VDOT: Warren County Traffic alert for February 27 – March 3, 2023
County-overseen EDA, Virginia Port Authority co-host economic development marketing event at Virginia Inland Port Wood Crusher
Early days of Stephens City government
Start your resort lifestyle with special savings at Snowden Bridge near Winchester
American Elm removed from historic church cemetery
Light agenda segues into lengthy discussion of departmental accountability for details on monthly expenditures – Why does that sound familiar?
Shenandoah Valley Golf Club’s partial rezoning request to age-restricted housing headed to March 8 Planning Department Public Hearing
EDA officials, attorneys mum on circumstance of Rappawan/Vaught Jr. civil case dismissal – But a good guess might be…
Town Planning Commission hears Jeff Kelble’s request for a permit to operate outdoor recreation facility
Council looks at coming agenda items, projected fiscal year revenue-expenditure numbers, among other issues
Town Talk: A conversation with Lynn Downs – The Arc of Warren County
Town Talk: A conversation with Joe Waltz, Town Manager, Town of Front Royal
Town Talk: A conversation with Ed Richards and Michael DeMato – 45th Annual Military School Band & Choir Festival at R-MA
Town Talk: A conversation with Elaine Jarvis, Esq. – a lawyer, author, pilot and mother
Town Talk: A conversation with Michelle Ross and Lewie Moten – Samuels Public Library Day of Giving
Hometown Faces: Meet Scott Reid
Hometown Faces: Meet Suzanne Silek
Hometown Faces: Meet John Marlow
Hometown Faces: Meet Harry Bowen – soon to be 100
WATCH: Faces of Our Valley – Selah Theatre Project, Glory Bea!
Cline for Sheriff fundraising Dinner Party packs supporters into Fire & Rescue Company 1 Banquet Hall
Meet the Candidates: A conversation with Zach Jackson, candidate for Front Royal Town Council
Meet the Candidates: A conversation with Josh Ingram, candidate for Front Royal Town Council
Meet the Candidates: A conversation with Gene Kilby, candidate for Front Royal Town Council
Meet the Candidates: A conversation with Wayne Sealock, candidate for Front Royal Town Council
Children activities by Samuels Public Library for the month of March
SAR participates in George Washington Birthday Parade
Samuels Public Library Adult Programming events for March
Warren Coalition presents iGen: The Smartphone Generation and Their Mental Health Challenges
Michael W. Smith with special guest, Cochren & Co. to perform live at the 96th Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival®
EDA officials, attorneys mum on circumstance of Rappawan/Vaught Jr. civil case dismissal – But a good guess might be…
Warren County Grand Jury of February 2023 indictments
FRPD arrests Bristol, Va man for online sexual exploitation of local minors
Deputies rescue suspected impaired driver from pond after crash
Winchester man facing multiple charges after pursuit
POLICE: 7 Day FRPD Arrest Report 2/20/2023
POLICE: 7 Day FRPD Arrest Report 2/13/2023
POLICE: 7 Day FRPD Arrest Report 2/6/2023
POLICE: 7 Day FRPD Arrest Report 1/30/2023
POLICE: 7 Day FRPD Arrest Report 1/23/2023
Legal Notice: Hydroelectric application has been filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection
EDA: Request for Qualifications for the provision of debt collection legal services
EDA: Invitation to bid; roof replacement
Special Commissioners Sale Saturday, October 5, 2019: Two adjoining tracts 42 & 41 acres
WCSO Alert: Missed Court Scam
Town Notice: Severe winter weather preparedness
Paving continues on Town’s primary roads
Town Notice: Local Board of Building Code of Appeals seeks members
Front Royal Town Council accepting resumes for vacant council seat
EDA officials, attorneys mum on circumstance of Rappawan/Vaught Jr. civil case dismissal – But a good guess might be…
FR-WC EDA moves to guarantee records protection during transition to County IT oversight, goes to Closed Session on litigation, business matters
County overseen FR-WC EDA reviews Conservancy Park status, Small Business Loan Committee applications, future property marketing options
WC EDA release describes history, intent, and timing of Avtex Conservancy Park initiative
WC EDA proposes County takeover of Avtex Conservancy Park’s 240 in-town acres; Supervisors approve six of seven Airport Lease Agreements
Supervisors explore budget carryover process and new software prior to light meeting agenda – THEN there was the closed session
EDA Board Chairman Jeff Browne reacts to July civil litigation results ordering total of over $13.35 million paid to the County Economic Development Authority
Jury awards WC EDA $11.9 million-plus in civil compensatory claims against ITFederal and Truc ‘Curt’ Tran
EDA civil liability defendant ‘Curt’ Tran on witness stand for over 4-1/2 hours as trial heads into final day
