If it's antique tractors you're into, then all aboard at the following area clubs:

• Massanutten Antique Tractor & Gasoline Engine Club meets the last Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Edinburg Fire Department at 200 Stoney Creek Blvd. The club presents its annual show the second full weekend of June at the Shenandoah County Fairgrounds. It publishes a newsletter, and yearly dues are $10 per person. 984-4044. www.massanuttenantiquetractor.com
• Shenandoah Valley Steam & Gasoline Engine Association meets the third Friday of the month from February through August at 7:30 p.m. at the Clarke County Fairgrounds on Business Va. 7 in Berryville. Annual dues are $10. The club also hosts it annual show the last full weekend in July at the Clarke County Fairgrounds. (304) 229-2101. www.svsgea.com

If perusing a museum or taking a drive don't satisfy your need for knowledge of the valley, multiple places offer you the chance to dig deeper into the region's history -- and your own.

Clarke County:

• The archives of the Clarke County Historical Association, at 32 E. Main St. in Berryville next to the Clarke County Library, offers a collection of materials from 1836 to present of benefit to residents doing genealogical research on Clarke County families and local history. Among documents in the archives are county architectural surveys and newspaper and census records on microfilm. The archives will be closed this summer, beginning in August, for museum development. 955-2600. www.clarkehistory.org


• The Clarke County Circuit Court deed room at 102 N. Church St. in Berryville is open Monday to Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The court houses a variety of legal documents including deeds from 1832 on, marriage records from 1828 on, financing statements, judgments, and other criminal and civil documents. 955-5116. www.courts.state.va.us

Frederick County/Winchester:

• The Frederick County Circuit Court and the Winchester Circuit Court record rooms are in the judicial center at 5 N. Kent St. in Winchester. The record rooms are open Monday to Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. A variety of documents are available, including land records, marriage licenses, divorce records and criminal and chancery records. Some records date to 1743. 667-5770. www.winfredclerk.com


• The Stewart Bell Jr. Archives in the basement of Handley Regional Library offer an extensive collection of research materials of benefit to historical and genealogical research about the Shenandoah Valley. The archives are operated jointly by the Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society and the Handley Regional Library. The archives include manuscripts from the 1730s to the present, maps, more than 15,000 photographs and 500 published books. Two genealogy databases are available to people using the archives, Heritage Quest and Ancestry. The archives are open Tuesday to Wednesday 1-8 p.m. and Thursday to Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 662-9041, ext. 23. www.hrl.lib.state.va.us

Shenandoah County:

• The Shenandoah Room at the Shenandoah County Library, 514 Stony Creek Blvd. in Edinburg, holds 6,506 volumes of local history and genealogy resources. The archivist is Jean Martin, who takes appointments. The Shenandoah Room is open during library hours, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Wednesday and Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 984-8200. www.shenandoah.co.lib.va.us


• The record room in the Shenandoah County Circuit Court, at 112 S. Main St. in Woodstock, has old documents and records for viewing. The record room is open Monday to Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Deeds, financing statements, judgments, marriage licenses, wills, divorces and civil, criminal and chancery records are among the documents housed in the court record room. Some documents date to 1772. The court cannot make copies. Cameras and scanners may be used if there is no flash or bright light. 459-6150. www.courts.state.va.us

Warren County:

• The Laura Virginia Hale Archives, behind the Belle Boyd Cottage at 101 Chester St. in Front Royal, provide resources for residents doing research on family genealogy, historic buildings and county history. A small library and reading room are on site and the Warren County Heritage Society oversees operation. Hours are Monday to Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 636-1446. www.warrenhs.org


• The Warren County Circuit Court record room at 1 E. Main St. in Front Royal is open Monday to Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The court offers deeds, land records, marriage licenses, wills and judgments dating back to 1836. The court also keeps old minute books of Warren County Board of Supervisors meetings and records of all civil, chancery and criminal cases. 635-2435. www.courts.state.va.us


• The Samuels Public Library at 538 Villa Ave. in Front Royal has a special set of books called the Virginia Collection. The collection includes diaries, family histories, cemeteries records, books on history of the Civil War and the Shenandoah Valley. Residents must ask for assistance. The books are for in-library use only. 635-3153 www.samuelslibrary.net

If you like to learn and you're willing to walk, the area's walking tours can serve as educational exercise.

Clarke County:

• The Berryville Walking Tour, developed by Berryville Main Street, takes visitors to 20 stops on Main, Church and Buckmarsh streets. The tour highlights the historic houses, and commercial and government buildings in town. Brochures are available at the Berryville Planning and Zoning office at 15 E. Main St. or at the Berryville Main Street office at 5 S. Church St. Guided tours are offered during special events. 955-4001. www.berryvillemainstreet.org


• The Berryville Historic Walking Tour & Long Marsh Historic Driving Tour, developed by the Clarke County Historic Preservation Commission, has eight stops in town including the courthouse complex, Grace Episcopal Church, the Coiner house and the old jail and tells the story of the town during Revolutionary and Civil War times. Brochures are available at the kiosk on East Main Street in front of the Clarke County Historic Preservation Commission office.

