Shepherdstown Forums has been established as a West Virginia tax exempt 501c3 non-profit corporation to provide a platform for uncensored comment about issues affecting the lives of residents in the town of Shepherdstown and its 'burbs situated along the banks of the Potomac River and the northern part of Jefferson County.
The goal of this endeavor is to establish a sense of community and camaraderie, and to be able to air the concerns that affect us as individuals and as a group in this rapidly growing area of the Eastern Panhandle. We've created forums that we thought would be of interest to those in and around the town as well as the students attending Shepherd University.
Our ultimate goal is to bring a fully functional website on-line with the aim of educating residents and visitors alike about the rich and unique history, natural beauty and diversity of the Sheperdstown area. All we ask of you, the viewer, is some measure of participation to make our project a success. Please have a looksee, log on and speak out.
Shepherdstown
Shepherdstown is a town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, USA that lays claim to being the oldest town in the state. Some sources claim to date the settlement back to 1719. It is well documented that the town was established as "Mecklenburg" in 1734 when Thomas Shepherd was granted 222acres (0.9km2), on the south side of the "Potomack" river. From that tract, he selected fifty acres and laid out a town and petitioned Virginia for a charter. It was officially recognized in 1762 by that State's General Assembly. Thomas Shepherd was its sole trustee. As he owned the town and had the responsibility to conduct its government it certainly isn't surprising that in 1798 it was renamed Shepherd's Town. It was rechristened Shepherdstown after the Civil War.
Though the town's population is just a little over 1200 as of 2008, that number is exceptionally deceptive. It is also home to Shepherd University whose students swell the population throughout the year. And the proximity of the Washington D.C./ Baltimore MD metro area has places the surrounding area on the cusp of urban sprawl. Shepherdstown is steeped in history, affords a gourmet a delightful experience, has any number of evening and nighttime activities, abounds in a wealth of natural beauty and has miles of hiking and biking trails. It is this very special area that these forums and our website are proud to represent on the Internet.