EDA vs. Tran/ITFederal civil liability and counterclaim trial heads into third day with defense poised to call final series of witnesses
Grand opening & ribbon cutting at Liam’s Chance Behavioral Services
Shenandoah Valley Axe Throwing Co moves to a new home in Front Royal
Chamber welcomes Shenandoah Shores Management Group to Front Royal
Chamber welcomes Kells Belles to Front Royal
Chamber welcomes Garcia & Gavino to Front Royal
Warner & Rubio urge Biden admin to expand use of tools & authorities to prevent flow of U.S. innovation to Chinia’s military industrial complex
Warner, Scott introduce legislation to ban purchase of drones manufactured in countries identified as national security threats
Delegate Wiley’s Richmond Roundup: Week 6 – Restoring trust and transparency in our government
Delegate Wiley’s Richmond Roundup: Week 5 – More affordable, reliable energy for every Virginian
Warner, Thune introduce legislation to support integration of drones into airspace
White House 2023 Christmas Ornament honors President Gerald R. Ford
Despite cleanup efforts, Chesapeake Bay remains pollution challenge
Fall head over heels for Dunkin’s Valentine’s Day treats
Proposed federal rule would lower credit card late fees
Southwest official on December service meltdown: “We messed up”
Governor Youngkin praises bipartisan passage of Workforce Development Transformation Legislation
Attorney General Miyares’ statement on the conclusion of the 2023 Session
Virginia lawmakers pass bill to get tougher on hemp that gets you high
Combative texts from controversial UVA appointee and more Va. headlines
General Assembly tracker: Everyone who says they aren’t coming back next year
Playoff Game 2 : Front Royal Cardinals vs Woodstock River Bandits – July 27
Rescheduled: Front Royal Cardinals vs Strasburg Express – Monday, July 25
Front Royal Cardinals vs Purceville Cannons – Thursday, July 21
Front Royal Cardinals vs New Market Rebels – Sunday, July 24
CANCELED: Valley Baseball League: All Star Game at the “Bing” – Sunday, July 17th
R-MA Boys Varsity Basketball update 2/22/23
R-MA Boys Varsity Basketball update 2/1/23
R-MA Boys Varsity Basketball update 1/26/23
R-MA Boys Varsity Basketball update 1/17/23
R-MA Boys Varsity Basketball update
Warren County High School vs Sherando – Boys/Girls Varsity Basketball, January 9, 2023
Warren County High School vs Fauquier – Boys Varsity Basketball, January 4, 2023
Warren County High School vs Rappahannock County – Girls Varsity Basketball, December 21st
Warren County High School vs Strasburg – Boys Varsity Basketball, December 20th
Warren County High School vs Fauquier – Girls Varsity Basketball, December 19th
Skyline High School Graduation – Saturday, May 28, 2022
Skyline High School Class of 2021 Graduation Ceremony
Baccalaureate service for graduating seniors
Skyline vs Independence High School, February 12, 2021 at 6 PM in the third round of the Region 3B Basketball Tournament
Skyline vs James Monroe High School, February 9, 2021 at 6 PM in the second round of the Region 3B Basketball Tournament
Warren County Middle School vs Skyline Middle School – Girls Basketball, October 4, 2021
Warren County Middle School vs Frederick County Middle School – Girls Basketball, September 27, 2021
Warren County Middle School vs Daniel Morgan Middle School – Girls Basketball, September 23, 2021
Warren County Middle School vs Admiral Richard E. Byrd Middle School – Girls Basketball, September 20th, 2021
Warren County Middle School Academic Honors Ceremony – 8th Grade
Warren County Middle School vs Skyline Middle School – Girls Basketball, October 4, 2021
Skyline Middle School Academic Honors Ceremony – 8th Grade
Skyline Middle School Academic Honors Ceremony – 7th Grade
Skyline Middle School Academic Honors Ceremony – 6th Grade
Skyline Middle School vs Daniel Morgan, June 3rd – Girls Volleyball
Hilda J. Barbour Elementary School – 5th Grade Graduation Event
WATCH: E. Wilson Morrison Elementary School – 5th Grade Graduation Parade
WATCH: Ressie Jeffries Elementary School – 5th Grade Graduation Parade
WATCH: Leslie Fox Keyser Elementary School – 5th Grade Graduation Parade
Slow start to the year for Virginia’s housing market
Instead of going up, mansions go down
Community News & Real Estate (January 2023) with Jen Avery, REALTOR
Ask the expert: Buying our first house
Real Estate Scam Alert: Fraudulent buyers and sellers
Brand new beautiful homes in Warren County with 100% financing available
OPEN HOUSE: 159 High Point Court, Front Royal – This Saturday, April 2nd
House for sale: 159 High Point Court, Front Royal
House for sale: 104 Foam Flower, Lake Frederick
Property for sale: 425 N Royal Ave, Front Royal – Watch the tour!