Frederick County/Winchester:

• The Walking Tour of Stephens City is a walking tour that features 48 stops beginning at the corner of Mulberry and Green streets at the Old Town Cemetery and East Academy. The tour brochure, which is being revised, is available on the town's Web site. stephenscity.vi.virginia.gov


• The Newtown History Center at 5408 Main St., Stephens City, also offers a Civil War Walking Tour of the town. The self-guided tour has nine stops and takes visitors down Main and Mulberry streets, highlighting significant Civil War sites. The Samuel Hull store, where townspeople were forced to pledge their allegiance to the Union when the decision was made not to burn the town, is one stop on the tour. Another stop is the Newtown Hotel, now the Newtown History Center, where a union soldier had his last meal before his execution outside the town. Brochures available at the center. 869-1700. www.newtownhistorycenter.org


• The Middletown Walking Tour has 26 stops, highlighting the historic buildings, many of them homes, that make up the town. Brochures to take the self-guided walking tours are available at the New Market Town Office at 7578 Church St. 869-2226


• The Rose Hill Battlefield Walking Trail at historic Rose Hill, at 1850 Jones Road in Frederick County, is open the third Saturday of every month 1-4 p.m. from April to October. There are seven signs along the trail that tell the story of the Civil War's First Battle of Kernstown and the life of the Glass family who lived in the farm. Admission is $5. Children under 6 and members of the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley are free. 662-1473. www.shenandoahmuseum.org

Shenandoah County:

• The Historic Strasburg Walking Tour, 1.6 miles, features 10 stops on King, Holliday, Washington, Queen, Fort and High streets and tells the story of the town's early history. The walking tour takes about an 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Brochures, published by the Strasburg Heritage Association, are available at the Strasburg Chamber of Commerce, Strasburg Museum and Hotel Strasburg. 465-3187. www.strasburgva.com


• The Mt. Jackson Historic District Walking Tour features 20 stops along Main Street. The tour begins at the Union Church and cemetery at 5971 Main St. and ends at the Hackley House at 6012 Main St. Brochures are available in the center lobby at the Mt. Jackson town hall at 5901 Main St. 477-2121. mountjackson.com


• The Town of New Market Historic District Walking Tour takes visitors on a stroll down Congress, Old Cross and East Lee streets as well as Collins Drive and John Sevier Road to see historic areas of this town chartered in 1796. Brochures are available at the town office, the town's chamber of commerce, the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park and many businesses. The walking tour was developed by the New Market Historic Overlay Review Board. 740-3212. www.newmarketvirginia.com


• The Walking Tour of Woodstock has 26 stops along Muhlenberg, Church, Court, Spring and Main streets. The town was home to the Rev. John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg, who was called "the fighting parson of the American Revolution," according to the brochure. The brochure is published by the Woodstock Museum and is available at the museum and the town's chamber of commerce. 459-5518 or 459-2542. www.thewoodstockmuseum.org or www.townofwoodstockva.com


• A Civil War Interpretive Walking Trail is available at the Stonewall Jackson Museum at Hupp's Hill Historic Park at 33229 Old Valley Pike in Strasburg. The trail is free and takes visitors past original 1864 trenches and points out strategic points in the area. Brochures are available at the museum's ticket counter. The museum also offers Virginia's only karst interpretive walking trail. Visitors can see sinkholes and an exterior of a cave not opened to the public. 465-5884. www.waysideofva.com

Warren County:

• The Front Royal Walking Tour leads visitors through the historic part of town with 33 stops along the way. Buildings and homes described on the tour date back from the early 1700s to the turn of the century. One of the stops is Belle Boyd Cottage, home of the Confederate spy. Brochures are available at the Front Royal/Warren County Visitors Center at 414 E. Main St. 635-5788. www.frontroyalva.com

Aside from the Shenandoah River, there is perhaps nothing more entwined with the Shenandoah Valley than its Civil War history. From hospitals to battlefields, gravesites, and former headquarters, Civil War sites abound in the region.

Frederick County/Winchester:

• Stonewall Jackson Headquarters at 415 N. Braddock St. is open for touring. This small house was used by Jackson after he took command of the Valley Army during the winter of 1861-1862. Artifacts from Jackson and his cavalry commander, Turner Ashby, are on exhibit. Hours are Monday to Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday noon-4 p.m. Admission is $5 per adult and $3.50 per child 12 years old and under. 667-3242. www.winchesterhistory.org


• Sheridan's Headquarters at 135 N. Braddock St. was used by Union Gen. Milroy in 1863 and then by Union Gen. Philip Sheridan from 1864 to 1865. From this building in October 1864, Sheridan made his ride 11 miles south to the Battle of Cedar Creek where he rallied his retreating army. The trek was made famous by Thomas Buchanon Read's poem, "Sheridan's Ride." The building, at 135 N. Braddock St., is at the corner of Braddock and Piccadilly streets. Kimberly's now occupies the building.


