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
Recent Posts
Martinsburg Roundhouse Plagues
The beauty of the Martinsburg Roundhouse was not fully evident until I stepped inside. Looking upward, I found myself captivated by the extraordinary ceiling soaring above the turntable. A circle of windows beneath the cupola filled the vast interior with natural light, while an intricate web of iron supports and wooden trusses radiated outward like […]
The B&O Roundhouse Turntable
One of the fascinating details I learned during the tour of the Martinsburg Roundhouse was why this location became so important to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. In the days of steam locomotives, trains could travel only a limited distance before they needed to take on water, fuel, and undergo maintenance. Martinsburg occupied a strategic […]
506 West John Street
This address appears on so many envelopes preserved in my parents’ papers that I felt compelled to include it in my exploration of Martinsburg. During my visit, I made a point of finding 506 West John Street and taking a photograph of the house. From the outside, I saw no obvious connection to my father, […]
106 South St.
This house at 106 South Street in Martinsburg, West Virginia, was the first place I wanted to visit. 106 South was the address of so many of the letters I have read between my father and his mother. Long before I ever visited the town. This address was familiar. This represented my father’s beginnings and the home […]
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church
One of the places I wanted to visit in Martinsburg was St. Joseph Catholic Church. Rising about South Queen Street, its imposing columns and soaring spire make it a recognizable landmark in the city. Standing before the church, I could easily imagine my father climbing these same steps and joining generations of Martinsburg families for worship. St […]
St. Joseph’s School
One of the places I most wanted to see in Martinsburg was St. Joseph School. Founded in 1885, the school has been educating children for nearly a century and a half and has long been an important part of the city’s Catholic community. Standing in front of this red brick building, I was reminded that this was my […]
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 […]
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 […]
Jackson’s Great Train Raid of 1861
Established, 1778, by Gen. Adam Stephen. Named for Col. Thomas Martin, nephew of Lord Fairfax. Home of Admiral Charles Sterling and Admiral Charles B. Caldwell. In Jackson’s raid, 1861, captured 8,500 locomotives and 300 miles of railway. This marker is referring to a remarkable railroad operation of the Civil War, commonly known as Stonewall Jackson’s […]
Charles James Faulkner
Walking through Martinsburg, I wanted to capture as many of the landmarks and stories as possible that might have been familiar to my father during his youth. One of the markers I encountered honored Charles James Faulkner, one of the most distinguished citizens ever to come from the town. Born in Martinsburg in 1806, Faulkner […]
Cast-Iron Ceiling of B&O Roundhouse
What captivated me most about the Martinsburg Roundhouse was the extraordinary ceiling overhead. During the tour, I learned that the building is not just an old railroad structure, it is the only surviving cast-iron framed roundhouse in the world. Designed by engineer Albert Fink and rebuilt after the Civil War, the structure was revolutionary for its time. Unlike […]
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 […]