Start your day with a smile
Start your day with a smile
Start your day with a smile
Start your day with a smile
Start your day with a smile
Wisdom from The Golden Girls
Black History Month: The daring life of Robert Smalls
Why it’s important to celebrate the caregivers in your community
Is it time to break up with barcodes?
Why do some kids bully?
New Cold War in Ukraine
An example of an Egyptian feminist for Iran today
The Cracked Arcorn: Bob is dead
The Cracked Acorn: To Be Alive
Should I Choose Passion or Duty?
Why we should be ‘Babyish’ in Love
The School of Life: How to Stop Playing Games in Love
The School of Life: How You Can Be Too Clever
Looking Back: A Mothers Revenge – Hannah Duston
Ben Franklin and his miraculous lightning rod
The Year Without A Summer : “Eighteen Hundred & Froze To Death”
America’s veterans remembered and honored for their service across the years
How much do you know about Veterans Day?
5 meaningful ways to celebrate Veterans Day
5 ways to celebrate Veterans Day
The 11hour of the 11th day of the 11th month – Veterans Day 2020
Concern Hotline named beneficiary of Ride with Rotary
Boots & Bourbon Fundraiser success helps purchase possibly two book vending machines
Pumpkin faces on Serenity Farm
Boots & Bourbon with Rotary Club of Warren County
FRWRC kicks off Annual Appeal with the Women’s Faire & Share this Thursday
The Rotary Club of the Northern Shenandoah Valley hosting blood drive
Help replenish the blood supply after holiday weekend
Community Blood Drive to be held this Wednesday, March 3rd
Santa Claus is coming to Town, Warren County!
A “COVID Christmas” message from Santa
Warren Heritage Society announces the publication of their newest book, “Coming Together”
Send bracelets to quarantined residents of Commonwealth Assisted Living in Front Royal through WeAreSPACE.org
Warren’s Heritage: Native American History-Part 10
Warren’s Heritage: Native American History-Part 9
Warren’s Heritage: Native American History-Part 8
Breakfast with Barry Lee – Dishing out ample servings of positivity, humor, and community spirit.
Are successful people just lucky?
No crystal ball needed: Close calls predict the (dangerous) future
Become An Action Taker To Live Your Dream Life
AI-generated images test copyright laws; disrupting the art world
Does your business have a DEI policy?
Spark your creativity with a career in welding
Does your business have a DEI policy?
A brief guide to plant-based proteins
Make Valentine’s Day dinner special with homemade red sauce
Pros and cons of free-range farming
Seven careers in agriculture besides farming
A lexicon of farm tech
The criteria of emotional maturity
Your body’s powerhouse: The heart
Be aware of the characteristics of grief
Super flexible joints can may indicate problems
Bean bag chair: a classic to rediscover
How to choose an at-home sauna
Three decorating tips for styling a room without windows
Interior door handles: how to make the best choice
Parkinson’s disease: Three myths and the truth behind them
Four common digestive problems in seniors
Four tips for eating well as you get older
How to help a loved one who’s suffered a stroke
DIY: How to give old socks a second life
Five ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your family
Five surprising facts about the Sun
Experiment: How to make a mini iceberg
How well do you know your pet’s dental health?
Ranch dogs show their courage and energy
Should you adopt a pet when you retire?
How to make your home more pet-centric
How-to guide: adopting a pet turtle
Seven ways to travel responsibly
Five things to consider before driving abroad
Find your flight — in a parallel reality
Air travel tips: flu season
How to navigate busy airports this Thanksgiving
Expert tips to protect your windshield all year round
How to keep teen drivers safe
Four types of shoes you shouldn’t wear while driving
Five situations that require an auto inspection
Five things to consider before driving abroad
George Washington: A leader and more
Black History Month: The daring life of Robert Smalls
Love celebrations around the world
Who sent the first Valentine?
On Thursday, February 23, 2023, just before 5 a.m., Warren County Department of Fire and Rescue Services was alerted for a residential structure fire with a report of occupants trapped in the 300 block of Loop Road.
Based on reports of occupants trapped, law enforcement units from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office and Front Royal Police Department responded and upon their arrival, confirmed a working fire and determined that an adult female and an infant were still inside the burning home. The infant was rescued by a neighbor while law enforcement assisted in removing the adult.
Firefighters arrived on the scene and immediately requested a second alarm response based on the significant fire conditions and reports of three additional occupants trapped. Crews began fire suppression and search and rescue operations for the additional occupants. It was determined that the two rescued victims (a 34-year-old female and a 9-month-old infant) were the only two occupants inside the home at the time of the fire.
Both victims were treated on the scene for life-threatening injuries and transported by EMS to awaiting helicopters. Both patients were flown to specialty hospital centers for further medical treatment. Additionally, one law enforcement officer was treated on the scene and transported to Warren Memorial Hospital for smoke inhalation and one firefighter received minor burn injuries.
