Trip Report

Route 11 Potato Chip Factory /  by Todd Henson

Route 11 Chips factory in Mount Jackson, Virginia

Every so often my father and I stop by the Route 11 Potato Chip Factory to pick up some chips. The factory used to be located, of all places, along Route 11 through the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, but they eventually outgrew the location and moved their factory to 11 Edwards Way in Mount Jackson, Virginia.

You can stop by to purchase chips and other related products, and you can also see the chips being made when the production line is active. It’s an interesting process to watch. And note, I’m not in any way affiliated with or sponsored by them. We’re just another customer.

It’s not a building I’d normally spend a lot of time photographing, but on this day I really liked the clouds and how the sun lit up the building, so I decided to create a photo.

Living in Virginia I’m used to seeing these chips all around. But I’m curious how widespread or local they are. Have you ever found them in your area? And have you tried them?

A sampling of Route 11 Potato Chips

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Green Hill Cemetery - Martinsburg, WV /  by Todd Henson

Green Hill Mausoleum within Green Hill Cemetery

During an outing to Martinsburg, West Virginia, in late October of 2024 my father and I found Green Hill Cemetery, a beautiful old 17 acre cemetery atop a hill with a short road leading straight to a mausoleum and most of the graves laid out in concentric rings around the mausoleum. We’d driven up by the mausoleum and just as I’d gotten out of the car to begin looking around and exploring another car drove up and the man inside asked if he could help me, that he was the caretaker of the cemetery. I mentioned how beautiful all the old grave stones were with some very distinctive designs, and how impressed I was with the mausoleum, that I was hoping to create some photographs around the grounds. He offered to unlock the mausoleum and allowed me inside to look around and photograph and shared a lot of the history of the location. It was a fantastic experience and I just wish my memory were better because he shared so many details.

The cemetery is from the 1850’s and was incorporated in early 1854 and dedicated later that year. The design is apparently inspired by a cemetery in Paris, France, viewed by a Martinsburg local artist who created sketches that inspired the design for this location. The stone mausoleum was built in 1917 and is of a Neo-Classical Revival design, featuring stained glass windows and bronze entrance doors that have taken on that beautifully distinctive patina of aged bronze.

A view of Green Hill Mausoleum through the trees.

Getting ready to enter Green Hill Mausoleum. Note, I was using a wide angle lens close to the building which caused some geometric distortions. I attempted to reduce these in post-processing but that resulted in some other geometric distortions. The columns are actually circular, not oval.

Entering the mausoleum leads immediately to a small chapel area. Behind the gates is a fireplace, and a stained glass window is on either side.

Turn left after entering the mausoleum and this is what you’d see, with a beautiful stained glass window at the end of the wing.

On the right side is another wing with a stained glass window at the end. Also visible is the device used to raise or lower a casket into position.

The cemetery itself, given its age and location, is the resting place of war veterans of many different eras, from the Revolutionary War to the present. It’s a fascinating bit of history. Below is a quote from the Green Hill Cemetery website that beautifully describes the cemetery:

Experiencing Green Hill Cemetery is like taking a step back in time. It is a must-see site in Martinsburg, WV. Steeped in history and cultural significance, it’s hard to overstate the importance of this Historic Cemetery. It is truly an outdoor museum. Ornate inscriptions, stained glass and massive mausoleum contrast with simpler monuments and markers, all of which together relate the story of a city and its people. Still an active cemetery, these hallowed grounds still today offer comfort and inspiration to the living, so take the time to visit and discover the hidden treasures of this tremendous Historic Cemetery.

The stained glass window in the left wing of the mausoleum.

The stained glass window in the right wing of the mausoleum.

The stained glass window to the left of the fireplace.

The stained glass window to the right of the fireplace.

The more I looked around the more I noticed the reflections of the stained glass windows.

Here I attempted to frame the reflection and one of the mausoleum name plates.

I spent a fair bit of time inside the mausoleum talking with the caretaker and then attempting to photograph in the very low light (I didn’t have my tripod with me). I wish we’d had more time to spend walking around the outside as there were some beautifully designed gravestones. He mentioned one style that is in the shape of a tree trunk, but cut short to indicate a life taken too soon. The shorter the tree trunk the younger the person was when they died.

Looking out the mausoleum door to the yellow autumn foliage.

Another view out the mausoleum doors.

A view back into the mausoleum with some of the stained glass visible in the background

A look back at the closed bronze doors of the mausoleum. The coloration of the doors differ here because of a warmer white balance.

A detail from the bronze doors of the mausoleum.

A closeup of the door handles of the mausoleum.

I liked the juxtaposition of the distorted old glass, reflections from the cemetery and the stained glass seen inside.

