The Potomac Mills Cement Mill in the Civil War by Dr. Mike Nickerson, President, SBPA
Sunday, September 20 at 3:00 pm at the Opera House 131 West German Street. Doors open at 2:30 pm.
JOIN US TO HELP SAVE THE MILL RUINS!
Help us CEMENT the future of our past! A Piece of History is Crumbling… and We Need Your Help.
Just downstream from Shepherdstown lies a hidden gem: the ruins of the Shepherdstown Cement Mill. First constructed in 1826 as Potomac Mills grist mill, this historic landmark began its groundbreaking cement operations in 1829. It wasn’t just any mill—it was the largest natural cement mill of its time, renowned for producing high quality ‘hydraulic’ cement. One initial contract was for 30,000 barrels of cement for the C&O Canal.
The Mill produced the cement that literally built our nation’s history through the construction of the Canal and landmark public structures in Washington, D.C. such as the Washington Monument. It was a central feature during the Battle of Shepherdstown where Union soldiers were shot by Confederates on the bluffs and killed in the kilns by friendly artillery fire from Maryland.
The talk will focus on the history of the site including Packhorse Ford, the 1732 Great Wagon Road, and the Mill – which operated until 1901! We have high resolution details about the Mill works, raceway, dam and warehouse that will be presented.
The schedule below applies to Friday August 7, Saturday August 8, and Sunday August 9. We hope to see you at the park.
ALL DAY
9:00 am – 5:00 pm Visit multiple stations on Civil War Medicine manned by our living history volunteers. Each station will discuss a different aspect of Civil War medicine. The touch table will be open during this time with items that visitors can pick up, touch, and learn about.
SPECIAL DAILY PRESENTATIONS EACH DAY
10:30 – 11:00 amMedical Demonstration – This is a demonstration of one of five typical operations performed by surgeons on the evening of September 17, 1862, at the Battle of Antietam. See the Surgeon’s medical techniques prior to the age of Germ Theory.
12:00 – 12:15 pmChecking the New Recruits – Medical inspection of the new soldiers. We will use the early war three station method to check “potential soldiers” for their ability to “pass” the recruitment standards in this interactive program.
1:15 – 1:45 pmMedical Demonstration – see info for 10:30 – 11:00 am
3:00 – 3:30 pmWhat Killed You? – What killed most soldiers during the war? Become a soldier and find out what “killed” you in this interactive program.
Dr. Jonathan Letterman, Medical Director of the Army of the Potomac, and Staff. Library of Congress.
Published in the TRI-STATE ALERT on Thursday, July 30, 2026 by Anthony Panasiewicz
BERKELEY COUNTY- Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Jim Justice are partnering with their Virginia counterparts in an effort to increase a major historical boundary that could benefit sites in Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan Counties.
Senators Capito and Justice joined with Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner in introducing the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District Boundary Expansion and Partnership Act of 2026, landmark legislation that adds three West Virginia counties and one Virginia county to the District.
“I’m proud to help introduce this legislation to expand the boundaries of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District. The battlefield provides an incredible opportunity for people to learn about the formation of West Virginia and the important role our state holds in the foundation of our nation.
By expanding the boundaries, we are able to enhance the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District partnership model, helping provide necessary resources and funding to preserve and improve this historic site for future generations,”Senator Capito said.
In 1996, Congress designated eight counties in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley as the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District, recognizing the region’s nationally significant Civil War battlefields and associated historic sites. Currently, the district runs from Waynesboro to Winchester through the valley and includes the;
Port Republic Battlefield
Third Winchester Battlefield
Fisher’s Hill Battlefield
New Market Battlefield
Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum, and
New Market Battlefield Visitor’s Center and Museum
Over nearly three decades, the Foundation has protected more than 8,000 acres of battlefield land while supporting the development of visitor centers, museums, educational programs, and interpretive resources that make the Valley’s rich Civil War history accessible to residents and visitors alike.