Firefighters brought the fire under control in just over an hour. Crews remained on the scene for approximately 3 hours. The fire rendered the house a total loss.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Warren County Fire Marshal’s Office, with assistance from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office and Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office Canine Division.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to call Assistant Fire Marshal Austin Cucciardo at 540-636-3830 or email acucciardo@warrencountyfire.com. You may also contact the Warren County Sheriff’s Office at 540-635-7100 or email wcsoinv@warrencountysheriff.org.
American Elm removed from historic church cemetery
R-MA students write notes of kindness to local Senior Center
Morgans Ford Road home fire displaces occupant, fatal to canine
Virginia’s 4 PM Burn Law takes effect, WCFR offers open-air burning safety tips
UPDATE: More details on explosion, container fire near Fantasyland Park Thursday afternoon
Wednesday afternoon crash shuts down Interstate 66
Warren firefighters offer tips for a safe holiday season
Blue Mountain fire prompts multi-county emergency response
Saturday night fire damages Vaught Estates home
Cherrydale Avenue fire hits multiple homes, displaces six families
Tuesday morning house fire damages home, displaces two families, challenges firefighters
The following is a list of highway work that may affect traffic in Warren County during the coming weeks. Scheduled work is subject to change due to inclement weather and material supplies. Motorists are advised to watch for slow-moving tractors during mowing operations. When traveling through a work zone, be alert to periodic changes in traffic patterns and lane closures.
*NEW* or *UPDATE* indicates a new or revised entry since last week’s report.
INTERSTATE 66 No lane closures were reported.
INTERSTATE 81 Mile marker 299 to 300, northbound and southbound – Overnight single lane closures for equipment moving and bridge removal work, 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. through the night of April 6.
PRIMARY ROADS No lane closures were reported.
SECONDARY ROADS No lane closures were reported.
The following is a list of highway work that may affect traffic in Warren County during the coming weeks. Scheduled work is subject to change due to inclement weather and material supplies. Motorists are advised to watch for slow-moving tractors during mowing operations. When traveling through a work zone, be alert to periodic changes in traffic patterns and lane closures.
*NEW* or *UPDATE* indicates a new or revised entry since last week’s report.
INTERSTATE 66 No lane closures were reported.
INTERSTATE 81 *UPDATE* Mile marker 299 to 300, northbound and southbound – Overnight single lane closures for equipment moving and bridge removal work, 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. through the night of March 23.
PRIMARY ROADS *NEW* Route 340 (Winchester Road) – Southbound right lane closures near Route 627 (Reliance Road) intersection for road work, Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
SECONDARY ROADS *NEW* Route 624 (Morgan Ford Road) – Flagger traffic control just north of Route 642 (Howellsville Road) for cleaning and debris removal on Shenandoah River bridge, Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Vegetation management may take place district-wide on various routes. Motorists are reminded to use extreme caution when traveling through work zones.
Traffic alerts and traveler information can be obtained by dialing 511. Traffic alerts and traveler information also are available at www.511Virginia.org.
The VDOT Customer Service Center can assist with reporting road hazards, asking transportation questions, or getting information about Virginia’s roads. Call 800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623) or use its mobile-friendly website at my.vdot.virginia.gov. Agents are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
At noon on February 23rd, regional and potential investment officials joined Warren County and Town of Front Royal officials, as well as County Economic Development Authority and Virginia Port Authority (VPA) representatives at the county’s Inland Port for a marketing overview of socio-economic and transportation advantages presented by Virginia’s two-pronged, six terminal, coastal and inland port system. As pointed out by Port Authority Chief Development and Public Affairs Officer Cathie Vick, those advantages were highlighted by the VPA network’s performance throughout the recent national and international supply chain crisis.
Representing the FR-WC EDA were EDA Executive Director Joe Petty, who introduced EDA Board Vice-Chairman Scott Jenkins and Board Secretary Jorie Martin. Martin and Jenkins presented an overview of what Warren County and Front Royal have to offer companies seeking relocation into what they view as an economic development hot spot right here in northwestern Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.
A portion of the Virginia Inland Port, out of a meeting room back window. Below, EDA officials Jorie Martin and Scott Jenkins present the socioeconomic and location advantages of bringing businesses here. Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini
Opening the Virginia Port Authority presentation was VPA Director of Development and Transportation Policy Chris Gullickson, who introduced Public Affairs Officer Vick’s overview of Virginia Port Authority operations. She noted that VPA was recently rated “the most efficient port in North America” and maintains its ranking of 23rd globally. Vick added some humor to her favorable comparison of VPA operations to those found on the west coast during the recent global supply chain crisis. – “Not in Virginia,” she noted of what she called “the Virginia model” of port reception and distribution operations during the supply chain crisis.