I tried to do the location justice through my photographs. Most focus on the mausoleum where I spent the majority of my time. One day I’d love to return to spend more time photographing the cemetery grounds. On this trip we were fortunate to have some of the colors of autumn, which can be lovely in this part of West Virginia, along with beautifully cloudy weather that helped soften the light and provide some interest in the sky. It really was a perfect time to visit.

A view of graves beside the mausoleum.

A view of the cemetery which sits atop a hill overlooking parts of town.

We were fortunate to have the weather and clouds we did, as well as some of the colorful foliage of autumn.

Another view of gravestones within Green Hill Cemetery in autumn.

A final view of the gravestones at Green Hill Cemetery.

Please be aware if you ever visit the location that it is a private cemetery and on private property and can be closed at any time at the discretion of the caretakers. As always, be respectful.

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Lakota Ranch in Remington, Virginia /  by Todd Henson

The entrance to Lakota Ranch

Signs at the entrance to Lakota Ranch

On a Saturday morning in late August (2024) the weather forecast was a bit iffy so my father and I decided to go for a semi-random drive around the area and see what we could see. One location we visited was Lakota Ranch in Remington, Virginia, a working farm known for their herd of Devon cattle.

Established in 1990, Lakota Ranch takes up 726 acres of the rolling hills of Remington. It’s a beautiful location, just far enough away from any main roads or towns, and though I’m sure the folks who live and work there can be very busy and hard working, for those of us fortunate to visit it’s a wonderfully peaceful place.

After passing through the main entrance and over the cattle guard you drive along the gravel Big Horn Road where you get to see some very nice views of the hills and fields of the area. Eventually you’ll see a second stone wall entrance with another cattle guard. Drive into the woods and you’ll see signs directing you to the right for the kennels and to the left for the Farm Store, petting zoo and the rest of the ranch.

Some of the rolling hills and fields of Lakota Ranch

The second stone entrance to Lakota Ranch

The Farm Store is a small but interesting store. They had a range of different items, from shirts to various leather products and other locally made items. There was a cooler and freezer with drinks, fresh eggs and meat. This is the only time I’ve visited so I don’t know how the selection varies over the year, but their website indicates you can purchase seasonal fruits and vegetables, local honey, farm fresh eggs, and a variety of meats to include the ranch’s own Certified Devon Beef. I bought a shirt and my father bought some frozen beef. And by buying, I mean we wrote up a receipt on the pad on the counter, put our cash into one of the envelopes, and placed the envelope in their drop box. The store uses the Honor System when no one is actively working there.

The Lakota Ranch Farm Store

Just beside the Farm Store is their petting zoo. There weren’t a lot of animals around at the time we visited, but we did see several donkeys, a pig, a goat, and a number of ducks. Another family arrived while we were there and fed the animals some corn kernels.

The animal pens of the petting zoo at Lakota Ranch, just to the left of the Farm Store

The pig in the petting zoo

"Come on it," says the goat in the petting zoo

Donkeys in the petting zoo

Saddle Up and Ride the Bull!

The view from behind the Farm Store at Lakota Ranch

The rolling hills of Remington, Virginia, as seen from behind the Farm Store at Lakota Ranch

There are several private homes on the property, as well as the beautiful Lakota Chapel built in 2019 with a southwestern look to the architecture. The Chapel was built for the family but starting in 2021 they decided to offer it for small wedding ceremonies, baptisms, and other services.

Lakota Chapel at Lakota Ranch

Given this is a cattle ranch, they offer just about any cattle-related services you can think of, including replacement stock, semen, embryos, consulting services, and of course, selling the beef. They offer hunting on their Lakota Hunt Preserve, where you can sign up to hunt deer, turkey and bear. They offer Lakota Stock Dogs bred and trained for exactly the kind of work that’s done on a working ranch. And they have kennel services and training packages. To learn more visit their website at Lakota Ranch.

One of the Devon cattle relaxing on the grass under a tree

A horse grazing in the field at Lakota Ranch

Right at the main entrance is a small pull off with an informational sign that provides a general map of the property and gives a few lessons on the Civil War history of the area. One corner of the property was the site of the First Battle of Freeman’s Ford, August 22-23, 1862, which is where Brigadier General Henry Bohlen died while retreating from Confederate forces under the command of Brigadier General Isaac Trimble. On another part of the property is the burial site of Major David M. Whaley.

An informational display about Lakota Ranch

The Major and the Emperor: A Hackberry Emperor butterfly landed beside the photo and description of Major David M. Whaley

Keep your eyes open for this fantastic wood carving from a fallen tree along the road to Lakota Ranch

If you’re ever in the area consider stopping by Lakota Ranch in Remington, Virginia. It’s a beautiful location, one I hope to visit again soon.

Lakota Ranch
9272 Big Horn Road
Remington, Virginia

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