East Panhandle Times

FALLING WATERS, W.Va. (July 2, 2024) – A public-private partnership to establish Berkeley County’s first battlefield park was jointly announced today by members of the Berkeley County Commission, Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, and Martinsburg-Berkeley County Parks & Recreation Board.

“We couldn’t be more excited to make this announcement on the 163rd anniversary of the Battle of Hoke’s Run, the first Civil War battle fought in the Shenandoah Valley,” said Foundation CEO Keven Walker. “Berkeley County is the northern gateway to the Shenandoah Valley, and this collaborative partnership to preserve acreage where the Battle of Hoke’s Run was fought will highlight for future generations the importance of Berkeley County in the American Civil War.”

The planned preservation of the 10 acres of battlefield area is made possible by an agreement that was reached between the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, Berkeley County Commission, and the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Parks & Recreation Board in June 2024.

“I especially want to thank the Berkeley County Board of Education, the previous owner of the property, for agreeing to transfer ownership of the site to allow us to move forward with this initiative,” said Berkeley County Commission President Jim Whitacre. “As a battlefield park, this passive recreation site will certainly be an educational resource for our community going forward.”

Located off WV 901, Hoke’s Run Battlefield Park will be preserved, interpreted, and maintained for public recreational use - in perpetuity - through an agreement between the Battlefields Foundation and the Parks & Recreation Board. Plans for the future battlefield park include a recreation trail, interpretive signage, pavilion and bathrooms.

“Through our partnership with the Battlefields Foundation, we are looking forward to welcoming area residents and visitors alike to enjoy this special park and learn some of the rich history of Falling Waters,” said Martinsburg-Berkeley County Parks & Recreation Board Executive Director Joe Burton.

“Preservation and interpretation of Civil War sites in Falling Waters has been our mission since 2004,” said Falling Waters Battlefield Association President Gary Gimbel. “We couldn’t be more thrilled by this collaboration.”

Fought on July 2, 1861, The Battle of Hoke’s Run involved a large Union force under General Robert Patterson crossing into Confederate territory led by Colonel Thomas Jackson. The Southern troops withdrew after engagement.

“Although a small battle by later standards," Gimbel noted "the intensity led Patterson to overestimate Confederate numbers making him less aggressive.” He added that “Hoke’s Run was a small battle with big consequences."