Virginia Port Authority officials Chris Gullickson and Cathie Vick highlight how the ‘Virginia model’ of port network operations beat the supply chain crisis of recent years. The final shot from PowerPoint highlights some destinations from Warren County’s Virginia Inland Port.
The early afternoon event was co-hosted by the now-County overseen Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority (FR-WC EDA) and the Virginia Port Authority (VPA), the latter based from its Norfolk International Terminus. The “Open-Door Business Session” was scheduled from noon to 2 p.m. around a catered lunch break at 1 p.m., and post presentations networking opportunities at northern Warren County’s Virginia Inland Port (VIP), an overland trucking and rail distribution center on 161 acres that is part of the Virginia Port Authority operational network.
FR-WC EDA Executive Director Joe Petty introduced the proceedings speakers to an attentive crowd of municipal and business officials — further below, another perspective of the Inland Port from the meeting facility.
The Inland Port’s proximity to an intersection of Interstate highways and railroad lines facilitates the inland distribution of goods received internationally at VPA’s water terminals in the Tidewater Virginia area to the nation’s mid-east and northeast markets.
Watch the County EDA and VPA presentations illustrating why Warren County is a place to be for companies seeking a favorable location for their operations in this exclusive Royal Examiner video.
History of the town office
There was no permanent town hall before the current building was opened on Locust Steet in December 1978. Beginning in the 1830s, the members of the Council would offer their own places of business for meetings. Meetings took place at the Market House, Captain Joseph Long’s Tavern, Daniel Carver’s shop, Adam Dean’s shop, John C. Lemley’s office, G. W. Lemley’s counting room, M. H. Albin school room, Steel and Brothers counting room as well as other businesses.
Retired Winchester City Police Officer, Charles Pitcock recalls the town office being located at 5337 Main Street during the early 1950s. According to former Mayor Ray Ewing, the north side of the Lemley Building at 5339 and 5341 Main Street was used as a town office from 1956, when the post office relocated, to the 1970s. Former Town Clerk, Joyce Blevins (1972-2000) remembers meeting in the Agriculture and Home Economics Classroom Building at the old Stephens City School campus around 1976. Blevins said that the lease ran out at the school campus and the town council convened in a trailer at the town park ball field for three months prior to moving into the current structure in 1978.
The Stephens City Jail circa 1890, unknown location and unidentified people, could be Town Sergeant and family members. The jail was known to local residents as the “chicken coop.” Contributed by Louise Stover Brim, Stewart Bell Jr. Archives, Handley Regional Library.
The beginning of Stephens City (formally Stephensburg, Newtown/Stephensburg) government is loosely documented and unclear. Some documentation is available to assist us in determining how the town transitioned from a “Proprietorship” to a freely elected government. The official minutes of the oldest Town Council meetings exist and are kept at Town Hall. Sometime in 1989, Deputy Town Clerk Helen Brown meticulously transcribed onto type written pages, the earliest minutes from 1842 through 1889. The town’s faded minutes are difficult to read because they are written in cursive with quill pen and ink. The minutes from 1908 until 1939 are a mix of hand-written, mimeograph and typed pages placed in folders not especially in chronological order.
Lewis Stephens, Sr. was founder of Stephensburg (Chartered 1758) and was referred to as “the proprietor of the town” in many of the early documents. Lewis Stephens, Jr. inherited his father’s rights as proprietor, around 1800, and held a measure of respect and influence over the town’s citizens. Virtually all of the commonly used areas of the town (town graveyard, academy, market house and town commons), were owned or controlled by Stephens Jr. He gradually transferred the ownership of some of these publicly used properties to the townspeople by appointing trustees to manage these facilities. The trustees did not act in any official government capacity outside of their respective trusts.[1]
The Allemong and Myers building circa 1900-1915. The Italianate style commercial building supported a grocery store and farm implement business on the first floor and a second-floor cigar factory. Later, Eldridge Lemley has his photography studio in this building. The building then served a first-floor post office (1946-56), and the town office (1956-1976). Courtesy Ray Ewing.
The earliest Stephensburg meeting minutes of any form of town government date back to 1830 and survive in a typescript copy transcribed by the late Stephens City historian, Mildred Lee Grove. The pages are brief and incomplete but identify an attempt to establish The Corporation of N. T. Stephensburg where the Virginia General Assembly would allow the Corporation to elect town officials and establish regular meeting dates for its local government. The first known president and treasurer of the Corporation were A. S. Brown and Alexander Marks in 1830.
The first formal town hall meeting minutes began in 1842 with the General Assembly making it lawful (January 4, 1842) for the Corporation of N.T. Stephensburg to elect officials and to meet annually.
