First Known Written Description of the Gooney Valley
Martin, Joseph, A New and Comprehensive Gazetteer of Virginia, and the District of Columbia…Printed for Joseph Martin by Moseley & Tompkins, Printers, Charlottesville. 1836. Pages 445 & 446.
This is a long book, covering both Virginia and Washington, D.C., so it’s a bit surprising that, unlike many later histories of Virginia, it includes a quite detailed description of the “Valley of The Gooney. “
It was written shortly before Warren County was formed from Frederick and Shenandoah Counties in March 1836. It is generally believed that it was created because many people complained about the long distances they had to travel to their respective county seats in Frederick and Shenandoah Counties.
We have reproduced this description in full below. Lots of interesting information here but some of the most noteworthy include mention of a woolen factory (presumably operated by Abraham Brown) and one common school and two churches (about which very little is known).
…………………………………………………………………………………..
“The Valley of the Gooney is situated in the eastern part of the county, immediately at the western base of the Blue Ridge. It is bounded on the S. by the Hog-Back Mountain, which is one of the highest summits of the Blue Ridge, on the E. by the Blue Ridge; on the N and W by Dickey’s hill and the Buck Mountain, both of which, are spurs of the Blue Ridge. It is about 7 miles in length and 4 in breadth.
The face of this section of country, is hilly and rugged, but the soil is sufficiently productive, and yields, when well cultivated, abundant crops of corn, wheat, rye, & clover and timothy thrive remarkably well on this soil, as plaster acts with an astonishing effect. There is a great proportion of excellent meadow land, there being scarcely a field that has not one or more streams of water passing through it.
Almost every farmer has a spring of excellent mountain water near his door, and breathing a pure mountain atmosphere; the inhabitants are extremely healthy and robust, having uniformly escaped those periodical diseases which have been so fatal in other sections of Virginia. The principal stream is the Gooney, which is a creek of the largest class. It rises near the top of the Hog Back, and running a N.W course about 12 miles, empties into the South River about 5 miles, above the town of Front Royal. It affords some fine situations tor water-works and moves several merchant mills and saw mills. The mountains, with which it is surrounded, afford an inexhaustible supply of excellent timber.
There is a woollen factory, 1 common school, 2 churches (Methodist and Baptist) and several extensive distilleries of grain, whiskey, plank and flour, being the chief articles of export. This valley is thickly settled by a hardy, honest and industrious people.
From the top of the Blue Ridge, at Dade’s gap, nearly opposite the town of Washington, in the County of Rappahannock, there is a magnificent view of the eastern part of the County of Shenandoah and of the County of Rappahannock. Near this place there is a remarkable rock called the Raven’s Den, it having been occupied as the aerie of that wild bird from time immemorial. It is entirely inaccessible to man.
Near Cheek’s Gap, Lann’s Run (now “Lands Run”), a bold mountain current, a branch of the Gooney, forms a most beautiful cascade, the water falling 60 or 70 feet perpendicular. There is another beautiful cascade near Milford, formed by the stream which divides the counties of Shenandoah and Page; the waters of which fall about 100 feet at one perpendicular pitch.”