“This is a big day for West Virginia. This bill would add critical Civil War sites in our Eastern Panhandle to the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District. Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan Counties saw some of the first actions of the conflict and suffered through all four years of the war—from Harpers Ferry and the Battle of Hokes Run to the Gettysburg Campaign and the battles of 1864, West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle played a significant role. West Virginia was born in the fire of the Civil War. Our people lived it, fought in it, and were shaped by it in ways no other state can claim. Expanding this District is about recognizing that unique role and making sure West Virginia’s chapter of the story is preserved and told for generations to come. West Virginia’s Civil War history is not a footnote,”Senator Justice said.
“It is central to who we are as a state. This bill makes sure that history gets the recognition and the resources it deserves, and it does it with both of our states working side by side. That’s the way it ought to be.”
Cannons at Antietam (Sharpsburg) Battlefield in Maryland
SBPA Statement: Lincoln’s visit directly impacted history as his stated reason for dismissing George McClellan on November 7 was the failure to pursue the Confederate Army after Antietam, i.e. at Packhorse Ford near Shepherdstown.
Join us on Sunday, April 18, 2027, for a unique opportunity to learn more about President Abraham Lincoln’s visit to our region in the Fall of 1862 and his relationship with Major General George B. McClellan during the Antietam Campaign.
Our day will begin with a bus tour led by Dennis E. Frye, chief historian emeritus Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, that will explore sites associated with Lincoln’s October 1862 visit to Sharpsburg, Maryland.
Lunch at the Bavarian Inn (Shepherdstown, West Virginia) is included in the ticket price.
Our day will conclude with a presentation by Dr. Kenneth W. Noe, Draughon Professor of Southern History Emeritus, Auburn University, titled “Lincoln at Antietam.” Dr. Noe is the author or editor of nine books, including the recently published Abraham Lincoln and the Heroic Legend (LSU Press, 2006).
This event (9:00 AM until 4:00 PM) will cost $120 per person. Registration will be limited to one coach bus. Additional information on purchasing tickets will be shared later this summer.
Revenue generated from the Civil War Center’s ticketed events supports future programming and Shepherd student initiatives.
For information about “In Lincoln’s Footsteps” and other Civil War Center events at Shepherd University, please follow our website at: https://www.shepherd.edu/civilwar
Join Museum docents for a walking tour of Downtown Shepherdstown focused on the city’s role as a makeshift hospital in the final months of 1862. The tour is limited to 15 participants.
Tickets are $15 and include admission to the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in Frederick in addition to the walking tour. Walking tour meets at the OLD EPISCOPAL GRAVEYARD in Shepherdstown, WV 25443.
Tickets are FREE for Museum Members but must still be reserved: Click to Get Tickets
Join us on Sunday, November 1, 2026, for a unique opportunity to spend the day with Garry Adelman, Chief Historian American Battlefield Trust.
Garry will commence our day by leading a two-hour tour of the Antietam Battlefield, titled “The Antietam Battlefield: The Best Primary Source.” The evening program will turn the “spotlight” on Garry, providing a “behind the scenes” conversation with one of the most influential and recognizable Civil War personalities of our era! This moderated discussion will explore the origins of Garry’s passion for the Civil War, and in particular his enthusiasm and expertise in Civil War photography, his experience in the restaurant business, his success as a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg, and his distinguished career with the American Battlefield Trust.
This “Spotlight” event will be ticketed, with limited space available. Additional information on purchasing tickets will be shared this summer. Revenue generated from the Civil War Center’s ticketed events supports future programming and Shepherd student initiatives.
For information about “Spotlight: Garry Adelman” and other Civil War Center events, please visit our website at https://www.shepherd.edu/civilwar
This is of interest if you are in town on May 16 and / or attending the Back Alley Garden Tour.
As part of the Back Alley Garden Tour & Tea, the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War (GTMC) will have an Open House on May 16th from 10am to 4pm.
It’s also a great opportunity to congratulate Dr. Jen Murray as the new Dennis Frye Endowed Chair.
