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2023 SESSION

23103556D
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 111
Offered January 31, 2023
Commending the Town of Berryville.
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Patron-- Vogel
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WHEREAS, in 2023, the Town of Berryville, a vibrant community in the northern Shenandoah Valley and the longtime county seat of Clarke County, celebrated the 225th anniversary of its founding; and

WHEREAS, the land that became Berryville was originally granted to Isaac Pennington in 1734; over the next several decades, the land changed hands multiple times, and a small crossroads settlement known as Battletown developed at the intersection of Winchester Turnpike and Charlestown Road; and

WHEREAS, in 1798, Benjamin and Sarah Berry purchased 20 acres in the area and began dividing the property into lots for the creation of a town; and

WHEREAS, Berryville was officially incorporated as a town on January 15, 1798, and continued to grow and expand as an important stop along the turnpikes between Winchester and Alexandria; and

WHEREAS, when the General Assembly formed Clarke County from part of Frederick County in March 1836, Berryville was selected as the county seat, further enhancing the prosperity and local significance of the community; and

WHEREAS, during the Civil War, Berryville was used as an outpost during the Second Battle of Winchester in 1863, briefly served as the headquarters of Confederate General Jubal Early in 1864, and was the site of the Battle of Berryville during the Valley campaigns of 1864; and

WHEREAS, after the war, Berryville remained a critical part of the region’s economy, and with the arrival of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad, it became a processing and shipping center for farmers in the northern Shenandoah Valley; and

WHEREAS, with its small-town charms and convenient access to the nation’s capital, Berryville remains an outstanding place to live, work, and raise a family; and

WHEREAS, the residents of Berryville commemorated the town’s 225th anniversary on January 15, 2022, with a special celebration at Johnson-Williams Middle School; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That the Town of Berryville hereby be commended on the occasion of its 225th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Town of Berryville as an expression of the Senate of Virginia’s admiration for the community’s long history and contributions to the Commonwealth.