• Fort Collier at 922 Martinsburg Pike is a Confederate fort built in 1861 and the site of the Federal cavalry charge that effectively ended the Third Battle of Winchester.


• Historic Rose Hill at 1850 Jones Road in Frederick County is the Glass ancestral home and site of the First Battle of Kernstown on March 23, 1862. The farm was the location of later phases of battle. Efforts are under way to preserve the house, which is owned by the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. A self-guided walking tour of the property is available for $5 on the third Saturday of each month from April to October. The tours are 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Children under age 6 and Museum of the Shenandoah Valley member are free. The house is not open for touring.


• Larrick's Hotel and Tavern, established in 1797 in Middletown, was frequented by Union and Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. The tavern became a stagecoach stop 20 years later. Jubal Early used the inn as his headquarters in 1864, and the inn has been renovated to reflect its 18th-century heritage. The Wayside Inn now occupies the building, and Virginia traditional cuisine is served in its seven dining rooms. 869-1797 or (877) 869-1797. www.alongthewayside.com

Winchester and Frederick County were the sites of at least five major battles during the Civil War. A few of these battle sites, including those of the Kernstown battles and the third Winchester battle, are part of the Virginia Civil War Trails system. (888) CIVIL-WAR. www.civilwartrails.org.

• The first battle, the Battle of Kernstown, took place March 23, 1862, south of Winchester along U.S. 11. "Stonewall" Jackson suffered his only defeat here. The Kernstown Battlefield Association, a grassroots, nonprofit group, formed in 1996, and purchased 315 acres of the First Battle of Kernstown and the Second Battle of Kernstown including Pritchard's Hill in 2000. The association converted one of the outbuildings into a visitor's center, at 610 Battle Park Drive, in Winchester and created walking trails. The center is open May-October, on Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday noon-4 p.m. Admission is free. www.kernstownbattle.org.


• During the First Battle of Winchester, on May 25, 1862, Jackson caught Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks' army retreating from Front Royal. The battle was fought in the southeastern and southwestern parts of Winchester. Apple Blossom Mall and a large portion of the town's residential and commercial development cover the battlefield. The land making up Williamsburg Heights subdivision and the hill behind John Handley High School also were parts of the battlefield.


• The Second Battle of Winchester, on June 14 and 15, 1863, was fought in the northwestern and northern sections of the city. The Second Corps of Gen. Robert E. Lee's army, under Gen. Richard S. Ewell, defeated the Union troops of Gen. Robert Milroy on their way to Gettysburg. Ewell moved toward Winchester from Front Royal while Gen. Jubal Early's troops marched north on what is known today as U.S. 11. Some of the sites from this battle include the area of Stephenson, known then as Stephenson's Depot, on Va. 761, the Old Charles Town Road. Other areas to note are Fort Milroy in the city, Star Fort and West Fort to the north of the city and a ridge west of the city known as Little North Mountain.


• The Second Battle of Kernstown, on July 24, 1864, was fought south of town along U.S. 11 and what is now Interstate 81. During this battle, Early drove Gen. George Cook's troops north to help secure the valley. The Second Battle of Kernstown was the last Confederate victory in the Shenandoah Valley.


• The Third Battle of Winchester, on Sept. 19, 1864, took place from the eastern to the northern parts of the city and ended in a Union victory. Sheridan defeated Early's troops in the largest, bloodiest and most complex battle in Winchester. The battlefield includes the Fort Collier Industrial Park, Regency Heights, Lake Estates and the Loudoun Street Mall.


• The Battle of Cedar Creek took place on Oct. 19, 1864. Led by Gen. Jubal A. Early, a much smaller Confederate force surprised 37,000 Union troops camped along the banks of Cedar Creek, near the Belle Grove Plantation on what is now U.S. 11, north of Strasburg. The Union troops were led by Sheridan. The battle is re-enacted each fall on the original battlefield. The Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation, formed in 1988, originally purchased 158 acres of the battlefield for preservation. Since then, more land has been purchased. The foundation now owns 308 acres. The Cedar Creek Visitors Center is located at 8437 Valley Pike in Middletown across from Belle Grove. The center overlooks the battlefield from U.S. 11 and houses an interpretive center with artifacts. Brochures for a self-guided tour are available. 869-2064. www.cedarcreekbattlefield.org

Shenandoah County:

• The Southern Railways train station, which now houses the Strasburg Museum, is the location where Stonewall Jackson re-employed B&O locomotives for the Confederate cause after moving them by teams of horses down Valley Turnpike from Harpers Ferry in 1861.


• Signal Knob Loop is a 10.2-mile mountainous hike leading to the site of an important Civil War outpost for both Union and Confederate armies. The trail can be accessed one mile north of Elizabeth Furnace Recreation Area at the Bear Wallow/Signal Knob parking lot on Va. 678. Other long hikes are also available. 984-4101. www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/lee


• The New Market Battlefield State Historical Park, at exit 264 off Interstate 81, 8895 Collins Parkway, includes the battlefield, the Hall of Valor Museum and the Bushong Farm.


