But Strasburg has always been a hub of activity over the years. It is first mentioned in the early records that Moravian missionaries kept of their travels in the region, and John Wayland's "History of Shenandoah County" said the itinerant preachers found a church there as early as 1747. Like so many early Shenandoah Valley towns, the village was called by a number of names including Funkstown, Funk's Mill and even Staufferstadt or Stover-town. In fact, the colony of Virginia's General Assembly officially established the town in 1761 at the request of landowner Peter Stover.

Quoting Martin's Gazetteer of Virginia, Wayland also writes that some 70 years later, the growing town had a substantial amount of commerce, including "78 dwelling houses, three churches, three schools, three mercantile stores, two taverns, an apothecary shop, four tanyards, two gunsmiths, five cabinet makers, four blacksmith shops, a tinner's factory making stoneware and earthenware, a plasterer, three bricklayers, five tailors, four cooper shops, six boot and shoe factories, and a population of 470, including six regular physicians." In time, Strasburg went on to earn the nickname "Pot Town" thanks to the number of potteries that flourished there over the years. Today this pottery, prized by serious collectors everywhere, is a primary focus of the Strasburg Museum.

The railroad reached Strasburg and the town gained a second railway line in 1870. That legacy lives on at the Strasburg Museum which is housed in the town's old train depot. The Museum of the American Presidents, along with the Strasburg Emporium, is little more than a block away, while the Stonewall Jackson Museum at Hupp's Hill is located just north of town on the site of Hupp's Cave, later known as Crystal Caverns. That latter, dedicated to interpreting Stonewall Jackson's legendary Valley Campaign of 1862, features an ongoing educational program including a wide range of activities for both youth and adults. A Civil War Workshop will be held on March 28, while a series of Sunday Lectures begin May 10, and a Children's Summer Camp is planned for June 27.

The nearby Museum of American Presidents showcases an extensive collection of presidential memorabilia and also offers a series of highly original and educational programs focusing alternatively on U.S. presidents and their first ladies. The museum's "First Ladies Teas" are held every first Tuesday at 1 p.m. while the "Presidential Seminar and Birthday Parties" are scheduled for every third Tuesday at 7 p.m. Both museums will also hold a total of six different "Folkways Workshops" later in the year.

For a full schedule, contact the Museum of American Presidents at 540-465-5999, the Stonewall Jackson Museum at Hupp's Hill at 540-465-5884, or the Strasburg Museum (in season) can be reached at 540-465-3175. Strasburg Chamber of Commerce phone is 540-465-3187.