Stephens City continued to grow and prosper during the late-ante-bellum period. According to Martin’s 1836 Gazetteer of Virginia, Stephens City had a population of seven hundred, four of whom were physicians. It was made up of eighty-eight dwellings, a market house, a Methodist and a jointly-held Lutheran and German Reformed church, three schools, two mercantile stores, three tan yards, three saddlers and nine different wagonmakers, making it the principal industry. By the mid-1850s, Stephens City had grown to about a hundred dwellings and had a population of over eight hundred.[2] The town’s population would decrease after the Civil War and not exceed pre 1850 numbers until 1980 with a US Census figure of 1,179.
Stephens City Municipal Building ribbon cutting. L to R: State Delegate Andy Guest, Councilman Dale Barley, Congressman J. Kenneth Robinson (key note speaker), Mayor Lynn Comer, State Senator Bill Truban and Building Committee Member James Golladay Jr. on September 9 1979. Courtesy Scott Mason, Stewart Bell Jr. Archives, Handley Regional Library.
Citizens of this small but prosperous village were tightly bound by the covenants of their town code. They had to take care of the sidewalks in front of their homes and were forbidden to drink [alcohol] and fight in public. For health reasons, residents were required to eliminate stagnant water on their property. Because fire was a major threat in the days when virtually all buildings were made of wood, residents were told they had to keep a fire bucket at home and return any fire ladders they borrowed. Failure to comply with the law brought stiff fines, ranging from fifty cents to several dollars, which could amount to a whole week’s wages for some people.[3]
During this period of new government, the Town Council passed many laws to cover almost any type of offence. Citizens could be fined for “letting a horse to a mare on the town commons.”
The Town Sergeant was ordered to see that the streets were kept clear of all lumber, trash, and dead animals, regulating speed by people on horses, allowing no firing of pistols in the town, and maintaining general law and order. When the Sergeant observed the laws of the town were violated, it was his duty to apply for a warrant and proceed against said offender or offenders.
On April 16, 1859, a motion passed, “be it enacted that every tithable in the Corporation be required to pay a tax of twenty-five cents and also that a tax of five cents on every one hundred dollars’ worth of real estate within the limits of the town be paid in force from passage.”
Stephens City Municipal Building on Locust Street, circa 1980. Courtesy Scott Mason, Stewart Bell Jr. Archives, Handley Regional Library.
No meeting minutes were recorded from 1861 until December 1870. The Civil War brought deprivation, horror, and loss straight into people’s homes. Perhaps the town leaders chose to wait until 1871 to elect new Trustees, when Virginia began a new era after the passage of a new constitution and reentry into the United States.
In 1871, town citizens deemed it important that something should be done in the fire department in order to secure the safety of all property in the town. A motion was passed to examine the old hand pumper fire engine to determine if it could be repaired or replaced. New fire ladders had to be procured and placed at convenient locations for all residents. Later that year, the town repaired the fire engine for twenty-five dollars and procured eight new fire ladders (of good material and made in workman like manner) for one dollar each.
Trustees of the Corporation of N. T. Stephensburg met in the counting room of Steele and Brothers on March 12, 1874 to consider a petition from the citizens and freeholders of the Corporation praying this body to grant to Green Hill N. T. Stephensburg Cemetery Company three acres of land off the southeast corner of the Town Commons for the purpose of laying out a cemetery. On motion of John W. Beaty, it was unanimously resolved that this body grant and convey by deed to Green Hill N. T. Stephensburg Cemetery Company, 3 acres of land lying west of town and deeded to said town as a lot let by Lewis Stephens, founder of said N. T. Stephensburg.
On motion of James R. Campbell, the Secretary was requested to prepare a deed of conveyance to said Green Hill Cemetery Company for the purpose of laying out and establishing a cemetery thereon.[4]
In 1876, the Town Sergeant was ordered to summon male hands from 16 to 60 to donate service to work the streets and to he be allowed $1 per day for said services. Male citizens were fined fifty cents a day for not working. Each section of town was to be worked no longer than eight days.
A meeting of Town Council met on April 8, 1880. On motion of Captain George A. Grove, a grant of one-half an acre of ground on the western side of the village on what is known as Academy Hill was made to the African American people as a burial place. The burial ground would later be named Locust Grove Cemetery.
The Winchester Telephone Company was founded in 1885 and made plans for expansion of a telephone line to Stephens City as early as 1886. Electrical service was first introduced in 1915 when a line was run from the generator plant on the Shenandoah River to the M. J. Grove Lime Company west of the town.
January 30, 1918, at a special meeting of the Council, Mr. Leslie D. Kline appeared before the Council and made a statement in reference to a new school building for African American people of Stephens City. On motion it was decided to grant one acre of land near the African American cemetery for a school building. The Council suggested that the School Board be required to pay not less than $300 an acre.
During the late 1920s, the meeting minutes became more structured to include the Treasurer’s Report by the Town Sergeant (tax collection), Street, Light and Health (sanitation) Committees and New Business.