• The Hall of Valor Museum was built in 1970 and includes exhibits on the entire Civil War in Virginia and the Battle of New Market specifically. Each May, the Battle of New Market re-enactment is held on the original 1864 battlefield on the weekend after Mother's Day.


• During the war, Jacob Bushong and his family stayed in the basement of their home while Union and Confederate troops fought around them. When the Battle of New Market began, seven family members took shelter in the basement while medical authorities set up a field hospital above them. The museum is open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. year round except for New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 740-3101. 866-515-1864. www.vmi.edu/new market


• Another Civil War battle site has been preserved at Fishers Hill, on Va. 601 (Battlefield Road) off U.S. 11 south of Strasburg. The Strasburg Guard, Sons of Confederate Veterans, developed an interpretive trail at the 195-acre site of the 1864 battle. (866) 515-1864.


• The Edinburg Mill, on U.S. 11, was built in 1848 and used as an operating grist mill until 1978. The mill was almost destroyed by fire during the Civil War, but was saved by residents of the community. The mill is owned by Edinburg Heritage Foundation and the town of Edinburg. 984-8521

For more information about additional Civil War sites in the valley, see "Visit a museum," "Tour an old home," "Honor the fallen" and "Visit a historic church."

Whether your interest is in the region's rich Civil War history, the history of its pottery industry or some of its unique characters, a museum in the Northern Shenandoah Valley is sure to suit your taste.

Clarke County:

• The Burwell-Morgan Mill is off U.S. 50 in Millwood, on Va. 255. The Clarke County Historical Association, founded in 1939, operates and owns the 18th century mill, which was established in 1785 and is the oldest operable merchant mill in the Shenandoah Valley. In the mid-19th century, the mill operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week, processing more than 60,000 bushels of wheat per year. The community of Millwood grew around the commercial center as related businesses were established and mill products were shipped abroad.
  The now-renovated mill is also a museum. The Mill is open April through October, Friday and Sunday noon-5 p.m. and Saturday, grinding day, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. There is an admission fee. 837-1799. www.clarkehistory.org


• The Josephine School Community Museum is housed in a restored black public school built circa 1870. The museum includes a classroom setup as it would have looked around 1900, as well as photos, artifacts and other exhibits. Considered the only black history museum in the area, it is at 303 Josephine St. in Berryville and open 1- 3 p.m. Sunday, or by appointment. 955-5512. www.jschoolmuseum.org

Frederick County/Winchester:

• The Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum, which opened in April 1996, features interactive, hands-on exhibits and programs that focus on the sciences, mathematics, humanities and the arts. Exhibits include an in-house paleontologist, a hospital emergency room and ambulance, an apple-packing shed and more. The museum, at 54 S. Loudoun St. in Winchester, is open Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m. 722-2020. www.discoverymuseum.net


• George Washington's Office Museum served as Washington's military office from September 1755 until December 1756, when he served as a commissioned officer in the Virginia militia. While there he supervised the construction of Fort Loudoun, built to protect the Virginia frontier from Native Americans and the French. The museum, at the corner of Braddock and Cork streets in Winchester, is open from April through October, Monday to Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday noon-4 p.m. There is an admission fee. 662-4412. www.winchesterhistory.org


• The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley and the Glen Burnie Historic House and Gardens comprise the region's newest history complex. The 50,000-square-foot Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, which opened in April 2005, was designed by renowned architect Michael Graves. The museum features four permanent galleries that tell the history of the region as well as one rotating gallery.
  The complex is at 901 Amherst St. in Winchester. The museum is open year-round, and the house and gardens are open March through November. The complex is open Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. There is an admission fee. For more information about the Glen Burnie Historic House and Gardens, see "Visit an old home" and "Visit a garden." (888) 556-5799, ext. 235. www.shenandoahmuseum.org.


• The Old Court House Civil War Museum at 20 N. Loudoun St. occupies the former Frederick County Courthouse on the Loudoun Street Mall in Winchester. The courthouse was built from 1834 to 1840 on the site of the original courthouse built from 1745 through 1751 by Col. James Wood. George Washington was sworn into the House of Burgesses on the original courthouse steps. During the Civil War, it was used as a prison and a hospital. Visitors can still see the signatures of soldiers etched into the walls. The museum is open Wednesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 3 -17. Children 4 and younger are free. 542-1145. www.civilwarmuseum.org


• The Newtown History Center, at 5408 Main St., Stephens City, is operated by the Stone House Foundation and offers exhibits and tours of the town's rich history. The museum is open June through August, Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m.; September through the third Sunday in November, Wednesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; December through May, open by appointment. The center is free to the public the Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day weekend and during the Newtown Heritage Festival. 869-1700. www.newtownhistorycenter.org

Shenandoah:

• The Museum of American Presidents, at 130 N. Massanutten St., at the corner of U.S. 11 and Va. 55 in Strasburg, features memorabilia of all U.S. presidents. It includes a children's hands-on room and James Madison's desk. The museum is open weekends from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Memorial Day through Labor Day, or by appointment year round. 465-5884


