O Shenandoah! Previous Scene Trivia

Valley Scene Questions:

1. From what combination of ancient Indian names do many scholars believe the word "Shenandoah" is derived?

   Senedo; Cenantua; Sherando. As European settlers moved into the Valley, they recorded rumors circulating throughout extant Indian tribes of an ancient primitive people known as the Senedoes. The Senedoes, however, had long since been conquered by the Iroquois and assimilated into that tribe. The Shawnee name Cenantua referred to the mountain range now known as the Massanutten. Sherando was a fierce Iroquois chief who fought off all advances from Virginia coastal tribes and who camped frequently along the headwaters of the Shenandoah River's South Fork.

2. What reknowned footpath traverses Shenandoah National Park for 101 miles and which volunteer organization helped to create and continues to maintain it?

   The Appalachian Trail; Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC). The Appalachian trail stretches over 2,000 miles from Maine to Georgia. It is the culmination of a dream and 70 years of volunteer labor contributed by members of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. PATC was founded in 1927 by a small group of hiking enthusiasts. Today, PATC members help to care for the trail and maintain hiker shelters and cabins.

3. To what range do the Shenandoah Mountains belong and what is their geographic significance to the Valley?

   They are a part of the Alleghanies and form the western boundary of the Valley. The Shenandoah Mountains stretch for approximately 80 miles, northwesterly from Bath County, Virginia, into Hardy County, West Virginia. Their highest peak of over 4,400 feet forms to the west of the City of Harrisonburg, Virginia.

4. Where and what is the source of the Shenandoah River?

   Port Republic. The North and South Rivers. The northeasterly, serpentine flow of the Shenandoah River's South Fork originates at the confluence of the North and South Rivers in Port Republic, Augusta County, Virginia.

5. Where are the Massanutten Mountains and what lies between them?

   Central Shenandoah Valley. Fort Valley. The Massanutten Mountains stretch between Harrisonburg and Front Royal, Virginia. Near New Market, the mountains break into two chains and the picturesque area between them is known as Fort Valley. The South Fork of the Shenandoah River flows east of the Massanutten; the North Fork flows to the west from New Market to Front Royal where it converges with the larger South Fork.

6. In which town and state, flowing in what direction, does the Shenandoah River converge into the Potomac River?

   Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Northeast. The Shenandoah River flows swiftly from its source in Augusta County, Virginia, north for nearly two hundred miles through fertile valley farmlands between the Blue Ridge and Alleghany Mountains. The North and South Forks converge at Front Royal, Virginia, and merge into the Potomac at Harper's Ferry.

Check out some other Shenandoah Valley scenes.

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Country Trivia Questions:

1. You can eat, drink or talk to them.

   Catawbas -- grapes, wine, or Indian tribe. Catawba grapes are the cultivated variety of a native American fruit from which wine is made. The Catawba tribe of Indians, originally from South Carolina, migrated into the southern section of the Shenandoah Valley, below Roanoke.

2. These crazies would rather eat caterpillars than just about anything.

   Cuckoos. They are among the untold millions of "neotropical migrants" -- small, forest-dwelling birds -- that move into the Shenandoah Valley during the summer months from their wintering areas in Central and South America and the Caribbean Islands. Many are brightly colored, but frequently stay hidden amidst green leaves. You won't be able to miss their dawn chorus though.

3. When these blue flags fly over the valley, warm weather has settled in.

   Indigo buntings. All summer this brilliantly blue North American finch delights our eyes and ears throughout the Shenandoah Valley. Their presence is encouraged by many area homeowners who maintain special nesting "apartments" for the less colorful females and their unspotted blue eggs.

4. These founders of the republic like beer; their motto seems to be, "Don't mess with me!"?

   WASPs. White Anglo-Saxon Protestants OR members of a territorial, populous species known for instant and unremitting "zingers" when disturbed. Their counterattacks usually cause only surface irritation, but may in extreme cases lead to earthly demise.

5. What exactly does a country bottom look like?

   Flat, fertile, and frequently soggy. Bottom land stretches along river banks, fertilized by the detritus of high waters, with top soil extending down several feet. The flood plain is used for pasture, cropland, and, for the brave and adventurous, riverside housing.

6. What crazy person makes good bass bait?

   Madtom. This small, dark fish resembles a catfish and hides under rocks, particularly in white-water areas of rivers and streams. It's a favorite feast for large bass.

Country Scene Links:

The Anadromous Page -- Lively interactive fishing site with great info and links. The Sierra Club -- Environmental research, info and lobbying to protect natural resources for over a century. The Photos of James A. Hiltz -- Evocative writing and photos from wilderness areas near the Shenandoah Valley. National Wildlife Federation -- Publications, downloads, comprehensive links to other wilderness sites.

The Cement Goose -- Supplying all the hat and clothing needs for a well-dressed goose. Photo illustrations.
Black Locust Farm and 4H -- Lots of goat and farm animal stuff.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email countryrag@yahoo.com.