History of Clarke County

Article from Clarke County Official Government Website 2005

Clarke County, named for Revolutionary War hero, General George Rogers Clarke, was formed in 1836 from Frederick County, Virginia. This area was part of Lord Fairfax's 5 million acre property. Lord Fairfax built his American home at what is now the village of White Post, named for the large signpost pointing the way to Lord Fairfax's office.

A young George Washington came to the area to survey for Lord Fairfax. Here he met Daniel Morgan, later a hero of the Revolutionary War at the battles of Saratoga and the Cowpens. Members of Washington's family took up land here, and Washington visited them frequently.

In 1732, Robert "King" Carter who served as the American agent for the “Proprietary”, granted over 50,000 acres to his sons and neighbors. In the latter part of the 18th century, the descendants of these Tidewater grant holders moved here; bringing with them their slaves, plantation lifestyle, and love of fox hunting. The Southern half of the county especially invokes their gracious style of life, with its large estates and sleek thoroughbred horses. Large crops of wheat, grown on these plantations contributed to the title, "Bread Basket of the Confederacy" during the Civil War.

The Northern and Western section of the county, outside of the Tidewater Grant lands, was settled by immigrants from Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Mills and small farms abounded in this area.

By 1836, the inherent differences between the large landowners on the East and the German/Scotch-Irish settlers west of the Opequon Creek created a chasm in life-styles that caused the new County of Clarke to be created.

During the Civil War, John Singleton Mosby, "the Gray Ghost" of the Confederacy, criss-crossed the county and at Berryville, in the summer of 1864, he raided Sheridan's 7 mile long supply train. On the Shenandoah River, after a foray into Maryland and DC, Confederate General Jubal Early's forces delayed a Union Army from entering the Valley during the Battle of Cool Spring. General Robert E. Lee, whose wife was born in Clarke County, camped here on his way to Gettysburg.

The Civil War devastated the area, but many of the old plantation homes survived and still stand today. Gradually the agricultural emphasis changed from wheat growing to fruit production, with immense orchards of apples spreading over the landscape. Thoroughbred horses still flourish, and are a major source of income and prestige within the county. Over time, the counties business base has become more diverse, while still maintaining the rural nature that Clarke County citizens still cherish.

Clarke County still seems a 'Separate Place' in time. The bustling air of the built-up counties to the east seems to soften as you cross the Blue Ridge. The Shenandoah flows serene, and tensions ebb as you watch its stately progress. Come to Clarke County and know a timeless peace.

Information below from Clarke County Tourism.

Berryville: The town is named for Benjamin Berry, who developed a 20-acre town site in the 1790s at the intersection of the Alexandria-Winchester Road and the road to Greenway Court, home of Lord Fairfax. It was earlier called Battletown, a reference to the legendary rowdy lifestyle of this pre-Revolutionary hamlet. When Clarke County was formed in 1836, Berryville became the county seat. It was home to Harry F. Byrd, Sr., who served as governor of Virginia 1926-1930 and U.S. Senator 1933-1965.

Millwood: This 18th-century village grew around a large commercial grist-mill near Carter Hall, a limestone plantation home built 1792-98 by Col. Nathaniel Burwell, son of Carter Burwell, builder of Carter’s Grove near Williamsburg and great-grandson of Robert ‘King’ Carter. The house is about .2 mile north of the village on Route 255 (Bishop Meade Highway) and is not visible from the road. It serves as the international headquarters of Project Hope. After the Civil War, Millwood became a settlement for freed blacks and tradesmen. The village retains much of its 19th-century character.

White Post Historic District: This village grew around a white-painted marker that Thomas, Lord Fairfax, 6th Baron Cameron, (1693–1781) had erected in about 1750. It points the way to his estate, Greenway Court, a mile to the south. After his land agent, Robert ‘King’ Carter, died in 1732, Fairfax directly managed his vast holdings (about 1600 square miles). When he made Greenway Court his home in 1747, this National Historic Landmark became a seat of tremendous power. A teenage George Washington surveyed for Lord Fairfax. White Post has a fine collection of 19th- and early 20th-century homes and churches.

Town of Boyce: Boyce, founded in 1880 with the arrival of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad, was named for Col. Upton Boyce, who helped persuade the railroad to pass through Clarke County. The handsome commercial buildings on Main Street, the Victorian houses, and the railroad station offer visitors a glimpse into a turn-of-the-century railroad town.

History of Clarke County

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History of Clarke County

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