Civil War Life in New Market
 Hear the story of the VMI Cadets at the Battle of New Market, May 15, 1864 . Other related topics include: The Nurses of New Market, The Burning, Pacifists during the Civil War, The Irish and the Emerald Guard, Rice’s Battery, Life of Enslaved Peoples, Life in New Market during Reconstruction, The Women’s Memorial Society.
All standard tours are approximately 90 minutes in length. Occasionally along the tour, there are places one may sit. At least once during the tour, you will be seated in a church. If you are physically challenged, a shorter tour, entirely inside a church, can be arranged. If you do not have time to take the full 90 minute tour, you may also request an abbreviated tour. |
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“…the guided walk of New Market was worth every cent.” Alan and Christine
"Our recent visit to New Market would not have been complete without the inclusion of a tour by New Market Walking Tours. Dressed in period costume, our guide Susan Smith graciously braved a rainy day and exemplified a hearty spirit as she explained its history, people and places of interest. You felt as though you were there a hundred and fifty years ago as you touched a door that had been smashed by a rifle butt or saw the perch where Breckinridge surveyed the battlefield or learned about the important roll local women played. All in all, a must-do experience." Bob and Doris Logan
"Dr Betty Karol Wilson may be a name you don't know, but she should be up there on the marquee. You see, she's the fun-filled hostess with all the academic credentials to teach you about New Market and the northern Shenandoah Valley of the 19th century. Dr Wilson conducts tours, complete with "quaint and colorful costumes," of New Market that bring history to life and give you reason to go back to the library to read more about the rough and tumble characters and town life of the area, especially during the Civil War and its aftermath. See full comment by David Evans.
New Market Walking Tours in the press
- "Small town with a spirit" - by Linda Blachly, Trips and Getaways magazine, Fall 2008 issue
- "Lady of New Market" - by Elizabeth Rome, Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA, November 10, 2007
- "The Spooky Depths of Shenandoah" - by Christina Breda Antoniades, Washington Post, Oct 22, 2006
- "A Walk Through Time" - by Alicia Wotring, Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA, August 5, 2006
- "History in the Making" - also by Alicia Wotring, Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, VA, August 5, 2006
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New Market: An All-American Town
From its Native American Beginnings, to Bunker Hill, to the expansion toward the Wild West… if it happened in American History, there is a reflection of it in New Market. While some Civil War information is shared, this overview tour of the town primarily explores the colonial and federal history of New Market. Topics include: Native Americans, Lord Fairfax grant, John Sevier, Dr. Henkel and his apothecary, the Henkel Press, Commerce along The Valley Turnpike, Religion in New Market, New Market Architecture |
The Women of Congress Street
 Hear the stories of the women who lived on Congress Street during the Civil War. The tour focuses on information about:
- Lydie Crim, Battle of New Market nurse, later known as “Mother of the VMI Cadets”
- Jessie Rupert, abolitionist, educator, and friend of Stonewall Jackson, later known as “The Angel of the Shenandoah”
- Anna Maria Henkel, doctor’s wife and mother of twelve children, who outwitted the Yankees’ invasion of her home
- Lucinda Rice, young mother, doctor’s wife and landowner
- Eliza Branner, enslaved woman who helped save her mistress’ life on the eve of the Battle of New Market
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