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Noyalas’ New Book Details African American Experience During Civil War ‘Slavery and Freedom in the Shenandoah Valley During the Civil War Era’ is available now

April 8, 2021

Jonathan Noyalas ’01, M.A., director of Shenandoah’s McCormick Civil War Institute, recently published his book “Slavery and Freedom in the Shenandoah Valley During the Civil War Era.”

Officially released April 6 by University Press of Florida, the book examines, in a nuanced way, the complexities of life for African Americans in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley from the antebellum period through Reconstruction. Noyalas studied the difficulties African Americans confronted in the valley — a region that was in a constant state of flux during the Civil War’s years — and how they overcame these challenges during the nation’s most tumultuous time.

noyalasThe book illustrates that emancipation came not at one single moment, but on numerous occasions and that it was contingent on a variety of factors. The book illustrates how the Shenandoah Valley’s African Americans navigated a complex world, one in which fear of the unknown, and distrust, including distrust of Union soldiers, at times erected seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Additionally, the book examines the ways the Valley’s enslaved and free Blacks contributed to the Union war effort and played an active role in slavery’s destruction. Finally, the book examines the immediate postwar era in the Shenandoah Valley including topics such as Freedmen’s Schools, the operations of the Freedmen’s Bureau, and Emancipation commemorations.”

Jonathan Noyalas ’01

Noyalas’ book can be purchased directly from the University Press of Florida and other online booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and more. The Winchester Book Gallery also carries copies.

This is the 14th book Noyalas has authored or edited.

Reviews

bookWe know remarkably little about how the Shenandoah Valley’s African Americans negotiated the vexing uncertainties of secession, civil war, and Reconstruction. This compelling and accessibly written narrative foregrounds the struggles of freedom-seeking enslaved persons in America’s most turbulent era.”

Brian Matthew Jordan, author of “Marching Home: Union Veterans and Their Unending Civil War”

A groundbreaking study that demonstrates how African Americans shaped the Civil War era. Noyalas systematically dismantles the old myth that the Shenandoah Valley did not have enslaved populations and instead weaves a compelling story of African American resistance and perseverance in a region deeply contested by war.”

James J. Broomall, author of “Private Confederacies: The Emotional Worlds of Southern Men as Citizens and Soldiers”

Filed Under: Arts & Sciences, Arts and Sciences Faculty News, History Alumni, MCWI

App Uses Augmented Reality To Recreate History ‘Through Their Eyes’ Provides In-Depth Look at Battle of Cool Spring

March 24, 2021

A new app that recreates scenes from the 1864 Battle of Cool Spring is now available for download.

Through Their Eyes is a collaboration between Shenandoah’s McCormick Civil War Institute and the Shenandoah Center for Immersive Learning (SCiL).

The app has two components:

  1. 360 augmented reality component
  2. audio augmented reality experience

Download on Google Play    Download in the App Store

The 360 augmented reality experience can be done anywhere. Those who download the app can scan any flat surface and a map appears showing the contours of the Cool Spring Battlefield, which is located in Clarke County off Va. 7. Users can tap on any one of a dozen flags marking a designation on the map where a particular regiment fought. They are then instantly transported into a moment in the battle that is recreated by volunteers, students and living historians.

An example of this includes a scene that centers around the account of Lt. Col. Thomas Wildes, 123rd Ohio, where he describes the fate of a sergeant in that regiment, Sgt. Davis, who was mortally wounded at the battle and carried off the field by his comrades. Aware that he was putting those who carried him off the field in great danger, Davis requested they put him down on Parker’s Island and save themselves. Wildes’ account notes that the sergeant, fearful his personal items would fall into Confederate hands, buried them in a log. At some point between July 18 and the following day, the sergeant passed away. When the 123rd Ohio crossed back over to Parker’s Island on July 20, they discovered what the sergeant had done.

This example offers an opportunity to explore not only the battle’s tragic consequences, but also the battle’s impact on the family Davis left behind.

“It’s a revolutionary, non-invasive way to interpret a battlefield with greater depth,” said Director of the McCormick Civil War Institute Jonathan Noyalas ’01, M.A. “We are able to create such an immersive, personal experience, connecting you with people involved, that you can’t get from a printed brochure.”

