Fort Valley (Virginia)
| Fort Valley | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Shenandoah County, Virginia |
| Long-axis direction | North South |
| Long-axis length | 23 miles (37 km) |
| Geography | |
| Bounded by | Massanutten Mountain (all sides) |
| Traversed by | S.R. 678 |
Fort Valley is a mountain valley in Shenandoah County, Virginia. The so-called "valley within a valley" lies between the two arms of the northern Massanutten Mountain range in the Shenandoah Valley. The valley is closed at both ends (except for a very narrow gap at the northern end through which Passage Creek flows and a single road, S.R. 678, runs) but opens out as one moves toward the center, becoming about three miles wide at its widest. In all, Fort Valley is 23 miles long.
Roads exit the valley at Edinburg Gap (S.R. 675) towards Edinburg, Moreland Gap (S.R. 730) towards New Market and Edith Gap (S.R. 675) towards Luray. There is also a dirt road that leads to Woodstock (S.R 758) over Powell Mountain. The valley is mostly rural, consisting of private farmland, surrounded by the George Washington National Forest, which covers the slopes on both the east and west mountains. The Elizabeth Furnace and Camp Roosevelt Recreation Area of the G.W. Forest are located within Fort Valley.
According to tradition, Daniel Morgan built the first road into Fort Valley from the north, at the order of George Washington, with a view to holing up in this naturally fortified valley as a possible last stand against the British during the American Revolution. The Continental Army's victory at Yorktown altered Washington's plans.
The Daniel Munch House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.[1]
References
- ↑ National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
Coordinates: 38°49′30″N 78°26′06″W / 38.825°N 78.435°W