Historic Strasburg

Historic Strasburg. Stop 1. , Welcome to the Historic Strasburg Walking Trail! It is 1.6 miles and takes 1 - 1 1/2 hours to complete. The trail will take you into the heart of Strasburg's Historic District where you will learn about the town's founding and early industries, and get glimpses of daily life through Strasburg's past., Settlers first arrived in the beautiful Northern Shenandoah Valley in the mid-1700s. A thriving agricultural community quickly grew in the fertile bottomland along the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, and Strasburg was soon founded in 1761., Pottery making was an important industry in Strasburg throughout the 1800s when local clay was used to make food storage crocks and decorative pieces. After the Civil War, small potteries were scattered throughout town, and Strasburg was nicknamed "Pot Town". This business eventually dwindled due to competition from large mid-western factories and the use of glass jars., Rail lines played an important role in the life and economy of Strasburg beginning in 1854. Strasburg sat at the junction of the B&O and Southern Railroads, providing regular passenger service and transporting local agricultural products, including grain and fruit crops, to eastern markets. Rail transportation suffered extensive damage during the Civil War but was operational again by 1868., This building was constructed in the 1890s as a steam pottery factory. The railroad bought the building in 1913 and converted it into a passenger and freight depot. In 1970, it became the Strasburg Museum, which now houses thousands of authentic items from the area's history-including an excellent collection of local pottery, artwork, and a working model railroad., Frogtown Fact! , Across from the Museum, the area was known as "Frogtown" during the 1920s and 1930s. After heavy rain, the lot provided an excellent wading area for neighborhood children. Frogtown occasionally hosted a one-man traveling show, using a truck bed as a stage for enacting plays and hawking herbal tonics., (Captions):, 5-gallon crock, William H. Lehew, 1860-1874, courtesy of Fred and Debbie Ritenour, Southern Railway Depot, East King Street - 1915, To reach Stop 2, turn left on King Street toward downtown and cross King Street at the crosswalk after the Town Run. Stop 2 is to the left of the Strasburg Fire Department. , 147 East King Street