The second part of the app is an immersive audio tour in which participants can walk the battlefield and hear an audio account of particular soldiers and their experiences while also learning what happened to that soldier, either at Cool Spring or in the conflict’s aftermath. The app uses GPS satellite data to determine where the participant is on the battlefield and syncs this with specific soldiers’ accounts.

Jonathan NoyalasWe’re trying to create an intimate, powerful experience that will aid individuals to better understand the personal stories of soldiers who fought at Cool Spring and the impact the battle had on them — a stark reminder of tragic consequences of what happens when a people become divided to an unbridgeable point. Both augmented reality experiences draw on the accounts of about two dozen Union and Confederate soldiers.”

Jonathan Noyalas ’01

Wes Brown, AR/VR developer in SCiL, served as the developer of the app, with several students aiding in the process.

Both he and Noyalas are unaware of any U.S. battlefield that has anything like this — a GPS-driven app that can also create a 360 experience on a 2D device.

Wes BrownThe way it interprets the 360 video is not common practice. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s new and kind of revolutionary.”

Wes Brown

 

The unveiling of the app took place March 24 at Cool Spring.

 

Through-Their-Eyes

Filed Under: Arts & Sciences, History Alumni, MCWI, scil, University Home, Virtual Reality Design

Check out C-SPAN for Episodes on American History Shenandoah Historian Jonathan Noyalas Speaks on Civil War-Related Topics

March 19, 2021

Throughout March, C-SPAN’s American History TV has been featuring presentations in which Director of the McCormick Civil War Institute Jonathan Noyalas, ’01, M.A., talks about various Shenandoah Valley-related topics.

 

Check out the episodes

Episode About Rebecca Wright – Union Spy in the Shenandoah

In the fall of 1864, Union General Philip Sheridan sought information on the position and strength of Confederate forces in the Shenandoah Valley. Rebecca Wright, with the help of enslaved man Thomas Laws, passed Sheridan intelligence that informed his battle plan for what would be the Third Battle of Winchester. Noyalas details Rebecca Wright’s involvement and how this action impacted the rest of her life.

Watch Rebecca Wright – Union Spy in the Shenandoah

 

Episode About Sheridan’s Ride

Noyalas looks at Union Gen. Philip Sheridan’s famous ride at the 1864 Battle of Cedar Creek and its commemoration in art, literature and popular culture.

Watch Sheridan’s Ride in Art, Literature & Memory

 

Episode About Union Veterans

Noyalas talks about how Union veterans of the 1864 Shenandoah Campaign attempted to burnish their regimental legacies through writing newspaper columns and publishing memoirs.

Watch Union Veterans & 1864 Shenandoah Valley Campaign

 

Filed Under: Arts & Sciences, History Alumni, History Spotlight, MCWI

Students Pen Essay in Volume III of Shenandoah’s Peer-Reviewed Journal Journal of the Shenandoah Valley During the Civil War Era Hits Stores This Week

October 30, 2019

For the first time, Shenandoah University students have collaborated on an essay for the Journal of the Shenandoah Valley During the Civil War Era — Shenandoah University’s only academic peer-reviewed journal.

Volume III of the 154-page journal contains six main essays and 11 book reviews. Eleven authors and 22 contributors worked on the publication, which highlights untold stories of the Civil War era in the Shenandoah Valley.

Even though events or people discussed in the journal might not seem flashy or significant, they’re still an important part of the story of the Civil War. History would not have happened the same without these less-significant events taking place.”

Jonathan Noyalas, ’01, M.A. | Director of the McCormick Civil War Institute

Purchase the Journal

Journal Volume 3

The first essay in the journal, “The Shenandoah Chanting Its Endless Requiem: A Roster of Cool Spring’s Union Dead” was written by Noyalas and four students: Jake Gabriele ’19; Victor Hererra ’20; Sarah Powell ’19; and Shelby R. Shrader ’17.

The essay took the students two years to complete and chronicles the lives of all 72 Union soldiers killed at the Battle of Cool Spring in 1864. The students spent hours poring over records—including pension records and regimental histories—in both local archives and the National Archives.

Students used documents and evidence to reconstruct the lives of these soldiers who have otherwise been forgotten. It’s a unique essay because it’s bringing the average soldier’s experience to life in the way a traditional book can’t. It’s looking at them as individuals. It’s taking people who are a statistic, in essence, and making them real again.”

