11 Best And Fun Things to Do in Shepherdstown, West Virginia
Shepherdstown
Shepherdstown is a pretty village in West Virginia on the Potomac River. It is right across the line between Maryland and Pennsylvania from the city of Sharpsburg. People from the city can easily get to Antietam National Battlefield, which is close by and was the site of one of the bloodiest fights of the Civil War.
1.Elmwood Cemetery
More than 250 Confederate troops who died in the Battle of Antietam are buried at Elmwood Cemetery. This was one of the bloodiest and most important battles of the American Civil War. The graveyard, which used to cover an acre, was given to the Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church in 1980 as part of its building. In 1869, it was publicly dedicated as a memorial to the lives lost in the area during the Civil War. To remember the people who died in area hospitals during the war and were buried there, it is now open to the public. Henry Kyd Douglas, a staff member of General Stonewall Jackson, is buried in an important spot in the graveyard. There are also graves for two veterans of the Revolutionary War, as well as many veterans of the War of 1812 and the First and Second World Wars.
4878 WV-480, Shepherdstown, WV 25443, Phone: 304-876-6440
2. James Rumsey Monument and Park
The James Rumsey Monument sits on the edge of its own city park, looking out over the Potomac River. Both the statue itself and the park with the same name were built in 1915. They are 75 feet tall. The statue honors James Rumsey, who is known as the founder of the first steamboat and is also its namesake. The first steamboat was built right on the Potomac, which makes the spot where the statue and park are now very special. People can see and enjoy the monument at the James Rumsey Monument and Park before going on a hike along one of the park’s many trails. You can also have fun on the playgrounds and use the free exercise tools in public places.
206 N Mill Street, Shepherdstown, West Virginia 25443
3. The Bavarian Inn
The Bavarian Inn is the restaurant of the same-named inn in Shepherdstown. It has won several awards and serves both German and American food in a variety of styles, from casual bar food to high-class full-service eating. The main dining room of the inn is in the Greystone Manor building. It offers food from around the world all day, including German favorites like wienerschnitzel, schweinebraten, and weisswurst, bratwurst, and knackwurst with sauerkraut on top. Gourmet food with influences from around the world includes chicken-fried soft-shell crab from New Zealand paired with sorghum and buckwheat waffles. The Rathskeller serves casual food and has pub-style decor in the style of Europe. On the weekends, live music is played there.
164 Shepherd Grade Rd, Shepherdstown, WV 25443, Phone: 304-876-2551
4. Marinoff Theater
The Marinoff Theater is a charming theater that can also be used for other events. Since 1991, it has been a place for big arts performances and educational programs in the Shepherdstown area. The theater has 180 seats and is linked to the Contemporary American Theater Festival. Every year, it hosts new plays by American authors. The New York Times and American Theatre, two well-known newspapers around the world, have both named the festival one of the best theater events in the country. Many of the six new shows that open there each summer are the first of their kind in the world. People can also look at changing art exhibits in the theater’s gallery space or take part in regular workshops in the graphic design lab and workshop spaces.
92 West Campus Drive, Shepherd University, Shepherdstown WV 25443, Phone: 304-876-3473
5.Shepherd University
Shepherd University is a beautiful state university in Shepherdstown. It was founded in 1871 and is run by the Board of Trustees. The school is home to more than 4,000 students now, and it’s best known as the site of the Contemporary American Theater Festival, which presents new plays by American authors every year. Since 1991, the festival has shown more than 100 plays by more than 70 writers. This includes more than 30 world premieres and many second or third productions. People can go to individual performances during the festival, or they can buy passes that let them see more than one play during the event. The Ruth Scarborough Library on campus has more than 500,000 things that can be checked out. It is a major collection point for federal government publications. The George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War is also one of the best places in the country to learn about the history of the American Civil War.
301 N King St, Shepherdstown, WV 25443, Phone: 304-876-5000
6.Historic Shepherdstown Museum
The Historic Shepherdstown Museum is a non-profit organization that was started in 1983 to protect and share the social history, culture, and architecture of the Shepherdstown area. Its goal is to help people learn about the city’s civic history over the years. The museum is in the old Entler Hotel, which is part of the Shepherdstown old District and is on the National Register of Historic Places. From April to October, the museum’s displays are open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays. They show preserved hotel rooms and recreated historic spaces. On the second floor, a recreated hotel bedroom is said to be home to the museum’s resident ghost, William Payton Smith, who was killed in a fight in the summer of 1809. The James Rumsey Boathouse Museum, which is right behind the museum and has other exhibits, shows how the city was involved in the growth of the steamboat.
129 E German St, Shepherdstown, WV 25443, Phone: 304-876-0910
7.Shepherdstown Public Library
The Shepherdstown Public Library is West Virginia’s oldest library building that has always been used. It is located in the famous Old House Market of the city. The library was opened by the Shepherdstown Women’s Club in 1922. It is part of a bigger library system that runs nine libraries in West Virginia. Items, like magazines, newspapers, e-books, and multimedia files, can be loaned between libraries in the mid-Atlantic area. The beautiful Old Market House building was built in the early 1800s and has been home to the city’s fire department, town council, and jail. It is open to the public for tours. The public can use computer rooms with 26 computers that can connect to the internet. The library regularly hosts events like storytimes for babies, toddlers, and children.
100 E German St, Shepherdstown, WV 25443, Phone: 304-876-2783