Rockingham county va

[dsdigger]

Hey Doc, sounds like you have been doing well. I got out about a hour Monday to check the horseshoe pits that I found at the back end of the Apt. Complex I live in. Nothing but pull tabs, beavertails and foil from the grills. Got those out but was hoping for that one stray lost ring that no one ever found. Been fighting a sinus infection and was the first day I felt good enough to go out. I see the doctor on the 28th and hope to get this take care of before warm weather and pollen are both in full swing. I will give you a pm as soon as I am able to be out and going with out getting sick. Nothing bummer out a good day more than someone tonight down and pulling the rest down too. Don't want to be that one. I will be ready to go soon! Keep swinging!

 

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[Rebel - KGC]

HH! Good Luck! Have FUN!

 

[dsdigger]

Yeah, now if the weather would decide if it was winter , spring or what. I'm not sure how to dress from one day to the next. Was eyeballing the play area of the park right up the road. Might be at least some clad and if I am lucky, a ring, silver is okay, gold better! Right next to a house, the park maintenance building and across the field from the police department. Guess if I am going to get attention, this will be the place!

 

[gunsil]

If any of you Shenandoah guys like knives, antique or modern, or have any you would like info on or to sell, please come to the annual Shenandoah Knife Show at Rockingham fairgrounds March 31-April 2nd. All types of knives will be available for sale or trade. Hope to see some of you there, I will have two tables of antique knives and US WW2 knives on display, most available.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

THAT would be a GREAT day/way to "net-work"! CARRY ON!

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Start a FACE-BOOK Page...

 

[dsdigger]

Well, have to be someone other than me, not my place or site. Think I voiced it somewhere else, TNet is as social as I get.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

And that is OK...

 

[Nikki24401]

Hey everyone!! I live in the little town of Shenandoah VA. Has anyone heard the story about the old Forrer Mansion/brick mansion located on the Shenandoah river right near the budget inn? It was built bin1855 by two brothers whom initially started big gem iron furnace. Everything was built right on the river until 1870 when the big flood came through and basically destroyed the town. During the CW slave owners throughout the valley sent their slaves here to work in the mine and furnace so they could ship pig iron up and down the shenandoah. At some point robert Milnes came in with the idea of the railroad. Anyways they say this property was covered with the prettiest orchards and gardens, and the Forrer brothers built some of the most slave homes in va which were offered up for sale after the cw. BTW I believe there is still one structure still standing. Anyways the mansion was tore down sometime in the 70s but supposedly according to my neighbor they found quite a few gold coins after demolition. My house literally stands right where this mansion once was, which is how I learned of this bc of all the creepy things that happen at night here. I have found quite a few artifacts but looking for someone who might know more history.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Welcome Nikki! Shenandoah is my "home town" & "home" was on Quincy Avenue on the south end of town (aka Pee Dee Hill); heard the stories, also... the brothers were VERY wealthy! I found MANY gems from BIG GEM area... Robert Moore (I knew his father), writer for the PAGE NEWS newspaper, wrote a HISTORY of Shenandoah... check with him; he has a web-site.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

The old Grave yard, down by the river near the Water Treatment Plant/Dam is the MOST haunted area of town; ALL the first town residents are buried there. I use to fish up & down the river, and there is an old "road" by the river that went all the way to Elkton; ALL owned by the RR, now. AND! The old "Indian Field" by the RR Tracks, near the MORRIS Cabin on Kite's Island is where we found arrow-heads, tomahawk heads, etc; NO "Indian" settlement... Shawnee from Ohio used the Shenandoah area for "Happy Hunting Ground" down to Luray (below the Dam/Water Treatment Plant). Where the Softball Field is now, was owned by my Grand-Parents... Grand-Pa had a HUGE garden there; EIGHT KIDS! HA! Both Grand-Fathers worked for N & W Passenger Trains; Dad worked at the YMCA on Main Street (MANY RR "lay-overs"). Shenandoah was a GREAT place to grow up in...

