CROSS KEYS, Virginia — The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation has preserved the historic Union Church site at Cross Keys Battlefield, securing a two-acre parcel of hallowed ground that played a key role in the beginning of the Battle of Cross Keys on June 8, 1862. This purchase adds to the Foundation’s ongoing efforts to protect and interpret battlefields and related sites throughout the Shenandoah Valley.
Located southeast of Harrisonburg, VA, near the intersection of Battlefield Road and Keezletown Road, the Union Church site is adjacent to the recently preserved 98-acre Webb Farm and has long been considered the place where the battle began. On the eve of the battle, soldiers of the 15th Alabama Infantry took shelter in and around the church and cemetery, covering the main approach from Harrisonburg. Their early morning fight with Union forces marked some of the opening shots of the battle.
The preservation of the property was made possible through a generous bequest from Ms. Marlys Armentrout, a devoted supporter of battlefield preservation. Her legacy gift enabled the Foundation to work with the owners of Union Church, the Cross Keys–Mill Creek Ruritan Club, which has cared for the site for decades, to ensure its permanent protection.
“We are honored to preserve this sacred ground,” said Keven Walker, CEO of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation. “Thanks to Ms. Armentrout’s generosity and the stewardship of the Ruritan Club, we can now ensure that future generations will be able to visit and learn from this historically significant site.”
Jon Oliver, President of the Cross Keys–Mill Creek Ruritan Club, emphasized the importance of the preservation effort: “By this action, the property is now preserved for the community in perpetuity. It will not be changed or destroyed.” He added, “This enables the Ruritan to do more of the same work we do every day, with other community groups, which makes the community a better place to live.”
The Union Church site will be incorporated into the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Tourism Infrastructure Plan, which includes walking trails, interpretive signage, and wayfinding improvements. New signage has already been installed at the Union Church property as part of this plan, helping visitors understand the site’s historical significance, which ties into additional signage at four other sites across the battlefield that are now open to the public.
Since 2001, the Foundation has preserved more than 7,600 acres at 16 battlefields throughout the Shenandoah Valley, including more than 1,900 acres in Rockingham County. The preservation of the Union Church site represents another step forward in protecting the Valley’s irreplaceable historic landscapes.