Jonathan Noyalas, ’01, M.A. | Director of the McCormick Civil War Institute

The journal includes three essays that in some way deal with the Battle of Cool Spring and its aftermath; one essay about African-American children serving as apprentices in the Shenandoah Valley after the Civil War; an essay on Judge Richard Parker from Winchester (who tried abolitionist John Brown in 1859); and an essay about Unionist refugees during the Burning Raid, which was a Union military raid conducted in the Loudoun Valley in 1864.

The journal is available at the end of this week at the Winchester Book Gallery, Shenandoah University’s campus bookstore, Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historic Park, Belle Grove Plantation, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park and the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society.

The cost is $10, and all proceeds benefit the McCormick Civil War Institute and its efforts at Cool Spring Battlefield.

Explore the McCormick Civil War Institute

Filed Under: Arts & Sciences, History Spotlight, University Home

Civil War Institute Director Rendered Speechless By Donation Philadelphia woman donates collection of Civil War documents to Shenandoah University

June 24, 2019

The Johnston family recently donated wonderful artifacts from Union Army Private Robert Bradbury, who fought in the Northern Shenandoah Valley, to SU’s McCormick Civil War Institute! MCWI Director, Jonathan Noyalas says he got a treasure trove! Dozens of letters, photographs and even a self-portrait of Bradbury were packed into boxes. “I’m not often rendered speechless. But this was one of those jaw-dropping moments.”

Filed Under: History Spotlight, MCWI, press

Go Virtual at Battle of Cool Spring Anniversary celebration highlights Civil War history through tours, augmented reality

June 4, 2019

Shenandoah University’s McCormick Civil War Institute is commemorating the 155th anniversary of the Battle of Cool Spring with tours, lectures and the unveiling of an augmented reality experience.

The commemorative event occurs on Saturday, July 20, at the university’s River Campus at Cool Spring Battlefield located at 1400 Parker Lane, Bluemont. This event is free and open to the public.

155th Anniversary Schedule of Activities

9 am

Site opens

10:15 am – noon

Walking tour of Battle of Cool Spring with historian Jonathan Noyalas ’01, M.A. Tour includes vignettes with living historians.

Noon – 1 pm

Lunch on your own. Please note that there are no food vendors on site. Please bring a picnic lunch and enjoy it either in the air-conditioned lodge or the shade of the pavilion.

1 – 1:45 pm 

“Dreams of War & Peace: The Remarkable Night Life of Civil War America” with Jonathan White, Ph.D., associate professor of American Studies at Christopher Newport University

2 – 2:45 pm

“Follow Him to the Death: Sheridan, Early, and the Shenandoah Valley in the Summer of 1864” with Jennifer Murray, Ph.D., teaching assistant professor at Oklahoma State University

3 – 4 pm 

Unveiling of “Through Their Eyes: An Augmented Reality Experience at Cool Spring”

cool spring

Through Their Eyes

The augmented reality experience, “Through Their Eyes,” is a collaborative effort between the McCormick Civil War Institute and the Shenandoah Center for Immersive Learning (SCiL).

Visitors will use an iPhone or iPad to float a holographic 3D version of the battlefield above a 2D map. Clickable flags on the map will take users into one-minute experiences of the battle using 360 virtual reality. Visitors will find themselves in a dramatic attack, retreat, camp scene, or the battle’s sorrowful aftermath.

More than a dozen scenes were filmed with actors from both Shenandoah and the community. The experience is based on the primary accounts of Union and Confederate soldiers who fought at the Battle of Cool Spring on July 18, 1864.

The second part of the project involves an immersive audio walk of the battlefield using an iPhone app and earbuds.

Jonathan A. Noyalas ’01, M.A., director of the McCormick Civil War Institute, served as historian for the project (he also appears in the production). Associate Professor of Theater and SCiL Director J.J. Ruscella, M.F.A., and his SCiL team directed the action.

