Staunton, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Bake Oven
A Vital Tool
Bake ovens could be found on many homesteads throughout Pennsylvania and Virginia due to the importance of bread and other baked food items in the German diet. Baking took place once a week. Ovens were not only used to bake bread, but also to dry fruits and vegetables and cook meats.
Hot Stone
Bake ovens could be built in the kitchen of the house but were often outdoors a short distance from the house. Stone or brick made up the baking surface, which sat atop a foundation with a clay dome covering it and an opening at the front.
[Captions:]
Interior of communal bakehouse in Westfalia, Germany (1614). The oven has no chimney and smoke escapes through the front door.
Building the dome of the bake oven at the museum in 2014.
Erected by Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia; Americana Corner; American Frontier Culture Foundation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Colonial Era • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 2014.
Location. 38° 7.623′ N, 79° 2.708′ W. Marker is in Staunton, Virginia. It can be reached from Frontier
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, 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: Main House (a few steps from this marker); Garden (a few steps from this marker); Shenandoah Valley, 1820s (within shouting distance of this marker); Valley of Virginia, 1820s (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Shenandoah Valley, 1820s (within shouting distance of this marker); Schoolhouse, 1840s (within shouting distance of this marker); Valley of Virginia, 1850s (within shouting distance of this marker); Springhouse (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Staunton.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 1, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 1, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 6 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 1, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
