On Saturday, Sept. 7 and Sunday, Sept. 8, the City of Staunton will celebrate the 250th anniversary of Lord Dunmore’s War.
Dunmore, who was governor of the colony of Virginia before the Revolutionary War and the last royal governor of Virginia, was born in Scotland.
According to Davis Tierney, Director of Interpretation for the Frontier Culture Museum, Lord Dunmore’s War is considered by some historians to be the last colonial conflict before the United States of America is born, while others consider it the start of what would be the Revolutionary War. Conflict was brewing between Virginia, Ohio and the Shawnee.
Violence on the frontier was nothing new in the 16th Century in America and control of the frontier was important, and in October 1774, Dunmore launched war on the Shawnee. Staunton’s Andrew Lewis would lead a southern prong of the Augusta County militia in Staunton and fight at Point Pleasant, W.Va., against the Shawnee.
“It’s the guys in Staunton who end up in a gun fight with the Shawnee,” Tierney said.
The gun fight at Point Pleasant eventually drew the Shawnee back to avoid further casualties. Some would consider this a victory for the Augusta County militia. In the Treaty of Camp Charlotte that followed, a lot of what was West Virginia is ceded to Virginia.
“We’re concerned with highlighting and recreating the mustering of the Augusta County militia as it happened here in Staunton,” Davis said of the September weekend celebration which will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days with various activities at the Frontier Culture Museum.
On Sept. 7, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in downtown, a commemoration will be held of Lord Dunmore’s War at the courthouse green to the Staunton Innovation Hub.
“The Hub sits right across the street from what was the tavern where [the militia] made their headquarters,” Tierney said.
Tierney, who grew up in Williamsburg and cites his childhood as a reason for his interest in Revolutionary War history, is a co-chair of the Staunton, Augusta County, Waynesboro VA250 Committee.
The Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250) was established in 2020 to commemorate Virginia’s role in the 250th anniversary of American independence. The Commission’s goals include forming a more perfect union by educating Virginians about their history and civic duty and sharing diverse narratives that capture Virginia’s complete story and role in shaping the nation.
Staunton received $3,000 toward the anniversary celebration to encourage tourism. Tierney said the Queen City will use the funding for signage in the “Road to Revolution,” which marks milestones from the Revolutionary War just as “Civil War Trails” marks milestones from the American Civil War.
“Essentially, they’re meant to be history trails that walk people through important moments of various times in history. So, they already have a Civil War one obviously. Now they’re doing a Revolution [trail],” Tierney said.
Two signs are planned in Staunton, one of which was approved by city council to go downtown near the corner of Augusta and Beverley streets where once was “Matthew’s Block,” which was known as the “military hub for western Virginia” during the Revolutionary War.
Land permission is still required for a sign on Rockfish Gap at an overlook. Tierney said that pension records from men who served during the Revolutionary War revealed that they frequently rallied on Rockfish Gap before going to war, including before joining the Marquis de Lafayette to fight at Yorktown.
“Essentially, the idea was these signs are supposed to connect this area, to connect western Augusta County specifically, the greater SAW area, to this series of history trails to try and draw more historic tourism to the area,” Tierney said.
And attract tourists who travel to and within Charlottesville, then to Rockfish Gap and hopefully will end up in Staunton following the “Road to Revolution.”
“It’s something we’re hoping will draw people into the Staunton, Augusta, Waynesboro area,” Tierney said.
Sept. 7 and 8 will include reenactors, lectures, the Williamsburg Fife & Drum, a pop-up exhibit in the Visitor Center, a canon and a Shawnee contingent will represent the other side of the war. A memorial tree will be dedicated to commemorate the anniversary.
September 7 and 8 will be pay-what-you-will days at the Frontier Culture Museum.
On October 26 and 27, 2024, the anniversary celebration continues with the Frontier Culture Museum’s annual event recognizing the Revolutionary War: “Captive Beyond the Mountains.”
Related stories:
Staunton among 25 Virginia localities awarded tourism funds from VA250 (augustafreepress.com)
VA250: Harrisonburg, Rockingham County committees need volunteers (augustafreepress.com)
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Rebecca Barnabi