I have often been bothered by the fact that some overlook the Battle of Cool Spring because statistically it pales in comparison to the Civil War’s larger and more well-known engagements – Gettysburg, Antietam, Shiloh and the like. While statistically not as big (13,000 troops engaged and nearly 1,000 total casualties), to the men who died there, to their families, and to those wounded at the battle who lived with the pain and disfigurement of those wounds for the rest of their lives, the Battle of Cool Spring was the most significant action of the Civil War. It is my hope that this experience will help people better comprehend the human element of the battle and understand the dramatic costs a nation endures when a people become divided to an unbridgeable point.”

Jonathan A. Noyalas ’01, M.A., Director of the McCormick Civil War Institute

A total of 12 students in Noyalas’ spring 2019 Civil War & Reconstruction course researched the backgrounds of the soldiers whose accounts are used as the basis for the various scenes and moments. Shenandoah history major Jessica Kronenwetter ’20 documented the process through photography. History majors John Oross ’19 and Steven Stabler ’22 played various roles in the filming.

Self-Guided Experiences Available Throughout Day of Commemoration

In addition to the scheduled activities, battlefield trails will be open throughout the day for self-guided tours, and the exhibition about Cool Spring and its aftermath will be available for viewing. Tour guides are available for free, or visitors can download a pdf with information about the site. Harpers Ferry National Historical Park bookstore is selling books by the day’s speakers, as well as other relevant titles.

This event is free and open to the public, though monetary donations are appreciated. Please email Noyalas at jnoyalas01@su.edu or call 540/665-4501 with any questions. Pre-registration is not required for this event.

cool spring

Filed Under: Arts & Sciences, History Spotlight, Magazine News, MCWI, scil, University Home, Virtual Reality Design, Virtual Reality Design Spotlight

One Artifact At A Time Shenandoah University Students Serve As Co-authors of Artifact-Driven History of Winchester

May 29, 2019

A group of Shenandoah University history majors are set to be published authors this year for their work on a book commemorating the 275th anniversary of the founding of Winchester, Virginia.

The history students are using artifacts to help tell the city’s story in a book to be published by the Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society and co-edited by Shenandoah’s McCormick Civil War Institute Director Jonathan Noyalas ’01, M.A. (Shenandoah’s main campus has been located in Winchester since 1960.)

Noyalas said he suggested the book’s creation as an item to leave behind for future generations. And, it’s a project that allows the historical society to achieve a goal of further interaction with the university.

Photo of a dress created for an early Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival, included in a book on Winchester's 275th anniversary, co-written by Shenandoah University students.

Dress crafted for an early Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival.

The book will tell the city’s story through short explorations of 50 artifacts chosen by Noyalas and the historical society’s director, Cissy Shull. The book is intended for general audiences, with the artifacts, their importance, and their connection to Winchester’s history described in approximately 1,000-word essays, Noyalas said.

Order Your Copy Now

The writers & their artifacts

Kim Oliveto ’20 is writing about a lock of George Washington’s hair and a Quaker marriage certificate. Washington, the nation’s first president, worked as a surveyor in the Winchester area prior to the American Revolution, was elected to his first office from the city, and oversaw the construction of Fort Loudoun, which sat where North Loudoun Street is today. Even so, Oliveto noted that it’s unclear how exactly the lock of the nation’s first president’s light auburn hair ended up in Winchester.

Winchester, the first city west of the Blue Ridge Mountains to be settled by European immigrants and their descendants, has a longstanding Quaker community. Oliveto said certificates, like the one she is researching, were how American Quakers proved that they had married. In her piece, she is also explaining why Quakers relocated to the area from Pennsylvania.

Sarah Powell ’19 is telling a story of immigration and business development by focusing on a mortar and pestle used by early German immigrant Godfrey Miller. The family business grew to include dry goods as well as an apothecary, which was once the longest continuously operating drugstore in the nation. Miller’s apothecary is now on display at Shenandoah University’s Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy.

Shelby Sprague ’22 is exploring Fort Loudoun and the French & Indian War. Steven Stabler  ’22 is focusing on 20th-century history through a Korean War uniform, a World War II Purple Heart awarded to one of the first Winchester residents to die in the conflict, and a grouping of artifacts connected to Admiral Richard E. Byrd’s Antarctic expeditions. Through his artifacts, he’ll tell stories about how the city’s residents felt about war, as well as discuss the development of science and technology through the 20th century.

