and seeing the church and school that were part of his childhood gave me a deeper appreciation for his roots.  After marrying my mother, he moved to Concord, New Hampshire, and I was struck by how much these two communities had in common.   Founded in 1778 by General Adam Stephen, Martinsburg grew into one of the most important communities in the lower Shenandoah Valley.  The arrival of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad made the city a major transportation center, and generations of families built their lives around the railroad and the businesses that supported it.  The town also played a role during the Civil War and later became known as the birthplace of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, the first major national labor strike in American history. As I explored the city, I realized how much Martinsburg resembled my mother's hometown of Concord, New Hampshire.  Both are small towns with active downtowns that serve the heart of the community.  In both places, my parents' life revolved around a close-knit neighborhood where home, church and school were all within walking distance.  Life was lived on surrounded by familiar people and places. My visit was a chance to walk my father's neighborhood and better understand the world in which he grew up.  Perhaps this was my greatest discover, that despite the distance between West Virginia and New Hampshire, my parents shared similar beginnings.  Their roots were planted in two different places, but both towns taught the same lessons about family, faith and the value of belonging to a community