The View from Fort Bowman Road

This lovely view is on the northern edge of Strasburg along Fort Bowman Road.  Unfortunately, it is within earshot of the roar of Interstate 81, and if you turn to the right you see a gas station and a fast-food restaurant. Continue turning and you see a new historical marker for the Bowman Family.

Signs 2 / Little Things Thursday

"To the east is Fort Bowman, built ca. 1771 for the family of George and Mary (Hite) Bowman. This house exemplifies the merging of German and English architectural styles in the Shenandoah Valley. The Bowmans, with others of German and Scots-Irish origin, had moved to this area from Pennsylvania in the 1730s and had become slave-owners. Their son Maj. Joseph Bowman was second in command in Lt. Col. George Rogers Clark's Vincennes Campaign during the Revolutionary War. Second- and third-generation family houses preserved nearby include Isaac and Mary Bowman's Mount Pleasant (1812), Col. George and Elizabeth Bowman's Long Meadow (1848), and Charles and Rebecca Hite's farmhouse (1850s)."

The house called Fort Bowman is at the end of the road. I believe it is currently occupied so I am using a picture of it that I took in 2009. My understanding is that the entire house does not date back to 1771; it has been enlarged over the years.

I have previously posted pictures of the Bowman-Hite farm which is on the other side of Cedar Creek. 

The Bowman-Hite Barn

On Friday we went to a History at Sunset Program at Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park. The setting was the Bowman-Hite Farm on Bowman's Mill Road. It is not usually open to the public. 

Ranger Kyle gave an interesting talk on the history of the farm and the plans for restoring it. This sturdy bank barn will be painted and maintained.

We were allowed to go inside. It's in good shape.

Farm Gate, Late Afternoon

I took these images at the Bowman-Hite farm last week.  It's across Cedar Creek from Strasburg.

See all Bowman-Hite Farm posts.

Sharing with Good Fences, Little Things Thursday, and NF Trees and Bushes

Lecture at the Bowman-Hite Farmhouse

As mentioned in my previous post, we went to a presentation Friday on the history of the Bowman-Hite Farmstead. The now-vacant home was added to over the years. The park service plans to remove the 1970's addition and restore the facade of the 160-year-old brick structure. 

Addition from the 1970's

It's common for old homes in the Shenandoah Valley to be expanded over the years. Some additions blend in with the original architecture and some don't.

Signal Knob as seen from the Farmstead

Ranger Kyle Rothemich Addresses the Audience

Looking Toward Cedar Creek, with Strasburg in the Distance

The farm was one of several that were impacted by the Battle of Cedar Creek in 1864. Fortunately, the house was not destroyed and there is no record of the residents being injured.

Geology at Sunset

Earlier this month I attended a History at Sunset program at Cedar Creek Battlefield. It had been rescheduled due to a severe storm so not many people showed up. Nonetheless, Ranger Rick gave a spirited tour on geology and hydrology of the battlefield. 

The ranger waded into Cedar Creek to demonstrate hydrology techniques. Here is looks for creatures that live in the water as an indication of how clean it is. Turns out it is not too bad. 

The Stickley Farm at Cedar Creek

By the time we reached the old Bowman-Hite farm, sunset was approaching. We examined shale beside the road and found a piece with a fossil of a small sea shell. 

After that we made one more quick stop to talk about the red clay that is prevalent in the area, but it was too dark for any more pictures.

The View from the Bowman-Hite Farmhouse

This historic farm is part of the Cedar Creek Battlefield, but it is generally not open to the public. I was there on a National Park Service tour a week ago. 

The house was built facing the Cedar Creek Valley in the 1850’s, and the view is still pretty. You can see Strasburg in the distance.

I visited this farm in 2016 on another ranger-led tour. I decided to go back to find out about the recent research that revealed the story of James Foster, an enslaved man who worked here. He was a shoemaker in his free time and earned enough money to purchase livestock. When the Union Army camped nearby during the Civil War, they confiscated his animals to feed hungry soldiers. He filed a claim after the war, and was eventually paid for his losses.

A Bank Barn at the Bowman-Hite Farm

Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historic Park

This barn dates to around 1881. It has two levels that are both open to the outside. Here you can see that earth was mounded up (“banked”) to meet the doorway level on the upper floor. On the lower side, there is an overhang and shelter for livestock. This is a common style in the Shenandoah Valley.

Interior shot (Black and White)

Ranger Brian explained that hay could be carted into the upper level and stored, and a trapdoor in the floor made it easy to move the feed to the lower level for the animals.

We went back outside and walked around to the lower level. A snake skin was found, to the delight of children on the tour

Cedar Creek and Belle Grove Website