Pike

The artifact handled by Zach Thompson ’19 is a chest, owned by James Mason, a mid-19th-century U.S. senator who authored the Fugitive Slave Law in conjunction with the Compromise of 1850. The chest was part of Mason’s baggage when he was captured during the Civil War, along with Louisiana politician John Slidell, in what came to be known as the Trent Affair. Some of the story he will focus on includes the last-ditch efforts of the republic’s political leaders to keep the nation united during the tumultuous decade of the 1850s.

Jessica Kronenwetter ’20, who also photographed the artifacts for the book, is focusing on two areas. One allows her to talk about the Devil Diarists of Winchester, who were Confederate sympathizers who went to sometimes scandalous lengths to irritate Union troops during the Civil War. She will write about the many times Winchester changed hands, how the city’s women felt during the conflict, and how Union soldiers were perceived in the city. Her other area of focus allows her to explore the work of Frank Turgeon, a prominent aerial photographer and pilot who worked with National Geographic in the early 20th century.

Noyalas is also writing about a couple of artifacts. The Orrick Cemetery gravestone of Edward Hall, who served in the 30th United States Colored Troops during the Civil War, allows him to discuss racism, slavery and the 167 African Americans from Winchester who served with the Union Army during the Civil War. Additionally, he’s writing about a rifle presented by a group of Union veterans to Confederate veterans in Winchester in 1888 as an act of reconciliation – one that he said appears to have been unique in the post-Civil War south.

All told, Shenandoah faculty, alumni and students are writing about approximately half of the artifacts featured in the book, Noyalas said.

Becoming published authors

Sprague said being part of such a project, particularly as a freshman, is an honor. She said her friends at other colleges and universities don’t have such an opportunity available to them. And, the writing and research “gives me a better understanding of why I want to be a history major,” she said, noting that, at 19 years of age, she’ll be a published author.

The writing and research is providing the student authors with a unique extracurricular opportunity, said Oliveto, a grandmother who never thought a chance to be published would “happen to little ’ol me from Winchester, Virginia.” She’s loved the thrill of digging for information, and she said her experience in the history program shows that “It’s never too late to go back to college. Pick the right college and you can be published, whether you’re a freshman or a grandma.”

“We’ve gotten to showcase our talents to people outside of Shenandoah and prove our worth as prospective historians,” Kronenwetter said of the book project.

The book’s launch

Noyalas said that the hope is that the book will pique readers’ curiosity and inspire them to visit local museums or read more in-depth histories of Winchester and its demographically diverse population.

The book will be released in mid-October, Noyalas said, with the release celebrated during a special event on campus, with some of the artifacts available for viewing at the event.

Order “A Prominent Place”: Winchester’s 275 Years in 50 Artifacts

 

Photo credits: Jessica Kronenwetter ’20 and https://www.mygenealogyhound.com/

Filed Under: Arts & Sciences, Arts and Sciences Faculty News, History Alumni, History Spotlight, Magazine News, MCWI Tagged With: faculty book, faculty books, history, Jessica Kronenwetter, Jonathan Noyalas, Kim Oliveto, Sarah Powell, Shelby Sprague, Steven Stabler, Zach Thompson

Shenandoah University Hosts ‘Greenweek 2018’ Weeklong Sessions Reinforce Recycling, Sustainability and Energy Conservation

April 20, 2018

Shenandoah University students, faculty and staff took the university’s “green” temperature with a series of sustainability-based events during the week leading up to Earth Day on April 22.”

“Greenweek 2018 is run by a few different entities that are all in support of sustainability initiatives on campus in support of, and in conjunction with, Earth Day, which is this Sunday,” said Shenandoah Outdoor and Adventure Recreation and Greenworks Coordinator Katie Hecker. “On Earth Day, students will participate through social media and win some interesting prizes.”

Shenandoah Greenworks

Shenandoah University’s Greenworks staff promotes sustainability on campus.

“Shenandoah Greenworks, a work-study located in Cooley Hall, works in partnership with the university community to reduce waste and promote sustainability. Greenworks maintains the campus community garden and a swap shop, where members of the university community can pick up gently used items like small appliances and furnishings, for free.”

A new student group on campus, Project Planet, is also passionate about sustainability on campus and provided volunteer support for Greenweek. “They just started this semester, and they’ve already been voted the “Best New Organization” on campus, which is very exciting.

