Martinsburg

Established along Tuscarora Creek by General Adam Stephen, a longtime associate and sometime rival of George Washington, Martinsburg was established as the county seat in December 1778 by Act of the Virginia General Assembly. Stephen named the town for his friend, Lord Fairfax’s nephew Thomas Bryan Martin. George Washington visited Martinsburg on occasion and attended a wedding at historic Aspen Hall.

In May 1842, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Railroad arrived, bringing new growth and prosperity. Large warehouses and hotels were erected as well as a major railroad complex including a roundhouse and engine repair shops.

As a strategic railroad hub and gateway to the Shenandoah Valley, Martinsburg was hotly contested in the early years of the Civil War, changing hands more than 30 times. It served as both a staging area and a rehabilitation center for retreating troops. By 1877, Martinsburg was one of three candidates for location of the state capitol. Labor history was also made in 1877 when agrarian Martinsburg found itself the site of America’s first national strike, which involved railroad workers.

By the turn of the 20th-century, Martinsburg was an important textile center. The last mill closed in the 1970s and many mill buildings have been transformed into commercial, government and education centers. The flourishing 21st century downtown also includes art and cultural activities.

Martinsburg’s several phases of development can be best explored by walking tours of its nine historic districts filled with architecturally significant buildings.

If you go: Visitors Center is located at 126 E. Race St.; Metered on-street and off-street parking available; More information: 304-264-8801 • www.travelwv.com