Near Front Royal in Warren County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The Massanutten
Photographed By Craig Swain, June 30, 2007
1. The Massanutten Marker
An unusual name for an unusual mountain. Totally isolated within the Shenandoah Valley, fifty-mile-long Massanutten Mountain begins and ends abruptly. From here you can see its north end. Called simply "The Massanutten," the mountain today is part of George Washington National Forest. The origin of the name "Massanutten" is unclear.Signal Knob
The high point near the end of the Massanutten is Signal Knob. During the Civil War, Confederate soldiers used Signal Knob as an observation and signal post. Message signals were relayed to stations farther south, and on to Richmond. The Union Army may have used Signal Knob for brief periods as well.
Why does Massanutten rise like it does?
Whereever rock layers are exposed at the surface, they erode. Harder layers "resist" erosion and remain as ridges; softer layers erode into valleys. Long, parallel lines of resistant Massanutten Sandstone form Massanutten's ridges. To the north and south the sandstone dips below the surface and Massanutten ends.
Erected by Shenandoah National Park.
Topics. This historical marker is listed
this page online
Location. 38° 51.513′ N, 78° 12.568′ W. Marker is near Front Royal, Virginia, in Warren County. Marker is on Skyline Drive, on the right when traveling south. Located at the Signal Knob Overlook in Shenandoah National Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Front Royal VA 22630, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. No Park is an Island (a few steps from this marker); Indian Old Fields (approx. 1.1 miles away); Asbury Chapel (approx. 2˝ miles away); Belle Boyd and Jackson (approx. 2.9 miles away); Belle Boyd (approx. 3.1 miles away); William E. Carson (approx. 3.4 miles away); Prospect Hill Cemetery (approx. 3.9 miles away); Mosby's Men (approx. 3.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Front Royal.
More about this marker. The lower half of the marker shows a panorama of the valley below, with highlights to North Mountain (16 miles), South Fork of the Shenandoah River, Massanutten Mountain (For 50 miles, Massanutten Mountain's two parallel ridges split the Shenandoah Valley in half), Signal Knob (Civil War signal point). On the upper right is a Cross section of rock layers beneath Massanutten Mountain.
Additional commentary.
1. The Meaning of the Word “Massanutten”
The word “massanutten” comes from the Cherokee Indian word meaning “bread basket.” I don’t know how they would have known this however considering the only way this is made clear is by flying over the range. They
Photographed By Craig Swain, June 7, 2009
2. Close Up of the Cross Section
— Submitted November 14, 2009, by Jonathan Wilde of Stephen City, Virginia.
Photographed By Craig Swain, June 30, 2007
3. The Massanutten Marker
With Massanutten and Signal Knob in the background.
Photographed By Craig Swain, June 30, 2007
4. The Massanutten Mountain and Signal Knob
The mountain overlooks Front Royal and Strasburg (to the west side). In between the two ridges of Massanutten is Fort Valley, effectively a valley within a valley.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on November 1, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 3,439 times since then and 476 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 1, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 2. submitted on June 8, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 3, 4. submitted on November 1, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.