Also, the university’s environmental studies department also participates in Greenweek each year with events geared toward waste such as stream cleanups and environmental documentary screenings.

While Greenweek casts a spotlight on sustainability at Shenandoah, the university’s dedication to reusing, reducing and recycling is far more than a weeklong effort.

“Physical Plant is the true spearhead of waste consumption on campus, as they are the ones who handle it on the day to day basis,” Hecker said.

Energy sustainability at Shenandoah University

Shenandoah University invites local energy vendors to campus during Greenweek 2018.

“So much of what I do on a daily basis is related to campus sustainability and environmental stewardship,” said Director of Physical Plant Barry Schnoor. “It’s just how we live.”

The concept for Greenweek is to address one specific issue per day.

On Monday, April 16, Trash Audit Day, students and staff sorted through the day’s “trash” with the Greenworks crew to see what they were throwing away that could be reused or recycled.

Then, on Tuesday, April 17, Fair Trade Day, brought vendors, like My Neighbor and Me, a shop from Berryville, Virginia, that sells fair trade items, to the Brandt Student Center to promote and sell fair trade products from producers around the world.

Greenworks Students Promote Sustainability on Campus

Greenworks Students Promote Sustainability on Campus and offer prizes.

Greenworks students and staff teamed up with Physical Plant and local energy companies on Wednesday, April 18, Energy Awareness Day, by jazzing up the quad with a variety of energy sources, from coal to wind turbines to solar panels.

On Thursday, April 19, students, faculty and staff were encouraged to bike or walk to class for Green Transportation Day. Participants received “I walked/biked to class” stickers and were encouraged to post photos of themselves walking or biking to a social media outlet with the hashtag #SUGreenWeek and tag @SUStudentLife to be entered into a drawing to win one of two Shenandoah bookstore gift cards.

“When you turn your engine off and on, it uses so much more gas than if you park your car and walk around campus,” said Hecker.

Finally, Greenworks hosted its finale on Friday, April 20 with a Green Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Day and Carnival with fun activities and games and a chance to win sustainable reusable prizes.

Filed Under: General, News

Shenandoah University Sustainability Facts Educating and inspiring others to reduce, reuse and recycle

April 19, 2018

What makes Shenandoah University a sustainable community? Here are a few facts that demonstrate our commitment to educating and inspiring others to reduce, reuse and recycle with an emphasis on the related human impacts to the environment and making small changes that can make a big impact.

Sustainability Facts

  • Shenandoah was recently selected from 2,000 Colleges & Universities for the Princeton Review’s 2017 “Guide to 375 Green Colleges.”
  • 36 solar panels added to the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics & Events Center
  • Gore Hall, a residence hall, is capped with a “green” roof.
  • Dining services uses compostable products and promotes the use of reusable water bottles.
  • Shenandoah’s dining halls went trayless in fall 2012, reducing water and energy usage as well as food waste.
  • The student group, Campus Kitchen at Shenandoah, repurposes unused food from Allen Dining Hall to give back to the Winchester community, aiding in the fight against hunger.

Recycling

  • 300,000+ pounds of materials recycled during the 2016/17 academic year.
  • Recycling bins are placed throughout campus, with about 100 new bins added within the past two years.
  • Shenandoah’s Bulk Mail department purchases printing and copying paper with a minimum of 30% post-consumer recycled content. This helps close the loop on the recycling process.
  • Shenandoah Greenworks swap shop collects more than 5,000 pounds of items every year, eliminating this much waste from entering the landfill. Donated items include gently used furniture, working appliances, small housewares, lamps, electronics, usable clothing and non-perishables, and unopened food items collected in designated locations, The swap shop redistributes the items, for free. Items not claimed or repurposed are donated to local non-profit organizations.

