Around New Market

Central to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, the town of New Market lies at the western base of the Massanutten range. Its crossroads go back to two Native American hunting trails that crossed here throughout the ages. By the 1740s, Swiss-German settlers began moving southward from the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, region and settled in New Market, followed by Scotch-Irish immigrants. According to folklore, when it was incorporated in 1796, the community was named New Market after the famous race course in England. The area still shines with its agrarian roots, while over the years, it has fostered many educational institutions and maintained historically heavy commerce.

Authors James R. Graves of Luray, Virginia, and John D. Crim, a native of New Market, share common bonds involving transportation and a deep interest in local history. Graves manages the Car and Carriage Caravan Museum at Luray Caverns. Several items in the collection were produced by Crim's direct ancestors at the J. W. Clinedinst Company, which manufactured fine carriages, wagons, and buggies in New Market since 1855. Crim's great-grandmother Eliza Crim was a famous Civil War heroine involved in the Battle of New Market, which changed the town forever. Images of America: Around New Market spans one century and provides intimate glimpses of the town's strong character.