Historic cannon positions at sunset on Fisher’s Hill Battlefield

About the district

Explore. Learn. Remember.

Across Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, preserved fields, roads, towns, and ridgelines hold the stories of a nation at war—and the generations working to protect them.

Discover our story Explore the district

One landscape. Many stories.

The Shenandoah Valley is more than a backdrop to history. It is part of the story.

In 1996, Congress designated eight Virginia counties as the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District—recognizing a landscape of exceptional national importance.

The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation leads this effort with local, regional, and national partners. Together, we preserve hallowed ground, share the Valley’s Civil War history, and invite visitors to encounter these stories in the places where they happened.

Today, the Valley’s historic towns, museums, trails, and preserved battlefields offer a remarkable way to connect with the past—and with the natural beauty that has always defined this place.

Aerial view of Port Republic Battlefield and the South Fork of the Shenandoah River — Port Republic Battlefield

Historic cannon positions at sunset on Third Winchester Battlefield — Third Winchester Battlefield

The New Market Battlefield monument with Massanutten Mountain beyond — New Market Battlefield

The Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum in Winchester — Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum

Visitors taking part in an outdoor program at the New Market Battlefield Visitor Center and Museum — New Market Battlefield Visitor Center and Museum

Preserve the ground. Share the stories. Welcome the next generation.

7000+Acres of Battlefield

8Virginia counties

1Historic District

Visitor map of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District showing ten battlefield destinations from Winchester to McDowell

The district

From Winchester to Waynesboro

The National Historic District follows the length of the Valley, connecting battlefields, communities, museums, and historic sites across a shared landscape.

Here, visitors can trace pivotal campaigns, walk quiet farm roads, explore historic downtowns, and see the geography that made the Shenandoah Valley so strategically important.

Plan a Valley visit

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