Quad

Environmental Stewardship

  • There are 78 trees in the quad on main campus.
  • The Chesapeake Forests Program has planted 600 trees at Cool Spring.
  • The water features at Sarah’s Glen serve to filter rainwater before it flows into Abrams Creek
  • The 195-acre Shenandoah University River Campus at Cool Spring Battlefield serves as a learning laboratory where students can conduct research in the humanities and the natural sciences. The site, abundant with natural features, includes a heron rookery.
  • Many of the plants, flowers, and trees on Shenandoah’s campus have been labeled to promote environmental stewardship, education, and research. These plants are selected as native and non-invasive species.
  • In 2015, Shenandoah eliminated a section of ground cover (invasive English Ivy) on a patio near the Allen Dining Hall.
    • While this garden produces only a small amount of vegetables, its co-location to the Dining Hall helps remind us of our connection to the food we eat.
    • This garden has produced squash, strawberries, peppers (both sweet and hot), tomatoes, flowers, kale, cabbage and spinach.  
    • In addition to this small garden, in 2013 the Student Environmental Council planted an organic herb garden for use by the kitchen staff and other community members.
    • The herb garden produces oregano, thyme, chives, lavender, and Russian sage. Among other landscaping on campus is the Serviceberry or Juneberry shrub, which produces delicious berries every summer.
  • During the summer of 2012, Shenandoah began collecting and composting its own yard waste in a facility located on the edge of campus.

Cool SpringWater Conservation

  • McKown Plaza behind the Brandt Student Center features permeable pavement.
  • Campus dishwashers and washing machines were replaced with Energy Star rated units in 2014. These units not only use less energy but also less water. The estimated savings from the washing machines alone is 1,519,000 gallons of water and $11,734 per year.
  • Of all the developed landscape at Shenandoah, none of it is irrigated. Shenandoah’s planting plan includes choosing plant species that are low maintenance and require no regular irrigation. Why is this important? In a typical household, landscape irrigation accounts for up to half of all water consumption. At the university, this could translate to hundreds of thousands of gallons of water.
  • Numerous plumbing fixtures have been replaced with low flow models including toilets, showerheads and faucets. The majority of toilets are now 1.6 gallons per flush or lower.

Energy Conservation

  • 24 bike racks on campus to encourage the use of bicycles on campus
  • Occupancy sensors are used to reduce energy consumption when spaces are not in use.
  • Energy-efficient lighting fixtures reduce the amount of energy needed to light buildings. LED lighting is used in a wide variety of campus spaces, including the house and stage lights at Armstrong Concert Hall. LED bulbs use 20 percent to 25 percent of the energy of incandescent bulbs, and last longer than incandescent, as well.
  • The Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems have advanced control options that respond to outdoor conditions and building schedule to conserve energy and improve air quality.
  • Shenandoah University currently operates 5 electric golf-car-type vehicles in support of Student Engagement, Athletics and Physical Plant operations. Electric vehicles have no tailpipe emissions.

Filed Under: About, News, University Home

University Efforts to Reforest River Campus Tributaries Highlighted by Chesapeake Forests Program

May 12, 2015

The Chesapeake Forests Program, an initiative of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, has highlighted university efforts to reforest the four short tributaries running off the Blue Ridge Mountains through the Shenandoah River Campus at Cool Spring Battlefield and into the Shenandoah River.

Cool Spring Riparian BufferAccording to a post on the organization’s blog, “these tributaries were likely significant sources of pollutants into the Shenandoah River” when the property was a golf course. Thus, the desire to create a riparian forest buffer, which would “significantly reduce the amount of nutrients reaching our waterways, and also help stabilize stream banks, sustain fish habitat, reduce air pollution, and increase in-stream processing of nutrients.”

Cool Spring Manager Gene Lewis worked with the Alliance to have Shenandoah University classified as a “non-typical, high priority” landowner in order to participate in the USDA FSA Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), the existing primary federal cost-share program for riparian forest buffers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

As a result, 600 trees that were planted at the Cool Spring river campus early last month.

Read more about the effort on the Chesapeake Forests Program blog.

Filed Under: News

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About MCWI

  • MCWI
  • About MCWI
  • Upcoming Events
  • MCWI News & Readings
  • Through Their Eyes App
  • Civil War Archives
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Cool Spring Battlefield

  • Tour the Battlefield
  • Download our Tour App
  • Visit Cool Spring
  • Anniversary Commemoration
  • Watch Orientation Video

Contact Us

McCormick Civil War Institute Director
Jonathan A. Noyalas, ‘01 M.A.
jnoyalas01@su.edu
540-665-4501
Office: Davis Hall 115

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