The Strasburg Museum, Strasburg, Virginia

Many of you have heard of the town of Strasburg in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.? The town, a suburb of Lancaster, is famous for the Strasburg Railroad, a short line railroad that is the oldest continuously running railroad in the United States of America.? There is also a small town called Strasburg in the U.S. state of Virginia.? Located about seventy-five miles west of downtown Washington D.C. in the Shenandoah Valley, it is the home of the Strasburg Museum.? What is the Strasburg Museum?? Well, it is a museum that tells the story of life in the region around the town to include the industries like pottery and other small town industries.? If you are in the area of Strasburg, Virginia, you will want to visit the Strasburg Museum.

Some of you are saying, “This is nice.? I love the Strasburg Railroad in Pennsylvania.? As for Strasburg, Virginia, it is not as famous as being a railroad town as the Strasburg in Pennsylvania.? Therefore, you will not see me at the museum.”

So why visit the Strasburg Museum?? If you say that it is not a railroad town, you would not be telling the truth.? In 1861 during the American Civil War, General Thomas ‘Stonewall’ Jackson of the Confederate Army led the charge where he and his men hijacked the rolling stock of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in West Virginia.? This was known as ‘The Great Train Raid’.? What does this have to do with Strasburg, Virginia?? The rolling stock was transported to the location of the museum and set on railroad tracks and then sent to North Carolina to be repair and to be used by the Confederate Army.

Some of you are saying, “Now I have learned something new, but the museum is about the region around the town and not about trains.”

Ladies and gentlemen, you are wrong again.

Strasburg, Virginia was a railroad town that was served by the Southern Railway, The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the Manassas Gap Railroad.? (All of the railroads in Strasburg are under the ownership of the Norfolk Southern Railway today.)? It may not be as famous as the town in Pennsylvania, but this town does have a deep history with the railroad.? As you approach the Strasburg Museum, there is something that you will notice.? Yes, it is next to a railroad crossing, but many places are next to a railroad crossing.? The first thing you will notice is the building.? What it special about the building?? The building is an old pottery factory that was, in 1913, converted into a train station for the Southern Railway with freight and passenger service.? You walk around the old station, you will see an old caboose and an old baggage car both from the Southern Railway.

You enter the museum through the gift shop.? You then enter the main hall.? You see the different displays on life in the region to include a room dedicated to pottery and an exhibit dedicated to the railroad history of Strasburg, Virginia.

Some of you are saying, “Is that all?”

The answer to that question is no.? You do have the caboose and baggage car.? The caboose is your typical caboose that you can walk through and climb into the cupola.? Then you have the baggage car.? In the baggage car is where you will find a model train display.

Some of you are saying, “Oh great.? Another model train display where you see the model trains go round and round and round and round.”

Ladies and gentlemen, this is not your typical model train display.? It is only operational on Saturday, and there is a timed entry.? Why?? If you only enjoy model trains that just go round and round and round, this is not for you.? If you enjoy something completely different, get ready for an experience.? You enter the baggage car, and you see the model train display set up with its buildings and other structures.? You watch the trains, but then it gets dark.? No.? It is not a power outage.? It is taking you into the display itself.? The moon even comes out for the evening, but it is really afternoon.

The Strasburg Museum is designated as a National Historic Landmark.? It is located at 440 East King Street (Virginia Route 55) in Strasburg, Virginia east of U.S. Route 11.? It is open from May to October on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10:00am to 4:00pm.? Parking is on site.? Please note that the museum only accepts cash.? Also, the main hall has two floors of exhibits and the upper floor is not wheelchair accessible.? You can get more information on the museum and the history of Strasburg, Virginia at https://strasburgmuseum.org/.

Strasburg, Virginia may not have the Strasburg Railroad, but it does have the Strasburg Museum.? It has much history on display.? Make the trip.