 

[Rebel - KGC]

OH! Ya gotta check out the walls of OLD JERUSALEM, near where the ball-park was... FASCINATING history! BTW, Shenandoah is in PAGE County...

 

[Rebel - KGC]

OK Nikki, BEST book on the history of Shenandoah, Va. is SHENANDOAH: A History of Our Town And Its People by the Shenandoah Centenial Association History Committee. it was in Hard-Back & Paper-Back. HH! Good Luck! has NICE "pics", too! Go to town Hall; they may know where copies are...

 

[Nikki24401]

Thanks everyone for the info. I've actually read the Shenandoah book and been to the towns museum. No one really knows much after the brothers sold the pace to milnes in the 1880s. Rumor had it they were war broke and moved back to Pottstown PA. The area is rich rich in iron ore so MD'ing can be quite tedious also a lot of old railroad slag. Any suggestions for finding more precious metal items. Would I probably have more luck around the foundation or where the orchards and slave homes stood? Yes I am very aware of the graveyard. We have a little girl about 6-9 that likes to visit us and a dark figured military type man. He walks down the hall and does a military turn at the end of the bed. We did find a ship anchor down river from us, you will never get it without some kind of tractor

 

[Nikki24401]

I'm not sure what that is?? Old Jerusalem??

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Go to Shenandoah Library in the Community Center (across from the Tennis Courts); could be something in the Reference Section; I will see what I can find; the walls were standing when I was playing Little Leaque Baseball (@ 1960); then someone brought the place & torn down some of the walls; I had a folder on "Old Jerusalem", will see if I can find it...

 

[Nikki24401]

Go to Shenandoah Library in the Community Center (across from the Tennis Courts); could be something in the Reference Section; I will see what I can find; the walls were standing when I was playing Little Leaque Baseball (@ 1960); then someone brought the place & torn down some of the walls; I had a folder on "Old Jerusalem", will see if I can find it...

Aaahhh!! I found out where it is. L**** d lives across the street and has been very helpful. I have actually found the old timers are more helpful than reading the books. Do you know of any legends about the Forrer brothers or about any of the log cabins that were built on the island right below the dam. I also was curious as to what kind of relics you found over by big gem? I understand if you don't want to disclose on public forum

 

[Rebel - KGC]

HA! I know ***** VERY well! He played baseball with my older brother (Shenandoah Indians) & I was BAT BOY! He STILL lives in his home, next to where my grandparents lived... He was ALSO Principal at my Elementary School (Shenandoah)... tell him ****** *** said HI! ANYWAY, that area is VERY haunted... had an "invisible" playmate at Granny's; a Chinese boy... BUT! Granny told me that NO Chinese ppl ever lives down on Long Avenue; found out later that it was Grandpa POWHATAN with oriental eyes (he was Chief of Powhatan Indians & father of Pocahontas, who was also my Granny on my father's mother "side"). ANYWAY, yes heard SOME legends & I pulled some blue, green , red Gems... I buried 'em next to my barn on Quincy Ave. NO longer there, nor home "in the family". NO ONE to my knowledge ever found any of the "stash" of the Forrer Bros. NOTHING known of the cabins on the Island below the dam.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Aaahhh!! I found out where it is. Larry Dofflemeyer lives across the street and has been very helpful. I have actually found the old timers are more helpful than reading the books. Do you know of any legends about the Forrer brothers or about any of the log cabins that were built on the island right below the dam. I also was curious as to what kind of relics you found over by big gem? I understand if you don't want to disclose on public forum

Please "star" out Larry's name in the above; there is NO need of personal names being used; THANKS!

 

[Nikki24401]

Last question I promise. No one around here seems to have heard of any legends about a hidden stash. Could you please inform me of some of the local legends surrounding the former brothers and the brick mansion. View attachment 1439240 View attachment 1439240 View attachment 1439241 View attachment 1439242 dwelling near ball field that seems quite old