Martinsburg in Berkeley County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
“Oh Shenandoah, I Long to See You!”
Dedicated: Oct 19, 1990 – Re-open in year of 2040
Sponsor: Martinsburg Jaycees
This “community pride project” is an attempt to preserve the Apple Capital city and surrounding areas of our Southern and Shenandoah Valley heritage. May God bless our endeavors.
Erected 1990.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the Time Capsules series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1990.
Location. 39° 27.451′ N, 77° 58.278′ W. Marker is in Martinsburg, West Virginia, in Berkeley County. Marker is on West King Street east of Winchester Avenue (Business U.S. 11), on the left when traveling west. It is just west of the railroad tracks. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Martinsburg WV 25401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Sumner-Ramer Memorial School (approx. 0.2 miles away); J. R. Clifford (approx. 0.2 miles away); Old Worsted and Cassimere Mills (approx. ¼ mile away); World War Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away); Martinsburg / Berkeley Riflemen (approx. ¼ mile away); Old Federal Building (approx. ¼ mile away); Old Berkeley County Jail (approx. ¼ mile away); 224 - 226 West King Street (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Martinsburg.
More about this marker. The apple-shaped time capsule, painted red, stands perhaps ten feet tall. It is across the tracks from the newly restored Richarsonian-Romanesque style former Cumberland Valley Railroad station, now the offices of Alpha Associates, a civil engineering firm.
Also see . . . Oh Shenandoah Sound Clip. Songs For Teaching website entry:
Listen to a stanza of this song on this web page. (Submitted on June 20, 2007.)
Additional commentary.
1. The Song “Oh Shenandoah”
This haunting song may have originated as a river chantey sung by Missouri River flatboatmen. It is a traditional American folk song dating to the early 19th century.
Oh, Shenandoah’s my native valley.
Aa-way, you rolling river!
Shenandoah is my native valley.
Ah-way, we’re bound to go, ’cross th’ wide Missouri!
Oh, Shenandoah, it’s far I wander.
Aa-way, you rolling river!
Shenandoah, it’s far I wander.
Ah-way, we’re bound to go, ’cross th’ wide Missouri!
Oh, Shenandoah has rushing waters.
Aa-way, you rolling river!
Shenandoah has rushing waters.
Ah-way, we’re bound to go, ’cross th’ wide Missouri!
Oh, Shenandoah, I love your daughters.
Aa-way, you rolling river!
Shenandoah, I love your daughters.
Ah-way, we’re bound to go, ’cross th’ wide Missouri!
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to see you.
Aa-way, you rolling river!
Shenandoah, I long to see you.
Ah-way, we’re bound to go, ’cross th’ wide Missouri!
Oh, Shenandoah, I’m boun’ t’ leave you.
Aa-way, you rolling river!
Shenandoah, I’m boun’ t’ leave you.
Ah-way, we’re bound to go, ’cross th’ wide Missouri!
Oh, Shenandoah, I’ll never grieve you.
Aa-way, you rolling river!
Shenandoah, I’ll never grieve you.
Ah-way, we’re bound to go, ’cross th’ wide Missouri!
— Submitted June 20, 2007.
2. The Cumberland Valley Railroad
The Cumberland Valley Railroad was originally chartered in 1831 in Pennsylvania. Starting near Harrisburg, it ran through Chambersburg to Hagerstown, then through Martinsburg (in 1873) and on to Winchester. The Pennsylvania Railroad purchased it in 1919. Until 1952, passenger trains stopped at this station. Southbound trains went to Winchester, where connections could be made to other parts of the Shenandoah Valley and beyond. Northbound trains went to Hagerstown where connections could be made to Harrisburg, Philadelphia and New York. For east-west service, the B&O Railroad station at the other end of town had many more trains to choose from, including long distance first class named trains.
— Submitted June 20, 2007.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 25, 2022. It was originally submitted on June 20, 2007, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland. This page has been viewed 3,517 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on June 20, 2007, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland. • J. J. Prats was the editor who published this page.