Brief History of Waynesboro, Virginia

Waynesboro was once a 465 acre tract owned by Joseph Tees from William Beverly, who bought the land in 1739. A settlement was formed and named “Waynesboro” in honor of a Revolutionary War General “Mad” Anthony Wayne. Downtown Waynesboro as we know it today started as a flat plot of land that was sold in 1798. The settlement was recognized as a town in 1801 by the Virginia General Assembly but was not incorporated until 1834. There are still a few remaining buildings downtown that stand from this time period, including the Plumb House and the Coiner-Quesenbury House.

In 1810, Waynesboro’s population was a mere 250, which is astonishing compared to the over 22,000 residents today.

Waynesboro was raided by the Union Army in 1864 and was the location of the Battle of Waynesboro on March 2, 1865. This was the last battle of the Civil War fought in the Shenandoah Valley.

The town of Waynesboro was reincorporated in 1874, and in 1881 became the location for a junction of two railroads, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway running east to west, and the Shenandoah Valley Railroad, running north to south.  A new town was established in 1890 on the junction, named Basic City. Basic City and Waynesboro stood side by side for 32 years, when in 1923 merged into one under the Waynesboro name that we know and love today.

Nestled within the Shenandoah Valley, the scenery surrounding Waynesboro is remarkable.

The surrounding beauty has even caught the attention of Hollywood producers, as scenes from Toy Soldiers and Evan Almighty have been filmed in this area.

Waynesboro, VA has breath-taking views, deep-rooted history, and a welcoming community for all visitors!

‍

Sources:

https://www.waynesborobusiness.com/history

https://www.cabincreekwood.com/waynesboro-virginia-talks-back-the-history-of-one-iconic-town

https://kids.kiddle.co/Waynesboro,_Virginia