Woodstock in Shenandoah County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Massanutten Academy
Photographed by Bradley Owen, July 22, 2025
1. Massanutten Academy Marker
Established in 1898
by the Virginia Classis of
the Reformed Church in the United States
Charter Members of the Board of Trustees
Rev. J. Silor Garrison Rev. A. B. Bauman N. B. Schmitt J. H. Hepner William C. Lantz E. D. Newman Rev. N. H. Skyles P. W. Magruder M. M. Campbell Rev. R. R. Jones David A. Miller H. M. Rogers Rev. James B. Stonesifer Robert L. Gray J. A. Hoffheins, D. D.
☆ ☆ ☆
1899 ● 1949
In commemoration of the
Fiftieth Anniversary
of
The Massanutten Academy
the faculty and staff herewith dedicate this tablet to
Howard J. Benchoff, A.M.P.D.D.
Head Master
In recognition of forty four years of outstanding and devoted service
Erected by Massanutten Military Academy.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical year for this entry is 1898.
Location. 38° 52.566′ N, 78° 30.617′ W. Marker is in Woodstock, Virginia, in Shenandoah County. It can be reached from South Main Street (U.S. 11) north of Benchoff Drive, on
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Massanutten Military Academy (within shouting distance of this marker); Confederate Memorial (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Welcome to Woodstock's Lovework (about 700 feet away); St. Paul's Reformed Church (approx. Ό mile away); Ardent Abolitionist (approx. Ό mile away); Woodstock (approx. Ό mile away); Reformed Church in the United States
Photographed by Bradley Owen, July 22, 2025
2. Massanutten Academy Marker
Also see . . .
1. Massanutten Military Academy Homepage. (Submitted on August 16, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.)
2. Massanutten Military Academy Wikipedia Page.
Massanutten Military Academy, named for the nearby mountain, was established by the Virginia Classis of the Reformed Church in 1899. The school opened on September 12, 1899, with 40 students, half of whom were boarders. From the beginning the school was coed, with the first graduating class in 1902 consisting of three boys and three girls. In 1905, Howard J. Benchoff was appointed the school president and stayed in that position for nearly five decades, to be succeeded for the next decade and a half by his son.(Submitted on August 16, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.)
Photographed by Bradley Owen, July 22, 2025
3. Massanutten Academy
Photographed by Bradley Owen, July 22, 2025
4. Massanutten Academy
Credits. This page was last revised on August 16, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 16, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 91 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 16, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.
