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The West Virginia Encyclopedia
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The West Virginia Encyclopedia
Berkeley County is located in the Eastern Panhandle. Berkeley borders Maryland to the north and Virginia to the south, with Jefferson and Morgan counties on the east and west. Its major streams are Back Creek and Opequon Creek.
Martinsburg
Martinsburg, the county seat of Berkeley County, was established in 1773. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad came to Martinsburg in 1842, and a roundhouse and machine shops were established. During the Civil War, the B&O suffered great loss, particularly in Martinsburg, where all of the buildings belonging to the railroad were destroyed. The home of Belle Boyd, the colorful Confederate spy, operates as a museum. Martinsburg is also home to Blue Ridge Community and Technical College.
Potomac River
The Potomac River forms the northern border of Berkeley County.
Bunker Hill
Bunker Hill was the home of Morgan Morgan, considered the first white settler in West Virginia.
Opequon Creek
Opequon Creek drains into the Potomac River, which forms Berkeley County’s northern border
Back Creek
Back Creek drains into the Potomac River, which forms Berkeley County’s northern border
Sleepy Creek Lake
Sleepy Creek Lake lies in the Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area.
Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport
Shepherd Field started in 1923 and has grown into a major airport now known as the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport. One of West Virginia’s two Air National Guard units is stationed there.
Hedgesville
Hedgesville’s historic district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Fort Maidstone
Fort Maidstone was the northern cornerstone of a chain of forts built by Virginia to protect frontier settlers from Indian forays during the French and Indian War.
Van Metre Ford Stone Arch Bridge
The Van Metre Ford bridge is a three-span, stone-arch bridge built across Opequon Creek in 1832 by Silas Harry under contract with the Berkeley County Court.