• The Strasburg Museum, at 440 E. King St., is a former steam pottery plant built in 1891. The building, which later became a train depot, contains a collection of Strasburg antique pottery made from 1830 to 1910 as well as relics from the town and railroad. The museum is open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, May through October. 465-3175


• The hands-on Stonewall Jackson Museum includes exhibits on nine battles from the 1862 and 1864 Valley Campaigns of the Civil War. There is a children's room, interpretive walking trail and book store. There is an admission fee. Discounts and group rates are available. The museum, at 33229 Old Valley Pike, Strasburg, is open daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., but closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year's Day. 465-5884. www.stonewalljacksonmuseum.org


• The Woodstock Museum, also known as the Marshall House, at 104 S. Muhlenberg St., is one of the oldest homes in Woodstock, reportedly built before 1772. It is home to an array of antiques and memorabilia from the town, including a wrought-iron gate that was part of the original county jail. It is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, May through October. 459-5518

Warren:

• The Warren Rifles Confederate Museum, at 95 Chester St., is owned and operated by the United Daughters of the Confederacy and houses a collection of memorabilia from the Civil War. The museum is open April 15 through Nov. 1, Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday noon-4 p.m. 636-6982 or 635-2219

Hiking in the Northern Shenandoah Valley can be an exciting experience, but interpretive trails can also educate hikers along the way by telling stories of the area during the course of the trail. The Lee Ranger District of the George Washington National Forest is home to several of these interpretive trails.

• The Discovery Way Interpretive Trail, in the forest, is paved and runs .2 miles. It details the geology and plant life along the trail.
• The Lion's Tail National Recreational Trail, in the forest, was built in cooperation with the Lion's Club and is designed for the visually impaired. Hikers can learn about forest ecology on this .5 mile loop trail.
• The Massanutten Storybook Trail, in the forest, explains the building of the Massanutten Mountain Range along the .25 mile paved trail.
• The Pig Iron Trail, in the forest, is a .25 mile, self-guided interpretive loop trail that describes the pig iron industry of the 19th century. It winds past the remains of Elizabeth Furnace and tells the story of the furnace community.
• The Charcoal Interpretive Trail, in the forest, is a .5 mile self-guided interpretive trail, that tells about charcoaling, a companion to the pig iron industry, by describing the lives of the workers and the impact of the industry on the forest. www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/recreation/hiking/index.shtm
• The Fishers Hill Battlefield, south of Strasburg, is also home to an interpretive trail. The Strasburg Guard, Sons of Confederate Veterans, developed the interpretive trail at the 195-acre site of the 1864 battle. (866) 515-1864

Many of the areas magnificent old homes are open to the public -- putting antiques, history and culture on display.

Clarke County:

• Historic Long Branch is on Va. routes 624 and 626 in Millwood. Situated at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Historic Long Branch is one of the most historic and elegant manor homes in the Virginia hunt country. Since the early 18th century, the rolling hills of the estate have been owned by a series of famous men -- Lord Culpeper, Lord Fairfax and Robert "King" Carter. A young George Washington helped to survey the property.
  
  
• In 1788 Robert Carter Burwell inherited the land along the stream known as Long Branch. About 20 years later, he began to construct a mansion inspired by the classical principles suggested by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, architect of the U.S. Capitol. Maj. Hugh Mortimer Nelson, a descendent of Burwell, continued construction on the house after Burwell suddenly died in 1813. The house was passed through the family for many generations. Harry Isaacs, a Baltimore textile executive, purchased the home in 1986, renovating and restoring the mansion within three years, and adding a west wing to balance out the facade.

  Each year in October, Historic Long Branch serves as the site of the Shenandoah Valley Hot Air Balloon and Wine Festival (See "Take a hot air balloon ride"). (888) 558-5567. www.historiclongbranch.com.

Frederick County/Winchester:

• Abram's Delight, built in 1754, is the oldest house in Winchester. The native-limestone home was built by Isaac Hollingsworth, son of Abraham Hollingsworth, the first European settler in the area. The museum, at 1340 S. Pleasant Valley Road, is open to the public from April through October, from Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday noon-4 p.m. 662-6519. winchesterhistory.org


• Belle Grove is an 18th-century grain and livestock farm, which, in 1815, encompassed about 7,500 acres. The limestone house was completed in 1797 for Maj. Isaac Hite Jr., grandson of Joist Hite, who came to the valley in 1732 and was one of its first permanent settlers. Isaac Hite's wife, Nelly, was the sister of future President James Madison. During the Civil War, Belle Grove was at the center of the decisive Battle of Cedar Creek.

  The house has remained virtually unchanged, offering visitors a glimpse at the experience of the people who lived there in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Today, the plantation includes the main house and gardens, original outbuildings, a 1918 barn, an overseer's house, a slave cemetery, a heritage apple orchard, fields and meadows and scenic mountain views.

