The sub-title of this feature about Historic Staunton also refers to “a president.” On December 28, 1856, Woodrow Wilson was born in the city. He served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. Prior to being elected president, he was the president of Princeton University and the governor of New Jersey. Staunton is proud that the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum is nestled in the heart of the city. Walk the halls where he was born and learn more about what makes Wilson a consequential and controversial president. Wondering about the dining scene? The following was printed in a Staunton travel guide: “Staunton probably runs second only to Charlottesville in restaurants per capita, and it keeps adding more as the town’s renaissance continues. In fact, there are so many that I wonder if the local residents know how to cook for themselves.” Whether true or not, the dining scene is vibrant and growing. Of course, in 1955 our family stopped along the side of the road and ate a picnic out of our old wicker basket. But that was then. Now, I take advantage of the wide range of gastronomic offerings. From traditional restaurants to exotic cuisine, quiet and romantic to alive with spirit, the city’s selection of nationally and locally owned establishments will satisfy whatever you have a hankering for. Staunton is the culinary epicenter for the agriculturally rich Shenandoah Valley. Tapping into this local food bounty are local chefs, from dining hotspots like Zynodoa and The Shack, who are putting Staunton on the “southern foodways” roadmap. If shopping is your scene, then you’ll enjoy the bountiful boutiques along the historic, brick-lined sidewalks. Pop into the locally owned independent stores for a wide selection of antiques, arts, distinctive gifts and much, much more. The Frontier Culture Museum is the biggest open-air living history museum in the Shenandoah Valley, as well as one of the highest rated family-friendly attractions and one of the
Dozens of restaurants of various cuisines are situated on Main Street and the Historic Downtown Staunton.
top tourist destinations in Virginia. Costumed historical interpreters show the life and customs of the indigenous Native American tribes in Virginia, the arrival of the German, English, and Irish settlers along the Great Wagon Road, and the painful journey of the enslaved Africans to the first permanent British colony in North America. Stop to interact with a blacksmith at an Irish forge, meet woodworkers, tailors, and yarn spinners, and learn how the early settlers of America cooked and worked the land.
The Frontier Culture Museum is the biggest open-air living history museum in the Shenandoah Valley, and offers several educational and family-friendly attractions and exhibits about the early American settler life.
HISTORIC STAUNTON
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE SUMMER 2024 | 12
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