In April 1939, Robert E. Aylor and ten others organized the Independent Hose Company. The new fire company requested financial assistance from the town council. Mayor Lomax Parker called a bond issue election for providing a water system to improve firefighting efficiency. On November 4, 1939, during a special meeting, the council voted to build the first town water system with a cost not to exceed $9,000. Prior to 1940, the town had no water system and cisterns were the primary source of water.
The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built the town’s water storage tower in July and August of 1940. The eventual bond approved by the town was for $15,500 and matched by a $13,600 grant from the WPA. The town well and storage tank were located at the north end of Germain Street.[5]
119,000-gallon water tank was forty feet high and twenty-two feet in diameter. It supported the town’s first water system completed in August 1940. Courtesy Ray Ewing.
The Independent Hose Company’s first fire engine was a 1933 Dodge 6-cylinder which the members purchased for $1,000. The truck was housed in the school basement on Main Street until members built the original one bay door section of today’s fire hall on Mulberry Street in 1941. In November 1947, the company’s name was changed to Stephens City Fire Company, Inc.
In July 1956, Mayor R. M. Wakeman called a Special Meeting of the Council to discuss a new location for the town office. A large room (former post office), in the Lemley Building would be rented out for twenty-five dollars a month with the town furnishing their own heat. E. M. Lemley agreed to remodel the office to include a new bathroom, new inside paint, front door repair, installation of new floor boards and heater replacement.
In 1962, under Mayor Lynn Comer, Council approved the plans for the sewage collection system and treatment facilities. Bond issues are discussed.
In 1962, Council passed a motion to prohibit house trailers from being placed within the town limits.
In 1963, a contract was entered between Buckley-Lages, INC. and the Town of Stephens City for the construction of the sewage disposal system.
In 1964, the State Highway Department approved a traffic light at the intersection of Route 11 (Main Street) and 277 (Fairfax Street) where many accidents had previously occurred.
Town sewer system was introduced in 1964 and rates set at ($50, $100 and $200) for connection fees.
The water tower served the town until 1966, when the town council determined it was beyond repair. The town water system was then hooked into Winchester’s 24-inch main and the old tower was demolished.[6]
In 1968, Town of Stephens City connected with the Frederick County Sheriff’s Department for their radio communication system.
According to Joyce Blevins, the Council appointed H. Bruce Edens as the first Town Manager to act as administrative head of the town on September 2, 1975. Mike Kehoe was appointed in July 1981, when the position was changed from Town Manager to Town Administrator/Engineer. “When I worked part time (1972-76), former Councilman Monte Conner was the town inspector and would review plans and sign off for the town,” Blevins said. The Town Sergeant would also assist with the daily operations of the town, before the hiring of maintenance staffer, David Denny around 1982.
Joyce J. Blevins, was hired as Deputy Town Clerk and then appointed Town Clerk and served from 1972 through 2000. Blevins collaborating with Mark Gunderman, shared her personal notes from the town council meeting minutes and newspaper articles which were essential in the writing of this article. Courtesy Marty Barley.
Former Town Manager Mike Kehoe (1981 to 2015) said that prior to his employment, Bob Harriman had worked for the town for a short period. “Before Bob, Bruce Edens, a surveyor and owner of Greenway Engineering Company, was the part time Town Manager. Prior to that Stephens City did not have an administrative head but Charlie Bass who was the superintendent of M. J. Grove Lime Company served as Engineer, which meant he reviewed plans and performed inspections and signed off on subdivision plans, etc. The Mayor and Clerk did much of the work prior to those positions,” said Kehoe.
The current Town Manager and Planner, Mike Majher, carries out policies and directs business procedures. Duties and responsibilities of the Town Manager include preparation, submittal, and administration of the capital and operating budgets; advising the Council on the affairs of the town; handling citizens’ complaints; maintenance of all personnel records; enforcement of the Town Charter and laws of the Town; and direction and supervision of all departments.[7]
[1] Linden A. Fravel, unpublished notes from Mildred Lee Grove collection of loose papers in possession of the Stone House Foundation, Stephens City, VA.
[2] National Register of Historic Places, Newtown-Stephensburg Historic District, VDHR File No. 304-1, pages 5-6, August 18, 1992.
[3] Looking Back, Though the years in minutes, Stephens City History from the files of The Winchester Star, by Linda McCarty, May 1993.
[4] Frederick County Deed Book 203, page 238.
[5] Images of America, Stephens City, by Linden A. Fravel and Byron C. Smith on behalf of the Stone House Foundation, page 86, dated 2008.
[7] Town of Stephens City web site
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Art’s Tree Care of Winchester arrived at Stephens City UMC cemetery on Germain Street at 10:30 AM on a cold January morning to manage the sensitive removal of an American Elm tree. Owner Jim Anderson had previously written up the contract for the Church Trustees while promising to be very mindful of the historic gravestones.