  Guided tours of the manor house are provided from April through October, Monday-Saturday 10:15 a.m.-3:15 p.m. and Sunday 1:15-4:15 p.m. Belle Grove is off U.S. 11, one mile south of Middletown, at 336 Belle Grove Road. The plantation offers events throughout the season including a Living History Camp for Kids. 869-2028. www.bellegrove.org



• The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, the Glen Burnie Historic House and Gardens features a house built in 1794 by Robert Wood, the son of Winchester's founder, Col. James Wood, and it remained in the Wood family through Julian Wood Glass Jr. (1910-1992), the last family member to live there. He was a collector of fine antiques and art, and the house, which opened to the public in 1997, is presented as it was furnished during his time. The collection includes pieces original to early Wood family members, including a tall case clock, which was in the family for six generations, and a piano that was in the Glass-Wood family for 175 years.

  The complex is at 901 Amherst St. in Winchester. The museum is open year-round, and the house and gardens are open from March through November. The complex is open Tuesday -Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. There is an admission fee. For more information about the museum and gardens see "Go to a museum" and "Visit a garden." (888) 556-5799, ext. 235. www.shenandoahmuseum.org

Shenandoah:

• The Woodstock Museum, also known as the Marshall House, at 104 S. Muhlenberg St., is one of the oldest homes in Woodstock, reportedly built before 1772. It is home to an array of antiques and memorabilia from the town, including a wrought-iron gate that was part of the original county jail. It is open Thursday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. May through October. 459-5518


• The Wickham House, a large frame residence north of the Walton building, is typical of early log homes in 18th-century Woodstock. The house is at the end of the historic Lawyers Row. Admission is through the Woodstock Museum, which has owned the Wickham House since 1989.

Warren:

• Ivy Lodge houses a museum of local history, a gift shop and the Warren Heritage Society office. The building was constructed in 1819 and has undergone numerous renovations over the years. Formerly the Davis Roy House, Ivy Lodge was the original site of Samuels Public Library, established in 1952. Located at 101 Chester St. in Front Royal, Ivy Lodge is open Monday-Friday 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. 636-1446. www.warrenheritagesociety.org


• The Balthis House is an 18th-century home brought to life by the Warren Heritage Society. Constructed in the 1780s, it is the oldest house on the oldest street in Front Royal. Balthis House is at 55 Chester St. and is open Monday-Friday noon-4 p.m. Costumed interpreters lead tours May through August. Tickets cost $3 or $5 including a tour of Belle Boyd Cottage. Children 10 and under are free. 636-1446. www.warrenheritagesociety.org


• Belle Boyd Cottage was the Civil War home of Confederate spy Belle Boyd and is operated as a period museum. Tour topics include the role of women in the Civil War, slavery in Warren County, the Battle of Front Royal and the role of newspapers and journalists during the Civil War. Belle Boyd Cottage is behind Ivy Lodge at 101 Chester St. in Front Royal and is open Monday-Friday noon-4 p.m. Costumed interpreters lead tours, and tickets cost $3 or $5 including a tour of Balthis House. Children 10 and under are free. 636-1446. www.warrenheritagesociety.org

The Northern Shenandoah Valley's historical stops don't end with Civil War figures. Accomplished musicians, actors and even psychics have left their mark here.

Frederick County/Winchester:

• Country music legend Patsy Cline was born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Gore and grew up in Winchester. Cline attended John Handley High School until she dropped out to work at Gaunt's Drug Store, which still operates on Valley Avenue. Her home at 618 S. Kent St. in Winchester still stands and has a highway marker in front of it. Cline also worked at the Triangle Diner in Winchester and got her start at WINC-FM. She produced her first music at G&M Music. Cline's grave is at the Shenandoah Memorial Cemetery on U.S. 522 just south of Winchester. A bell tower has been constructed there in her memory, and that stretch of road has been named Patsy Cline Memorial Highway. 542-1326.


• Willa Cather, a Pulitzer-winning novelist, was born in Frederick County in 1873. Her home for the first nine years of her life, Willowshade Farm, is a private residence on U.S. 50, east of Gore, about 10 miles west of Winchester. 542-1326.


• The childhood home of jazz legend John Kirby is pointed out by a highway marker on North Kent Street. 542-1326.


• President James Madison and his wife, Dolley, honeymooned at the Belle Grove Plantation, at 336 Belle Grove Road, Middletown, where his sister was raised. 869-2028

Shenandoah County:

• The Jeanne Dixon Museum, at 132 N. Massanutten St. in Strasburg, tells the story of this war volunteer, real-estate executive, animal lover, philanthropist and psychic. It is open weekends 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 465-5884

Warren County:

• Singer Bing Crosby provided the first $1,000 toward a new baseball stadium when he learned of the project while grand marshal for the 1948 Apple Blossom Festival in Winchester, and he held an impromptu performance in front of the Warren County High School band. Crosby returned two years later for the premier of his movie, "Riding High," at which point he gave the final $3,500 needed for the completion of the stadium. Bing Crosby Stadium now plays host to the Front Royal Cardinals of the summer Valley Baseball League. 635-5788


• Actors Warren Beatty and Shirley MacLaine spent their summers in Front Royal while growing up in Arlington. Their ancestral home is on Second Street. 635-5788

There are many historic churches in the Northern Shenandoah Valley. Here are a few that stand out.

