Edward Aull's "Early History of Staunton and Beverley Manor in Augusta County, Virginia" is one of the most entertaining and meticulously researched chronicles of this important and historic region of the Old Dominion. Aull acquaints us with the movers and shakers (and saints and sinners) that helped shape this integral part of the New World, taking us from the region's rough-hewn days as a forward outpost on the American frontier to the early nineteenth century and Staunton's growth into a prosperous and important town.

Unlike many small towns in the South that were occupied by the Union army, beautiful Staunton, Virginia, emerged from the Civil War largely unscathed. Join historian Edmund Potter on a walking tour through the many architectural gems and notable buildings of downtown Staunton's five National Historic Districts. From the picturesque Wharf Area to the birthplace of Woodrow Wilson to the town's many historically African American businesses, A Guide to Historic Staunton offers visitors and residents alike a deeper appreciation of their remarkable surroundings.

For over a century, Staunton has been known as the "Queen City of the Shenandoah Valley," not only because of its economic and geographic location in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, but also because of the architectural beauty found in the city. Since the early 1800s, prominent architects and builders have left their mark on the hilly terrain of Staunton, resulting in a rich architectural fabric rarely found in small American towns. Once the largest community in the western part of Virginia, Staunton was located in the center of the state until the creation of West Virginia in 1862. The region was a major economic and transportation hub throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries and was home to an affluent mix of people and businesses with the resources available to build handsome buildings. Two of the earliest state facilities were built in Staunton--Western State Lunatic Asylum (later Western State Hospital) and the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind (VSDB). These find structures established a precedence in the city that the rest of the state clamored to follow.