According to Team Lead Mike Hines, the Elm was forty-five feet tall, fifteen inches in diameter, and around forty years old. The American Elm grows fast in any type of soil and environment. Elms are loved for their graceful, stately shape, with branches like spreading fountains. Unfortunately, our cemetery Elm was spreading into our neighbor’s yard and also threatened our centuries old tombstones if one of the branches would come down in a windstorm.
Due to the fragile nature of the old limestone grave markers, the tree services bucket truck could not be driven through the cemetery to reach the Elm. Chris Hammond, an employee with the landscaping service, would have to climb the tree, by means of tree rigging ropes and pulleys. Hammond uses two types of chainsaws for his tree climbing work. Chris says the Stihl MS201T hands down is the ultimate tree climbers saw. It is lightweight, dependable and easy to operate. Hammond also prefers working with a 661 C-M Magnum Stihl (36-inch bar) chainsaw which is best for felling large tree branches or taking out tree trunks.
Chris Hammond removes the tree tops high above historic cemetery grounds. Photos courtesy Marty Barley.
Crew member Mike Hines handled the Bandit Intimidator hand-fed Chipper for shredding tree branches. It is a drum-style chipper featuring a 24-inch diameter drum with a large throat opening. Mike easily pushed large brush stacks and limbs through powerful dual feed wheels mounted in Bandit’s Slide Box Feed System.
A third team member Shane Stine worked the wheel barrow hauling the brush stacks and trunk wedges after they were cut into manageable sizes back to the parking lot for shredding or loading onto the large commercial GMC truck. The American Elm was taken down to the stump and the property was cleared of tree branches and large brush stacks in two hours.
Tree Climbers must be properly trained and experienced in recognized safe climbing, crown thinning and topping techniques to handle this type of work.
Unfortunately, the historic 1882 Mast, Foos & Company Springfield Ohio, Buckeye Wrought Iron Punched Rail Fence was leaning into the tree and that prevented the stump from being totally taken out. The Ohio manufacturer was the premier fence company that provided many Victorian homes, public buildings and cemeteries with exceptional fences. The Buckeye fence was known as a show stopper during the late 1800s.
The tree removal was done in an effort to keep the two hundred- and thirty-year-old cemetery free of debris and to allow for easier maintenance of the property grounds. Tony Cook (Building Supervisor) maintains the cemetery grounds and said the tree removal will make lawn care a little less troublesome. It was only 1 PM and Mike’s crew was off to another job on a busy Tuesday afternoon.
Shane Stine cuts up remainder of the tree trunk for hauling off to the county landfill. The 1882 Mast, Foos & Company Wrought Iron Punched Rail Fence in background.
On this site in 1789 a log meeting house was built. A graveyard lay to the back of it which still exists and where some of the town’s early residents were buried. The graveyard includes the remains of close friends of Methodist Bishop Francis Asbury who first preached here in 1783. Friends he noted visiting and working with during the early days of Methodism were local preacher Elisha Phelps (buried 1815) and preacher and Revolutionary War Veteran John Bell Tilden (buried 1838). Rev. Elisha Phelps wife Elizabeth (buried 1812) was Granddaughter of Jost Hite (early land speculator) and daughter of Colonel John Hite of Revolutionary fame. Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) believe Thomas Steele, buried here in 1834, supported the Revolutionary War by taking the Oath of Allegiance and donating provisions.
Randolph-Macon Academy participated in the “Show Our Community Love” initiative through the Warren Coalition this week! The Warren Coalition has offered to loan out their LOVE sign to local community organizations or businesses. As part of the initiative, the folks hosting the LOVE sign are asked to think of a group of people in the community that they would like to recognize by writing cards of kindness & appreciation. R-MA chose the Senior Center – Seniors First, Shenandoah County Agency for Aging.
Earlier this week, 4 Upper School and 2 Middle School students hand delivered the kindness cards to the senior citizens. It was a huge success! The card recipients were so impressed with how thoughtful the notes were. R-MA delivered over 100 handwritten notecards! Approximately 40 will be delivered to homebound senior citizens during their meal delivery this week. Some of the senior citizens are planning on writing back to the cadets!
As a special bonus, the R-MA students got to meet Sheriff Butler at the Senior Center. He had just finished singing a few songs for the seniors to dance! What a unique chance for students to meet one of our community leaders in person. Butler took time to have a nice chat with the students.
R-MA is a co-ed, private boarding school for grades 6-12 in Front Royal, Virginia – just 1-hour from Washington D.C. We offer a superior university-prep curriculum with an elite Air Force JROTC program. 100% of R-MA graduates are accepted to university every year, with the Class of 2022 graduating 59 students who received over $16.6 million in scholarships.
Find out more about the R-MA difference! Check us out at www.rma.edu.
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