Shenandoah is a town in Page County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,373 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Shenandoah is located at (38.488225, −78.621217). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km2), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km2) of it (5.71%) is water. The town is nestled between the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains and the Massanutten Ridge in Page County. Shenandoah is west of Shenandoah National Park and northeast of Harrisonburg.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,878 people, 764 households, and 541 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,419.0 people per square mile (549.3/km2). There were 812 housing units at an average density of 613.5 per square mile (237.5/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.81% White, 1.28% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.91% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.54% of the population.
There were 764 households, out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.2% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,929, and the median income for a family was $37,896. Males had a median income of $26,105 versus $20,833 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,030. About 9.0% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 17.7% of those age 65 or over.
History
The town was founded in 1837 by two brothers, Daniel and Henry Forrer, who settled in the area to take advantage of the natural resources found in and around Shenandoah. The natural resources included extensive iron ore deposits, hardwood, high-grade limestone, and waterpower. The proximity to the South Fork of the Shenandoah River was also a great benefit and was later used by the Forrers to transport iron ore and other commodities produced by the Shenandoah Iron Works to broader markets down stream.
On February 20, 1838, the Forrers established the first post office in Shenandoah under the name Shenandoah Iron Works with Henry Forrer being the postmaster. Development of the town ensued thereafter with houses, businesses, and industries developed astride of the Shenandoah River. The Shenandoah Iron Works, which was owned and operated by Daniel and Henry Forrer, was also located along the river banks. Ten houses were built facing the river in the Furnace Hollow section of town by a man named Mr. Pee Dee, hence, the name of this section of town today. Other historical structures were also built including Stephens Cottage, the South Fork House, Mt. Lebanon United Church at Comertown, and the Old Verbena Mill in Verbena, just south of town off Route 340.
The Town of Shenandoah played an instrumental role in the Civil War. Three iron ore furnaces around Shenandoah smelted raw iron into pig iron. Unlike during the pre-war years when pig iron was shipped on flat boats on the Shenandoah River to Harpers Ferry, during the war, the pig iron was shipped by wagon to Gordonsville, and subsequently by rail to Richmond for use at the Tredegar Iron Works. In addition to the pig iron, cannonballs were manufactured at some of the local furnaces and shipped out, along with gunpowder from a local gunpowder plant, for use by the Confederacy.
After the Civil War, two men, William Milnes, Jr. and Thomas Johns came to Shenandoah in 1866 and purchased including the Forrer's Shenandoah Iron Works. These men continued the iron works; however, they introduced modern tools and machinery that were patented in order to improve production.
