Shepherdstown’s a Quaint Town for All to Enjoy
This is the sort of town that will warm your heart, even on the coldest winter day. As you walk down German Street you are greeted with warm smiles whether you are a townie or a tourist. The historic architecture, occasional brick sidewalks and eclectic shops are a welcoming site and offer in depth stories.
The town library is an odd little building that seems as though it sprouted in the middle of King Street like a wandering seed that found a crack in the pavement and decided to take root. Every Sunday, just behind this unique structure with its’ stepped gable, is the town’s farmer’s market where you can mingle with the locals and see what goodies the people of the town have to offer.
Another town oddity is the little stream that runs through the middle of it, called the Town Run. It flows under the road and under buildings and only reveals itself here and there. If you weren’t looking for it you may miss it altogether.
The bakery offers a variety of divine selection of homemade sweets, breads and more. The wafting scent of baking dough often fills the street, tempting those who pass by. You an travel a little further down the street to the Lost Dog and purchase a drink to accompany your bakery treat. They have a wide variety from unique coffee blends, to fruit smoothies to chai tea.
The Four Season’s book store provides a decent selection of new and used books, along with a place to sit, sip some coffee and browse the books that you are pondering whether or not to buy.
There are a variety of other enchanting shops to visit on the main drag. Of these are the Herb Lady, Sky’s the Limit and Steppin’ Out, just to name a few. Each of these shops contains treasures to be bought and are perfect to find gifts for that hard-to-shop-for friend.
One must not forget O’Hurley’s General Store, just past the railroad tracks. This is another unique store that is more old fashioned than the rest. This is the place to find old wooden or tin toys, old-fashioned hardware and the friendliest long-haired cat waiting to greet you at the cash register. This store is also unique, because it has an unadvertised, hidden treasure. Every Thursday night the side room serves as a meeting place for local musicians to gather and jam. The people of the community are welcome to join in or just to come, relax and listen. In the cold winter months they even have a fire going with warm apple cider brewing above it. This whole experience is heartwarming.
As for the night life, you still have your options. There is Tony’s, which is the local hang out for the college students. This is a good place to go if you are looking for a familiar beer, pizza or cheese steak. The Mecklenburg Inn is a bar that caters to the more down to earth kind of crowd. The tin ceilings and backyard patio and garden gives this place a romantic feel. If these places don’t fit your fancy there is also the classier Yellow Brick Bank. This restaurant provides an elegant atmosphere for those seeking a more upscale kind of evening.
Other options to start off your night on the town are the local theaters. The college offers play performances periodically in the summer, fall and spring. For a more constant entertainment option there is the Opera House on German Street. This unique movie house offers a variety of independent and artsy films and is open most evenings of the week.
If you are looking to culture yourself you may want to visit the J.Cooper Gallery on the corner of German and Princess Streets. If this doesn’t quite do it for you, just across the street is The Entler Hotel. This is the town’s museum, which also hosts galleries on occasion. It is in this building that the historic secrets of the town are revealed. The past uses for places that you have visited come to life in this old building. Knowledge of the town fills your imagination with vivid pictures of how things used to be. Slaves were once sold in the street in front of this very building. The whole town served as a hospital during the Civil War. Men used to fish in the Town Run through a grate in the street.
Living here has filled me with a warmth that I never knew a town could instill. Every corner I turn contains a different set of memories that I cherish. Each nook and cranny of Shepherdstown has a story to tell, I invite you to visit and discover them for yourself.
