Winchester

Winchester, city, seat (1738) of Frederick county (though administratively independent of it), northern Virginia, U.S. It lies at the northern end of the Shenandoah Valley, 70 miles (113 km) northwest of Washington, D.C.

Pennsylvania Quakers first settled in the area in 1732. Fredericktown (as it was first known) was founded there by Colonel James Wood in 1744, near the site of a Shawnee Indian village, on lands belonging to Thomas, 6th Baron Fairfax of Cameron; since c. 1750 it has been the site of the county courthouse. Renamed in 1752 for Winchester, England, it served as George Washington’s headquarters when he surveyed lands west of the Blue Ridge Mountains and again when he commanded Virginia troops during the French and Indian War. Washington’s surveying office, which he used while constructing Fort Loudoun (1756–57; a remnant remains), is now a museum. During the American Civil War, Winchester changed hands repeatedly; the area was the site of six battles and served as the headquarters for Generals Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson (Confederate) and Philip Sheridan (Union).

The city, in the heart of an apple-growing region, is a processing centre. The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival is an annual event in April–May. Manufactures include rubber goods, plastics, tin cans, and textiles. Orland E. White Arboretum at Blandy Farm, the state arboretum, is just east of Winchester. The city is home to Shenandoah University (1875) and the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (2005), which is the centrepiece of a complex that also includes gardens and a historic home. Winchester is the birthplace of polar explorer Richard E. Byrd, country music singer Patsy Cline, and writer Willa Cather. Inc. town, 1779; city, 1874. Pop. (2000) 23,585; Winchester Metro Area, 102,997; (2010) 26,203; Winchester Metro Area, 128,472.