The Historic Frederick County Courthouse — A Witness to War
Located in the heart of downtown Winchester, Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum is housed in the historic Frederick County Courthouse. The courthouse was built in 1840 and was used by both sides during the Civil War as a hospital, a prison, and a barracks. Many soldiers left their names and other graffiti on the walls which is still visible today, including the remarkable “Curse to Jeff Davis”.
The museum features the preserved courtroom, graffiti walls, and a nationally recognized collection of over 3,000 Civil War artifacts which illustrate the common life of a soldier. The power of this place along with original graffiti and artifacts such as weapons, tools, and accoutrements help connect us with their experiences and the conflict that brought the Town of Winchester to the brink of destruction.
Civil War graffiti on the museum’s walls
A wide variety of Civil War artifacts
The preserved 1840 courtroom
Plan Your Visit
Here you can find all the information necessary to plan your visit to the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum.
History
Learn about the history of the Civil War in Winchester and the stories of the men and women who experienced it at the Frederick County Courthouse.
The Collection
View items from the museum’s collection, learn about the Civil War through the power of artifacts that were a part of their daily life.
The walls of the museum are littered with Civil War graffiti from soldiers and prisoners of war held here at the Frederick County Courthouse. These names and other graffiti offer us a direct window into the life of a Civil War solider. Because men often left their regiment or date of capture, we have been able to identify many of them. Their stories and connection to the very walls of the museum itself makes for a moving visitor experience.
One anonymous soldier left a curse to Confederate President Jefferson Davis which stands as one of the most unique and fascinating pieces of Civil War graffiti that exists today.
Help Us Create the New Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum
After years of planning, we’re ready to launch a $650,000 renovation and complete reboot of the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum, and we’re asking you to be a part of it.
In this day and age, we must do everything we can to preserve our history and inspire people through the greatness of the American story. At the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, we are working day in and day out to save as many battlefield acres as we possibly can, and now we want to combine the power of tangible artifacts with the power of place to create a museum exhibit that will connect visitors to our past and entice them to explore the Valley and its Civil War history.
The National Historic District
The Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum is part of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District which was created by Congress in 1996 to preserve and interpret the region’s Civil War battlefields and related sites. The district is managed by the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.