Shrine Mont facts for kids
Shrine Mont is a special place in Orkney Springs, Virginia, where groups can gather for events and retreats. It's owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. This peaceful spot is located near the Great North Mountain in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, right next to the George Washington National Forest. It even has about 1,100 acres of forest land!
One of the most unique buildings at Shrine Mont is the Cathedral Shrine of the Transfiguration. This is an open-air church that was officially opened in 1925. Imagine this: every single stone used to build it was either pulled by horses or rolled by local people from the nearby mountain! The special bowl used for baptisms was originally a stone that Native Americans used to grind corn.
Shrine Mont also includes The Virginia House. This building used to be called the Orkney Springs Hotel and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its important history. Shrine Mont bought it in 1979. The Virginia House is a big, four-story building with white walls and tall windows with green shutters. It was built way back in 1873 and was carefully fixed up in 1987.
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A Look Back: Shrine Mont's History
Just a short walk from Shrine Mont, there are seven natural springs. Old items found near these springs show that Native Americans lived there a long time ago. People believed the water from these springs had healing powers, and visitors started coming to the area in the mid-1800s.
Several hotels were built, including the Orkney Springs Hotel, which started in the 1850s. In the late 1800s, church services were held in the hotel. Often, these services were led by Bishop Robert Atkinson Gibson, who was an important leader in the Episcopal Church.
How Shrine Mont Began
In 1902, Bishop Gibson bought a small house called Tanglewood to use as his summer home. He soon decided he wanted to have church services happening all year round in Orkney Springs. Bishop Gibson passed away in 1919. Not long after, the Shrine of the Transfiguration church was built on some of his land, right next to a smaller building called the Shelter Chapel. Over time, Tanglewood and its buildings became the main part of what we now know as Shrine Mont.
The Shrine church was built by Bishop Gibson's son-in-law, Reverend Edmund Lee Woodward. He and his wife bought land at Orkney Springs and spent their holidays there every year. Reverend Woodward cleared the area by cutting down 100 trees and built a log cabin, which he named Gibson Cottage. It was finished in 1928, and that's when he and his wife moved there permanently.
Building the Cathedral Shrine
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The Cathedral Shrine was built between 1924 and 1925 in a natural bowl-shaped area. It has a bell tower, a special room for church items, and areas for the choir and clergy. When the church was officially opened in 1925, the Woodwards gave the land where the cabin and church stood to the Diocese of Virginia. Bishop Henry St. George Tucker (bishop) then made Reverend Woodward the leader of the Shrine for the rest of his life or until he decided to step down.
In 1928, after Reverend Woodward moved in permanently, he planned to create a retreat center that could host 120 guests. Bishop Tucker approved the idea, as long as it didn't cost the church's main budget any money. Reverend Woodward then built several buildings and even a swimming pool. He also bought other houses and buildings to turn them into cottages for guests, plus a dining hall and kitchen.
In 1929, Shrine Mont bought even more land from the Orkney Springs Hotel.
New Leadership and Growth
After Reverend Woodward passed away in 1948, the Diocese appointed Wilmer E. Moomaw as the director and manager. Reverend Francis Tyndall became the temporary chaplain and director. Later, Reverend Tucker became the dean of the Cathedral Shrine of the Transfiguration and the chaplain of Shrine Mont.
In 1950, Mr. Moomaw was given full responsibility for running and developing Shrine Mont. He was also in charge of taking care of the Shrine church. Mr. Moomaw served as Director until 1988. During his time, he greatly improved and updated the entire property. He added new facilities and helped more and more people attend events there, which made Shrine Mont a much bigger and more active place.
Images for kids
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Entrance sign at Shrine Mont
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Cathedral Shrine of the Transfiguration
