Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District

The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District is a Civil War preserve spanning eight counties that protects 14 major battle sites and related structures. The area features walking trails and marked routes that guide visitors through the preserved landscapes.

The district preserves critical battles from 1862 to 1864, including Jackson's Valley Campaign and Sheridan's campaigns that shaped the war's outcome. These engagements demonstrate the valley's strategic importance in the broader conflict.

The visitor centers throughout the district display letters, photographs, and belongings from soldiers and civilians of the war era, showing how people lived during the conflict. These collections reveal personal stories that connect to the landscape around you.

The district spans multiple counties, so visitors should plan to drive between different battle locations to see the full range of sites. Checking in at a visitor center first helps orient you before exploring individual battlefield areas.

The district contains three separate battles fought at Winchester that demonstrate how military tactics evolved during the war. Revisiting the same location multiple times shows how strategies shifted between 1862 and 1864.