Third Sunday - July 2015

Shenandoah County, Virginia 

Union Forge Church - 1855

Located between Edinburg and Lantz Mills, Union Forge Church takes its name from an iron forge that operated nearby, possibly as early as 1808. Union Forge was one of several iron producers in the Shenandoah Valley prior to the Civil War. It was destroyed by Sheridan's raiders in 1864. The Union Forge Church stands on a hill above the site of the forge, on the banks of Stony Creek.

Stony Creek

Shenandoah County, Virginia 

Lantz Mill was powered by a twelve foot diameter overshot waterwheel. The mill dam was located about a quarter mile upstream. Sometime before 1936, the mill was converted to electric power

Our upcoming Third Sunday post this month features an 1855 wooden church just a couple of miles from Lantz Mills. Hope you will stop by on Sunday. In the meantime, enjoy the weekend and thanks for reading Photography In Place.

Lantz Roller Mill

Shenandoah County, Virginia 

A collection of historic photos of the mill may be found on The Lantz Mill website.

Lantz Mills

Shenandoah County, Virginia 

Lantz Mills is a small village located on Stony Creek about two miles west of Edinburg, Virginia. The mill was built in 1813, burned by Union Soldiers in 1864, and rebuilt in 1866. It operated as a flour mill until 1959, and after that as a feed mill until 1980. The mill was purchased in 2006 as a restoration project, which is on-going. In 2008, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The history of the mill along with historic photographs are available on The Lantz Mill website.

Western Union

Boyce, Virginia

Botanical #30

Greene County, Virginia 

Kenly's Last Stand

Warren County, Virginia 

This stone house, known as Fairview, was the site where Union Col. John R. Kenly rallied the First Maryland Infantry in the face of the advancing Confederate Army. The charge of the 6th Virginia Cavalry left the Union troops in confusion and retreat, resulting in the surrender of Kenly's force. Kenly was wounded and captured. At the end of the engagement on May 23, 1862, the Confederates occupied Front Royal.

Wounded soldiers were cared for at Fairview and bloodstains were visible on the floors for many years.