Clarke County:

• There are three inactive historic churches: Old Chapel, off U.S. 340 at U.S. 255, built in the 1780s; Wickliffe Episcopal Church, a daughter of Old Chapel, built in 1846 in the northern part of county; and Old Bethel Baptist Church, south of Millwood, built in 1833 on the site of an old Quaker church. 955-2608

Frederick County/Winchester:

• Christ Episcopal Church, at 114 W. Boscawen St., holds the grave of Lord Fairfax in its east courtyard. Lord Fairfax came to America to oversee more than 5 million acres, including Frederick County, that he inherited from his mother. Construction of the church at this site began in 1828 and was completed several years later. The previous church was built in the late 1740s -- a wooden building situated on the corner of Boscawen and Loudoun streets. www.christchurchwinchester.org


• Old Stone Presbyterian Church, at 304 E. Piccadilly St., was built in 1788 and used as a church until 1834. Daniel Morgan was a member of this church. From 1834 through 1879, it was used by the Baptist Church of Winchester and was once the School Baptist Church of Color. During the Civil War, it housed Union troops and their horses. In 1876, it became the first public school for black children in Winchester. Restoration of the building was completed in 1950 by the Presbyterian church.


• Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, at 26 W. Boscawen St., was built by German Lutherans after they received a grant from Lord Fairfax in 1753. It was used by both Confederate and Union forces during the Civil War, and the original church was destroyed by fire. www.gracewin.org


• First Presbyterian Church, at 116 S. Loudoun St., began in 1788 when people started worshipping at the Old Stone Church at the corner of East Piccadilly Street and East Lane. In 1800, Winchester Presbytery organized the congregation at Old Stone as Presbyterian Church. Daniel Morgan's wife was an organizing member. www.firstchurch-winchester.org


• Opequon Presbyterian Church, at 217 Opequon Church Lane, off U.S. 11 near Kernstown, was built in 1736. The original stone building was constructed in 1790 and burned in 1873. It was rebuilt and dedicated on the same foundation with many of the same stones in 1897.


• Hopewell Friends Meeting House, one mile west of Clearbrook, was constructed of logs in 1734, destroyed by fire and rebuilt of stone in 1759. It was the first Quaker meeting place established in the valley. www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~quakers/hopewell.htm, http://hopecentre.quaker.org

Shenandoah County:

• Emmanuel Lutheran Church, at 155 E. Lee St. in New Market, was built in 1848 after a split from Reformation Evangelical Lutheran Church, which has roots going back to the 1700s. In 1932, the two congregations reunited and now worship as Reformation Lutheran Church, at 9283 Congress St. www.reformnmva.org/history.asp


• The Manor Memorial Methodist Church, at 9320 Congress St. in New Market, formed around 1800 and was organized as the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1831.


• The Union Church, on South Main Street in Mt. Jackson, was established around 1821 and used as a hospital during the Civil War. Always having been nondenominational, the church has been used by many congregations, and its care is handled by a board of trustees. Signatures of soldiers are on the church's interior walls.


• Strasburg Christian Church, at 165 High St., was founded in 1856, though meetings of the congregation were held as early as 1808 at the homes of members. www.strasburgchristian.org


• Strasburg Presbyterian Church, at 325 S. Holliday St., was built in 1826 and was used as a hospital during the Civil War.


• St. Paul's United Church of Christ, at 235 S. Main St., Woodstock, may be the oldest congregation in this part of the Shenandoah Valley. In 1748, after German settlers had already been gathering occasionally for worship, the Rev. Michael Schlatter visited Muellerstadt (now Woodstock), and preached. The first structure was built in the 1770s, and the present church built in 1869. www.woodstockucc.com/StPauls/index.htm


• Mt. Calvary United Church of Christ, at 1299 Sheetz Mill Road, Woodstock, was dedicated in 1854.


• • Emmanuel Lutheran Church, at 127 E. High St., Woodstock, has a history dating back to the 1770s. The original church stood until 1848, when it apparently had to be torn down because it interfered with traffic. The logs were sold to build a home at the northwest corner of Locust and Main streets.


• Edinburg Christian Church, at 210 Center St., broke ground in 1856, though the congregation first met 20 years earlier. A lack of funds prevented the church from being finished until after the Civil War, in 1869. The church was originally constructed with two doors in front -- one for men, one for women. www.edinburgcc.bravehost.com

Warren County:

• Asbury Chapel, four miles south of Front Royal on U.S. 340, was built in 1848 and is where Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson stopped in advance of his 16,000-man army to find a route concealed from his Union enemies. During the war, the congregation met irregularly, and the church was used as a hospital. In 1916, the building was dismantled, revealing bloodstained floorboards. www.frontroyalbattle.us/asbury.html


• St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, at 120 W. Main St., was dedicated in 1884 and built with the support of the family of John Carrell Jenkins, a Maryland soldier who died for the Confederacy during the Civil War. www.sjtb.org


• Williams Chapel CME Church, at 231 Chester St., was used during the Civil War as a storage area for courthouse documents. 636-1700

History abounds in the Shenandoah Valley. Traces of the past, including the resting places of early settlers and veterans and the monuments that honor them, can be found on nearly of every corner of every town.

