New Market Battlefield State Historical Park and Hall of Valor Museum: The Shirley House
N 38° 38.963 W 078° 40.688
17S E 702055 N 4280427
Once the home of a Confederate veteran, the Shirley House is now headquarters of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.
Waymark Code: WMBGRE
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 05/20/2011
Views: 6
The Shirley family were longtime residents in Shenandoah County, Virginia. They had owned a 153-acre farm since the late 1700s. In the spring of 1864, Union Gen. U. S. Grant sent Maj. Gen Franz Sigel with 10,000 troops into the Shenandoah Valley to cut off railroad supply lines to the Confederate army and secure the strategic Valley Pike. When the Confederates learned of the advance, Gen. John Breckinridge led 4500 troops to meet them. The Cadet Corps at the Virginia Military Institute were ordered into action and marched to reinforce Breckinridge. The armies met at the
Battle of New Market
in May and the Shirleys saw both Federal and Confederate forces cross through their property.
After the War, Christian Shirley, who had joined the 136th VA Militia in 1861, returned to his home in New Market. In 1875, the house burned down and he rebuilt the current brick building. Reunions of Confederate veterans Shirley had served with during the Civil War were often held at the Shirley house.
When Shirley's son died in 1967, the house was sold to a couple who operated a cavalry museum for 10 years. In 2001, the house was bought by the Virginia Military Institute and made a part of the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park and the Hall of Valor Civil War Museum
. It was leased to the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation to serve as its headquarters in 2003.
The Shirley House is on the road to the entrance of the park. The CWDT marker is found along the walkway behind the house near the outbuildings. Although the house is not open to the public, the grounds can be viewed.