> I am starting historical research on a springs/spa located in the Blue
> Ridge Mtns.  The name of the resort was Shannondale Springs; it is
> situated above the Shenandoah River about 5 1/2 miles south of Charles
> Town, WV.  While the springs were apparently operated from possibly as
> early as 1790 until 1909, beyond the usual laundry list of noted
> visitors (including, of course, George Washington), little historical
> information and few images have been found locally that pertain to the
> site.  I am aware of the Stan Cohen book on Virgina Springs (by the way,
> some of the info on the brief section on Shannondale is not correct).
>
> As I begin my foray into research outside the region, I wondered if any
> of you reading journals/letters of antebellum plantation owners have
> come across any mention of the springs.  I did come across one mention
> by Rosalie Calvert of Riverside, MD.  I have looked at several travelers
> accounts of the springs 'social' circuit in the 1830s, but the two I
> have looked at did not visit Shannondale.  Any shreds of evidence will
> be appreciated.
>
> As I begin to plan the approach to this site, I am also extremely
> interested in any excavations that have been conducted at similar
> sites.  I know of one excavation Milner did at the Quintana Thermal
> Baths in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and a New South project in NC.  Any other
> excavations anyone can tell me about, I would appreciate getting a
> report reference or who to send to for more info.
>
> Finally, Shannondale Springs has only one extant structure, which we
> believe was a bath house.  If anyone has any information on the plumbing
> systems used for bath houses, I would also appreciate getting that.
>
> Thank you'all-
>
> Carmen Weber Creamer
>
 
 
You may want to check the collections of the Library of
Virginia in Richmond, which contain contemporary guidebooks to
the springs dating from 1837 up to the end of the nineteenth
century. Some of these describe the medicinal qualities of the
water, the facilities available, and contain maps of the
springs and railroad timetables for travel there.  You can
search the Library's catalog online, at http://leo.vsla.edu.
You'll also find information at the website on Virginia-hist, an
online discussion group for Virginia history that may offer
additional ideas for research.
 
Spring account books are housed in Swem Library's Special
Collections at the College of William and Mary.  The Virginia
Historical Society recently mounted an exhibit on the springs,
and their collections are also bound to contain a wealth of material
on the topic.
 
Hope this is of assistance.
 
Sincerely,
Jennifer D. McDaid
Assistant editor, Virginia Cavalcade
The Library of Virginia
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