• The Battle of Front Royal Monument, at the corner of Chester Street and Royal Avenue in Front Royal, was dedicated on May 23, 1927, on the 65th anniversary of the skirmish. The inscription was written by a prominent Warren County Confederate veteran, William A. Compton.
• The Confederate Monument, on the lawn of the Warren County Courthouse, at the corner of Main Street and Royal Avenue in Front Royal, commemorates the 600 men from the county who served in the Confederate army. It was dedicated on July 4, 1911, in an all-day ceremony that attracted an estimated crowd of 6,000 to 7,000 people.
• Prospect Hill Cemetery, at Prospect Street in Front Royal, is built on the spot from which Stonewall Jackson directed his troops during the Battle of Front Royal. On a circular lot at the top of the hill, known as Soldier's Circle, lie the remains of 276 soldiers representing each of the states of the Confederacy.
• Mosby Monument, at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Front Royal, was erected in 1899 to commemorate the lives of the seven men of John S. Mosby's Rangers who were executed in Front Royal on September 23, 1864.
• The Old Reformed Cemetery, at the corner of Church and South streets in Woodstock, dates back to 1769.
• Union Church, in Mt. Jackson, sometimes called the Little Church, was built in 1825 and was used as a hospital during the Civil War. The cemetery contains the grave of a Revolutionary War soldier.
• Mt. Hebron Cemetery, on Boscawen Street in Winchester, boasts gravestones that date to 1769. The limestone wall built by German settlers in 1764 was used as barracks during the Revolutionary War. The grave of famous Revolutionary War hero Gen. Daniel Morgan is located here. 662-4868. www.mthebroncemetery.org
• Opequon Presbyterian Church and Cemetery, on Opequon Church Lane in Winchester, was organized in 1732 and has held regular worship services since its founding. The oldest marked grave site in the valley can be found in the cemetery. 662-1843. www.opequonchurch.com
• Winchester National Cemetery, on National Avenue in Winchester, was established in 1866 and is the final resting place for many Civil War soldiers who fought in the battles of Winchester, New Market, Front Royal, Snickers Gap, Harper's Ferry, Martinsburg and Romney. Fifteen monuments and memorials, most commemorating units that fought in the above battles, can be found throughout the cemetery. 662-8535
• The Peacemakers Monument, on the campus of Shenandoah University in Winchester, was created to commemorate the 1987 summit meeting between President Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev that signaled an end to the Cold War. An identical monument is also housed at the Federation of Peace and Conciliation in Moscow.

If the Civil War museums and other historic sites don't give you a good enough picture of what the war between the states was like, then two annual events in the Northern Shenandoah Valley surely will.

• The 18th annual Cedar Creek Re-enactment and Living History Weekend will be held Oct. 18 and 19 on the Cedar Creek battlefield along U.S. 11 south of Middletown. Re-enactors will recreate the Battle of Berryville on Saturday and the Battle of Cedar Creek on Sunday. The Cedar Creek battle took place on Oct. 19, 1864 and was the last battle of the Shenandoah Valley Campaign. The Battle of Berryville occurred a month earlier on Sept. 4. Some 5,000 re-enactors will set up camp for the weekend festivities. In addition to the battle re-enactments, activities are scheduled all day long including artillery, cavalry and medical practices demonstrations and drill instructions for children. Spectators can visit living-history military camps and enjoy Civil War concerts and special speakers. Food vendors and about 50 period merchants will be on site.
Adult tickets are $20 for a two-day pass and $10 for a one-day pass. Students, active military and members of the National Trust for Historic Preservation pay $10 for a two-day pass and $7 for a one-day pass. Children under age 5 and Cedar Creek Brigade members are free. Parking is free. 869-2064. www.cedarcreekbattlefield.org
• The New Market Battlefield State Historical Park at 8895 George Collins Parkway in New Market, off Interstate 81 at Exit 264, will celebrate the 145th anniversary of the Battle of New Market on May 15-17, 2009, with its annual re-enactment on the original battlefield. The re-enactment of the Battle of New Market is the oldest battle re-enactment in the nation. The Battle of New Market took place on May 15, 1864. Boy soldiers from Virginia Military Institute in Lexington helped the Confederate army win. Ten of the boy soldiers died or were mortally wounded. The weekend festivities will include re-enactments, living-history events and a concert by the Stonewall Brigade Band. About 2,000 to 3,000 re-enactors are anticipated for the event. Because of the anniversary year, activities will likely be held on Friday as well. Admission is charged. 740-3101. www.vmi.edu/newmarket