Shenandoah Valley, Lexington, VA

On our way to MMAP project in Pennsylvania, we left early enough to spend some time rubbernecking on the way up.

Our first night was in the northeast area of TN, Baileyton. We got a later start than we had anticipated, so did not get as far as we had planned. We got about 15 miles from home and realized we had forgotten the computer.... no blogging!! and lots of other self-assigned computer related jobs to do!! So we had to go back and get it. Sad how attached to the electronic world we have become!! But it worked out fine, and we had a pleasant stay at an RV park there. Besides a nice pond,


there were several antiques around. Do you remember when gas was this price?


We wanted to explore the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, our first day in Virginia we visited Lexington.

Lexington is where Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson lived, and taught at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) prior to the Civil War. We toured his home, and were impressed that he was truly a born again Christian. All family members, servants and guests, were expected at the table at 7 AM for breakfast and Bible study. After teaching in the morning, he would come home for lunch, private Bible reading, then preparation of lessons. Often his home was open for Bible study in the evening as well.

He led the corps of cadets to Richmond in April, 1861, and never came back to Lexington alive. His grave is also located in Lexington.

We drove around the campus of VMI.


There is a great museum on campus, where the story of the college, the nation’s first and oldest state-supported military college, is told through displays. Stonewall Jackson’s warhorse, “Little Sorrel” is mounted there.
Of course, no interior pictures allowed! But we were able to take a picture of this room, Jackson Memorial Hall.


Right next door is Washington and Lee college,

Lee Chapel was built under Robert E. Lee’s supervision while he served as president at the college. It houses a museum tracing the contributions of George Washington and Robert E. Lee to education in the nation and at the University. The family crypt is in the basement, where he is buried. He served as president of the college after the Civil War, bringing it back to prosperity.

The remains of Traveller, Lee’s horse is also buried there, beside the chapel.

We took a country road and came across some rock ruins, part of the “railroad that never was”. Begun prior to the war, and financially unable to complete the tracks, this is what was started but never finished.

Although Paul has seen the Natural Bridge before, I had not. It is 20 stories high!! George Washington surveyed the area and left his initials in the wall. Thomas Jefferson owned the bridge and 157 acres, paying 20 shillings ($2.40) to King George III, from 1774 until his death in 1826. His heirs sold the site in 1933.

It was beautiful and very impressive.



But it started pouring down rain (Hurricane Irene is currently east of here) while we were there, with no let-up in sight, so we hung out at the snack bar for a while, but it continued, so we could not take the nature trail to the falls.

Also included in the cost of admission was a wax museum. The quality was not overly impressive, but there were some interesting displays, including these:
the 8 presidents from Virginia

as well as the last supper


There was also a new indoor butterfly exhibit.

Check out this picture......dinosaur peeking out or butterfly?!


As we monitor Irene, we plan to stay here for a few more days so we will have better traveling weather! And besides, there are more places to visit and see!!